gonz0 Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 I have realized that despite playing the guitar for 15 years I never really learned anything about the best way to achieve different tones for specific styles of music. My taste is pretty eclectic, so for now I'd like to just begin messing with the most standard or cliche settings for certain styles (I've got a POD so it should be pretty easy to find the different tones I'm looking for). So if anyone could shed some light on EQ settings, amp models, gain settings, reverb and effects used, etc. for various styles I'd appreciate it. The styles I'm most interested in are metal (all forms), funk, blues, jazz, and classic rock, but I'd like to hear any tips about any "standard" tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboDog Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Jake, we could go on forever about this one. Most players have a particular band/guitarist whose tone they have fallen in love with. Eddie Van Halen's "brown tone" for example. Some people spend many years and thousands of dollars and never get it. This is why we call that tone the "Holy Grail", because it's a neverending search. Having said that, there are some generic tones from different styles of music. Metal players tend to use Marshalls and Boogies with scooped mids. Jazz players use the cleanest amps they can find, either Fenders or solid state amps. Blues players like slightly overdriven Fenders. (These are just quick examples.) Is there a particular tone you'd like to nail? Maybe we could start one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonz0 Posted April 3, 2002 Author Share Posted April 3, 2002 Thanks for the reply. I guess rather than getting too specific about exactly what gear is best used for which tone (although any info on that would be appreciated as well) I'd like to be able to use the knowledge to get a decent sound for different styles out of any setup. Here's a good example of the kind of info I'm looking for; I've learned that a good heavy rhythm tone (for new metal styles) will have the mids cut, the highs and lows boosted, and almsot no reverb. Of course the amp makes a difference, but in general this is a good formula for getting that sort of tone out of anything (to the best of that particular piece of gears ability). I don't know that all styles can be broken down that simply but it would be nice if they could! I guess first of all I'd like to know what is needed for a good lead tone that really cuts through, Carlos Santana's tone comes to mind. Also, a good funk sound.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Jim Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 On a pod, try the plexi or jcm model, mid and treble maxed, adjust bass and drive to taste and instant hard rock tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboDog Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Santana's tone is one that many people love. He plays thru Boogies, usually small combos, and mics them. Try using maybe a Plexi setting, without much gain, and roll off the tone on your guitar. (Maybe half way). That usually works well for me. To get a lead tone that sings well and cuts thru the mix of drums, vocals and bass, you have to raise those mids back up a little. I'm not a huge fan of a lot of mids, but they add punch to your tone. Does the Pod have a footswitch? If so, what can you do with it? It's been a while since I've messed around with one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Santana tone is fantastic and one of the reasons I use Boogs. It's the exact oppisite of the god awful scooped middle metal tone (sorry if you like that, it makes me cringe). In other words, to get a tone close to Carlos you need to make a frown on the eq. Cut lows and highs and add mids. That's where it's at for singing lead tone. I read an article last year about Santana and now days he uses several amps at once. I do know that he dislikes the symul class Boogies (says they make all guitars sound like beer commercial guitars). I agree and that's why I sent my Mark IV back to Boogie and had them remove the symul business. Now mine switches from 50 watts to 100 watts instead of the 15 to 85 or whatever. It sounds like a fire breathing Mk II to me. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 how bout a non-cliche tone? like mike stern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonz0 Posted April 4, 2002 Author Share Posted April 4, 2002 How about a good clean funk sound? I can never seem to accent the muted parts that make funk so "chunky" (sorry don't really have a good word for it!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 For Funk, a lot of guys use thick strings for the heavy three, and real light for the last three. If you ask me, when it comes to tone you've got to start with strings. I use thick ones, 13s flat wound. Great tone. As far as eq-ing. A lot of funk guys scoop the mids some, just like your metal tone. There is just not that much distortion, and a wah-wah pedal can give you some nice nasty funk for you as well. But really, recording is the best way to figure out tones that sound good for you, and another thing, F*%! the standard tones. Use them for a starting point for sure, but always and I mean always search for a tone that speaks to you personally. Hope this helps, Jedi "All conditioned things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence." The Buddha's Last Words R.I.P. RobT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 The funk tone I like is a strat with the two pickups at once, out of phase thang going on. Now add a Fender Twin and a Cry Baby and you're all set. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Cliche tones?? E.. and G. Definately E and G. Tone is a term to describe a note, not the flavor of sound, which is called timbre. But some goofball used the term tone to describe the earliest eq available, and the term stuck. Then it came to describe the sound of an instrument, which is completely wrong. Oddly enough, a tone control would increase/decrease frequency, so a real "tone" control is a pitch shifter. But I digress. I like the timbre of single coil neck pickups. In Strat's, Tele's, or Gibson P90's in a variety of instruments, the neck single coil seems to me to have the most character. Preferably slightly overdriven (recently I've enjoyed a class A, Gibson GA-15RV, but I don't own it. Doh!) alone or in tandem with another single coil. Yum! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitr777 Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by fantasticsound: Cliche tones?? Tone is a term to describe a note, not the flavor of sound, which is called timbre. But some goofball used the term tone to describe the earliest eq available, and the term stuck. Then it came to describe the sound of an instrument, which is completely wrong. Oddly enough, a tone control would increase/decrease frequency, so a real "tone" control is a pitch shifter. But I digress. Not to be picky, but... From Dictionary.com - tone n. Music. A sound of distinct pitch, quality, and duration; a note. The interval of a major second in the diatonic scale; a whole step. A recitational melody in a Gregorian chant. The quality or character of sound. The characteristic quality or timbre of a particular instrument or voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitr777 Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by fantasticsound: Cliche tones?? E.. and G. Definately E and G. Tone is a term to describe a note, not the flavor of sound, which is called timbre. But some goofball used the term tone to describe the earliest eq available, and the term stuck. Then it came to describe the sound of an instrument, which is completely wrong. Oddly enough, a tone control would increase/decrease frequency, so a real "tone" control is a pitch shifter. But I digress. Not to be picky, but... From Dictonary.com tone n. Music. A sound of distinct pitch, quality, and duration; a note. The interval of a major second in the diatonic scale; a whole step. A recitational melody in a Gregorian chant. The quality or character of sound. The characteristic quality or timbre of a particular instrument or voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitr777 Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 sorry about the double post. i got a goofy error the first time i tried and I didn't think it went through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitr777 Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 sorry about the double post. i got a goofy error the first time i tried and I didn't think it went through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliAlexandre Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by DC: I do know that he dislikes the symul class Boogies (says they make all guitars sound like beer commercial guitars). I agree and that's why I sent my Mark IV back to Boogie and had them remove the symul business. Now mine switches from 50 watts to 100 watts instead of the 15 to 85 or whatever. It sounds like a fire breathing Mk II to me.What is the meaning of symul class? . I personally own a MesaBoogie Subway Rocket. Can it be optimized ? for what results ? Thanks Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by AliAlexandre: [/qb]What is the meaning of symul class? . I personally own a MesaBoogie Subway Rocket. Can it be optimized ? for what results ? Thanks Alex[/QB] Hello Alex, Myles could explain this way better than me, but many of the 'Mark' series amps, beginning with the Mk III's started featuring symul-class operation. There are two sides of the power amp, a Class A section that produces 15 watts, and a Class A/B push pull portion that produces 60 watts. You can run just the Class A section for the 15 watts or run them together for (I think) 85 watts. Anyway, while I like Class A amps for overdriving a clean channel like those Vox guys, I don't think it works well for cascading pre amp deals like the Boog in the overdrive channel. The tone is too jingly/bubbly in an ungroovy way. I'm not sure about the Subway Rocket, but if it's class A, it's like the vox, without the seperate lead channel. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by AliAlexandre: [/qb]What is the meaning of symul class? . I personally own a MesaBoogie Subway Rocket. Can it be optimized ? for what results ? Thanks Alex[/QB] Hello Alex, Myles could explain this way better than me, but many of the 'Mark' series amps, beginning with the Mk III's started featuring symul-class operation. There are two sides of the power amp, a Class A section that produces 15 watts, and a Class A/B push pull portion that produces 60 watts. You can run just the Class A section for the 15 watts or run them together for (I think) 85 watts. Anyway, while I like Class A amps for overdriving a clean channel like those Vox guys, I don't think it works well for cascading pre amp deals like the Boog in the overdrive channel. The tone is too jingly/bubbly in an ungroovy way. I'm not sure about the Subway Rocket, but if it's class A, it's like the vox, without the seperate lead channel. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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