Let's get something straight

[B2D]

Re: Let's get something straight

Actually I think it's the other way around. I think tone is in the gear and style is in the fingers.

If my "style" displays weak pick attack, limp strumming, terrible intonation, and bad timing, that's going to show up just as much on a Squier and a Spider as it will with a Suhr and a Bogner.

 

[B2D]

Re: Let's get something straight

Here's something interesting to think about:

This is a video of Satriani teaching a lesson to a contest winner. They've both got small digital modeling amps and guitars identical save for the color.

Watch the modal-jam section starting at about 23:30 in... notice how different Satriani and the student sound. Not only is there a lot of difference in technique (the student ain't bad but when you're jamming with Satch, well) but Satch dials in his sound a lot differently as well. But Satch still sounds like himself. At one point he even comments about how he can't get his sound because that amp "squashes all my dynamics" or something to that effect.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Let's get something straight

Here's something interesting to think about:

This is a video of Satriani teaching a lesson to a contest winner. They've both got small digital modeling amps and guitars identical save for the color.

Watch the modal-jam section starting at about 23:30 in... notice how different Satriani and the student sound. Not only is there a lot of difference in technique (the student ain't bad but when you're jamming with Satch, well) but Satch dials in his sound a lot differently as well. But Satch still sounds like himself. At one point he even comments about how he can't get his sound because that amp "squashes all my dynamics" or something to that effect.

I completely agree with this. And this is a great example of what I was talking about. Tone is in the gear and style is in the fingers.

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: Let's get something straight

Our fingers can't create tone outta thin air. They can only coax the tones coming from the gear. If the gear doesn't allow for it, then it ain't happening. My fingers can't make me prefer my Marshall over my Randall.

 

[B2D]

Re: Let's get something straight

I completely agree with this. And this is a great example of what I was talking about. Tone is in the gear and style is in the fingers.

I just realized I said "i think it's the other way around" and then said exactly what you did but in reverse order. So yes - we is brudda kine mang.

Don't listen to me - I'm on cold meds. XD

 

[B2D]

Re: Let's get something straight

Our fingers can't create tone outta thin air.

Mine can.

Have you not whistled through your hands or made hand-farts before?


In all seriousness... all the guitar gear in the world can't create tone on it's own either. It needs hands to do so.

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: Let's get something straight

Does this really sound like tone is in the fingers, y'all?



All I hear is crappy distortion. But, I guess that comes from the fingers.

 

[LLL]

Re: Let's get something straight

Style is in the fingers, tone is in the gear.

You cannot take a Deluxe Reverb and a Tele with no other form of gain and expect to get a good death metal tone. However, if you switch out the guitar for something pointy and get a Mesa half stack, then you can get a great metal tone. Your choice of notes and the way you play is your style. And if you're playing something like thrash metal, you wouldn't expect to hear a lot of major keys or "happy sounding" chord progressions. Also, if you have a poor grasp of the instrument, no amount of good gear will make you play better. The improvement of your style can only come from practice.

I feel like we throw out the words "tone" and "style" to mean the same thing, but in reality they are two very distinct and different terms.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?311301-Tone-With-or-Without-a-Hand

What you mean is this (posted 4-27-2016):

"Tone is in the hands/fingers."

The term "tone" in the above sentence is (and has been for a loooong time) a misnomer.

Substitute "playing style is" or "playing nuances are" for "tone is", and the statement begins to make sense.

And this (posted 4-30-2106):

(actual) Tone is in the freqs.

View attachment 72097

(^study them - know them - love them)

It's already been stated.

 

[LLL]

Re: Let's get something straight

Oh yeah and... that'll be a dollar. No thanks needed.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Let's get something straight

View attachment 72423

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Let's get something straight

And to blow the argument completely out of the water (save for the extreme "Death Metal vs Country Twang" nonsense), listen here:

2 people swapping the same guitar back and forth. Using the same amp.


The tone of the gear is in the gear. The tone of the person playing that gear is in the person playing that gear. All Irishmen have an Irish accent, but not all Irishmen sound the same, even though they have the same gear and the same style.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's get something straight

Actually, never thought about it.