Four Simple Letters, One Word: TONE
16/05/09 03:48 Filed in: Playing Better
Tone is the Holy Grail for serious guitar players. Many spend their lives searching for a the sound that clearly defines, inspires, and motivates them. Whether it’s Eddie Van Halen’s famous “brown” sound, Eric Johnson’s creamy distortion, Nile Rodgers single-coil compression, Randy Rhoads’ phased distortion—the list goes on and on—every great guitar player is recognized by not only the notes that they play but how they sound when they play those notes.
Many players, myself included, believe that the sound is in the hands. The way a player holds a pick, strikes the strings and presses those strings against the fretboard may subtly change from instrument to instrument but these somewhat trivial playing aspects carry the guitarist’s fingerprint (sorry for the intentional pun). Simply stated, it doesn’t matter what the guitar and amp combination is, Eddie Van Halen can’t help but sound like Eddie Van Halen.
That’s a question I get by young guitarists coming into their own. I’m talking about those that are defining their style and are searching for the sound that they hear in their heads but doesn’t come out of their hands. Usually, these are pretty serious students who have gone from feeling like they know everything to realizing how much they still have to learn. They’re striving for the right tools that will get the job done.
They begin by asking questions about the differences from guitar to guitar. Then they change their focus to amps, stomp boxes, strings, picks, etc. The industry makes a fortune on selling the dream that this particular gadget is the magical missing piece between you sounding like a god and not even coming close to sounding like a dog.
However, the right tone will inspire and motivate a player into new heights. If your tone is on point then it will inspire you to play better and your playing will seem effortless. No matter what, if you’re struggling with your tone it will affect your playing in a negative way because you will be fighting the instrument just to get something out of it.
Fighting the instrument will not lead to inspiration but to frustration. As you get better at realizing what you don’t want to sound like you’ll begin to strive towards what you do want to sound like. Most instruments today are very flexible and can adapt to any playing situation. Sure, a flying V for a jazz combo may not be visually appropriate but if you like the sound and feel of the instrument the music that you create will speak for itself.
When you do find the right combination, it just feels right. Playing is a pleasure and you look forward to each and every opportunity.
Good tone will make you play better and, as you play better, you sound better and inspire those around you. Also, good tone can make an average player sound like a pro while poor tone can do the opposite, make a pro sound average.
As a professional sideman I’m asked to play many different styles during the course of a gig. Like most guitarists, there is a certain sound that I look for and identify with for each particular style. Now, I can’t afford to buy all of the different types of guitar and amp combinations plus the amount of stomp boxes necessary to recreate these sounds. Well, for the past few years I’ve been struggling with this dilemma: Do I bring every guitar that I own with every amp that I own or do I try to find an acceptable medium?
There’s a part of me that would love to change instruments after every song—that’s the artist in me. But at the end of the night when I’m packing up my back reminds me of the realistic ideal that playing all of my instruments simply isn’t practical. Fortunate for me this is the Age of Technology and there are enough gadgets out there that do it all and then some.
So, I’ve armed myself with a Steinberger ZT3 (I love the chameleon-like nature of Steinbergers and the playability and stability of this instrument is second to none), a Tech 21 Power Engine (the amp without a preamp section that I spoke about in my NAMM favorites post), and a series a digital all-in-one effects units (I’m currently using 3: a Boss GT-6, Roland VG-99, and POD X3 Live).
Why three multi-fx pedals? The VG-99 I’ve used for it’s midi capability and I’ve been using it to create different sounds; however, this is the one that I use the least for live situations. The POD X3 Live is my favorite but it is currently being serviced. The Boss GT-6 is a loaner and it has filled in so nicely that I’ve been pursued to ask what my setup is. I usually face the Tech 21 away from the audience and tilt it back so that it functions simply as a monitor. Directly in front of the amp I place the GT-6 footpedal but the audience can’t see it. There is no amp behind me and I send my sound directly to the PA. The soundman mixes me in with the rest of the band and it sounds awesome.
I also have a analog rig for the more straightahead rock and blues gigs. I use a Steinberger Synapse for rock and a Godin xSta for blues and funk played through an Egnater Tourmaster using Boss stomps. I love this setup and it sounds awesome in it’s own way. Occasionally the Gibson’s make an appearance.
When I was first starting out as a pro (post-Berklee and trying to make a name for myself), I played a Gibson ES Custom Artist with D-Addario 13s through a Mesa Boogie Mark III. I used an outboard reverb unit and that was it. I had tone for days and many players on the scene would comment positively about my tone. Many other players had heard of me or, not me, but my tone which was achieved by playing the amp at between 11 and 12 O’Clock facing the wall or baffled with a wax-covered box that Budweiser bar bottles came in back in the early ’90s.
Since then I’ve been searching for flexibility and stability. I think I found it with the previously mentioned rigs. At least for now.
It’s All in the Hands
Many players, myself included, believe that the sound is in the hands. The way a player holds a pick, strikes the strings and presses those strings against the fretboard may subtly change from instrument to instrument but these somewhat trivial playing aspects carry the guitarist’s fingerprint (sorry for the intentional pun). Simply stated, it doesn’t matter what the guitar and amp combination is, Eddie Van Halen can’t help but sound like Eddie Van Halen.
Why all the gear then?
That’s a question I get by young guitarists coming into their own. I’m talking about those that are defining their style and are searching for the sound that they hear in their heads but doesn’t come out of their hands. Usually, these are pretty serious students who have gone from feeling like they know everything to realizing how much they still have to learn. They’re striving for the right tools that will get the job done.
They begin by asking questions about the differences from guitar to guitar. Then they change their focus to amps, stomp boxes, strings, picks, etc. The industry makes a fortune on selling the dream that this particular gadget is the magical missing piece between you sounding like a god and not even coming close to sounding like a dog.
However, the right tone will inspire and motivate a player into new heights. If your tone is on point then it will inspire you to play better and your playing will seem effortless. No matter what, if you’re struggling with your tone it will affect your playing in a negative way because you will be fighting the instrument just to get something out of it.
Fighting the instrument will not lead to inspiration but to frustration. As you get better at realizing what you don’t want to sound like you’ll begin to strive towards what you do want to sound like. Most instruments today are very flexible and can adapt to any playing situation. Sure, a flying V for a jazz combo may not be visually appropriate but if you like the sound and feel of the instrument the music that you create will speak for itself.
When you do find the right combination, it just feels right. Playing is a pleasure and you look forward to each and every opportunity.
The Importance of Good Tone
Good tone will make you play better and, as you play better, you sound better and inspire those around you. Also, good tone can make an average player sound like a pro while poor tone can do the opposite, make a pro sound average.
My Story
As a professional sideman I’m asked to play many different styles during the course of a gig. Like most guitarists, there is a certain sound that I look for and identify with for each particular style. Now, I can’t afford to buy all of the different types of guitar and amp combinations plus the amount of stomp boxes necessary to recreate these sounds. Well, for the past few years I’ve been struggling with this dilemma: Do I bring every guitar that I own with every amp that I own or do I try to find an acceptable medium?
There’s a part of me that would love to change instruments after every song—that’s the artist in me. But at the end of the night when I’m packing up my back reminds me of the realistic ideal that playing all of my instruments simply isn’t practical. Fortunate for me this is the Age of Technology and there are enough gadgets out there that do it all and then some.
So, I’ve armed myself with a Steinberger ZT3 (I love the chameleon-like nature of Steinbergers and the playability and stability of this instrument is second to none), a Tech 21 Power Engine (the amp without a preamp section that I spoke about in my NAMM favorites post), and a series a digital all-in-one effects units (I’m currently using 3: a Boss GT-6, Roland VG-99, and POD X3 Live).
Why three multi-fx pedals? The VG-99 I’ve used for it’s midi capability and I’ve been using it to create different sounds; however, this is the one that I use the least for live situations. The POD X3 Live is my favorite but it is currently being serviced. The Boss GT-6 is a loaner and it has filled in so nicely that I’ve been pursued to ask what my setup is. I usually face the Tech 21 away from the audience and tilt it back so that it functions simply as a monitor. Directly in front of the amp I place the GT-6 footpedal but the audience can’t see it. There is no amp behind me and I send my sound directly to the PA. The soundman mixes me in with the rest of the band and it sounds awesome.
I also have a analog rig for the more straightahead rock and blues gigs. I use a Steinberger Synapse for rock and a Godin xSta for blues and funk played through an Egnater Tourmaster using Boss stomps. I love this setup and it sounds awesome in it’s own way. Occasionally the Gibson’s make an appearance.
When I was first starting out as a pro (post-Berklee and trying to make a name for myself), I played a Gibson ES Custom Artist with D-Addario 13s through a Mesa Boogie Mark III. I used an outboard reverb unit and that was it. I had tone for days and many players on the scene would comment positively about my tone. Many other players had heard of me or, not me, but my tone which was achieved by playing the amp at between 11 and 12 O’Clock facing the wall or baffled with a wax-covered box that Budweiser bar bottles came in back in the early ’90s.
Since then I’ve been searching for flexibility and stability. I think I found it with the previously mentioned rigs. At least for now.
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