Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
- Thread starter mmguz
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Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
well, it could be because their are so many people who play the guitar (as opposed to violin, piano, ect) and the fact that half of them think they can get out of practicing by buying some pickups to make them sound better (I'm one of these people
)
well, it could be because their are so many people who play the guitar (as opposed to violin, piano, ect) and the fact that half of them think they can get out of practicing by buying some pickups to make them sound better (I'm one of these people
)
kill your scene
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
I play bass as well as guitar and I find it's very tricky to get great bass tone (as opposed to mediocre bass tone).
It does seem that guitar players spend more time discussing tone. Here's why:
Guitar is more "on top" musically than other instruments. While bass and drums drive the song, you have a tendancy to hear guitars "in the front". Don't get me wrong, bass and drums are the most important part of any band (I should know) but guitar has to provide an atmospheric quality.
Also, there are more guitar players than bass players or drummers, so it kinds of creates the illusion that the only people who care about tone are guitarists. This is because there are just so MANY guitarists out there talking about it, that people tend to forget any other instrument exists until practice time rolls around.
I play bass as well as guitar and I find it's very tricky to get great bass tone (as opposed to mediocre bass tone).
It does seem that guitar players spend more time discussing tone. Here's why:
Guitar is more "on top" musically than other instruments. While bass and drums drive the song, you have a tendancy to hear guitars "in the front". Don't get me wrong, bass and drums are the most important part of any band (I should know) but guitar has to provide an atmospheric quality.
Also, there are more guitar players than bass players or drummers, so it kinds of creates the illusion that the only people who care about tone are guitarists. This is because there are just so MANY guitarists out there talking about it, that people tend to forget any other instrument exists until practice time rolls around.
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
Yes.
I think it's also because guitarists spend so much time searching for "their own tone" without realizing that great tone doesn't come from gear, it comes from the heart.
I think every guitarist should force themselves to play strait into the amp with no effects every once in a while.
kill your scene said:
Yes.
I think it's also because guitarists spend so much time searching for "their own tone" without realizing that great tone doesn't come from gear, it comes from the heart.
I think every guitarist should force themselves to play strait into the amp with no effects every once in a while.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
Electric guitars are so tweakable. They're like the Hot Rod of the music world. But I'd say the instrument most difficult to get a good tone on is the violin...the guitar is super easy by comparism.
Lew
Electric guitars are so tweakable. They're like the Hot Rod of the music world. But I'd say the instrument most difficult to get a good tone on is the violin...the guitar is super easy by comparism.
Lew
Radeon
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
Hey, screamingdaisy your absolutley right, the heart is where the tone is. I have had friends pick up a gutiar that my son had it wouldnt stay in tune more than a minute but he made it great. You can put all your cash into effects, amps and gimmicks but that doesnt make you good. Its the part of you that you put into your music that makes it great. The fact that your willing to share and have it appreciated by others makes it all that much better.
Hey, screamingdaisy your absolutley right, the heart is where the tone is. I have had friends pick up a gutiar that my son had it wouldnt stay in tune more than a minute but he made it great. You can put all your cash into effects, amps and gimmicks but that doesnt make you good. Its the part of you that you put into your music that makes it great. The fact that your willing to share and have it appreciated by others makes it all that much better.
Bludave
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
The key to good electric guitar tone is a lot of practice. Tone, for the most part comes from the brain, then through the heart, and then to the hands. What I mean by this is it doesn't really matter all that much on the guitar or the pups or the amp or the somp box. Those are simply the tools selected by a particular artist. It's about how the player "feels". the music as he or she plays it! Thats where the tone really comes from! Listen to B.B. King: no efeects, plugged straight in. The tone is amazing. Jeff Beck is another great example. He doesn't even use a pick. He has been known to walk in to a studio to record, and just used whatever guitars were there??????
The key to good electric guitar tone is a lot of practice. Tone, for the most part comes from the brain, then through the heart, and then to the hands. What I mean by this is it doesn't really matter all that much on the guitar or the pups or the amp or the somp box. Those are simply the tools selected by a particular artist. It's about how the player "feels". the music as he or she plays it! Thats where the tone really comes from! Listen to B.B. King: no efeects, plugged straight in. The tone is amazing. Jeff Beck is another great example. He doesn't even use a pick. He has been known to walk in to a studio to record, and just used whatever guitars were there??????
TwofacePimp
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
From a gear perspective (not considering technique), you have to consider that many other instruments have reached a point where the "ideal" design has already been determined. The design of the violin was perfected several hundred years ago, and the modern piano is over 100 years old. People who build them now build towards these ideal designs and sounds, and there is not much deviation from them. The guitar has not reached that point, whether you're talking about classicals, steel strings or electrics. The guitar still has a lot of room for variation and innovation in the design, and there are a TON of different sounds and guitar designs available to us. This is possibly why we all have so much gear and why it is difficult to have "the tone," as it is not as clearly defined as that of other instruments.
I think that this is a good and exciting time to be a guitarist, as we have so many choices available to us and the opportunity to help shape the future of the guitar.
From a gear perspective (not considering technique), you have to consider that many other instruments have reached a point where the "ideal" design has already been determined. The design of the violin was perfected several hundred years ago, and the modern piano is over 100 years old. People who build them now build towards these ideal designs and sounds, and there is not much deviation from them. The guitar has not reached that point, whether you're talking about classicals, steel strings or electrics. The guitar still has a lot of room for variation and innovation in the design, and there are a TON of different sounds and guitar designs available to us. This is possibly why we all have so much gear and why it is difficult to have "the tone," as it is not as clearly defined as that of other instruments.
I think that this is a good and exciting time to be a guitarist, as we have so many choices available to us and the opportunity to help shape the future of the guitar.
BluesNRock87
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
yea violin is really hard to find tone, also HARP, i have a friend that plays both and ive never heard her once say she was somewhat happy with her tone (also cello), just about any stringed, non electric instrument id say,
yea violin is really hard to find tone, also HARP, i have a friend that plays both and ive never heard her once say she was somewhat happy with her tone (also cello), just about any stringed, non electric instrument id say,
kill your scene
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
Non-fretted instruments are notriously finicky. Not only do you have to worry about tone, you also have to worry about PITCH. Guitar players and any other player of fretted instruments has a very defined area in which to manipulate the strings. Players of violins, violas, cellos, etc, need to develop better ears because whether or not they're even playing the correct note depends entirely on their listening abilities and musical talents.
Also, a guitar is manipulated simply by strumming. You can apply many, many different right-hand techniques, but it's nowhere near as subtle and nuanced as a violinist's. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to a new violin player who doesn't even know how to rosin their bow. Then go and listen to first chair violin player in the London Philharmonic. It's obvious that it takes a LOT of skill, time and patience to play a violin.
Don't get me wrong, it takes a lot of skill, time and patience to play a guitar, too, but it's really a different ballgame.
mmguz said:
Non-fretted instruments are notriously finicky. Not only do you have to worry about tone, you also have to worry about PITCH. Guitar players and any other player of fretted instruments has a very defined area in which to manipulate the strings. Players of violins, violas, cellos, etc, need to develop better ears because whether or not they're even playing the correct note depends entirely on their listening abilities and musical talents.
Also, a guitar is manipulated simply by strumming. You can apply many, many different right-hand techniques, but it's nowhere near as subtle and nuanced as a violinist's. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to a new violin player who doesn't even know how to rosin their bow. Then go and listen to first chair violin player in the London Philharmonic. It's obvious that it takes a LOT of skill, time and patience to play a violin.
Don't get me wrong, it takes a lot of skill, time and patience to play a guitar, too, but it's really a different ballgame.
Jonny R
Volcano Fireologist
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
Also, with Violins and other instruments in the same family Dime is right, there is less to tweak.
However, they still chase the holy grail of tone.
Look at how much gets paid for Stadivarius or Guaneri (sp?) violins - and they get played too, not just stored.
Yehudi Menuhin received a Stradivarius worth $60,000 as a gift at one stage
Also, with Violins and other instruments in the same family Dime is right, there is less to tweak.
However, they still chase the holy grail of tone.
Look at how much gets paid for Stadivarius or Guaneri (sp?) violins - and they get played too, not just stored.
Yehudi Menuhin received a Stradivarius worth $60,000 as a gift at one stage
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
People worry too much and play too little :smack: :newangel:
:chairfall :stooges: :flush: :kidding:
utahere:
People worry too much and play too little :smack: :newangel:
:chairfall :stooges: :flush: :kidding:
utahere:
Jono_L
New member
Re: Electric Guitar is the most difficult find good tone instrument?
$60K for a Stradivarius is very cheap. I saw an violin expo that had 2 Strads - each was valued at USD$3.4million. No joke either. I've never seen a guitar rig that cost a couple million as of yet
As a violin player, its definitely a lot harder to get a good tone out of it. Pitch doesn't worry me - the longer you play, the easier it becomes, and you can always make quick alterations to get it perfectly in tune, and it gives very good ear training. Tone is a different issue - no matter how good your pitch may be, how good your instrument is, if you have bad technique, you have bad tone. Besides right hand technique, left hand technique also very much affects tone - the best tone is achieved by lightly pressing down the strings, but not all the way; you need a fairly light touch. Vibrato is around 20 times harder than on the guitar (and after playing for a good 11 years, I still dont feel that I'm techincally proficient when it comes to vibrato on the violin). Bowing technique makes a world of difference too.
Violins CAN be tweaked to a certain extent - it is up to the skill of the tech (or in my case, my teacher) who works on the instrument. Ever wonder why the bridges are in the funny shape that they are in, with teh various carvings? Various bits can be carved away ever so slightly, depending on the players taste, to give an audibly different frequency response. No, it wont turn a $60 pawn shop violin into a Strad, but you can tailor your tone. Definitely a lot less to tweak than a guitar rig though, and requires a lot of skill to tweak - instead of turning knobs, you're using a knife on the bridge, and if you screw it up, you'll have to start on a new one.
Being a rather serious Violin/Viola/Guitar player, I'd definitely say that its a lot harder to get good tone with a Violin/Viola.
Jonny R said:
$60K for a Stradivarius is very cheap. I saw an violin expo that had 2 Strads - each was valued at USD$3.4million. No joke either. I've never seen a guitar rig that cost a couple million as of yet
As a violin player, its definitely a lot harder to get a good tone out of it. Pitch doesn't worry me - the longer you play, the easier it becomes, and you can always make quick alterations to get it perfectly in tune, and it gives very good ear training. Tone is a different issue - no matter how good your pitch may be, how good your instrument is, if you have bad technique, you have bad tone. Besides right hand technique, left hand technique also very much affects tone - the best tone is achieved by lightly pressing down the strings, but not all the way; you need a fairly light touch. Vibrato is around 20 times harder than on the guitar (and after playing for a good 11 years, I still dont feel that I'm techincally proficient when it comes to vibrato on the violin). Bowing technique makes a world of difference too.
Violins CAN be tweaked to a certain extent - it is up to the skill of the tech (or in my case, my teacher) who works on the instrument. Ever wonder why the bridges are in the funny shape that they are in, with teh various carvings? Various bits can be carved away ever so slightly, depending on the players taste, to give an audibly different frequency response. No, it wont turn a $60 pawn shop violin into a Strad, but you can tailor your tone. Definitely a lot less to tweak than a guitar rig though, and requires a lot of skill to tweak - instead of turning knobs, you're using a knife on the bridge, and if you screw it up, you'll have to start on a new one.
Being a rather serious Violin/Viola/Guitar player, I'd definitely say that its a lot harder to get good tone with a Violin/Viola.
