How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

[jumble jumble]

So this is probably one of the most-asked questions on the internet when it comes to guitars, along with "Which Sounds Better, Sonic Blue or Seafoam Green?", and "Will I Get More Sustain If I Eat 50 Cheeseburgers A Day For A Month?". More often than not, the answers will be along the lines of trying to replicate the gear that was used on the original recording, or, if not, they'll be about trying to find gear that does a good approximation of that original gear.

Factors you will almost always see mentioned, with varying degrees of importance according to factors such as which artist we're talking about and how much in the mood for an argument we are:

Amp
Pickups
Guitar model
Effects
Woods
Scale length
Guitar mods
Capacitors
Pot Values
Nut material
Sustain block mass
Cable length
Trem setup
Amp power supply voltage
Speaker type
Number of speakers
Technique

A factor you will see basically never, is:

Microphone model and placement

What's with that? Guys, we all know the effect switching from one mic to another can have, or moving it back or forward a little, or tilting it, and so on. It's a massive effect. Way, way bigger than many of the things in that first list. We're seriously suggesting switching to a brass nut or something, while the tone that the person has given us as a reference is from a mic'd amp. (Plus of course the post production EQ, but let's not even get into that.)

Anyway I'm just as guilty as everyone else: why don't we ever mention it? My only theory is that most people are looking to get a tone for use either at home, or at small gigs and rehearsals - when they gig, they use their own tone. Is that really true? I don't know. I feel like it's weird we don't at least mention it. Like, we always say "tone is in the fingers", even though we don't then suggest the person gets new fingers. So why don't we ever say "a lot of that tone is in the mic"?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

I mention Mic Placement all the time. Especially when someone wants to get Jimmy Page's Led Zep tones.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Well, good. Do you have any idea why hardly anyone else does?

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Well, good. Do you have any idea why hardly anyone else does?

Because their not sound engineers. Oh also you also forgot about guitar Picks in the tone equation.

Most guitarist forget that their is a whole lot of processing that goes on in any recording and also the way you set up a amp to record is different from how you would set it up live and even live your still being mic'd.

 

[Top-L]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

So this is probably one of the most-asked questions on the internet when it comes to guitars, along with "Which Sounds Better, Sonic Blue or Seafoam Green?", and "Will I Get More Sustain If I Eat 50 Cheeseburgers A Day For A Month?". More often than not, the answers will be along the lines of trying to replicate the gear that was used on the original recording, or, if not, they'll be about trying to find gear that does a good approximation of that original gear.

Factors you will almost always see mentioned, with varying degrees of importance according to factors such as which artist we're talking about and how much in the mood for an argument we are:

Amp
Pickups
Guitar model
Effects
Woods
Scale length
Guitar mods
Capacitors
Pot Values
Nut material
Sustain block mass
Cable length
Trem setup
Amp power supply voltage
Speaker type
Number of speakers
Technique

A factor you will see basically never, is:

Microphone model and placement

What's with that? Guys, we all know the effect switching from one mic to another can have, or moving it back or forward a little, or tilting it, and so on. It's a massive effect. Way, way bigger than many of the things in that first list. We're seriously suggesting switching to a brass nut or something, while the tone that the person has given us as a reference is from a mic'd amp. (Plus of course the post production EQ, but let's not even get into that.)

Anyway I'm just as guilty as everyone else: why don't we ever mention it? My only theory is that most people are looking to get a tone for use either at home, or at small gigs and rehearsals - when they gig, they use their own tone. Is that really true? I don't know. I feel like it's weird we don't at least mention it. Like, we always say "tone is in the fingers", even though we don't then suggest the person gets new fingers. So why don't we ever say "a lot of that tone is in the mic"?

Google is your friend. Music mags often run interviews with producers who divulge their techniques for capturing bands.

If you want a particular tone, you will need to actually buy mics, speaker cabs, amp heads and learn what works. If youre not willing to do this work, buy a Kemper or AxeFx.

Your post has lazy and inexperienced written all over it. Millenium much?

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Gosh, four posts before I got insulted. You appear to be answering the question "what microphones should I use", rather than the question I actually asked, which is, "when people ask for the tone on a record, why do we recommend a bunch of playing gear but miss out a key part of the equation?"

I've got a Kemper, thanks, and the fact that it instantly sounds so much more like recorded tones than hours of tweaking guitars and amps is kinda what inspired the thread.

Your post has lofty, misdirected condescension written all over it. Manners much?

 

[thespricket]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Oh also you also forgot about guitar Picks in the tone equation.

Word. I love Andy at Proguitarshop.com and the demos he does, but you really can't get a good idea of what a pedal is going to sound like from his videos because he seems to always play sans pick. He's a good player and he sounds good, but a pick will give you a drastically different sound.




Guitar->pedals->amp

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

I used a pointy-ended pick for the first time the other day and I thought someone had screwed with my amp settings!

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Yup guitar picks or lack their of can effect the tone as well. So much in fact that it could be the difference in having to little or too much bottom end or high end. Also when guys wonder how can I get more sustain one of the cheapest and easiest ways to do it is use a thicker pick.

Also I'm sure the OP knows this but no matter even if you have the exact same rig you WILL NEVER EVER EVVVVERRRRRR sound exactly like the artist in question because you can never play exactly like another person.

And to add another problem to the equation we ALL hear and perceive tone differently so when ever someone says "man I nailed (insert artist here) tone with a,b,c,d" to them it may sound spot on but to another it may sound not even close.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Word. I love Andy at Proguitarshop.com and the demos he does, but you really can't get a good idea of what a pedal is going to sound like from his videos because he seems to always play sans pick. He's a good player and he sounds good, but a pick will give you a drastically different sound.




Guitar->pedals->amp

Thats one of my gripes with Andys playing as well but he is a great player no doubt. But I never rely too much on video demos no way because how it sounds on video doesn't say what it will sound like with you standing next to the amp.

 

[Chocklit_Thunda]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Well said... Now what we actually need to address now are the "Which pickups for my strat?" And "which pickups for my Epi Les Paul" threads which are literally every second thread.... It's always the same answers anyway....

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Like, we always say "tone is in the fingers", even though we don't then suggest the person gets new fingers.

This is going to become my new advice from now on.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Your post has lazy and inexperienced written all over it. Millenium much?

Are there different grades of basswood? Or do cheap basswood guitars sound that way because of poor hardware, setup, or electronics?.

You can ****ing talk ^^! You didn't even know that there was different grades of wood.

 

[Top-L]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Google is your friend. Music mags often run interviews with producers who divulge their techniques for capturing bands.

If you want a particular tone, you will need to actually buy mics, speaker cabs, amp heads and learn what works. If youre not willing to do this work, buy a Kemper or AxeFx.

Your post has lazy and inexperienced written all over it. Millenium much?

Your post is drivel. Mention of the mic used for recording is mentioned as much as the pickups used. Tons of articles and blogs from producers who divulge thier secrets. They know the mics, the artists know the pickups. So the whole thing is based on a false assumption, creating some kind of conspiracy or straw man argument where none exists. Like I said, Google is your friend.

The other part of this is your inexperience with mics. People who have played guitar for a while can pick out humbucker vs single coil, or neck vs bridge pickup. People who have recorded a while can identify tonal signatures of mics. Everyone knows what a 57 sounds like. Or a ribbon mic. Or the proximity effect. On axis vs off axis, etc. The other techniques used in reording, mic position, room, doubling, mic pre, or EQ, compression, etc have as much or more bearing, so what you really want is an inane level of detail that falls under artistry. What did the artist have for lunch? Were they on a deadline? Did he have sex the night before? As said, guitar pick has more affect on tone than mic, why not ask about it? You are waxing philosophical on . . wax. Seems to be a lazy millenial trait.

False premise + chatty millenial = drivel.

Someone from my generation would have asked a more sussinct question: How can you find out what mic was used on a recording? You twisted that question to create some meaningless debate. Drivel.

 

[Top-L]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

You can ****ing talk ^^! You didn't even know that there was different grades of wood.

Bull****. I questioned if different grades would sound significantly different. I wanted to know if someone could look at a piece of wood and know how it would sound.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Bull****. I questioned if different grades would sound significantly different. I wanted to know if someone could look at a piece of wood and know how it would sound.

Greenhorn!

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Lets not get into a pissing match here. As for finding out what was used on a recording isn't always a simple task. Look at the history of Van Halen and all the myths.

Which brings to my next point of not all guitarist know the differences between singles and buckers or microphones and honestly some of them wouldn't care to know because they don't care. Just like Top-L asked about grades of Basswood guitarist ask about pickups and other accessories which you can find information from google and on forums where you can get feed back from other people.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Interesting thread, and it made me do some thinking. I have a classic rock and blues cover band, but to be honest I don't spend a lot of time obsessing over how to get a particular guitar tone to match what's on the record. Maybe I'm just lazy, but it isn't that important to me. Now perhaps in a different band, or say a tribute band, or backing a singer, yes. For the most part, I can play the notes--but I still sound like me. I remember learning a bunch of SRV tunes years ago--and I NEVER sounded like SRV. I can cop Clapton, Cray, B.B. and Santana--but Stevie Ray's tone has always eluded me. Jimmie Vaughn--got it. Stevie--nope.

I think I got disillusioned about the whole gear=tone idea years ago. Supposedly the riff for "Day Tripper" was recorded on a Strat, and in years of playing it on a Strat, it still never sounded right to me. Did a gig one time and had to use my 335 for the song and BAM--there it was.

And somewhere along the line, I discovered and decided that in the long run, it's more important to sound like me. I have a good voice, but I've never wanted to me an Elvis Impersonator. Why should I do that with my guitar skills?

So yes, all the factors listed in the original post are important, as is mic placement--and let's not forget the console design too. Oh and what about the thread about the $300 power supply cables? And let's not forget the basic questions of string brand, gauge and alloy Too many variables--makes my head spin.

So for me, I buy guitars amp amps that I like--that fit my style, technique and wallet. I try to make them sound good to me. I give thanks for how blessed I am, and try to be happy with who I am as a person and as a player--and hopefully that JOY is transmitted to my audience.

I think Rick Nelson was on the right track when he wrote in his song "Garden Party", that "You can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself."

Amen, Rick. R.I.P.

Bill

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

I suppose this thread is about the importance of mic placement for live sound and recording and why supposed tone freaks so frequently fail to mention it in their tone pursuit discussions. You wanna know what goes along with that? It is the position of the guitarist with respect to the speakers. Often I have struggled to get the same tone on a recording I seem to enjoy live, and then I remember that when I'm practicing at home I am sitting on a drummer's throne right in front of and facing my amp. A critical element of the tone that is often overlooked is the real interplay between speaker and pickups/strings. When practicing at home I have my amp, pedals and pots all dialed in for right-on-the-edge, controllable harmonics and feedback when my guitar is facing the speaker.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: How Do I Get [Guitarist's Name Here]'s Tone on [Record Title Here]?

Your post is drivel. Mention of the mic used for recording is mentioned as much as the pickups used. Tons of articles and blogs from producers who divulge thier secrets. They know the mics, the artists know the pickups. So the whole thing is based on a false assumption, creating some kind of conspiracy or straw man argument where none exists. Like I said, Google is your friend.

Yes, oh learned one, I have indeed heard of Google and am aware of how to use it for the purpose of information retrieval. In fact, coincidentally enough, I earn the larger part of my living creating software along the lines of that which you are advising me to use. Fancy that!

The other part of this is your inexperience with mics.

Your psychic abilities impress me - the fact that you can tell how much experience I have with mics from all the way over there is wondrous.

Seems to be a lazy millenial trait.

False premise + chatty millenial = drivel.

Oh, this makes everything clear: it's my huge age that has caused me to be such an ignoramus. It all makes sense now - if only I was younger, I'd know so much more about everything! Pure logic.

Someone from my generation would have asked a more sussinct question: How can you find out what mic was used on a recording? You twisted that question to create some meaningless debate. Drivel.

I apologise, but I haven't heard the word "sussinct" before, and I can only assume this is because I am so old. If it pleases you, I will respond as if it means the same thing as the word "succinct".

I'm afraid that question isn't more succinct - it's just a different question. As I explained above, I know what Google is, and it would be well suited to answer the question "what mic was used on recording X". However, that isn't the question I was asking. In essence, I was asking "why, when asked how a recorded tone was achieved, do we rarely mention the parts of the chain after the speaker?" I realise of course that olde-worlde language like this reads like absolute gibberish to the more modern minds of your generation, so I will attempt to break down two of the more confusing parts.

"Why" - this means "for what reason", it's basically a query as to the cause that has led to a specific effect.
"we" - us, the users of a guitar forum on the internet (note this does not mean "producers interviewed for magazine articles", though it's an easy mistake to make)

It appears that what you have done is read my question, think of a different question, assume I don't know how to find the answer to that question, and then insult me for it. This is presumably the modern way of doing things, something we can look forward to more of as your generation comes to the fore.

Someone from my generation would read my question, understand it properly, and then decide if they had anything to say about it. If they did, they would likely have made a reply with some interesting content; you can see some examples of this above. If they had nothing to say, they would probably keep their mouth shut. However, that last part is something that your generation don't really so - if you don't have anything to say about something, shout about something else instead. And then perhaps take a selfie and tweet it.

So thanks for setting me straight, you'll be the first person I come to for advice in the future - your wonderful manners and overally expertise in everything ever is a resource to be mined, for sure.