TONE TIPS JARGON BUSTER

Get the lowdown on the most important terms in all things tone related

- Chris Bird

Amp channel

An amplifier increases a guitar’s electrical signal in order to reproduce the sound through a connected speaker. Many amplifiers are equipped with separate audio signal paths (aka channels), usually voiced differently to produce a clean sound on one and a more distorted sound on the other.

British amp sound

A catch-all term referring originally to the tones of British amp brands from the 1960s and ’70s such as Marshall and Vox. The former is renowned for the overdriven, saturated tones of the JTM and JCM series. Vox’s AC30 is noted for a cleaner, chimier sound as heard on music by The Beatles and The Shadows.

Delay

An effect that plays back an audio signal after a period of time. Typically the pause ranges from a few milliseconds to one or two seconds. Most units allow for control of the number of times the signal is repeated and the level of said repeats.

Digital modelling

A process employing software to emulate the sound of other equipment, typically classic amplifiers and effects. Early examples include the Line 6 AxSys 212 modelling amp, the Line 6 POD multi-effect, and the Roland VG-8 virtual guitar system. A later innovation is Kemper’s profiling technology, which allows users to capture digital emulations of their own equipment.

Distortion

A form of ‘hard clipping’ signal processing produced, in general, by increasing gain. Various forms of distortion are employed, including overdrive for valve amplifiers or bespoke fuzz or boost units.