Table Of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Several Guitar Types
3. Amp Types and Tones
4. Effect Pedal Types and tones
5. Amp Box, Amp stand or on the ground?
6. Tube pedals vs. non-tube pedals
7. Effect Pedal Mods
8. Multi effects vs. pedals
9. Modeling amps vs. real amps
10. Solid State or Tube Amps?
11. Recording with mics
12. Direct Recording with Modeling Devices
13. Finding YOUR Tone
14. Amp/Effects Debates
14. Your Guitar
16. The Absolute truth...
17. In closing--People, Knowledge, and Skill...SO HOW
DO YOU FIND YOUR TONE?

Introduction
Hi! Welcome to Indyguitarist.com and Guitartone.net’s “Introduction
to Guitar Tone and Effects”!

This is an essential manual for getting the best sounds from your
electric guitars, your amps, effect pedals, digital processors and
equipment. This book and the accompanied audio also features easy
to follow instructions with tons of photos, teaching the basics of guitar
tones, effects, amps and guitars.

The CD or the provided link for the download provides many audio
examples. Readers of this will learn all the different types of guitars,
what type of music they are best suited for, who plays them, what
different configurations of amps, what tones are best, rock or country.

In the other book, we’ll discuss how you can modify your effect pedals
for maximum tone without paying premium money as well as what
some hot pros are using. I’ll also put everything in extreme detail for
you.

Not only that, I’ll also show you some of the best ways to set your
effects, and amp to achieve tonal bliss!

To listen to soundclips, go to www.indyguitarist.com/tone

You will be able to click on them there.

Guitars

Fender Strats
Fender strat usually features 3 single coils or 2 singles and a
humbucker. It may also feature 2 humbuckers at your neck and at
your bridge and a single in the middle, although that is not as
common.

The 3 single coils, it is more known for a ‘quacky’ type of sound and
used on a ton of recordings, and is very common.

Neck position is very good for blues, its very full and warm. Stevie
Ray Vaughn used that quite a bit as well as the fourth position, which
is a combination of the middle pickup and the neck pickup.

Most guitars nowadays are patterned after the strat. Many of the
them have taken the good things about the strat and changed the
tremolos and different pickups, and maybe a little bit different radius
for the fret board and so on.

The Fender strat is very good for rock, blues or country and it is still
used for those types of tones today.
Fender Telecaster
A fender telecaster is more known for a honky type of tone…and that’s
really the easiest way to explain it. Its more of a mid-rangy tone…kind
of more of a compressed sound.

It has 2 single coils or the Nashville tele comes with 3 single coils. It
has a very smooth mid range and though its used primarily in country
it is also very good for rock and blues as well.

Jimmy Page used to use one on some of the older recordings until he
switched to a les paul and there are many other guys that use them
too.

Brent Mason, the Nashville studio giant, swears by them, as do most

country pickers.
Gibson Les Paul
Joe Perry from Aerosmith and Slash from Guns n Roses were two of
the faithful followers of the Gibson Les Paul.

They are primarily used for hard rock, rock n roll or maybe every now
and then some light pop-ish type of music though more dominantly in
the hard rock or rock n roll. The Les Paul is kind of mid rangy like a
telecaster-just more ‘in your face’ and ballsy… and has much more
bottom end than a telecaster.

Usually configured with 2 humbuckers one at the neck and one at the
bridge or 3 humbuckers.
Ibanez came out with many different models probably the most
popular were custom models for Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, which
included locking floyd rose tremolos to do whammy bar dives and lots
of whammy tricks.

They are a favorite of ‘shredders’ typically.

A lot of guys use them for hard rock and rock n roll. Paul Gilbert loved
his Ibanez. There was just a ton of guys especially in the late 80’s
when it was a fashion statement to have an Ibanez. They’re very full
sounding but they don’t cut through as easy as a fender or a Gibson.
Paul Reed Smith guitar – primarily used for new metal, rock or hard
rock. It has very hot pickups. It is very full sounding plays excellently
but they are expensive. A lot of guys starting buying the PRS, as they
are called-everyone calls them PRS. They kind of took the place of
Ibanez was the guitar to have in the 80’s. The PRS is considered by
many to be the guitar to have this decade.
Chapter 2

Amp types and tones

The Fender twin Reverb is generally used for clean tones. There’s no
distortion channel and its very loud but it really shines when you can
crank that thing up and get those tubes hot.

A lot of guys use those, mostly country some rock and jazz. Its very
similar to a deluxe reverb but is has a lot a more power and it’s a lot
louder.
Some guys like Jr. brown will use two of them in stereo and have them
cranked up and they are amazingly loud. If you are standing in front
of them they will almost knock you down--they are that loud!

The 1965 black face is the most famous which is also reissued in the
90’s because of it being famous and the ability that people were
buying the old 65’s and paying ridiculous money for them.

The Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier was primarily for heavy guitar driven
music but a lot of bands nowadays who play new metal and hard rock
use them too because they are so full and aggressive sounding and
very almost a fuzz type of distortion.

The Marshall amps JMP series is more of a straight forward rock amp.
It has two channels clean and dirty. It’s a pretty good clean tone,
excellent dirty tone.

There again, like all marshals, they sound very good when you crank
them up. Before that, came the Marshall Plexi, which was the most
famous in the 60’s and 70’s. It Had a single channel but when you
crank it up there was no tone like it. In fact, the old ACDC stuff with
Bon Scott especially, if you listen to that guitar, its all Plexi tone. Very
smooth and very full. Its an excellent rock amp and breaks up very
nicely.

The Roland Jazz Course has excellent clean tones very loud without
distorting so its great for jazz and some rock and country guys use it
too. It’s the only solid state amp in this line up of amps we are
discussing here.

The Fender Deluxe Reverb is basically just like the Twin Reverb except
its not near as loud. You can crank it up a lot more to get it to
saturate and compress a little bit more so a lot of country guys love it.
Some rock and jazz guys use it but not so much jazz because you
don’t have to turn it up to such a loud volume (i.e. the twin) to get it
to compress naturally or distort. Brent mason (www.brentmason.com)
swears by his 67 fender deluxe.

Vox – primarily a country and rock amp. Its very midrange has a
great honky type of tone breaks up very nicely. Brian May of Queen
used one of these quite a bit. Brad Paisley on his earlier stuff used a
Vox and now he has a Dr. Z amp that he uses pretty extensively to
kind of simulate a sort of vox tone.

Click Here to Listen to Brad playing through his new Dr. Z amp.
Chapter 3 - effect pedal types and tones

What is an effect loop?

Most amps today have more sockets than the one labeled "input".
Chances are, your amp also has two- labeled "send" and "return" - the
effect loop.

The signal that "travels" through your amplifier normally takes the
following way: Input - Preamp (generally responsible for sound and - if
you want - overdrive) - Power amp (generally responsible for volume,
although with tube power amps the sound is also shaped).

Some effects (see the following Topics) work and sound better
if they come after any distortion or gain that is applied to your
guitar signal. Why? For example, it would not sound too good if you
put the reverb before the overdrive. You want a reverb on your
overdriven signal, not an overdriven reverb.

Basic rules:
1) If the effect modulates the signal (see following Topics), put it
behind any preamps or overdrive/distortion boxes.
2) It the effect boosts the signal, put it before overdrive.
3) There are no absolute rules! Break them, experiment!

Normally, you put all your stomp boxes between your guitar and the
input of the amp. But if you want to use your amp's overdrive channel,
you get the problems described above. This is where the effect loop
comes in.

The guitar signal comes from your amp's preamp and through "send"
goes into those effects that should be put behind any overdrive. The
signal comes back into your amp through the "return" socket.
Therefore, you should have all the stomp boxes that should come
before overdrive between your guitar and the amp's input and all the
boxes that should come after overdrive after your amp's preamp in the
effect loop. The following Topics will give you information on which
effects belong to which group.

Some amps have a series, and others have a parallel effect loop.

With a series effect loop, the guitar signal (your sound) comes from
the preamp of your amp, "leaves" your amp through the send jack,
runs through the inserted effect and comes back through the return
jack. 100% of your signal goes through the effect.

Many people have found that their sound suffers (great tube amps and
- perhaps cheaper ran through multiple buffered (non-true bypassed)
pedals may result in loss of full bodied tone.

The solution was the parallel loop: with the control, you control how
much of your original signal leaves the amp and passes through the
effect.

The "remaining" signal stays in your amp, preserving much of your

sound, and is "joined" again by the signal coming back from the effect,
now with effects on it.

So you can mix the dry (without effect) and the wet (with effects)
signals, but keep in mind that you won't hear much of the effects if
you only put a tiny part of your signal through the effect box.
The effects in the loop should be set so that they let out no original
signal but 100% effect signal. You decide with the parallel effect knob
how much effect you want.
COMPRESSOR

A Compressor reduces the dynamic range of a signal. If the input

signal is above a set threshold level, the signal is made quieter, if the
signal is below a set threshold level it is made louder.

Therefore, the volume level is more consistent and sustain is

increased. The instrument sounds smoother.

You might call a compressor a variable gain device. It reduces its gain
when the signal level is too high - making louder passages softer. If
the signal becomes too soft, it tries to maintain a constant level of
output by amplifying the incoming signal to maintain that constant
level.

For example, after sounding a string on a guitar, the sound produced

by the pickups gradually dies away.

A little compression will keep the instrument's level from dropping too
radically after it's plucked, which is perceived as increased sustain. The
gain here is not perceived as "distortion"!!

Controls:
Threshold: Sets the level where the compressor kicks in to make the
signal softer.

Attack: The compressor takes a little time before the gain is adjusted
to the new input level. The amount of time the compressor takes to
decrease its gain when the input level rises above the threshold is
called attack time.

Release: When the input level exceeded the threshold, the compressor
kicked in. When the input level falls under the threshold, the
compressor again needs time to respond and increase the gain again.
This is the release time.

Sustain: Sets the length of the period during which weak signals are
amplified.

A compressor has to be used carefully. Some people say that if you

hear that there's a compressor at work the effect was overdone. If
you overuse it, you limit your own range of playing dynamics
drastically.
Using an appropriate attack time, the naturalness of an instrument's
sound will get through before the compression sets in.

If attack and/or release time is too short, you get very quick changes
in gain, which is often perceived as "pumping" and generally not
desirable.

When do you need it? Sometimes a song or even a certain style

requires the notes you play to fall in a certain (sometimes very
narrow) dynamic range - some funk songs for example. It would be
very hard if not impossible to achieve this just by controlling our
picking hand - especially at high speed.

If recording, it's even more important: If your signal exceeds a certain

peak, there will be distortion on the tape. This happens easily without
a compressor because you normally set the input level in such a way
that the average signal is loud enough. One too strong pick attack and
you've distortion on tape, ruining a whole track. The compressor helps
here. Set the threshold in a way that your signal does not exceed the
point where distortion occurs.

Examples of settings
It also can be used as a booster for solos or to give your guitar sound
more punch for playing rhythm.
FUZZ - OVERDRIVE - DISTORTION

It all started in the 60s when the PA systems and amps weren't as
powerful as today. The only thing you could do was to turn your amp up
to 10. The high input signals overloaded the tube preamp and output
stage as well as the speakers, resulting in distortion. By accident,
guitarists discovered that the result didn't sound too bad.

Basically, there are three different types of effects for "distortion": fuzz,
overdrive and distortion. The names have been mixed up by
companies producing effects, so your effect may produce something
that's different from what its names says.

The fuzz was created very early. A characteristic of its sound is that it
radically emphasizes harmonics. Some people even say the sound
reminds them of a circular saw. Fact is, that Jimi Hendrix used a fuzz
(Fuzz Face) often.
Check out "Foxy Lady" or "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" or the Beatles'
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" or the Rolling Stones'
"Satisfaction" for examples.

Overdrive: Simulates the sound of an overdriven tupe amp and

responds to playing touch. The resulting distortion is warm and smooth,
the nuances of the picking technique are still audible. A well known
example is the Tube Screamer.

START EDIT
 CLEAN MILD
BOOST OVERDRIVE

AGGRESSIVE OVERDRIVE
 AGGRESSIVE OVERDRIVE

Distortion: Produces harder, metallic distortion with many upper

harmonics. A guitar sound that really cuts through and screams is the
result. Boss DS1 (Distortion) or Boss HM3(Hyper Metal) are examples.

Besides producing an overdriven or distorted sound that your amp only

amplifies, overdrives (and less often fuzz and distortion) can also be used
to boost your guitar signal so that it actually overdrives your amp. If you
do this, use the "Gain" control (see below) sparingly and use "Level" to
set the level of distortion.

Controls:
Drive: Adjusts the distortion of the effect unit.
Level: Adjusts the output volume of the effect unit.
Tone: Adjusts the highs and lows (if you have a more comfortable unit,
you may even have controls for Bass, Middle and Treble).

A few tips: Don't overdo it!!

 CLEAN BOOST MILD DISTORTION

HEAVY CREAMY DISTORTION HEAVY CRUNCH DISTORTION

If you listen to Rhythm guitars on CDs you'll very often notice that the
amount of distortion used is not that much. Very often, the rhythm guitar
was recorded twice or even more often to get that huge sound.

If you use too much, your sound becomes muddy. Another

disadvantage is that gain/distortion reduces your dynamic range.

Another thing you perhaps have already experienced is this: You dial in a
distortion sound you really like and as soon as you play together with
other people, you seem to have not enough volume, even if your amp
volume is wide open.

If you want your guitar to cut through in a band context, try using
less distortion instead of turning up your amp and/or turning up
the mids on your amp/pedal/eq.

Downside: A lower gain setting leads to less sustain. A Compressor

comes in handy here.
In the effect chain, a compressor comes before a distortion
device.

Often used overdrive/distortion units are: Ibanez Tube Screamer (TS9),

ProCo The Rat, Tech21 Sans Amp.
Fuzz pedals still exist, like the Arbiter Fuzz Face.

CHORUS

A chorus belongs to those effects that modulate and double sound. It

combines a slightly delayed (20 - 80 milliseconds) and pitch modulated
signal with the original signal. This produces a swirling, shimmering
effect. This swirling effect makes the two signals sound slightly out of
tune as they would be if there were two instruments. Some use it to
imitate the sound of a 12string, but it's not a perfect imitation.
A stereo chorus adds spaciousness and dimension, resulting in a
thicker, rich sound.

Controls (maybe with different names):

Rate: the speed of the modulation
Depth: how intensive the modulation is
Filter: adjusts how much time there is between the original signal and
the modulated one
Effect level: volume of the modulated signal.
 DEEP, RICH CHORUS SUBTLE WARM CHORUS

Music example: Extreme chorus used throughout 80’s rock…listen to

any dokken, skid row, warrant, slaughter, etc. slow song and you’ll
definitely hear chorus!

If you want to use your amp's overdrive, a chorus belongs in

the effect loop, just as a flanger, phaser, reverb or a delay.
In the effect chain, all these effects should come after
overdrive/distortion!

FLANGER

A Flanger creates a slight delay and combines it with the original signal
for a "swirling doubled" effect. The length of the delay is constantly
changing. Other words to describe the effect are "whooshing" or "a jet
plane flying overhead".

Legend says it originated while the Beatles were producing an album. A

tape machine was being used for a delay and someone touched the rim
of a tape reel, changing the pitch. With some more tinkering and mixing
of signals, that characteristic flanging sound was created. The rim of the
reel is also known as the 'flange', hence the name 'flanging'.

The delay time is so short (1 to 10 or maybe 20 milliseconds) that you

don't hear an echo. Instead, the delayed signal interferes with
of signals, that characteristic flanging sound was created. The rim of the
reel is also known as the 'flange', hence the name 'flanging'.

The delay time is so short (1 to 10 or maybe 20 milliseconds) that you

don't hear an echo. Instead, the delayed signal interferes with
frequencies of the original signal (picture two sine waves, one delayed for
a short time). Some frequencies are eliminated (one sine wave is at its
maximum, the other at its minimum). This creates "notches" in frequency
response. As the delay time changes, the frequencies affected also
change, resulting in the typical sound of the flanger.

Controls

Depth: Maximum delay time added to the time you set with the Delay
control (see below).

Rate/Speed: Adjusts how quickly the notches move up and down the
frequency spectrum.

Delay: Sets the minimum amount of delay (remember, delay changes).

Feedback/Regeneration: Only some units have this control. With it, you
can take a portion of the flanger's output and route it to the input. In
some cases, you can also specify whether to add or subtract the feedback
signal. A large amount of feedback can create a very 'metallic' and
'intense' sound.

A Flanger is very similar to a Chorus, but the Chorus has longer delay
times (30 - 50 milliseconds) and no feedback.

If you listen to Van Halen's "Ain't talking 'bout love" you can hear a delay
(about 100ms) and a flanger (slow spead, moderate depth with
regeneration) in the intro riff.

Just like a chorus, a flanger belongs in the effect loop if you want
to use your amp's overdrive.
In the effect chain, a flanger comes after the
overdrive/distortion.

PHASER

A phaser combines an out-of-phase signal with the original signal to

produce a sound similar to the "spinning" sound of a rotary speaker.

Well, in my humble opinion, a phaser sounds very much like a tamed

flanger. It does nearly the same (see "Flanger": creating notches in
the frequency spectrum) but it uses a shorter delay (0-5ms), sounds
drier and has a shallower "whoosh".
Well, in my humble opinion, a phaser sounds very much like a tamed
flanger. It does nearly the same (see "Flanger": creating notches in
the frequency spectrum) but it uses a shorter delay (0-5ms), sounds
drier and has a shallower "whoosh".
The Flanger indeed is a special kind of phaser.

The way the effect is produced differs a little bit from the flanger. The
notches in the frequency spectrum are created by passing the signal
through a special group of filters, called allpass filters. As the name
implies, all frequencies pass through the filter (i.e. none is "absorbed")
to the output. But the signal needs a certain time to pass through the
filters so it is "delayed" in comparison to the original signal.

If you now mix the two signals, the delayed signal interferes with
frequencies of the original signal - just like the flanger (picture two
sine waves, one delayed for a short time).

But not all frequencies are delayed by the same amount, so only some
are eliminated (one sine wave is at its maximum, the other at its
minimum)and some are made weaker. This creates the "notches" in
frequency response.

By putting more allpass filters in line, more notches are created. The
MXR Phase 90 contains four stages for example.

Controls

Rate: Adjusts how often the notches move up and down the frequency
spectrum per second.

Depth: Sets how far the notches move up and down.

Feedback/Resonance: The phase shifting effects can be made more

intense by using feedback - adding part of the filter output to the input
again. This control determines how much of the filter output is routed
to the input again.

Mix/Level: Sets how much of the filter output (the delayed signal) is
added to the original.

A phaser is very often used for clean rhythm guitars in pop and funk
music.
Lenny Kravitz' "Are you gonna go my way" is an example for a phaser
at work.

Just like a chorus or flanger, a phaser belongs in the effect loop

if you want to use your amp's overdrive.
Lenny Kravitz' "Are you gonna go my way" is an example for a phaser
at work.

Just like a chorus or flanger, a phaser belongs in the effect loop

if you want to use your amp's overdrive.
In the effect chain, a phaser comes after the
overdrive/distortion.

DELAY

A Delay samples the original signal and plays it back delayed to

simulate "echo".

SLAPBACK ECHO
Controls

Delay time: Sets the time between original signal and delayed signal.
Feedback: How many delayed signals do you want? This control sets
the number of repeats.

It's a very versatile, often used effect. Depending on the time between
original signal and delayed signal, the effect is quite different.

Doubling: Use a short delay time (50ms or less) and cut feedback so
only a single delay is produced. The result sounds similar to two
guitars playing in unison => fatter sound.
Keeping the direct sound and delayed sound separate for a stereo
effect makes it sound like recording left and right cannels separately.

Reverb: Use about five delays at 100-200ms and set a low volume
and you have a reverb-like sound.

"Cheat": Selecting a delay time that matches the song tempo (see
below), you can play notes at a constant speed and have a delayed
signal right between those notes, creating the impression that you are
playing twice as fast (for example: play constant eight notes and have
the delay set to repeat your eight note right between two of your
notes => sounds like sixteenth notes being played: your note - delay
repeats note - your note - delay repeats note ...).

Harmony: Using long delay (800ms or longer) is good for creating

harmony: you play a note and the delay repeats this note at the same
time you play another note that creates a musical interval with the
first one (example: you play first a C, then an E and finally a G: the
delay repeats the C at the same time you sound the E and the E
repeat sounds together with the G, creating the impression of two
guitars playing in harmony a third apart.)
You get even more interesting results, if you allow more repeats than
only one!

Slapback: Use a short delay time (40 - 120 ms) and no feedback and
you have the sort of delay you hear on many rockabilly songs.

Generally, setting the delay so that it matches the speed of the song
produces a highly musical effect!

Ok, but how do I calculate the delay time needed to fit the speed of
the song, to "cheat" or to play harmony?

Delay time for quarter notes =60/Tempo(bpm). You get the

delay in seconds, and then you just multiply or divide that to get the
desired note value.
EG you want a 16th note delay at 120 BPM:
60/120=0.5 (500 ms) then divide by 4 (to get 16th)=125ms

Examples: Generally, U2's the Edge uses a lot of delay to make his
sound fatter or to create the impression of playing twice as fast as he
actually is (for rhythm and lead guitar, check out "Pride (In the name
of love)".
Brian May often used a delay to play harmony lines with himself, listen
to "Brighton Rock".
The Stray Cat's "Rock this town" provides an example for a slapback
delay.

If you want to use your amp's overdrive channel, the delay

belongs in the effect loop.
In the effect chain, a delay should be put after
overdrive/distortion.
REVERB
A reverb adds the natural acoustic ambience present in rooms and
halls.

In a room, every noise is reflected by walls, furniture, ceiling and the

floor. The reflected signal is again reflected and so on until so many
echoes are created, that you can't discern any echoes anymore and
you just hear a "reverb". Reflected sounds arrive a little later at our
ears as the directly heard signal, because they had to travel a little
further. They are also a little weaker, because walls and other surfaces
absorb some of the signal.

For a short period after the direct sound, there is a set of well-defined
and directional reflections that are directly related to the shape and
size of the room, as well as the position of the source and listener in
the room. These are the early reflections.

After these early reflections, the rate of the arriving reflections

increases greatly. These reflections are more random and difficult to
relate to the physical characteristics of the room. This is called the
diffuse reverberation, or the late reflections. This diffuse reverberation
is considered to be the primary factor establishing a room's 'size', and
it decays exponentially in good concert halls.

One measure used for the reverb in a room is reverberation time.

This is the time it takes for the sound intensity to 1/1 000 000th of its
original value. Longer times mean that the sound stays in the room
longer before being absorbed.
Reverberation time is often associated with the size of the room (the
longer the time, the larger the room).

BUT: The materials the walls, floor, ceilings are made of also plays an
important role: concrete or brick are highly reflective, carpets, curtains
or people absorb a lot of the signal.

Thus, an empty room will sound bigger whereas during the

performance it will sound differently, with less reverberation.

If you want to test the natural reverb of a room, clapping or snipping

loudly with your fingers works best.

Controls
Pre-delay: Sets the amount of time before the first reverberations of a
signal are heard.

Reverb Time: Sets the duration for the reverb (see "reverberation
time" above).

Effect level: Adjusts the volume of the reverb.

Direct level: Adjusts the volume of the direct signal.

Sometimes reverb units also contain controls like High Pass or Low
Pass Filter.

A special kind of reverb is the Gated Reverb. Here a sound is allowed

only a certain number of reflections. After a certain amount of time,
the response is cut off (in contrast to a normal reverb where it fades
away). This time is the gate time.

If you want to use your amp's overdrive channel, the reverb

belongs in the effect loop.
In the effect chain, a reverb should be put after overdrive/
distortion.
No matter if you use your amp's overdrive or not (i.e. no matter
if the reverb effect is between your guitar and amp input or in
the effect loop), it's best to have reverb as the last effect in the
signal chain.

Order of effects

By now we have covered most of the basic effects. There ARE more,
but these are the most common.

Also, I’d like to address the question in which order to put the effects.
On the previous Topics I've already given some "rules" - remember
that rules can be broken! - and on the first Topic you can find info on
the effect loop.

But let's assume that you want to put all your stomp boxes in line
between your guitar and your amp.

The following order is one that I feel results in useable sounds. This
does not mean it is the only one possible. There are some effects
mentioned that I haven't explained yet, but to have it all on one Topic
I include them here.

guitar - Octaver - Auto Wah - Compressor - Wah (1) -

Distortion/Overdrive - Equalizer - Flanger, Phaser or Pitch Shift
- Volume Pedal (2) - Delay - Chorus - Reverb

Notes: (1): If you put the Wah in front of the overdrive/distortion unit,
it influences the overdrive. It is also possible to put the Wah after the
overdrive/distortion effect.

(2) A Volume Pedal can also be put in front of the overdrive/distortion,

controlling the intensity of the overdrive.
You might want to put a Noise Gate before the Compressor and/or
after Flanger/Phaser/Pitch Shift.

EQUALIZER

Most of us use - at least to a certain degree - our amp's EQ to get the

sound we want. And I guess most of us have been frustrated because
a) the controls are not as effective as we would like them to be
b) the settings influence each other too much.

Some companies offer EQs as stomp boxes and most multi-effect units
also contain extra EQ - besides the parameters for the preamp.
Having an additional EQ is nearly like having a second amp. With most
"extra" EQs you have an enormous influence on your sound. The result
is two sounds: one with the EQ turned off and - if you want - a
completely different one if the EQ is turned on.

A graphic EQ normally offers you certain "bands" of frequency (for

example: 100Hz, 200Hz, 400Hz, 800Hz ... up to maybe 6.4kHz) and
the opportunity to boost/cut each of these bands individually - up to
a certain amount (for example +/-15 dB). You can't change the
frequencies the graphic EQ offers you to cut or boost.
METAL TONE ROCK/BLUES TONE

NU-METAL TONE
A parametric EQ lets you choose exactly which frequencies you want
to boost or cut, and, it’s the type of eq to use if your wanting to notch
out a bit of hiss, or noise in your signal, as well as cut out feedback in
a pa or guitar rig.

General guidelines:
For sharp rhythm sounds cut the middle frequency bands around
800Hz and boost at around 1.6kHz.

For overdriven solos boost the middle frequency bands slightly - make
sure you put the EQ after the overdrive.

For a metal sound cut the middle bands around 800Hz and boost the
lower and higher frequency bands.

Some folks some like to use EQ before the preamp, some folks like to
use EQ after the pre-amp. Now I say ‘pre-amp’ generically here what
I mean is it could be a distortion pedal, an overdrive pedal or a fuzz
pedal. I’m just using the term ‘pre-amp’ generically. Its going to give
you different tones. You put it before, its going to boost the
frequencies, more or less basically adding distortion. It won’t boost
the frequencies like bass, treble or mids like it will behind it. So, if you
want to add bass, mids or treble, you need to put it behind the pre-
amp or even better in the effects loop.

Tremolo

A tremolo will basically raise the volume in your signal, and then turn
it down in steady patterns to create an effect.

A wah pedal changes the eq range of the pedal as you step on it, and
move your foot. A good example of wah use is jimi Hendrix- voodoo
chile, or alice in chains’ ‘man in the box’.
Tuners
Some guys like to use their tuner in their effects chain. I don’t like to
and I recommend you don’t, it will take some high end off. You are
not going to have a pure guitar signal.

If you really have to have a tuner in your chain, I suggest you have an
AB box, running ‘a’ signal to your amp, and the ‘b ‘signal straight to
your tuner or just put it in a true bypass box.

If you have a wah pedal, you basically want to do the same thing. I
suggest that unless you true bypass your wah, you do not want that
thing in your chain!! I suggest you use a true bypass box. You will
destroy your clean signal to your amp. You’ll take off some high end if
you don’t have it true bypassed.

True Bypass
While on the subject of true bypass, is it hype or is it real?

I believe it is kind of a selling point for some companies. I don’t think

its really necessary if you are only using one or two pedals but if you
are using five or six pedals, ten pedals, the best thing may be to have
a buffered pedal or two and much of them as you can true bypass.

A Buffered pedal is a pedal that switches the pedal on and off

electronically, instead of mechanically (like true bypass). It buffers the
signal-meaning it boosts the level of the signal, in an attempt to not
color the tone, as well as boosting the signal so you don’t lose quality
of tone when using long guitar cables. Long guitar cables will also tend
to take some high end (treble) off of the guitar signal. The buffer helps
to correct this.

Too many buffers or too many buffered pedals you are back to losing
some high end off your tone. You do not want that. You don’t want
your tone colored like that.

The general exception, however, is wah pedals, and tuners…they will

color your signal in a bad way if they are in the path of your guitar
signal to your amp.

Picking Techniques
Picking techniques for tone – there’s all different styles.
-Finger picking which is like a classical or country style;
-Alternate picking…which a lot of guitar solos and ‘shredders’ will
alternate pick and that’s the most standard picking
-String mutes which is a kind of chunky type of tone old Metallica and
a lot of the new hard rock which is more of a string mute type of
picking.

Topic 7

Amp Box, Amp stand or on the ground?

An amp box will send the sound from the back of the amp to the front.

Basically when you play an open back guitar amp, you have a lot more
bassier frequencies coming out of the back and your crispier clearer
tone coming out of the front.

An amp box will redirect that bassy frequency directed out toward the
front of you and a lot of companies will say it will give you a 412 or _
stack sound. Not really, its just going to be more bassy and fuller and
that’s just a preference, some guys like and some guys don’t.

With a regular metal amp stand, you are actually going to lose bass
because it is not resonating through the floor plus the speaker is
pointing directly at you so its going to sound kind of thin if you have
the speaker facing you.

I prefer to have my amp sitting on the floor so it resonates through

the floor. It colors the tone a bit but I feel it makes it a lot fuller and
sound better. For an example, take an electric guitar that’s not
plugged in and lean it against a kitchen table that’s made out of wood
and strum it a bit and you’ll notice its louder and plays a little bit fuller
that’s just because it is resonating through that wood.

Topic 8
Tube pedals vs. non-tube pedals
-Most tube pedals run 12 volts or less so the effect is not the same as
a tube based amp. Clipping diodes generally creates distortion of the
overdrive but some of the tube pedals with the in internal transformers
sound better than the ones with the ‘wall warts’. This is basically
because they are running more voltage and its more like true tube
pre-amp. But, I say all in all a lot of its hype. The real decision is
what you like, what do you feel sounds better?

Effect Pedal Mods

Why mod any pedal?

I'm glad you asked!

For the same reason folks buy a tube amp instead of a solid state
amp, or the same reason folks buy a Les Paul instead of a rogue,
The same reason Folks prefer a ferarri to a hyundai...

It's everything the stock pedal is, but SO MUCH MORE!

Seriously, its sort of like 'hot-rodding' your car. Some folks like their
car just fine, but other ‘car enthusiasts’ like to fix them up, put nice
stereo systems in them, nice wheels, etc.

It’s not for everyone, but if you approach it open-mindedly, you just
might dig it!

Which one?
Listen to the mods, probably the top ones you hear the most about is
Robert Keeley, Analog Man, Tone Jam, and Indy Guitarist.

Keeley and Analog Man are probably the most well known. Keeley’s
mods are more geared like the original pedal, but a bit clearer. He’s
very well known for his original compressor designs. Analog Man is
very well known as well. His mods are more subtle. Kind of made to
sound more like a vintage type of tone.

Tone Jam and Indy Guitarist are kind of the new breed of modders
out. They mod almost anything and they do custom mods-turning
your wimpy overdrive pedal into a beast!! So, basically you can tell
them you want a Boss DS1 with nothing but more mid range and
they’ll do it.
From what I’m told, Keeley and Analog Man only offer certain mods,
they don’t do custom mods. If you like to work on your own
equipment, or just want to save money, you can always go to
www.guitartone.net and do your own mods. There’s an easy to
follow guide there that teaches you how to mod your own.

Topic 10

Multi effects vs. pedals

Pedals are ideal when you want to ‘flavor’ your original signal. Also, for
some, you can’t beat a couple of premier or modded single effects,
and run them into a tube amp. This issue, however, is debated daily!

With a multi FX you can preset all your sounds into patches. With
stomp boxes you have to do a tap dance turning on/off several FX-if
say changing from a 80's style clean tone with
Compression>Reverb>Chorus>Delay>EQ. If you wanted to go from
this clean sound to a dry high gain lead sound or a rhythm crunch then
you have to do the tap dance.

A Multi effects generally is liked for the one footswitch to change a

load of FX on/off in one quick tap of the toe! Some players prefer that
when playing live, if they are using a ton of effects.

To sum it up, use your ears-play on both and see what feels right and
sounds right to YOU.

Topic 11

Modeling amps vs. real amps

A modeling amp is basically a jack-of-all-trades. You are going to get
good tones but it is not an exact replica.

A modeling amp is good for a cover band where you don’t need 12
amps on stage for example. You have your marshall tones, fender
tones, box tones everything you need is right there with a click of a
button. But, for example, if you need a good marshall tone, you’re not
going to get an exact replica out of any modeling amp or any modeling
device really.
If you put a JC 800 or a Marshall JC 800 right next to a modeling amp
on the Marshall setting, its going to be totally different. Its going to be
similar but its not even going to compare in terms of the ‘ballsiness’
factor-the feeling and tone you get from a good cranked tube amp.

Most people refer to ‘ballsiness’ when they are speaking of a guitar

tone that has bass, a nice amount of mids, and just the right amount
of highs, with a very nice ‘feel’ to it.

Solid State or Tube Amp?

The debate goes on and on and on and on.

I've owned both and, IMO, both have their place.

For Blues, R&B, C&W, Jazz or Pop you're probably better off with a
tube amp.

If metal is your chosen genre, Solid State may be the ticket.

But let's not forget the Digital Modeling amps. If variety is important to
you as a player, these are worth a look.

I own a v-amp and for some things they really work well. My biggest
gripe with most of the modeling technology is their lack of dynamics.
As the technology progresses I think you'll even see some die-hard
tube snobs taking a closer look at this technology.

Topic 12

Recording with mics

I like to put 2 mics on my amp.
I like to put 1 mic towards the edge of the speaker that gives it a little
more bass and I like to put 1 mic towards the cone and I mix those
two together to get as full of a sound as possible.

Not actually necessary, some guys like to use 1 mic, I just like doing it
that way. I feel it’s best for my needs.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to microphone type,

however, and the prices range from a few dollars to thousands of
dollars!

Topic 13

Direct Recording with Modeling Devices

Direct recording with modeling devices such as the pod, or v-amp, is

the choice of many a player, professional or amateur.

In my opinion, direct recording with them is where they shine. For

example, whenever I record direct, I record from my guitar straight to
my v amp. I go my line out from my v amp directly into my stock
sound card on my computer.

It’s a pretty good tone, really.

It’s sounds very realistic just like a mic’d amp.

In fact, a lot of studio guys use them even more so now on a lot of the
pop records and country records rather than dragging a lot of
equipment in there they set up a pod and plug away at it.

Topic 14
Finding YOUR Tone

You ask…”how do I find the perfect tone??!!”

There is no perfect tone. The "ultimate" tone (The Tone) does not
exist. "Tone" is a shifting object that varies depending upon song,
emotional context, venue, audience, genre, physical environment, etc.

Some of the "best" guitar sounds are rather lop-sided when analyzed
in isolation. I hear players all the time say they finally found the
perfect tone or they're still searching for the Holy Grail of tone. Most of
these people are sitting in their bedrooms or are gear collectors
perpetually in search of excuses to buy more stuff. The real discovery
comes when they play with a band or try recording.

In short, you can take any guitar and amp in good working order and
get plenty of useful sounds.

I've gotten what I thought were perfect sounds from my guitar only to
find that they didn't work at all when you take your sound out of your
garage or bedroom. Instead of looking for "The Tone" you need to
think about finding your place within the frequency spectrum.

Think about it this way, you've got your drummer pounding away,
another guitarist, vocals, bass, plus whoever else is in your band. Say
you join a band where the other guitarist plays a Strat and a Fender
Twin. With the addition of another vocalist, a lot of the spectrum is
taken by instruments and voices that would compete with another
guitar.

Are you going to shove another bright Strat into the mix?
Why? Rather than trying to compete (‘VOLUME WARS!’) you've got to
cooperate and find a space that you can occupy that does not step all
over other people that might just mean finding a sound that you don't
like (say, in isolation) but sits well in the mix or work well in
comparison to some other guitar tone in the group. That might mean,
in the above context, finding a thicker sound (say a Marshall-type mid-
dominated sound with humbuckers) and let the Strat guy have his
sparkle and snap.

Likewise, in some situations, a paper-thin guitar sound will cut through

a mix that is heavy on bass and mids. Your tone may sound like crap,
if someone soloed your mixer channel, but remember the whole is
greater than the parts so what might sound like crap by itself could
very well sound super in the total mix.

So, in your band or when you record, the vocals and drums are going
to be the least flexible elements. Start there, let the bassist take the
bottom, and then divide the relatively small portion of space left over
between the guitars. And when the vocalists are singing select a sound
that will compliment. When there is a vocal-free space you can go for
something with more substance to it you might find that in any given
song, you'll need two or three different sounds for different areas of
the piece.

Your tone will sound differently at practice, at sound check, and every
venue, even if you use the exact same equipment and settings. Be
prepared to alter it based on the room, temperature, humidity, and
the amount of people and sound absorbing objects in the room.

And, lastly, your tone is going to be the product of being reasonable

and considerate. Cooperate with your band members. You will not be
appreciated if your ‘awesome tone’ conflicts with what other people
are doing.

You are the guitar player. Unless you are also the singer or you are a
featured guitar god, you will be pretty much ignored. Find a cool
groove to get into with the drummer and the bassist. That's how to be
a musician, and not just a guitarist.

What’s that? How do you sound like Eric Johnson/Eddie Van

Halen/Yngwie etc.?

If you want to sound like EJ or whoever then do not read this!

Instead, take out a loan on a vintage, pre-CBS Strat ($12,500) +
vintage TS808 Tube Screamer ($500) + vintage Marshall JTM45
($1200) then you will have all the gear necessary to sound like
EJ…note that I said you'd have the gear for the sound not the sound
itself.

For Example, please realize that just because you own a 1954 Strat,
two Fender Deluxe Reverbs and a vintage 50 Watt Marshall, you
probably won’t sound exactly like Eric Johnson… Don't get me wrong,
that would be a good starting point. But great tone comes from the
heart, soul and fingers of the person playing. Equipment, in and of
itself, is only part of the battle. The remainder, literally, rests in your
hands and fingers.

Wonder why I would say a thing like that? Read on!

Amp/Effects Debates
Don't get caught up in the tube vs. solid state vs. digital debate. That
is a never-ending argument that will probably never be won. Great
tones can be coaxed out of any kind of amp as long as it is well
designed and in good working order.

If Mike Stern and B. B. King can get their sounds out of, in Stern's
case an ancient Yamaha G100, and in King's case an old Gibson Lab
Series amp, then the matter is really pointless.

I've seen many tube purists who couldn't tell the difference between
solid state and tube when they had to rely solely on their ears.

So, trust YOUR ears and don't get something merely because it has
tubes -- there are many of those amps that sound plenty bad.

DO get something that sounds good to YOU!

Do get an amp that will be reliable, durable, and versatile, and inspires
you to play it!

Don't worry so much about the power or wattage an amp has. Tube
amps are going to sound better cranked, so lower wattage amps tend
to be favored. When playing within the context of a band, your going
to mic the amps anyways, so loudness shouldn’t be so much a factor
as some folks think.
If you are using a tube amp be sure that the tubes are in good shape.
Don't settle for the cheapest you can find; you'd be better off shelling
out the bucks for some good ones.

Be aware that different speaker sizes can radically affect your sound.
Some people swear that a 4X10 cabinet loaded with Jensen speakers
is the only way to go (i.e., the Fender Bassman sound) while others
will only play through a 2X12 cabinet loaded with Celestion speakers.
Try them all out and decide for yourself. Great sounds can be obtained
from all of them. A cab with 4X10s typically sounds punchier and more
immediate while a cab loaded with 12s will sound looser and will allow
for a more compressed sound. Also, a closed-back cab like a big 4X12
will generally sound much darker than one with an open back
configuration.

Never base your equipment decisions on aesthetics. Considerations

like tweed, leopard skin, and boa snake coverings, chicken-head
knobs, or metal armor should be secondary to the sound.

Never base your amp purchase decisions on the reviews you find in
guitar magazines.

The current crop of periodicals has, over the last few years, become
nothing but propaganda machines for manufacturers (who,
incidentally, are paying their bills through advertising dollars). In
short, you simply can't trust them.

Go to online resources for the reviews that real owners have posted.
But, you must be careful here as well. Most of these reviews are
posted by well-meaning folks just like you and me but most of them
have been posted by people after just a few days of owning a piece of
gear. You can’t accurately know the in’s/out’s, and shortcomings of an
amp that quickly.

Look for reviews from people who have owned and used the amp, or
guitar, for at least six months or more. And every now and then you'll
find people making second reviews of the same piece after some use.

Effects sound best in moderation. Though, in the pursuit of weird

sounds it is fun to hook together an altogether immoderate quantity of
effects. It all depends upon your sound. Sometimes it's cool to use old
digital effects from the 80s and early 90s the ones that sound
horrendous in their attempt to emulate tube preamps; they get this
terrible fuzz, which can be accentuated by clipping the input way too
far.

Some love it.

But for most folks, the general rule is the fewer the better.

Effects can become a crutch for sloppy playing and a general lack of
skill. Try cutting back on what you use if you are practicing, and trying
to get better. Use the effects when you perform…you’ll get much
better in a shorter period of time.

Try and keep fresh batteries in your effects, or use a power source.

Some people claim that weak batteries will get that 'vintage sound.' I
can't tell the difference. Maybe you can-I can’t, and most tests won’t
show an audible difference, but when you perform, no one will ever
know the difference. In this instance, better safe than sorry-use fresh
power.

General information

There are some simple, physical things that you can do to help achieve
a good guitar tone.

Make sure that your guitar is capable of being tuned and staying in
tune.

Make sure that your guitar has been intonated properly. You might
want to have this done down at your local guitar shop or, if you own a
really good tuner, you can do it yourself.

Be sure that your pickups are adjusted to their proper height in

relation to the strings. You could contact the factory to get the official
specs or look it up in a good reference book that deals with setup and
repair. Also, feel free to experiment with pickup height.
Try using larger strings. Heavier string gauges will help your guitar
sound bigger and fuller. Jazz guitarists routinely play with 13s or 14s;
I think Pat Martino actually uses 15s or 16s! Ouch! Fusion players
often use 11s or 12s, while rock guitarists typically use 9's or 10s.
Experiment with using larger gauges until you reach a happy balance
between gauge, playability and comfort.

Keep your action up high enough that your strings don’t buzz while
bending.

Try fretting the string different ways utilizing different finger angles
and portions of the fingertip.

If you are looking for speedy speed, play with the tips of your fingers.
This will diminish the amount of finger contact on the fretboard itself.

Find a pick, or picks that feel most comfortable to you.

Also, try using your other fingers to pluck strings. Or, combine pick
and fingers for a different sound.

Spend the extra money to get a good instrument-you’ll never regret it.

Buy a guitar that is versatile, stays in tune, and is made with quality
components and woods. Versatility in the electronics area might mean
a Humbucker, Single coil, Humbucker scheme (H-S-H) with coil-
splitting ability for the humbuckers.

The Absolute Truth

The key to your tone is not in the equipment as much as it is in you.
Even Seymour Duncan admits as much.

In an issue of Guitar Player he recounted an experience watching

Page, Clapton, and Beck each take turns playing through the same
Fender Strat -- no surprise, they each sounded different.

Great tones can be had from almost any kind of amp and guitar
combination. Don't get too wrapped up in the gear thing. Know the
gear that you own. If you don't take the time to figure it out then you
might be missing the perfect tone that is already in your amp.

Guitar playing and getting "The Tone" is not about things but people,
knowledge, and skill.
In closing…

People, Knowledge, and Skill…SO HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR

TONE?
The key to finding your tone is simple: stop looking for it.

If you concentrate on things like mastering the language and logic of

music and mastering your instrument then the tone will develop.

A master musician, playing masterfully, will always sound masterful.

Ornette Coleman (one of the pioneers of free jazz) gigged with a
plastic saxophone. That's right, plastic. This illustrates my point.

YOUR TONE IS INSIDE YOU- in your touch, in your mastery, skill, and
knowledge get yourself some adequate tools like a dependable amp
and guitar that work and stop worrying about searching day and night
for the equipment that is finally going to set you free. Free your mind
and your tone will follow!

As simple as this seems -- it is very true!! Your tone is already there,

NOW you just need to DEVELOP it! How do you do that? Practice,
practice, and then practice a bit more! Play along with jam tracks, set
aside a set amount of time every day and just practice, just like you
would train if you were an athlete competing in sports.

In closing, please be sure you check out the soundclips included with
this ebook, and listen to examples of what we’re discussing here.

I welcome anyone and everyone to email me with

questions/comments/suggestions:

[email protected]

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Links:
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