General Music Chat

Nothing wrong with "same couple of tones".
I think trouble begins when rack effects or a bunch of pedals start creeping in.

Nothing wrong with "same couple of tones".
I think trouble begins when rack effects or a bunch of pedals start creeping in.

Bottom line is, "does it work in the song?"
If not, change it.

I love trying out different effects and all.
But, I can only drag around so much from place to place.
Someone shoot me if I ever get so much gear I need a fleet of semi trucks to haul it around in, like many arena rock bands do!

Nothing wrong with "same couple of tones".
I think trouble begins when rack effects or a bunch of pedals start creeping in.

"Same couple of tones" matter more to people that can actually play as opposed to leaning on the gear.

There ain't no magic patch and the crap doesn't play itself.

I got me 3 pedals, 4 if you count the wah. (Gomer pile voice)
If you can play, you don't need anything else.

I have some rack effects but to tell the truth they don't work as well as stomp boxes, so they don't get used.

I think the #1 thing that helps is an amp or head that really does you justice personally. Marshall does it for me. I like Fender cleans but the dirt is most important.

In the end if you can get what you need out of anything you have in your hands, you are good to go.

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and I pay a guitarist, who refuses to abide...I'll fire his dumb-ass

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and the Guitarist is my peer, and he refuses to abide, Ill quit the band

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and everybody agrees to abide, then its all good.

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and I pay a guitarist, who refuses to abide...I'll fire his dumb-ass

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and the Guitarist is my peer, and he refuses to abide, Ill quit the band

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and everybody agrees to abide, then its all good.

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, I've probably gone deaf or senile.
So, it doesn't matter by then.

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and I pay a guitarist, who refuses to abide...I'll fire his dumb-ass

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and the Guitarist is my peer, and he refuses to abide, Ill quit the band

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, and everybody agrees to abide, then its all good.

If I write a song that calls for the sound of Santana's guitar, I've probably gone deaf or senile.
So, it doesn't matter by then.

Ohhh yer killin me!

I modulate the tone / volume of my guitar based on the feel of the song by manipulating the guitar pots, the attack, the amp, and occasionally the use of a pedal.
I appreciate input from the band because it is our music.
Truthfully, more often than not it is I asking them if the tone / levels feel appropriate to them.

It all depends on the situation.

"Guitar for hire" - you play what the money asks for, use the tones they ask for, or play it straight and let them add the FX during mixing.

"Partner/band" - everyone has equal say, but it's 50/50, if someone makes a suggestion on a change, you discuss it, try it, maybe work a compromise. If you are going for an overall sound that you can duplicate live, that needs to be agreed upon at the beginning.

"It's MINE" - you're the leader, you call the shots, you set the tones you want - you pay the others to do what you want.

Capt you just have a chip on your shoulder from your experience.

Im pretty seasoned, but if Im just doing guitar on someone elses stuff then I just ask what they want, is it always what I think, hell no. I try to get what they say they want. Ive had my guitar sliced and diced many times. So what its what the person recorded it wanted to hear, and sometimes thats not the same as what I hear in my head.

I often ask our bass player to listen to my guitar tone in different venues we play in, and have often changed things based on his advice.

Now if a song is totally mine, then I probably wont budge, but you are making way to a big of a deal about things, good luck finding people to work with, cause noone likes that kind of attitude, playing music should be about having fun, first and foremost.

I chose NA because a good producer can help shape the tone to better fit the music, and hear things from more of an outside perspective.

I've also never been extremely happy with my tones, so I wouldn't scoff at suggestions from outsiders either.

I listen to what's suggested but since I play it, I reserve the right to play it as I see fit. I'll try it another way, but I make the final decision on my guitar.

I have the tone I want on my stuff and that's what lights up all my lights.
The drummer going to pick my sound next? Get faqed!!!

You want something else? Get another guitarist.
You didn't like my bass tone? Get another bassist.
You didn't like the vocal? Maybe you need another vocalist.
A 3 or 4 octave opera singer maybe...(giggle)

As for working with other people? I am almost ready to release another tune for the infamous "Bmix Bitch Slap Effect".

And I fully expect to get slapped considering all the hate mail and stuff like "you threw poor Lester under the bus".
I particularly like the woman who thought Les was suicidal. I assure you he is not, madam.

Chip on my shoulder? lol I particularly like the fact that Chippy wanted to play drums for a couple of tracks and it never surfaced because Les made an executive decision not to tell anyone and deleted the comment so no one would even know. (except Chippy told me)

But then Chippy doesn't want to say anything for fear that egg may stain his lapel and he might not get a show somewhere.

More than enough of you to rip my next piece to shreds considering it's almost ready, but rejoice because the stream is steady and material is pouring out like melted water down the mountain slope.
(Some will fall in love with life and drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche, coming down the mountain.)(wink)

AND no, I don't need someone to change the tone(s) on that one either especially at the 70+ hour mark.

Everybody needs sleep to put it all in perspective, make sure you get some or you'll be erratic as well.

"With my permission" is the magic phrase that allows other musicians input while retaining mutual respect on a project. I don't walk and chew gum very well and I often focus deeply on one aspect of a song while overlooking another. Allowing a musician or skilled engineer to dial-in the guitar tone while I play has worked in the past and I will probably use it in the future. If I listen back and don't like the tone they chose, I just do another take.

I often do the same with drums and "with their permission" dial in the sound and mic placement for snare, hi-hat, and kick drum. I guess I just have an ear for it and drummers generally appreciate the input and we get good results. This sort of creative cooperation does require checking egos at the door and always putting the music first. Not everyone can do that.

It is quite common these days for studios to record a mic'd cab, and a dry DI channel during recording. That way, they can work with (tweak) reverb and tone, or just use the DI channel and add tone via the myriad of plugins they have at their disposal. If the original tone isn't working with the overall sound of the song, they just create one on the spot.

You can do what works for you..

Having said that, "if I just laid down a tasty guitar track of any variety and you feel the need to change the sound, it is my firm opinion that you are searching for trouble".

If the tone was what got you where you are now, isn't stripping the tone off to some other thing patently unfair to the tone that got you to the "dance"?

I say it is.

If you want to change the tone/effect/whatever, do it to begin with, not after because some don't realize that too much tweaking can do your tune damage.

The last one was living proof.

Once you have "it" in the bag, you don't need to change it unless you are just insecure and unsure of how to proceed.

And you better damn well let everyone know what you did that is involved, unless you want to go solo. Then you can make whatever changes you like and no one will care.

Simple enough, right?

I don't dabble in Percussion, I have no aptitude for it.
Thus I wouldn't make any suggestions about what I thought about it considering I knew something between jack and sh*t about that subject.

Capt wasnt the song the other dudes song, and you were just playing guitar and singing it for him?

Man just let it go