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what is the point of FUZZ?

S t e v e

By S t e v e
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S t e v e

S t e v e

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Nah, Steve's right.

 

We should all play through a Fender Frontman 15, and only play clean because anything else is hiding behind effects.

 

i hide behind a mxr fullbore metal pedal [blush]

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ChanMan

ChanMan

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I hide behind the couch, but that is another story altogether.

 

 

How does fuzz mask one's sound exactly. My understanding is that most effects only accentuate poor tone, not mask the lack thereof....

 

Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[confused]

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milod

milod

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As I wrote before on here, when the original fuzz units came out, it appeared they were designed to allow a guitarist to somewhat mimic the sound of what we called "dirty" saxophone. You also could play "dirty" trumpet and other instruments, but the sax was most used in the latter days of pre-Brit invasion rock.

 

The problem with fuzz and other electronic enhancements for electric guitar isn't with their potential, but rather with less-skilled guitarists who blast away using the effect to mask that lesser skill and lesser overall musical talent.

 

I freely admit I use some electronic enhancement in my playing because it can "thicken" my habit of using very light strings. I can get variation in "my" sound that hopefully can fit different sorts of music I like to play.

 

Nathan, please don't overdo the logic of the argument favoring electronic enhancement into invalid extension. (IMHO every college kid, if he/she hadn't done so in high school, should take at least one class in formal logic, regardless of their major.)

 

My point is that guitarists have been messing with their sound through electronics since the first generally-available electric pickups. I feel quite comfortable using my little multi-effect box although may folks might suggest I have a relatively "clean" sound regardless how I might change the settings. Some real "purists" largely in the jazz and/or blues world might take another tack by getting magnificent tube amps to vary only tone and volume settings - that still are obviously electronic enhancements.

 

I just don't want any guitarist to see electronic enhancement as the only way to improve performance as opposed to constant skill and arrangement development.

 

It's not either-or. I think Les Paul is perhaps an excellent example to follow of a guitarist who did work on playing skills and arrangements while also using groundbreaking electronic enhancements that worked with a given piece - not as a regular diet of a given effect cranked up to maximum.

 

m

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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As I wrote before on here, when the original fuzz units came out, it appeared they were designed to allow a guitarist to somewhat mimic the sound of what we called "dirty" saxophone. You also could play "dirty" trumpet and other instruments, but the sax was most used in the latter days of pre-Brit invasion rock.

 

The problem with fuzz and other electronic enhancements for electric guitar isn't with their potential, but rather with less-skilled guitarists who blast away using the effect to mask that lesser skill and lesser overall musical talent.

 

I freely admit I use some electronic enhancement in my playing because it can "thicken" my habit of using very light strings. I can get variation in "my" sound that hopefully can fit different sorts of music I like to play.

 

Nathan, please don't overdo the logic of the argument favoring electronic enhancement into invalid extension. (IMHO every college kid, if he/she hadn't done so in high school, should take at least one class in formal logic, regardless of their major.)

 

My point is that guitarists have been messing with their sound through electronics since the first generally-available electric pickups. I feel quite comfortable using my little multi-effect box although may folks might suggest I have a relatively "clean" sound regardless how I might change the settings. Some real "purists" largely in the jazz and/or blues world might take another tack by getting magnificent tube amps to vary only tone and volume settings - that still are obviously electronic enhancements.

 

I just don't want any guitarist to see electronic enhancement as the only way to improve performance as opposed to constant skill and arrangement development.

 

It's not either-or. I think Les Paul is perhaps an excellent example to follow of a guitarist who did work on playing skills and arrangements while also using groundbreaking electronic enhancements that worked with a given piece - not as a regular diet of a given effect cranked up to maximum.

 

m

 

I hear you Milod, loud and clear. To me, this seems like an obvious attack on MY sound, since I talk about fuzz so much. If he wants to make that kind of attack, then go for it, but don't expect me to take it that well.

 

It's obvious he's trolling, so it is impossible to argue any sort of logic with him.

 

Just my take on things, and once again, I am probably wrong

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milod

milod

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I've got nothing against fuzz, properly used as part of one's sound, even though I'm apparently old enough to be a grandpa to a lotta the folks on this forum.

 

Yeah, Nathan, I can see how you perceive it as a personal attack. That's just plain silly to do if it is such.

 

I think guitarists always have kinda led the pack with electronic enhancement of sound up to, and even through the synth revolution. We still do regardless that very basic tube amps are quite popular among all sorts of pickers.

 

My own concern is that we don't let ourselves get so tied up in that sort of thought that we forget about using our combination of talent and skill lessen our performance and creative potential. And I do mean "we," not just younger guys.

 

Again, Les Paul is a heck of a good example of great talent and skill at guitar along with very thoughtful and tasteful use of electronic enhancement. A lotta his stuff isn't my schtick, but again, I think we all - from Link Wray forward - owe much of the concept of electronic enhancement to him.

 

m

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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I've got nothing against fuzz, properly used as part of one's sound, even though I'm apparently old enough to be a grandpa to a lotta the folks on this forum.

 

Yeah, Nathan, I can see how you perceive it as a personal attack. That's just plain silly to do if it is such.

 

I think guitarists always have kinda led the pack with electronic enhancement of sound up to, and even through the synth revolution. We still do regardless that very basic tube amps are quite popular among all sorts of pickers.

 

My own concern is that we don't let ourselves get so tied up in that sort of thought that we forget about using our combination of talent and skill lessen our performance and creative potential. And I do mean "we," not just younger guys.

 

Again, Les Paul is a heck of a good example of great talent and skill at guitar along with very thoughtful and tasteful use of electronic enhancement. A lotta his stuff isn't my schtick, but again, I think we all - from Link Wray forward - owe much of the concept of electronic enhancement to him.

 

m

 

Oh yeah, the problem becomes, IMO, when the effects become the sound, at least for me. I use delay on some parts, fuzz on quite a few, distortion on others.

 

Every once in a while, I play all of the songs without any effects, just straight into the clean channel just to show myself at least that the effects aren't necessary. I have seen shows where a battery goes out, and the guitarist says he can't play without it. I will never ever let that happen. Do they sound as good? No, but the song isn't lost just because my (insert piece of gear) isn't working properly.

 

Most of my song writing happens late at night or early in the morning with my hundred dollar classical guitar in my hand or my 150 dollar acoustic, and then it builds from there, usually being this line would be cool if I used the delay or right here I'll kick in the fuzz.

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Searcy

Searcy

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Once you slide a pickup under the strings you have effected the tone. There are no hard and fast rules for where you take it after that so long as what somes out the other end is musical.

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S t e v e

S t e v e

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To me, this seems like an obvious attack on MY sound, since I talk about fuzz so much. If he wants to make that kind of attack, then go for it, but don't expect me to take it that well.

 

 

you are correct nathan, but if we knew eachother in person would you call me a troll for saying i don't like fuzz?...if i said it to your face we could take it as a joke and laugh about it (it would be a joke as i know you like fuzz and it would be meant to wind you up)...

 

that's the prob with online relations...you will never get to know the REAL person at the keyboard, for the record i like the "online" you and your musical taste...and your love of fuzz [thumbup]

 

peace B)

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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you are correct nathan, but if we knew eachother in person would you call me a troll for saying i don't like fuzz?...if i said it to your face we could take it as a joke and laugh about it (it would be a joke as i know you like fuzz and it would be meant to wind you up)...

 

that's the prob with online relations...you will never get to know the REAL person at the keyboard, for the record i like the "online" you and your musical taste...and your love of fuzz [thumbup]

 

peace B)

 

I'd punch you square in the jaw if you did in real life [biggrin]

 

Just sayin [lol]

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Mojorule

Mojorule

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i just don't get why a guitarist would want that noise, talk about hiding behind effects...just my opinion =;

 

To be honest, Steve, when I'm playing through my Big Muff, I don't entirely understand why anybody needs a Marshall half-stack or a Mesa, fabulous as those pieces of equipment are. Santana got sustain with the pedal before he started using the high gain amps. But I'm not really a distorsion specialist.

 

 

I thought that Lennon got that particular sound by disobeying George Martin and DI-ing into the recording console, Duane... Agree it's a winner though.

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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I don't care about fuzz. Really, I can't find a use for it.

 

That said... I just play jazz, blues, heavy metal, hard rock, rock and pop so maybe I just haven't needed it yet.

 

Fuzz is a weird animal. Not for everyone. You can probably easily fit it into hard rock though, listen to some Kyuss, QOTSA, etc.

 

Blues? Its a blues machine. Well great for bastard blues like what I play

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milod

milod

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Whoa...

 

As one who has a bit of background on striking techniques... I don't like to talk or even think about it, let alone seriously consider doing such stuff, unless I'm paid to do so or have no choice but to do such stuff.

 

m

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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Whoa...

 

As one who has a bit of background on striking techniques... I don't like to talk or even think about it, let alone seriously consider doing such stuff, unless I'm paid to do so or have no choice but to do such stuff.

 

m

 

I won't hit TGod, probably won't hit Steve

 

If steve buys me a beer, we can be friends again

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Thundergod

Thundergod

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I'm not talking about spinach here, I'm talking about fuzz, the greatest effect ever known to man

 

I'll punch you square in the jaw right after I hit Steve, I'll go to Bolivia and fight you there [lol]

 

 

I'd hit you back and take all your fuzz pedals from you and ship 'em to different parts of the world [lol]

 

The best fuzz pedal is the one without a battery or the one that has been shipped to another country and lost by FedEx. [flapper]

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