Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
- Thread starter spuds
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tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
it is common for beginners to do this ... especially those playing heavy music
as folks advance on guitar and spread out in styles, they often learn the benefit of using more than 1 v/t setting ... it's the difference between using only the red crayon when you are in kindergarten to using the box of 64 crayons to create a more vivid tone pallette
t4d
it is common for beginners to do this ... especially those playing heavy music
as folks advance on guitar and spread out in styles, they often learn the benefit of using more than 1 v/t setting ... it's the difference between using only the red crayon when you are in kindergarten to using the box of 64 crayons to create a more vivid tone pallette
t4d
RW James
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
Okay... I guess according to t4d, I'm just one step past beginner... maybe I'm using the 8 color box...
Anyway, I generally set my volume to 8 to give me a little head room to play with. But I actually like the sound better with the volume on the guitar up - it sounds like it's pushing harder.
I generally adjust the tone to suit my taste and then leave it there... right now, they are at about 7.
Okay... I guess according to t4d, I'm just one step past beginner... maybe I'm using the 8 color box...
Anyway, I generally set my volume to 8 to give me a little head room to play with. But I actually like the sound better with the volume on the guitar up - it sounds like it's pushing harder.
I generally adjust the tone to suit my taste and then leave it there... right now, they are at about 7.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
Depends on the song and how much dynamics are required for me. If it's a straight out rocker, all on 10. If it's something I need to change up a little, I'll roll the volume down a little and then come back up with it.
Depends on the song and how much dynamics are required for me. If it's a straight out rocker, all on 10. If it's something I need to change up a little, I'll roll the volume down a little and then come back up with it.
Jeffrec
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I started out doing that as well, but over time, you learn to use the controls. I find it best to crank up the amp and use the guitar's volume controls to adjust as I go along in a song. I've really gotten into varying the tone controls too. "Gotta wield the technology":chairfall
I started out doing that as well, but over time, you learn to use the controls. I find it best to crank up the amp and use the guitar's volume controls to adjust as I go along in a song. I've really gotten into varying the tone controls too. "Gotta wield the technology":chairfall
Rushfan2112
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I've always adjusted volume, but the tone on my indostrat just seems to fuzz everything up.
I've always adjusted volume, but the tone on my indostrat just seems to fuzz everything up.
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
Well the reason that I've always left it on 10 was that I prefer to shape my tone through my pedals, like EQ or volume pedal or what have you.
Another reason is that I've always felt that the pups sound so weak and muffled with the knobs under 10, and I would have to compensate by turning up the treble on my amp... then when I bring back up to 10 for the heavier parts, it gets too sharp. So I used a booster pedal for the volume changes instead.
But I do feel that I should be more adventurous. Hah.
Well the reason that I've always left it on 10 was that I prefer to shape my tone through my pedals, like EQ or volume pedal or what have you.
Another reason is that I've always felt that the pups sound so weak and muffled with the knobs under 10, and I would have to compensate by turning up the treble on my amp... then when I bring back up to 10 for the heavier parts, it gets too sharp. So I used a booster pedal for the volume changes instead.
But I do feel that I should be more adventurous. Hah.
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
t4d
s'nuthing perjorative intended in my description, friend ... hope you didnt take it that way ... it's all about finding what works for the tones we use in our music ... no better - no worse - as long as it's 'ours' ... i have noticed a lot of guys with 'signature' tones break out of sounding like 'every other guitarist' when they start twiddlin the knobs a bit ...RW James said:
t4d
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I generally run my volumes between 7 and 8 for rhythm, then crank it upto 10 for leads. Sometimes a gained out amp sounds pretty cool when your running your volume down around 3.
I used to back off on my tone knobs all the time, but evern since switching to the 59/C5 set I've found I sound best on 10. I still tend to roll the tone off on my EMG loaded guitars though.
I generally run my volumes between 7 and 8 for rhythm, then crank it upto 10 for leads. Sometimes a gained out amp sounds pretty cool when your running your volume down around 3.
I used to back off on my tone knobs all the time, but evern since switching to the 59/C5 set I've found I sound best on 10. I still tend to roll the tone off on my EMG loaded guitars though.
toneseeker
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I use my tone knobs constantly, and my volumes quite often.
Lots to choose from in a Les Paul with a little twiddling.
But, if you're playing metal, most people tend to go from raging gain to crystal clean.
EVH got a lot of mileage out of a humbucker and a volume knob.
Try it you might like it......
I use my tone knobs constantly, and my volumes quite often.
Lots to choose from in a Les Paul with a little twiddling.
But, if you're playing metal, most people tend to go from raging gain to crystal clean.
EVH got a lot of mileage out of a humbucker and a volume knob.
Try it you might like it......
loudriver23
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I generally use an expression pedal for volume, but I constantly use my tone controls.
I do however find myself using them more for the neck tones. I like that Pat Methany tone with the tones almost completely rolled off sometimes.
But for my bridge leads I like to have the tones either at 9 or 10.
I don't have many hard fast rules with this, I try to just play and let the song dictate what I should be doing with my gear.
:eek13:
I generally use an expression pedal for volume, but I constantly use my tone controls.
I do however find myself using them more for the neck tones. I like that Pat Methany tone with the tones almost completely rolled off sometimes.
But for my bridge leads I like to have the tones either at 9 or 10.
I don't have many hard fast rules with this, I try to just play and let the song dictate what I should be doing with my gear.
:eek13:
RW James
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
Like some others, I prefer to adjust tone and volume with my pedals - and whether this is true or not, I really feel my tone is different with the volume pot up and the amp volume down - and I like it better that way.
But now that I think about it, if I needed a cleaner sound, I would probably go for a lower guitar volume, to get that gain down. I just don't play much music like that right now.
no prob... my response was intended in the same light vein as yours :smokin:tone4days said:
Like some others, I prefer to adjust tone and volume with my pedals - and whether this is true or not, I really feel my tone is different with the volume pot up and the amp volume down - and I like it better that way.
But now that I think about it, if I needed a cleaner sound, I would probably go for a lower guitar volume, to get that gain down. I just don't play much music like that right now.
callous_frigid_chill
New member
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
I used to on my LP, but the pots are so crackly right now, just using them splits my ear. I need some new ones
I used to on my LP, but the pots are so crackly right now, just using them splits my ear. I need some new ones
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
another thing that i think about it what side of the pick i use ... last night at rehearsal, i was flipping the pick around ... i was using the pointier corner for chords, then the 'rounder' corner for soloing ... just to control the tone a little differently :smack: ... as if the notes and chords on 'josie' by steely dan arent hard enough, i had to obssess over such minutia ... the becker/fagan compulsion must come thru the notes on the page
another thing that i think about it what side of the pick i use ... last night at rehearsal, i was flipping the pick around ... i was using the pointier corner for chords, then the 'rounder' corner for soloing ... just to control the tone a little differently :smack: ... as if the notes and chords on 'josie' by steely dan arent hard enough, i had to obssess over such minutia ... the becker/fagan compulsion must come thru the notes on the page
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
It's all a matter of personal taste, and while a beginner might be more apt to ignore them, I don't see any correlation between the knob use and guitar experience. I personally don’t play with my tone pots that much on the LP, while I might roll off a little of the top end of my tele (say 7-8) and leave it there for awhile. I’m more prone to backing off the output with the volume pot(s). If you experiment with a lot of knob turning and settle on 10s across the board, then great.
It's all a matter of personal taste, and while a beginner might be more apt to ignore them, I don't see any correlation between the knob use and guitar experience. I personally don’t play with my tone pots that much on the LP, while I might roll off a little of the top end of my tele (say 7-8) and leave it there for awhile. I’m more prone to backing off the output with the volume pot(s). If you experiment with a lot of knob turning and settle on 10s across the board, then great.
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Am I the only one who doesn't adjust my volume/tone knobs?
i think my original comment isnt coming across as i intended ... my point was that beginners usually have enough on their minds in just learning to play - they dont spend alot of time on tonal variety ... i think that only after they get their chops in the bag would they consider tonal variety *if* their musical choices go in that direction ...
i found it also has the desired effect of slowing me down ... so i make better note choices instead of just running off riffs .. that 'angular' approach was called for in that solo and the outro solo tooRW James said:
i think my original comment isnt coming across as i intended ... my point was that beginners usually have enough on their minds in just learning to play - they dont spend alot of time on tonal variety ... i think that only after they get their chops in the bag would they consider tonal variety *if* their musical choices go in that direction ...
