+Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

[KiD CuDi]

For note definition what's better scooped mids or more mids? I'm totally confused on this subject because I thought that more mids meant more definition but the dimarzio steves special pickup is supposed to be mid scooped and definition is it's maim feature but I've also heard elsewhere that the dimarzio x2n can be underdefined because it may have to MUCH mids.

Confused need help

 

[oilpit]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

More mids = more tone

Scooped mids = you have a small penis, a boyfriend, and daddy issues

 

[GoDrex]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

There's a big difference between a pickup with less mids than another, and scooping mids on an amp for a "heavy" sound.

 

[YellowJacket]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

Depends on the style you are playing and whether you are running a lead or a rhythm tone. I personally preference sweet vocal mids but that is just my call. The only really ANNOYING thing is this tendency towards excess bass in guitar tone. In my opinion, that is the realm of the bass guitar. A band sounds far better live when the bass guitar and guitar aren't fighting with one another.

 

[CTN]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

most of a guitar's tonal frequency range is in the mids.

Why anyone would want to throw all that out in favour of only the extremities which only add thump and sparkle to a guitar's sound is beyond me.

mids = good.
scooped mids = you have probably never played in a band/with a drummer, and are sorely in need of a swift kick to your rear end.

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

Generally you want a rather middle of the way mids. Too many or too few and your tone becomes rather thin and muddy, for different reasons. Mids from 4-6 sound clear without really removing that much from your tone or adding too much grossness. I prefer in the range of 6 or so and I use a P90 with a very clear midrange.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

It also depends on what music you're playing. I never got the whole scooped-mids thing either, but different people define mids differently (as odd as that sounds).

For some, it's cutting the 1KHz only. For others, it's the Smiley Face graphic EQ. For someone else, it's cutting only the freq on either side of 1KHz, and still others will cut the 5 bands that make up the majority of the mids.
Others still merely grab the Mid knob on the amp's parametric and drop it to 0.

As well, there's two different settings - Rhythm and Lead. You dont want scooped mids for solos, you want to be heard. Rhythm shouldn't tromp on the solo, and the solo shouldn't be buried with the rhythm where you only hear the double-stop bends and meedly meedly on the ighest frets/strings. The toggle switch on your guitar can't do everything for all types of music. It does for most, but not all.


Play around with the settings and find what works for you, not Metallica.

 

[surface54]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

thats why marshalls are good, cause they sound like there scooped on the mids, but its really not. i can have my mids on 8 with my marshall and it sounds amazing. were as a peavey mids on 8 means terrible blunting tone.

 

[Aceman]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

Just depends....

In the band setting, more mids

Alone, less

Crisp and thumpy? scoop

Crisp and cutting, midds plus treble

fat and cutting? Bass and mids

YMMV...

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

scooped mids is the way to get a big sound if you play power chords down low on the neck. But the higher the note, the thinner you sound - so thats where the mids come in to things - you get more fullness for single note leads. Quite often a great lead sound is the opposite to what works for heavy, low rhythm.

 

[B2D]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

I don't like scooped but I don't like midrange-dominant either. I like the mids to be nice and even with the lows and highs. For me, it's not so much about voicing as it is about levels.

 

[KiD CuDi]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

scooped mids is the way to get a big sound if you play power chords down low on the neck. But the higher the note, the thinner you sound - so thats where the mids come in to things - you get more fullness for single note leads. Quite often a great lead sound is the opposite to what works for heavy, low rhythm.

So all that has to do with amp settings and it makes sense. What about scooped vs more mids as far as pickups go? (in the definition department)

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

For Marshall style high gain style you need to pump the mids. For Fender cleans you can drop them to zero.
Also, if you've got a smooth sounding amp, and a mid peaked eq speaker like a Celestion V30, you can also scoop the mids for a rich thick warm and creamy sound under gain.

 

[blueman335]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

scooped mids is the way to get a big sound if you play power chords down low on the neck. But the higher the note, the thinner you sound - so thats where the mids come in to things - you get more fullness for single note leads. Quite often a great lead sound is the opposite to what works for heavy, low rhythm.

+1. Mids cut thru the mix better. My mid-heavy 335's and LP's dominate SSS Strats on stage.

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

Scooped mids give rhythm more definition, while more mids for better lead playing.

 

[oilpit]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

thats why marshalls are good, cause they sound like there scooped on the mids, but its really not.

I'm sorry but

:wrf:

Not only does that statement not make any sense, it also is not true. Marshalls gained a reputation of a fat, midrangey sound.

I don't claim to be a Marshall expert but I have played quite a few and have never found that to be the case, unless you really cut back the mids and boost the lows and highs, it's tough not to get an at least somewhat mid based tone out of a Marshall.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

Middling mids, with boosted upper mids for solos!

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

For note definition what's better scooped mids or more mids? I'm totally confused on this subject because I thought that more mids meant more definition but the dimarzio steves special pickup is supposed to be mid scooped and definition is it's maim feature but I've also heard elsewhere that the dimarzio x2n can be underdefined because it may have to MUCH mids.

Confused need help

don't go off of only specific descriptions like that. it narrows your view of the overall tone you get out of all your gear together. as far as the steve's special, they probably mean that the lows and highs are better defined with a flatter, less distorted midrange giving it it's good definition.

besides, a pickup is only a small part of the tonal equation. amps and speakers are a much bigger player in the type of sound you end up with.

 

[YellowJacket]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

I'm sorry but

:wrf:

Not only does that statement not make any sense, it also is not true. Marshalls gained a reputation of a fat, midrangey sound.

I don't claim to be a Marshall expert but I have played quite a few and have never found that to be the case, unless you really cut back the mids and boost the lows and highs, it's tough not to get an at least somewhat mid based tone out of a Marshall.

I think he is commenting on the acoustic properties of either the EL-34 tubes, the G12T-75 speakers, or both. EL-34s do have a rather distinct 'aggressive bark' in the midrange.

Man, this thread reminds me. Some kid was playing in a punk band at a show I was at. We were all in this barn and I couldn't hear his guitar because he had dialed in a basement jamming tone where the other guitarist was running a mesa head and cab with that typical vocal midrange tone. I seriously walked over to the one guys amp and dumped the mid pot, and walked back. We could hear him after that and the band sounded much better.

besides, a pickup is only a small part of the tonal equation. amps and speakers are a much bigger player in the type of sound you end up with.

Man, I LOVE reading this on a pickup forum! Great point but don't forget the guitar. The acoustic properties of your axe are really where tone starts so it is always best to get this right first before building up the rest of your rig. After all, pickups are only as good as the wood they are mounted in and more importantly, tone is only as good as the player.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: +Mids .vs. Scooped mids?

I usually have my mids at around midnight, or one o clock. I don't like the weird kind of "nasal" sound I get from too much mids, which makes my tone seem very thin. I like a more full bodied tone, but not really *scooped* per se. so I usually keep the knob right at the middle, or a tad higher. My amp is loud enough for me to handle these tones and still put out ridiculous volume. Also, when you're in a band, it's a good thing to have different guitar tones if theres 2 guitars.