Re: Quasi-delurking: info on guitar-peripheral topics?

Sean Murphy <taser8@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've posted a couple of quickie questions previously so I guess I don't
qualify as a full-scale lurker, but haven't been really active in the
conversations...

Anyway, I've been looking for information on stuff related to guitars
and guitar playing, but not specific to the actual fingers-on-fretboard
stuff. Things like information on amplifiers and different kinds; what
all the different settings on my amp mean; what kinds of effects pedals
I might want someday and what they do; live-performance setup, that kind
of thing.

For example: I am playing in a tiny, beginner garage band - literally;
we practice in a friend's (fortunately air-conditioned!) garage. We are
constantly moving equipment around to find optimal setup for our
instruments, amps, and speakers - had some unpleasant learning
opportunities with mic feedback! But I'd love to find some resources
that offer pointers and advice on that.

It might seem counter-intuitive - but if you are playing with
open back combos or cabs then sometimes turning the amp backwards
and just letting the back of the amp (back of the speakers) point
into the middle of the garage and have the front of the speaker(s)
point towards the wall can work out to sound great. You can crank
up the amp a bit more and it won't feedback as much (or create feedback
in other things) and it actually sounds good. Try to step away from
your amp when you are playing to get a feel for how your band mix actually
sounds. Get a long enough cord so you can walk around while playing
and hear the band from the middle of the room or across. Sometimes
standing there close to your amp doesn't really let you know how it
all fits into the sound of the band mix. An example is a person
playing speakers that 'break up'. It might not sound good at home
playing alone but that greenback (or similar) breakup or crunch or
creamed out tones can sound excellent in the context of a live band playing
where it all swirls around.

The one big problem with beginners is that they play way too loud
and they keep turning up through the entire practice or rehearsal.
Good bands generally get their rigs set up and maybe for the first
song or two adjust and then you'll rarely see them go back to their
amps again for the entire song set(s).

Beginners generally want their instrument to be louder than
everyone elses so it sticks out or cuts louder. This means
everyone turns up... bass.. guitars.. whatever... even the drummer
starts banging harder. it's a mess.

it takes a while to realize that (for example) if you are rhythm
playing then you want to sit "in" the mix.. not on top of it and
at first you might think you are not loud enough.. but it's actually
sitting in the mix perfectly.

So besides playing the songs and hitting the right notes and
chords.. etc.. use practice time to learn to adjust volumes
so you have a nice cohesive sound to the band.. not just blaring volume.
Even loud grunge has volume rules or it sounds like complete crap.
Listen to some Neil Young and Crazy Horse and you'll see what I mean.

Let the drummer be your guide for volume. Use your drummer
as your volume check. If you are playing over the drummer then
you are too loud. Then the bassist can get into the mix. Let the
bassist adjust for volume. Then the rhythm player can come in and
sit in the mix. Then let the lead guitarist do a few riffs and just
sit slightly on top of the rhythm but not overpower the drummer.
If you are one guitar band then same thing applies. Rhythm volume
and then kick on slight boost for leads (and/or change tones to a nice
mid/upper mid kick) but you should still not wipe out the drummer.

In the end - you'll realize that volume control might be one
of the most important issues about live band play and that
how your tone sits in the mix is important. Don't try to
intrude on the bass player's tonal territory. At home sometimes
you want to get a big full spectrum of sound. In live band play
then a 6 string guitar player's tone is all about how you control
the mids. Scoop it out a little and settle into backing rhythms.
Pump them up a little and get some grinding rhythms out front a bit.
Pop on a TS9 or TS808 or whatever and get the mids to really pop you out for leads.
It might sound a little 'honked' at first but again - in the context
of the live band mix it will sit that lead out nicely and sound good.

There are those with a lot more experience than me but
that is what I have found out along the way. I play in a few
bands and it's all a learning experience (I don't think you ever
stop learning actually no matter what experience level you're at).


Also, I've noticed that when I see most live performances the setup
includes a mic'ed amp - why? What does that do for a band, as opposed to
just using the amp?

Volume control. A lot of bands that play in small places don't use
mic'd up amps. The only 'mic' thing is a small PA for the singer.
Sometimes going in direct to a powered PA speaker.

Mic'ing up amps also allows the mix to go into a board where
a sound tech can then send out the mixed signal to PA speakers/monitors
and adjust volumes to these speakers (and sometimes post EQ and effects
but that's top working band stuff). Sometimes you just get mic'd out
to a PA and your own amp is your stage monitor. You don't need a huge
powerful amp when you know you are going to get mic'd up. Even a 20 watt
amp going through an efficient 1x12 or 2x12 is enough for stage volume in
most small to medium sized venues. And even if you are not mic'd up
(and only the singer is) then a guitarist playing with an experienced band
can still have enough volume with 20 watt rig in small venues (usually).

Mic'ing up is all about volume control and sound dispersion.
If you have 2x12 (or 4x12) with different speakers in there then
get to know which speaker you want the mic pointed to. If all the
speakers are the same or you have 1x12 then it's a no brainer.


So I guess what I am looking for is a website, or some kind of online
reference for that kind of thing: more of a "this is what things are,
this is why you'd want them, this is how to arrange and set them up",
that kind of thing.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
.

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