I'm looking for a book that could be considered fairly inclusive of guitar tone and all of the pedal types and how they work, maybe focus on the major ones for now just to get an introduction. Sound clips on a CD would be a must. Something like telling and showing the reader what switching knob "B" gizmo type "A" gadgets is supposed to do, etc, etc.
Something that would include amplifier types, speakers, what changing a common variable does to speaker and amp tone, etc, etc. Does something like this exist? Would it be the compilation of about 1,000 "Buyers Guides". I'm hoping for a somewhat objective author, but would take one I could at least discern information from his/her writings.
Anyone got any ideas of a resource? while I'd prefer hard copy, I'll take whatever I can get.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Hi Roy,
I've often wondered the same thing. Is there a mighty "Tome of Tone" somewhere that explains it all. More importantly, does it do it in a digestible form? After all, the possible permutations and combinations must be in the zillions... :?
The difficulty - with either a book or just a discussion - is deciding how deep you want to go into each link in the chain before moving on to the next. I don't think I'd have the stamina or concentration to get through a really complete book (imagine combining the styles of Greg Nease, NoteBoat and the Encyclopaedia Britannica and you might be starting to nail it all down... :shock: ). Nevertheless, maybe you could just start a" Roy's School of Tone" series of threads here and get everybody to chip in? Take the variables one at a time and see what other members have to say about it all? Maybe post some short "dry" tracks and let us have a fiddle around adding the effects, and see what we all come up with.
I guess that you'd start with something about the materials and design of the guitar, plus the pickups and strings. The style of playing would have to be in there too - picks fingers, touch, attack etc...Then the list really starts to explode - amps, speakers and cabinets, distortion, reverb, delay, chorus, flangers, wah,EQ, compressors, noise gates, roto speakers, phasers (you set those to "stun" right?) fuzz boxes, tape echo, and I'm sure there's more before you get to the free set of steak knives... :shock:
Google just threw this up for me Introduction to Tone and Effects . What I particularly liked were the words "Introduction" and "CD". So I think I might work through that, or similar fine book before tackling a larger "Tome of Tone". Good luck with the hunt.
Chris
I was thinking more of an electric-centric pubication, but you're right. No complete cook could be without a discussion of tonewoods. My thoughts right now are geared mre towards the tonal implications of setting "X" on pedal type "Y", and what are the pros ad cons of haveing pedal type "Z" come after pedal type "F", and here are sound bite.
Perhaps you did hit on something. If I ever get off these meds and get my old brain power back, I could do that portion for myself. I'd just be missing the "why" aspect. I think the "why" aspect in laymans terms would be beneficial, but I could be wrong. Ir might explain the differnces and similarities between two competing pedals. Or it mght not. With the heck the I know?
I wonder when the last time I spoke the word "heck" was? Maybe the bananas I just ate will make me go kok-ee-doodee. :lol: :lol:
I digress.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Man I don't know if such a book exists or even if it would be worth anything. There are so many variables in an effects chain including the guitar you are using and the amp your not gonna find a book that says put x, y, z to gether and you'll get this exact sound.
You may be able to get general descriptions of the one etc. that each effect would impart but even then once you've added them in a chain and tweaked the settings of each there are just way to may possibilities.
I really think the only true way to find your own tone is to painstakingly go through everything you have and use trial and error.
It's the main reason my tone isn't what it should be I'm too lazy to do that.
Plus what sounds good in your room by yourself doesn't necesarily sound good with other musicians or in a different venue.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
You might be right, bro. I hope not. David touches on it briefly in his Rock Guitar book. Mostly the basic 1/2 dozebn top pedal types and what they do. We need a gnease or a Wes Inman in hard-copy form. :lol:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
ChrisC, I might add that what cnev was talking about is particularly easy to do with either of our units. Drag and drop effects and see what you like. Yours especially, as the recording stufio is right there. Mine too, but I just need to split my window uo. Play them, listen to the results afterwards, get instant tone burnout. Doesn't get any better.
cnev, is there a desktop control app for yours?
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Not that I heard of
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I am subscribed to several YouTube channel that review pedals effects, amps and guitars. It does not explain the how they work or every different setup but it helps to identify what sound produces (or can produce) what gear.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ProGuitarShopDemos (the guy called Andy)
http://www.youtube.com/user/NstuffMusic (the bald guy, don't waste the time with the others)
http://www.youtube.com/user/BassGuitarMag (for the "low end")
There are several sites that you where you can see demos etc but all you'll get is a general idea which may or may not be relevant to your sound.
But you can get a good overview but the final tweaking is trial and error with the gear you have.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
ChrisC, I might add that what cnev was talking about is particularly easy to do with either of our units. Drag and drop effects and see what you like. Yours especially, as the recording stufio is right there. Mine too, but I just need to split my window uo. Play them, listen to the results afterwards, get instant tone burnout. Doesn't get any better.
You're on the money there Roy. That's one of the big attraction of my rack, it's laid out on the screen in a way that's really easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to adjust and test. I can just sit there with a guitar on my lap and "Tweak-n-Twang" until it sinks in. Learnt quite a lot already, but it's a literally endless task so I'll be happy just to get a clear feel of the basics first.
I've found heaps of information on the internet but reading through it tends to make the eyes glaze over really fast. I seem to do better if I can take an example and pull it apart - "reverse engineer" it - and find out what the key elements are. There are lots of preset in the rack that profess to emulate the tone of various artists - and a huge number of downloadable owner made presets that tweak them even more. That helps give some kind of context for a setting - but I still can't duplicate the original fingers and playing style, so sometimes there's an "Aha!" moment, and sometimes not... :)
Chris
It doesen't have sound clips, but here is a Monkey's guide to effects.
:lol: :roll:
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
It doesen't have sound clips, but here is a Monkey's guide to effects.
:lol: :roll:
Excellent stuff. :mrgreen: Except for the bit where you un-imagine the monkeys. I want real monkeys.
Chris
That's as good as any general description of effects but again there are many people that make chorus pedals for example and if you tried every one no two would sound the same that's why I don't ever think you are going to be able to find the info in a book that Roy was asking about.
You might find some general info about effects and the chain but that's it. Getting the sounds you want will pretty much alwyas come down to trial and error.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
You might find some general info about effects and the chain but that's it. Getting the sounds you want will pretty much always come down to trial and error.
Sadly, that seems to be the truth. Fortunately, I'm not to bad at the "trial" aspect, and I'm a near genius at "error".... so I do eventually discover a fair bit. The 'elephant in the room' also seems to be that the old saying that "Tone is in the fingers" is annoyingly accurate. If Eric Clapton lent me his gear, all set up, I'd still sound a lot more like me than him. But I have made it far enough to be able to have some real enjoyment cranking out a few basic tunes and strumming a modest bag of chords. The fun is in finding noises that match our own preferences and which seem to 'sing' for us more than others. It's all good...
Chris
Thanks for all the links, everyone. They give me some starting points. 8)
I like trial and error. It's just that I get tone burn out so quickly and I don't trust my own ears sometimes.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
