Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

[Esteban's Hat]

I have fallen for that Jeff Beck sound where the midrange sounds are lightly compressed almost honk-y but very lively

For a simple rig with a single coil guitar is a Klon the type of pedal to use? I tried the Soul Food since it supposedly sounds so Klon like but it was not it, would the real thing work better?

I run a Deluxe Reverb style amp with a TS9 pedal and I have a strange old compressor (no name maybe handmade only one dial says more/less) that is vaguely like the sound but clearly a pale horse compared to Geoffrey.

http://www.guitarplayer.com/artist-lessons/1026/10-things-you-gotta-do-to-play-like-jeff-beck/15009

[Darg1911]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

I know he does use a Klon. However, I would think that IF the key to copping Beck's tone was all Klon, the Soul Food would get you close enough to know. If that makes sense.

For what it's worth ...

[devastone]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

He has also used a Rat a lot over the years, speaking of which, Beck always sounds like Beck, but what era tones are you looking for?

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Beck has been my favorite rock guitarist since about 1965. Whenever I first heard the Yardbirds with him in it.

He got those "squeezy" mids out of every guitar and every amp I've ever heard him play!

He got it out of a Les Paul 50 years ago and gets it today out of a Strat.

I think it's just him.

I can get it to some degree...that sound like I'm peeling out and burning rubber.

But really, I think it's because I've internalized that sound to such a degree that it's become a part of me.

I do own a Klon. But I don't think that's the secret because he's always had that quality about his playing.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

I agree Lew, Jeff Beck approaches the guitar completely differently than most other guitarist. His use of the bar, volume and tone controls and right hand attack is that of a true master of his instrument.

[Mincer]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

I think this is a result of the player being mightier than the gear. It is like John McLaughlin...gear choice is irrelevant. Beck does what he does. I don't like everything he does, but I like more stuff than I don't.

[Esteban's Hat]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Well thank you for the input.

I guess what I am hoping for is Jeff's talent more than anything but I'll try a Klon someday.

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Equipment aside, a light touch with the right hand may be part of it. With a less aggressive attack, the initial peak is not as pronounced and there's less of a trough before transitioning to the string's natural sustain. You might try a thin pick and see if you hear a difference at volume.

Just to be clear- I have no idea what kind of pick Beck uses, or how his picking looks up close. But I tend to have a pretty heavy right hand myself, and using a thin pick instead of my usual medium-heavy has helped me to be more gentle when it was called for.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Equipment aside, a light touch with the right hand may be part of it. With a less aggressive attack, the initial peak is not as pronounced and there's less of a trough before transitioning to the string's natural sustain. You might try a thin pick and see if you hear a difference at volume.

Just to be clear- I have no idea what kind of pick Beck uses, or how his picking looks up close. But I tend to have a pretty heavy right hand myself, and using a thin pick instead of my usual medium-heavy has helped me to be more gentle when it was called for.

He doesn't use a pick. He plays with his thumb.

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

He doesn't use a pick. He plays with his thumb.

Ah, there we go- likely a less percussive attack than picks, I think. And for loud notes, maybe more pluck than strike.
Never knew that, thanks Lew.

[Mincer]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Yeah, I think he has loud amps, but doesn't really play loudly...I mean his right hand is imbued with some sort of magical power. It looks like it should be uncomfortable to play like that, but he seems to do just fine.

[Demanic]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

He doesn't use a pick. He plays with his thumb.

Thumb and fingers. Similar to classical or flamenco style.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[devastone]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Didn't he use a pick back in the Yardbirds, early JBG/JB days?

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Didn't he use a pick back in the Yardbirds, early JBG/JB days?

He sure did.

For me to get that JB sound with a pick I use the side of the pick (I hold the pick backwards and use the side when I'm playing solos anyway) and kind of squeeze it across the string. I'm consciously trying to squeeze those notes out.

I feel like I'm squeezing them out.

With a heavily calloused thumb, there's no sharp point like a pick has, and there's more surface area contacting the string so the thumb kind of drags across the string and remains in contact with the string a little longer than with a pick.

I get a similar effect playing with the side of a Fender medium pick.

But you have to get that sound into yourself so that it becomes part of you.

Then it's easy and natural. You're just being yourself.

[stratguy23]

Re: Jeff Beck squeezy mids?

Beck does break out the pick from time to time, like when he does the Cliff Gallup rockabilly stuff:

Of course, the emotive tones OP is talking about come from thumb/fingers on a Strat with lots of vibrato arm. I am not a vibrato arm user, but one day, to see if I could get into the Jeff Beck "space", I ditched the pick and made it a point to use the vibrato arm for pitching notes both up and down. I found that indeed I could do a very poor man's Jeff Beck imitation.

There's something about approaching the Strat with fingers only and using the vibrato arm fully. You sort of become one with the instrument - ideally - and really explore the space and possibility of each note, as Beck so ably demonstrates.

A Klon may be what he uses, but since a Klon is a not-heavily-colored overdrive, it's by no means the secret sauce. The secret sauce is Beck's fingers!