How to Sound Like Van Halen

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Well....dunno maybe I am just not all into that...I wanna make sounds...not copying someone elses!
I do like reading about stuff, but I cannot be bothered by going into OCD mode over it either....takes way too much time for very little gain, most stuff is logical at a certain point....

Have tried a tons of gear though, as some of my friends are whacky gearheads...haha
Most of the time you just sound the way you do....
As for myself...I don't like polished stuff much....I like simple gear that makes me focus on playing, when I play I do not wanna think about anything, I do not swap pedals every week nor amps....

And these days I just play....cannot be bothered by the excessive gear focus, takes too much time away from playing and hearing music....
People worry to much and gets way too serious about the latest gear trends...madness!
I like gear, I used to make gear as well....have worked with sound for many years, it is part of music....but I like to keep it in balance!

 

[Securb]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Well....dunno maybe I am just not all into that...I wanna make sounds...not copying someone elses!

Agreed. As much as I love EVH I have never been in a band/gig where his sound would work for me. If I was in a VH tribute maybe I would put in the work. For me, there are not enough hours in the day to get obsessed with something I could not use practically. I love reading about how he did his thing but I am more focused on doing my own thing.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

What I know about the brown sound is that I spent decades and thousands of $$$ chasing it... and when I finally nailed it, it immediately stopped meaning anything to me. I thought "so I nailed another guy's tone... now what????" I still love Ed's/Ted's VH1 - Fair Warning tones... But I don't care how accurately I cop them or any others any more. MY tone (whatever it is at the moment) is all that matters to me anymore.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen



I sent Dave Friedman a JMP in 2011, i have Acheived the Modded Marshall Nirvana.

Got a MESA couple months ago. really diggin the Dual Rec tones. Dont think Ed ever played a MESA but then i don't care either.

FWIW Ed's Legacy in the Guitar World is safe & un-deniable. Nobody is taking that away from him.

 

[xntrick]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Pete Thorn posted a video a few years ago where he took a stock Marshall Plexi and dimed all the knobs. He had a cab with Greenbacks and a phaser as well. The tone he got was might damn close for a live sound.

People keep trying to nail his recorded tone and forgetting that Ted Templeman and Donn Landee played a big part in getting that sound.

 

[Demanic]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

I hear great tones all the time from my setups. And I bet they would sound even better I I were a more capable guitarist.
But I don't spend my time trying to nail anyone else's tone. I'll be inspired by them, and if I get into the ballpark, I figure I'm doing well.
It's like when shooters talk about group size. Some are going for sub minute of angle. I'm happy with minute of elk, or whatever it is that I'm aiming at at the time.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Red_Label]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

I hear great tones all the time from my setups. And I bet they would sound even better I I were a more capable guitarist.
But I don't spend my time trying to nail anyone else's tone. I'll be inspired by them, and if I get into the ballpark, I figure I'm doing well.
It's like when shooters talk about group size. Some are going for sub minute of angle. I'm happy with minute of elk, or whatever it is that I'm aiming at at the time.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

I've shot some clover leafs in my lifetime, but considering that my favorite firearms are black and mag-fed... pie plate groups are always the [very achievable] goal. I never post pics of my groups because I don't care what others think of them. Only what I think.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Pete Thorn posted a video a few years ago where he took a stock Marshall Plexi and dimed all the knobs. He had a cab with Greenbacks and a phaser as well. The tone he got was might damn close for a live sound.

People keep trying to nail his recorded tone and forgetting that Ted Templeman and Donn Landee played a big part in getting that sound.

Like all great players, Pete could make a tennis racket sound good.

 

[Demanic]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

I've shot some clover leafs in my lifetime, but considering that my favorite firearms are black and mag-fed... pie plate groups are always the [very achievable] goal. I never post pics of my groups because I don't care what others think of them. Only what I think.

Pie plate indeed.
Works for me.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

People keep trying to nail his recorded tone and forgetting that Ted Templeman and Donn Landee played a big part in getting that sound.

I’ve made this same argument many times here in the last few weeks when all this evh stuff started popping up. It seems to fall on deaf ears.

 

[Demanic]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Which makes me wonder, ultimately, why aren't more people trying to nail David Gilmore tones?
I mean,
really?

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[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Well who has big Hiwatts and loud clear Fane speakers??

 

[LLL]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Probably because Gilmour doesn't really have a standout or unique kind of tone (yes, his playing is unique, but we're talking tone here).

Most people don't - even amongst the big boys. And most people on these gear forums don't even know how to record themselves.

Neal Schon, for example is a monster player and legend. But you don't see anybody looking for that particular "Neal Schon tone" that he's famous for... instead, maybe a particular song's tone.

The guys that do have a standout tone and influence millions are the rarest of the rare (which gives me an idea).

There are tone geeks of Gilmour, though - no doubt. IIRC, gilmourish.com is one site.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Probably because Gilmour doesn't really have a standout or unique kind of tone (yes, his playing is unique, but we're talking tone here).

Most people don't - even amongst the big boys. And most people on these gear forums don't even know how to record themselves.

Neal Schon, for example is a monster player and legend. But you don't see anybody looking for that particular "Neal Schon tone" that he's famous for... instead, maybe a particular song's tone.

The guys that do have a standout tone and influence millions are the rarest of the rare (which gives me an idea).

There are tone geeks of Gilmour, though - no doubt. IIRC, gilmourish.com is one site.

But that’s very subjective, and it depends on who you ask. Everybody has different taste, and there are many like myself who don’t find the vh1 tone anything special. Wanting somebody’s tone and wanting somebody’s phrasing and ability are two separate things and what’s worse is that the two are often confused for one another. The ***** of it all is that both are related. Further not everybody is looking EVH’s tone in general either, when was the last time you heard somebody looking for the tone from 5150 or ou812. diver down or vhIII (the list goes on). They are mostly looking for one album’s particular sound. So you can lump evh in there too. Throw lynch in there as well. Who ever says they want lynch’s tone from tooth and nail or dysfunctional or sacred groove. Most people who say they want lynch’s really only either want the bfta sound or some want the wicked sensation sound.

When I was 14, I wanted Phil collen’s lead tone on the song women (that whole album really). I thought it had such a cool deep dark vocal sound I had never heard before. How many people have you heard say that?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Hmm I don't really hear that many out there who has Davids sound...
And his sound can actually be used in many situations... while the big driven Marshalls mostly just yells hard rock and such, yeah it can fit here and there as a gimmick...but it is not a very useful sound for many.
I like those texturish tones...from Gilmour.....

 

[Securb]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

The reason you do not hear a signature tone from most legendary guitarists is, just like us they are continuously GASing. The difference being most of them have the funds to buy whatever they would like or call the manufacturer and have it sent for free. Their tones and setups evolved album to album as they change and add gear. Look at Dimebag's Cowboys setup vs. his Damageplan rig. Once the endorsements started rolling in the rig changed drastically.

There are very few guitarists that have stuck with the same basic setup since day one. Those are the guitarist that we recognize by tone. Angus and May are a couple of examples. One with a complex signal chain and the other with just a guitar chord. Still, when you hear Brian or Angus you know it's them.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

But that’s very subjective, and it depends on who you ask. Everybody has different taste, and there are many like myself who don’t find the vh1 tone anything special. Wanting somebody’s tone and wanting somebody’s phrasing and ability are two separate things and what’s worse is that the two are often confused for one another. The ***** of it all is that both are related. Further not everybody is looking EVH’s tone in general either, when was the last time you heard somebody looking for the tone from 5150 or ou812. diver down or vhIII (the list goes on). They are mostly looking for one album’s particular sound. So you can lump evh in there too. Throw lynch in there as well. Who ever says they want lynch’s tone from tooth and nail or dysfunctional or sacred groove. Most people who say they want lynch’s really only either want the bfta sound or some want the wicked sensation sound.

When I was 14, I wanted Phil collen’s lead tone on the song women (that whole album really). I thought it had such a cool deep dark vocal sound I had never heard before. How many people have you heard say that?

Tom Scholtz Rockman tracked a hundred times.

I Don't like much after VH's Fair Warning album. But The Seventh Seal and the end of Drop Dead Legs do stand out. So tasty.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Tom Scholtz Rockman tracked a hundred times.

It was more than that. Even on chords each note was tracked separately. My favorite evh was the 1984 Album, followed by judgement day.

 

[LLL]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

But that’s very subjective, and it depends on who you ask. Everybody has different taste, and there are many like myself who don’t find the vh1 tone anything special. Wanting somebody’s tone and wanting somebody’s phrasing and ability are two separate things and what’s worse is that the two are often confused for one another. The ***** of it all is that both are related. Further not everybody is looking EVH’s tone in general either, when was the last time you heard somebody looking for the tone from 5150 or ou812. diver down or vhIII (the list goes on). They are mostly looking for one album’s particular sound. So you can lump evh in there too. Throw lynch in there as well. Who ever says they want lynch’s tone from tooth and nail or dysfunctional or sacred groove. Most people who say they want lynch’s really only either want the bfta sound or some want the wicked sensation sound.

Of course "who digs who's tone" is subjective... but let's face it: there is no "signature Gilmour tone", whereupon hearing a handful of random notes and/or chords (e.g. not playing a Pink Floyd tune), and the tone would be instantly recognizable... unlike say Brian May or Tom Scholz/Goudreau or Rhoads... you hear a few notes/chords of their tones and you know who it is 9 times out of 10.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: How to Sound Like Van Halen

Of course "who digs who's tone" is subjective... but let's face it: there is no "signature Gilmour tone", whereupon hearing a handful of random notes and/or chords (e.g. not playing a Pink Floyd tune), and the tone would be instantly recognizable... unlike say Brian May or Tom Scholz/Goudreau or Rhoads... you hear a few notes/chords of their tones and you know who it is 9 times out of 10.

But is it their tone that is the recognizable part or is it really their phrasing? Or really what they are doing with that tone. Evh has changed gear radically more times than people can count, Lynch too, yet the minute you hear either play you know who it is. Steve vai has used all sorts of varying ****, yet whether it was dlr, whitesnake or a solo track of his you instantly know it was him playing. Paul Gilbert too. He has used all sorts of crap through the years and in guitars most shredders wouldn’t touch, yet there’s no mistaking who’s behind the wheel when you hear Street lethal, colorado bulldog, or get out of my yard. It’s not their gear that’s making them recognizable. How would evh sound using Tom scholz’s amp? Would you recognize it as Tom scholz’s amp?

The circular argument still remains, what is truly the desired part of tone chasing? Do you really want to focus on the gear, or the ablity.