Why don't we ever learn?
Jam session last night. Used to go regular until I joined a band that practices on Thursdays. Anyway I had a night off so went back to the jam. Now, I've been told off before for fiddling with the controls on the backline: "We set them right for a good balance, and the PA makes it loud enough out front, so if you mess with them it screws everything up". So I plug in, and the LP sounds like an angry wasp in a jam jar, there's no picking dynamics, there's way too much bass, and I can hardly hear it, but I try to be the good boy and play with what they give me. I get called up several times thoughout the night and on a couple of occasions am asked to stay on while other musicians change over. This I think is more due to a slight shortage of guitarists than my technical brilliance ...
Anyway we end up with a drummer who likes his jazz rhythms, the bass player is up for it and suggests a groove that changes between C and Bb. The keyboard player agrees so they get on with it and I'm thinking "what the hell do I do with this guitar sound?". So I decided Sod It, I'm going to fiddle. I backed the gain off from 8 to 3, the bass off from 8 to 4, left the mid & treble alone 'cos they seemed OK, and bumped the volume pot by a couple of notches. Wow! A sound I can hear, play with, and actually like as it suits the music! And despite very little experience of playing those chord changes over those rhythms I think I made a reasonably good job of it (afterwards, nobody suggested I hadn't and some said they liked it).
Conclusions: 1. All guitars don't sound the same. Don't assume the EQ that suits a Strat will suit a LP. 2. High gain doesn't always work. Often less is more.
He who laughs last ... is still using a slow modem
Who insists no dicking with the amp?
Personally I'd dial off the guitar volume rather than the gain
So how did modal music suit you? Cmaj to Bbmaj?
1) Agree politely with sound engineer
2) Dick about wth amp anyway
3) Audience doesn't care either way as long as you keep smiling!
I have used a Les Paul as a backup for a strat, makes for "interesting times" in the Chinese proverb sense....
I remember doing an open mic night thing in the early days of this band. Actually took my own amp but not allowed to use it, had to use the one supplied and not alter any settings. Not only did it sound a bit crap but I couldn't hear myself when the full band started. Course then watched other people use it and they all whacked OD pedals in front of it to get it to a decent level whereas I'd been playing it clean. As it was mic'd up I'm told it was audible out front but playing entirely from memory rather trhan being able to use my ears is no fun!Originally Posted by BCB
1) Agree politely with sound engineer
2) Dick about wth amp anyway
3) Audience doesn't care either way as long as you keep smiling!
I have used a Les Paul as a backup for a strat, makes for "interesting times" in the Chinese proverb sense....
Breeding mammals with insects is my personal bugbear.
1. The guys running the jamWho insists no dicking with the amp?
Personally I'd dial off the guitar volume rather than the gain
So how did modal music suit you? Cmaj to Bbmaj?
2. I tried that but it was still way too filthy
3. I tried the C major scale with a lot of chromaticism, The Bb major scale with similar amount of chromaticism, and likewise the mixolydian scales on those roots. It also occured to me to try F major and treat the two chords as IV and V but that didn't really fit with what the others were doing (especially the bass player). What would you have done?
Edit: Anyway this thread was supposed to be about getting a decent sound out of the amplifier and why does everybody whack it up on so much gain?
2nd Edit: Bb7 and C7 are also IV and V in F melodic minor. C'mon Frankus where are you? I was hoping you'd have come up with some other nice suggestions I hadn't thought of!
Last edited by musophilr; 20th October 2012 at 11:19 AM. Reason: Another thought
He who laughs last ... is still using a slow modem
I remember doing a gig with a kit share where the headline drummer told me I wasn't allowed to adjust any of his kit even though he was five nothing and I'm six two.
I did it anyway as had I not done the snare would have been two inches under my thigh!
These "don't adjust anything" nazi's are knobheads. They've ruined many a gig all over the world with their ignorant "I know what's best!" attitude.
I'd have probably tried a single scale - Bb lydian flat 7 - over those changes. Bb pentatonic blues scale with a major third would probably work too.
Or if the keyboard player is just doing straight major triads then Bb lydian might even work.
why do guitarists play with so much gain...cant beat backing off a bit ..either guitar or amp and get the BIG sound ..most guitarists think more gain/dist more power ...its just not true..when you play with other instruments the cleaner sound cuts through a lot more ...its hard on the ears cos you can hear everynote...the best dist. sounds are very clean...i think that might be one of the best things youve learned....
Persactly. Listen to Live Dates Vol II if you haven't already. I just wish other people wouldn't keep trying my patience with the fizz control on max ...
He who laughs last ... is still using a slow modem
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