I've been listening to alot of Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhodes guitar work (because, they rock, obviously), but I've noticed they have not only a distinct sort of tone but they also have this almost indescribable echo or delay effect coming through: it sounds like it's alot of reverb or like they play with a delay pedal set with a small, almost un-noticeable delay time, i was wondering how you would achieve this effect, because i like the way it sounds and wouldn't mind trying something like that myself. I've heard that getting two amps and hooking a stereo delay pedal between them would work to create a similar sound, but i don't know if it is accurate (or if i'd have the money anytime soon to buy a seperate amp.)
Steve-0
I think on the record they might overcub it, because it has the real thing, and another, higher note above it (I think a pitch harmonic). I'm probably wrong though because I don't know what I'm talking about. :roll:
Stairway to Freebird!
Oops, not overcub *overdub :oops:
Stairway to Freebird!
Listening to suicide solution just now i see what you mean. He probably does use reverb but it sounds to me like hes overdubed the whole song to get that effect, its very subtle but I think thats how he got that sound...Pitty you cant ask him :?
Eddie flanges a lot.
Eddie also has used an old MXR phase shifter called a Phase 90. They even have an EVH model with Eddie-style stripes on it.
creator of #1 video"Guitar Playing for Songwriters"
Overdubbing would explain the studio work, but I have Ozzy's Tribute cd (the one ozzy released as a tribute to randy, not an ozzy tribute band cd :lol: ) and it's a live album so that kinda confuses me, can they overdub live stuff after it's been recorded? If they can't then it must be some sort of an effect, since nobody played guitar with randy.
I guess eddie's tone has alot to do with the phase shifters (too bad i don't like flangers and phase shifters) among other things, but perhaps I just like that huge sound he got out of his amps, but i'll probably need some HUGE amps for that.
Steve-0
Eddie flanges a lot.
That's what I was thinking. I haven't heard lots of EVH, but when I was reading the description flanger was what popped into my mind.
Here's a bunch of flanger pedals, hope the link works:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=61/g=guitar/s=effects/search/d=tp?q=flanger
-Metaellihead
Eddie was pretty fond of the flanger, but he also liked using an Echoplex from time to time (case in point - Eruption).
And Randy was one of the first guitarists to really use overdubbing, so I wouldn't be surprised if he did overdub some of his live stuff :P
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Ive got the tribute cd too and i dont really here the same thing as the orgional recordings. It just sounds like reverb and the general acoustics that youd get from a big live performance.
Eddie was pretty fond of the flanger, but he also liked using an Echoplex from time to time (case in point - Eruption).
Actually, that brings me to another question... What is an Echoplex exactly? is it a type of vintage, analog delay or is it something else?
Steve-0
Echoplex. Invented by Les Paul, it is the most popular and collectible tape echo, it was built in two versions tube and solid-state. Throught out time you'll hear them on many, many recordings. I still have a couple floating around even though they don't get used much anymore. They are fragile so you need to be careful with them. If they break their hard to fix or get fixed.
Now days I use roland sde rack mount delays. Theres a sde-1000 and sde-3500. The only difference I found between the two is the 1000 has 4 presets and the 3500 had 12. like most accessories for guitar which one to use becomes that personal things.
Setting the delay time using the formula 60,000 divided by bpm of song equals the number of milliseconds delay time for a 1/4 note delay. Meaning, if the tempos of your song is 120 divide 60,000 by 120 you will get 500 milliseconds. If you set your delay to 500 milliseconds you will have a perfect 1/4 note delay in time with the tempo. Obviously to get the time of an 1/8th note divide the 500 milliseconds by half (250 milliseconds equals an 1/8th note) and for a 1/16th note divide by 4 (125 milliseconds equals a 1/16th note).
Joe
For live work the easiest way to set delay to an on-tempo time increment is using a "tap tempo" footswitch. If one is willing to use one of the better digital delay modelers (I am), it's a standard feature.
The Echoplex is one more reason Les Paul (the person) is on my under-appreciated guitar players list.
-=tension & release=-
Regarding Rhodes, I've read that he was so technically advanced he could double-track all those insane parts he played - leads and all - exactly. So what sounded like a brilliant improve was actually something he worked out and could play the same way over and over.
Insane.
Live they probably just used an echoplex set to short delay or some other slapback type echo unit.
Regarding EVH, yes, you could get a big amp to get a big sound but lots of recorded "wall 'o amps' sounds were done with tiny amps in the studio. It's how you set the dials and mic it.
One solution might be to start off with an echo unit (digital or analog) and set it to short delay as mentioned by previous posters, and use just your one amp. You'll still get the short delay sound anyway. Then, when you can, try using a second amp and put them on either side of the stage, and send separate halves of your signal to each - delayed slightly.
Great, huge sound though - sweet!!
Thanks for all the replies, since I don't plan to do any serious recording i think i'll try getting the delay pedal instead of the echoplex, since it would be alot cheaper and less of a hassle.
Steve-0
