How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

[Scott_F]

Re: How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

Modern voltage is higher than 50's 60's. Many people prefer dialing down the voltage on a vintage amp to get it into where the designers intended. Heck , many of the Mercury transformer clones are offered with lower b+ in order to compensate for the increased modern voltage.

Lots of differing stories in this thread. I always thought it was lowered variac setting that indicated the brown sound.


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[Zombiwoof]

Re: How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

I remember in magazine articles back in the 80s, that Eddie was claiming that he didn't use any FX. Got all of the tone from his fingers. Yeah... cause phasing, flanging, delay, and reverb are something that can be coaxed out of a guitar by a different touch. :laugh2:

Don't forget his use of the Phase 90 (set to lowest speed) and even wah on some tunes. Yes he did use effects, but because of the way the amp was recorded, they were added after the straight amp sound, not in front, as was discussed a ways back in the thread.

Al

 

[jtougas]

Re: How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

Another component of his recorded tone was a trick they did with his tracks: They triple-tracked them, and EQ'd each track separately - one with bass boosted, everything else cut, one with mids boosted, everything else cut, and one with treble boosted, everything else cut, then fade each channel appropriately. I do not know which EQ points they used, unfortunately.

I tried this once, using my Digitech RP-7 for the tone, and CoolEdit (yes, waaay back in the digital age) to copy the tracks, EQ 'em, and mix 'em. Got an absolutely *huge* sound, where the harmonics really jumped out.

 

[crguti]

Re: How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

^ sound demos or you didn't do it.

 

[jtougas]

Re: How did EVH's "Brown Sound" get its name?

I wish I still had the file... This was back in the 90s, and multiple computers (and hard drives!) ago.