From volcanic lead tones to organic, expressive crunch, every guitarist needs a touch of overdrive from time to time. But how do you make sure your drive tone is warm as honey and twice as sweet – not tizzy as a bee imprisoned in a tin? We consulted three acknowledged experts on the subject of great overdriven tone to hear their seasoned advice on dishing the dirt…
If you want to really get inside the soul of a guitarist, start talking to them about how they like their drive tones. Some players want crystalline projection and clarity, others a swampy mudslide of saturated fuzz. Every player’s sweet spot is different when it comes to gain and, to make things more interesting, that perfect lead tone is the sum of several tonal influences – with pedals, amp and the player themselves at the heart of the equation. Marshalling all those elements to produce the tone you want, everytime, no matter the venue or musical task to hand, is a tough job. And, as in all things, knowledge is power. In the following pages, we call on the combined knowledge of three of the wisest heads in the drive tone business (see Meet The Experts box). They give their seasoned tips on how to make your gain tones more nuanced and expressive than ever – and dodge some common pitfalls that can spoil the gig.
Q I can dial in my drive pedals and amp to sound perfect together at home. But at rehearsals or gigs it all sounds wrong again. What’s going on?
A “You need to EQ your amp and your rig to that particular environment,” Adrian Thorpe of Thorpy FX explains. “Typically, if you’re running louder – usually the case at rehearsals or gigs – you’ll need to lower your treble and upper mids as well, just to make sure your tone is not a scythe that cuts through the audience. Treble and mids can get harsh at higher volumes, which is to do with Fletcher-Munson curves and how your ear perceives certain frequencies at certain decibel levels. At higher volumes, your speaker is in its optimum zone as well: it is just pumping out the decibels and working at its most efficient, so it’s able to beam sound outwards very effectively.
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve