Andy R Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Its in the fingers by the way they push down on the frets and how hard they pick the strings. Slash pushes so hard down on his frets that he had to get a refret done on his B.C Rich, also he hits the strings really hard, creating his tone. Notice that all these guys will copy jimmy pages gear and they cant get his tone still. I have yet to find someone who has the exact tone as a other guitarist. Its sorta...impossible. But thats what i believe, its not facts...just a bunch of rants. :P I agree but Slash could play very lightly if he wanted to. It is what he is hearing and feeling emotionally ( and copious amounts of drugs and booze at least at one time) that causes him to push on the strings hard and how his picking attack is affected. Ever been nervous to play and you play harder than normal? Ever played for a few hours and play more fluidly? Ever been really inspired and you pick harder? Also tube amps play a big part in the pick attack especially the older ones that don't have a ton of gain. The harder you hit the string the more sag, compression and distortion you get from the amp. All of these will change how a player plays with their fingers.... My Rant back And I completely agree with the exact tone comment. It is impossible... You can get close though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 No, I've never tried to sound like anyone but me. I won't argue anymore about the gear vs the player. Common sense and just a smidge of paying attention is all the answer one needs to resolve that debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 No, I've never tried to sound like anyone but me. I won't argue anymore about the gear vs the player. Common sense and just a smidge of paying attention is all the answer one needs to resolve that debate. Sheesh ChanMan ya Party Pooper! Since when has reason, common sense, and paying attention been a factor?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 This argument degrades quickly between the "It's the gear" and "it's the player" folks. Reality, facts and past performance rarely make a difference in anyone's opinions. I'll just say it's very obvious, at least to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanbeastie Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I've never understood trying to match someone else's tone...I've always been about trying to find my own. And it constantly changes depending on the songs i'm writing... I know i'm in the minority here for sure. But even covers should be played with YOUR flavour as far as I am concerned. fully agree on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feldkeen4 Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Here's a nice interview on the Townshend tonal gear. http://www.premierguitar.com/magazine/Issue/2010/Apr/Pete_Townshend_On_Guitar_Smashing_Regrets_Stylistic_Evolution_and_Becoming_a_Gear_Aficionado.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Leslie West with Mountain had one of the most unique sounds I've ever heard. All done with the hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 isn't it all in the fingers? i don't think you can emulate anyone on guitar "exactly" same as your wife knows it's you in bed and not your friend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Some have already said that if Eddie Van Halen doesn't play with X gear he will no longer sound like Eddie. I guess the question one should ask oneself is: Given how many different amps, guitars and effects he's used over the years, do I really believe that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 All in the fingers... This is BS. Tone is your guitar + your amp. If all you need is fingers, why spend $2000 on a guitar and $1500 on an amp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 This is BS. Tone is your guitar + your amp. If all you need is fingers, why spend $2000 on a guitar and $1500 on an amp? Cuz you THINK tone is in the guitar and amp. The truth lies somewhere i the middle...I've never spent more than $1000 on any of my guitars and i get compliments on my tone all the time. Its 3 parts fingers, 1 part equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Leslie West with Mountain had one of the most unique sounds I've ever heard. All done with the hands. Leslie said he used his style of playing to compensate for not being that fast on the neck. Great style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 This is BS. Tone is your guitar + your amp. If all you need is fingers, why spend $2000 on a guitar and $1500 on an amp? As silly as this sounds on the surface.... no gear at all means no tone at all. We had a HUGE thread about this 2 years ago... and guess what. NO guitar and NO amp means NO tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Cuz you THINK tone is in the guitar and amp. The truth lies somewhere i the middle...I've never spent more than $1000 on any of my guitars and i get compliments on my tone all the time. Its 3 parts fingers, 1 part equipment. Tell yourself what ever you need to. As much as your style and technique influence your sound, your ability to dial in good tone comes from your ability to get your instrument and equipment to work the way you want it to. Its in your ears, not your fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Tell yourself what ever you need to. Good argument. I think i'll use the same one. :) Give your brother or sister all of Eddie Van Halen's equipment...see what they sound like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Damn You can fret and pick with your ears? Holy sh!t! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I just finished "Here, There, and Everywhere" by Geoff Emerick. I'd guess a good bit of the tone that folks chase has to do with how it was recorded... maybe even more so than what guitar, etc. was used by the artist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 jnasty...you may also notice that I didn't discount the equipment completely....i said it was a 3:1 ratio....fingers to equipment. I stand by that. Riverside...yes I think production enhances tone as well...post-EQ and such. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Shred- you pretty much nailed it. The gear makes it easier and stuff like that for the performer to attain his or her "tone" but its always there no matter the equipment. However, I plan on spending just over a grand on my next guitar, so I beat you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 If this were "scupltors" vs "Hammers and chisels" there would be no argument.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 If this were "scupltors" vs "Hammers and chisels" there would be no argument.... Just gotta say "Hammers and Chisels" sounds like a killer band name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Just gotta say "Hammers and Chisels" sounds like a killer band name! +1 on Hammers and Chisels ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Lots of good advice and discussion. Thanks, Surf, for the amp recommendation and thanks to the poster who had the link to that great Townsend interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Sorry but fingers are fingers they are controlled by muscles and the brain. How they react are through stimulus from the mind and what the artist is hearing and feeling. The fingers are just the paint brushes for the artist vision. If I cut off Eddie Van Halen's hands and had them transplanted to my arms would I then be able to play and sound like Eddie Van Halen???? I'm thinking not. If I had Eddie Van Halen's exact Rig and Recording Set-up from Van Halen II could I come close to copping his tone... Yes but not exactly. I doubt Eddie could at this point because his ears and mind for music have changed over the years. Would he sound closer to he Van Halen II Tone than me? Yep He's Eddie Van Halen! I'm talking about specific tone and not players feel or vibe or "General Tone" Sticking with the Eddie Scenario his tone changed from album to album and so did his style and his writing. His tone today sounds nothing like it did in 78. Same Fingers! Does he still sound like Eddie? Yep... Does he have a tone that's recognizable Yep... A good example of this is Eddie telling Matt Bruck that his #1 Marshall didn't sound as good as it used to and he thought that the transformers were getting weak. Matt said the amp sounded great but had it completely serviced anyway but Ed still said it didn't sound the same. It probably doesn't sound exactly the same ( It is my opinion no tube amp can sound exactly the same from the first day it is played ) but I think Eddie's ear and taste in tone has changed. I don't think tone has a dollar amount. Tone is what you make of what you have to work with. If I wanted a good Metal Tone I wouldn't be able to get it playing a 12 string Rickenbacker straight into a Roland JC120 Regardless of how hard I tried and how "Metalfied" my fingers were. Could I make up something and tweak my style to produce a good tone using that combination yes.... Could it have a "Heavy" feel? yep... and with that I say.... I think it has something to do with toenails! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 and with that I say.... I think it has something to do with toenails! Andy like this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnUwA6c67k&feature=player_embedded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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