Re: Sounds/GAS

Nil wrote:
On 09 Nov 2008, Ernie Willson <ewillson@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
alt.guitar.beginner:

I agree with you. I was not saying that different sounds are
problems, but that the problem is not being able to play well
enough. No instrument will correct this problem.

Well, I disagree with you on that, to a point. A poorly made and set up instrument can be a significant impediment to your playing. Also, playing an instrument that's inappropriate for your intended style can be, too. If your goal is to play death metal, a classical guitar may not give you the response you expect, and you might not learn to play that style effectively.

I think I understand your point, though. I get the distinct impression on these newsgroups, and from some people in real life, that they blame their inability and lack of progress on the physical instrument. That's a cop-out, IMO. The primary focus should always be on the notes you play, and understanding the relationships between melody, harmony, and rhythm. Those concepts are independent of whether you play a pointy-
headstocked, snakeskinnned, barbed-wire-encrusted nuclear-powered guitar, a piccolo, a hurdy-gurdy, or a bongo.

Personally, I'm not really a tone hound. I look for instruments and amplifiers that help me get the response (attack, sustain) from my instrument that gets the notes out as I like them. I probably should be more conscious about pure tone, but I'm really most concerned about if the notes I'm playing fit, and how to get to the next one(s).

It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools.

I've finally figured out that an amp has far more to do with the "tone" of an electric guitar than most anything else. the single biggest difference one can make in the guitar itself "tone-wise" is the selection of hum-bucking, single coil, or active pickups, but after that (and a proper setup and fitment of the guitar to your personal anatomy) you need to know how to dial in your amp, effects chain, and guitar as a whole. And you also need to know how to "play" your effects - not just turn them on and off. I can get sustain and attack out of just about any guitar if I have the right amp, and dial it's knobs in properly.

....now, getting that I want to hear out of an amp is another story - and that's why I choose my amps/speakers with just as much scrutiny as I choose my guitars.

--
- Rufus
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Back To Where I Started
    ... better than others, but I look for a guitar that plays well, ... shitty sounding amp sound like magic. ... it that doesn't sound good, ... Even if I could play them very good, I have always known what *tone* ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar)
  • Re: Practicing pentatonics
    ... maybe some success can be had with tab instead. ... instrument would be appropriate to play at this ... guitar, you learn how to play ONE song. ... it is to an instrument like the guitar. ...
    (alt.guitar.beginner)
  • Re: YOUR favorite Strat NECK PUP: BLUES / ROCK
    ... Too much insane upside-down world, amp repairs, amp ... The secret to super lead guitar ... You mother pawned her dildo to buy me a guitar? ... Here's your Xmas present...you and TiffE' could play with it on ...
    (alt.guitar.amps)
  • Re: Sigth reading progress report
    ... music store, buy a guitar, sign up for lessons. ... "show me how to play a song" is totally foreign in the study of other ... was reinforced by the instrument itself. ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz)
  • Re: Bad Ear days?
    ... for yourtube, pick up the guitar, plug in and in sounds utter ... My Mesa/Boogie Mark III (amp head) is famous for this. ... So when I go to plug in and play the next time the power tubes ... of another subject I posted about Fender DR being able to do gigs. ...
    (alt.guitar)