I’m a bass player and I’ve been harping for decades at every guitarist and keyboardists I’ve played with to dial down their low end. I think when some players practice with themselves they want to have the entire sonic palette and forget that when they’re playing with others they have to share it. It’s always nice to be validated!
Spot on man. I literally will ask engineers to turn the knobs on my amp if they need to. Leave that low end for the specialist…I’ll take care of the midrange and sparkle
So what's the typical range between bass and guitar? Like, is there a frequency range that I can make sure my guitar isn't going down to or my bass isn't going up to? Playing both, I feel like I'm always trying to get more treb from my bass and more bass from my guitar.
@@Lazarus_G I'll give you an opinion as an amateur live audio engineer/bassist/guitarist. For bass, you want the whole frequency range. There's not a lot of info above 800, but what is there you want some of to hear the front of the note- but nothing spiky in a mix context to distract from the vocals or lead. But usually you don't want a lot of 200 to 400 hz. For guitar, I would say you generally want to limit the content below around 150, especially if there is a close mic-ed amp.
@@Lazarus_GI'd say anything 100Hz and below. These frequencies are easily produced by a 4X12 cabinet. If you're pushing a 100W tube amp into it, those frequencies can be very loud if you have too much bass in the EQ.
@@Lazarus_Gif you want more treble from your bass sound, I’d recommend compression & a drive. It really helps my bass cut even if you’re not going for a “distorted” sound.
I’m 73. Been playing nearly 60 years. Played hundreds of gigs, festivals etc. I have a LOT of guitars and gear. I really find your channel cool and engaging. Everyone has a preferred tone but it’s not always what the audience wants to hear 😊
No question, I compensate my flaws with reverb/delay because at 71 the tremors in my left hand have left me dreaming of my youthful finesse. It is what it is but I won't stop playing. After thousands of dollars and many various rigs, I've settled on my '68 Bandmaster with 4x12 cab working through my Vox Tonelab using the Modelay preset. Drawing on the Dylan catalogue I get nearly everything I could wish for using these components. Grateful for the insights and truths. Honesty wins every time.
I bet that rig sounds great! Love that you are still powering through it and not letting the tremors stop you. Thank you for sharing and checking the video out!
I've been playing guitar since 1988, and gigging since 1994, and the tips and information presented here is spot on. I learned all of this information from years of experimenting, trial and error, and a lot of falling flat on my face lol! Nicky, you have boiled it all down to the fundamental principles that will help everybody who has yet to learn these. Thank you, you have given a great gift to any player willing to listen and learn.
it's so true. very few of us love our tones. we're ALWAYS looking for that magic sound. also, the last thing singers love is the sound of their own voice as well. it's not what we hear when we open our fat traps...well done son...thx
I hear you man, we're all always chasing that magic sound and rarely get ahold of it haha. Very well said with the vocalist comparison. Thanks for watching
I’m an older musician and finished touring and gigging and you’re a good man Nicky for giving out these great tips that would take years to figure out on your own. I switched to tweed amps 30 years ago and playing without reverb and delay is the best way to become a better player. Nothing to cover up mistakes!
I know so many players that cannot play without reverb or without delay or without distortion or without compression or even without all 4. What is that really saying about their skill or ability? Maybe it's just a mental block.
Yes and no. I’ve seen live acts that were very good and played with virtually no effects, but their sound got repetitive and dry over the gig and I and others lost interest. Variety is also something to aim for with effects. Sometimes a reverb or delay heavy sound can break up the gig and give the audience a rest from the same ol’ tones.
@@JPMonstie Effects can become repetitive too though and addicting for the player. A lot of players cannot solo without using a wah-wah pedal. It drives me nuts to hear that over and over for every solo. My buddy is an excellent player and is probably the best musician I know. When he plays thru his rig, he really shines using his complicated array of stacked overdrives, reverb, delay and compression. However, when he plays thru my rig, which is completely dry save for usually an overdrive of some type, he doesn't know what to do. Same can sort of be said when I play thru his rig though. I find hearing a delay to be confusing and compression to be limiting being primarily a touch player. A light, quality reverb is fine, but I prefer not to have it at all.
@@JPMonstie I think the ear craves contrast after a while as well. Something to be said for that. Great players use effects but they can also go without if needed because they are at a certain point in their playing and have gotten some of their insecurities figured out/overcame them.
Even though I don't understand the sound engineering specifics, your explanation is perfectly clear. You don't get too technical, and you're not showing off some massive amount of gear that I don't have. Explained then demonstrated exactly what you're talking about without a $500+ pedal.
@@NickyV You don't even need the interface. Since I started using TikTok, I haven't been creating content for YT, but I should at least to show where I'm at now. One of my TT friends I've known since he was a beginner just bought his first decent amp and one of those all in one pedals, so of course some jackass kid had to gaslight him saying he's not good enough to buy the pedal. Holy crap, what a jerk. I'll recommend this video to the friend. I think he'll get a lot out of it.
Finally, just the simplicity and the purity of using your guitar an amp correctly when dialing in tones. So many players don't understand the dynamics of placing your tone in the mix when recording, or the band went on stage. Sometimes little is more. Appreciate the video and looking forward to more insights ;-) ** PS - "We are serving the song" (7:35). So true!
A vey concise, simple explanation which is easy to understand. Yes, serve the song but also back the singer....never drown them out with too much volume. The crowd are there to hear the vocals backed up by some tasty guitar. Thanks Nick
I got it. Thank you, for this video. I had my bass up pretty high. Lowered the bass and set the high to 7 and the mids 3.5. the tone sounds so much better. Thank you
60 years old. Started playing five years ago. Recorded a lot for TikTok. Got a little studio recording area in my home. Love this. Glad to have found you. I will be exploring your channel more.
Age 71. Yrs experience in the biz 64. Guitar since age 14. Protools fourteenth year producing. Still working professionally and improving daily. Tone is a huge component and I strive to always sound and to record, perform at optimum. I subscribed and happy to have found you!
YES YES YES For twenty years I’ve been sick of people saying “tone’s in the fingers” when they mean feel. Tone is what comes out of the speaker when you hit an open string. It can’t start in the fingers when there are no fingers on the fretboard!
100% I’ve always described it as “sound” being a sum of “style” and “tone”. You can influence tone with your hands (how and where you attack the strings), but 95% is in the equipment. When people talk about “[player] always sounds like [player], no matter what they’re playing”, they’re talking about their distinctive style, not some magical ability to negate the tonal characteristics of whatever guitar/amp they’re using. No amount of magical finger voodoo is going to make a pointy Dean into a screaming Engl sound like a Strat into a clean Two Rock - because tone is in the equipment, NOT the hands.
@@j-genmod8493 I lost patience with the "it's the hands" trope when I asked what I thought was a pretty specific question about a specific tone in a guitar forum and got back nothing but useless regurgitation of "its the hands." I wanted to know (and still want to know), what is it that I'm hearing in the tones of Andy Timmons' Carpe Diem and Greg Howe's jam on Sunny and Simon Phillips' Eyes blue for you. They have something in common.
I agree 95%... That being said, there's that 5% that demands attention, and it's probably not worth me says, as I'm sure you're well aware. There's lots of ways to make micro differences in the tone with how you're figures contact the strings, from how hard to press the frets, to how hard you pick, where you pick, the material you pick with, etc. But it's fair to say, this is a very small contribution to the over all tone. But feeling is huge in the fingers!
You're so right. I think @NickyV carries this concept into reality with his comment about serving the song. Truly great players DO have it in their hands that's because they're hand/brain connection is serving the song with their feel. They're maximizing their tone. They ARE separate concepts: Tone is static and Feel is dynamic = true service of the song for the listener. People who are all about "Tone, tone, tone" don't get that yet. Tone is not a substitute for feel! People comment on my tone which is what they hear. That's how they connect with me. The best way to develop that feeling of serving the song? Practice unplugged first.
That is a pretty good no-nonsense bunch of advice. As far as the hyped up bass and excess reverb advice, my take is: there is a tone you may want to hear when you play by yourself because it sounds inspiring... then when playing with the band, you have ask what tone everyone else is expecting/what serves the song/situation. Part of good tone is just a little common sense and a little less ego i think.
Spot on man, letting the ego go and serving the environment you are being paid to serve. Wild how many struggle with that haha Thanks for checking the video out!
Yeah, you can spend hours in your bedroom tweaking your tone and then when you get with the band, you find you're turning down the low end, turning down the gain, turning down the reverb/delay so it actually works in the mix.
Thanks for addressing this. As a bass player for decades I have run into guitarists who set their tone when alone (as we all tend to do), and make it nice and fat. But as you point out, in a mix it almost always doesn't need to be that "thick" since other instruments are covering the thick lower freqs. I think this is where many of the volume wars begin (when not just immaturity). Guitarist can't hear him/herself well live because much of their tone (volume) is covered by others, then the go-to fix is almost always "turn it up." Then you have the whole domino thing going on and things get worse not better. This word is really needed. (We bass players can do similar things that create problems on our end as well.) I enjoy the cool videos. Keep up the good work.
Yep , they can’t hear their self so turn it up or how about play off time to hear yourself 😅dialing in tone to blend with the other instruments is very important. Best to fine tune tone with the instrument knobs .
I think most gigging musicians tend to learn this kind of stuff through trial and error, but it's really nice to hear a concise, clear, and accurate summary. This might be my favorite video on the subject. Liked and subscribed!
You got it. I’m thinking about doing a deep dive on the dirty tone and clean tone thing as separate videos. Or maybe great guitar tone on a budget. Something like that.
Yes. More please. Help us get specific tones. After about 10 mins of fixing the settings my ears are tired and can't detect subtle changes and only big adjustments. It can be exhausting. I play a lot of Satriani and Vai. Two different tones. I have a little quick delay, little reverb for Vai and it gives that perceived sustain without compression. Can't get Satriani tone to save my life
@@michaeljiggs2053 The Satriani tone is a modern twist on a cranked 68 Plexi. I'm friends with the company that makes his new amps...3rd Power Amplification. The plexi thing is rolling all of the low end out and letting the mids and top end bite how they need to, move enough air and get the tube situation to give you the natural compression needed. Thats a big oversimplification of it but I can't get a good plexi tone without cranking it up.
This man knows what he’s talking about. I love videos like this because they let me pat my own back for a bit, wank myself off you might even say, from the conformation that I’m on the right track in my approach to my tone and music in general. These tips can be applied across the board. The best is the serve the song part. I tell people that as well. Serve the song, not your need for attention. These are the things that will make the difference between truly creating a work of art, or cranking out some quickly forgettable trash to serve your own ego. ✌️
Thank You! You're 100% correct! The guitar amplifier relationship is an ongoing process for most guitar players I know, including myself. 50 years plus of playing through more gear than I can remember came down to many of the tones I used in the late 60's early 70's. Just being ready to play in the pocket, and step out where needed. Thanks again. J.D.
Thanks for all the Tips. I've been playing for most of my life and still learning the Art of Tone and frequencies. Your Tip on Bass and Reverb so spot on. I play in a two guitar band and my other Guitarist who also does a ton of Recordings definitely has a different approach and always aims to create that sweet sound we hear in the Studio but live. His first comment on my sound was to roll off the Bass and as far as reverb, I'm a Sucker for a good natural Reverb sound but recently at a gig, I had a little trouble with my pedalboard making an awful noise that was due to grounding so after the first two songs I decided to unplug and go straight to my Marshall which made me play way differently in a good way. The Tone was crazy good and my guitar just cut through like butter. It made me realize that we just get too caught up in adding way too many spices and just like the best Chefs say, "a simple Salt and Pepper" goes a long way and that's exactly what I realized. I have a great Amp, why am I bastardizing the signal by using all these pedals? I'm also learning more about how certain effects sound best going through the effects loop rather than in front of the amp. Maybe you could demo that in your next video, showing how to get the best possible sound from Pedals. Thanks again for the video.
This is so spot-on. Buying a bassman changed my life... if you can sound good playing clean without reverb or delay, you will sound amazing when you start to learn to use pedals.
Just got a ‘59 Bassman Ltd to go with my Orange Rocker, 12”. Tele and Epi Riviera. I rely on pedals. I’m a home studio guitarist and more of a pianist. I’m loving my Bassman.
Bass has been my primary instrument for the better part of 3 decades. Eventually I’d like to be doing guitar live as well but I have really been on the tonal struggle bus. Thank you for this video!
I’m a working audio engineer mostly in studio but also occasion live. Everything this guy put out in this video is pure gold and great knowledge. Especially the part that he talked about the gain, it will definitely make any audio engineer happy if you follow the tips. Thanks Nicky for sharing all these valuable knowledge
I just love professionals' perspectives on how to manage the electric nature of our instrument. It's so easy to go wild, but like you say, it's about service to the *song*. Thanks!
As soon as you said tone and feel are two different things, i figured i would watch, then you laid out the bass issue. I've been playing a long time, and everything you said, i totally agree with. Good job!
This is spot on. I always roll off the bass and increase the treble. Another important point is matching the wattage of the amp to the gig. In ears notwithstanding, a Deluxe reverb in a medium club might be a little under powered. A Twin reverb in a coffee shop will be too much. Being able to roll the volume to clean or dirty it up is right in the sweet spot.
Good stuff. I have recently transformed my tone by finally USING my guitar volume knobs. Turns out keeping everything wide open on the guitar was not optimum. It left me nowhere to go. Rolling the volume off after getting some grit going has SO many advantages. I’m loving my tone now like never before. Sounds sit in the mix so much better, and playing live is now so much more fun. Jeff Beck was right all along and I am finally paying attention to the master. I have made some KILLER tones on my last record. I have been learning.
I’m going to be that old guy for a minute. The reason we who came up in the 80s were WAY better players live and had rhythm chops was because we played JCM800 1/2 stacks. There was no reverb or delay. We mostly played dry… loud… but dry and the ambience was the size of the room and FOh adding a bit of slap. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to be a great rhythm player like an Angus Young or Steve Cropper with a lot of dirt or a bunch of delay and reverb.
@@SimonMorelguitar It feels better when they are on. If the tone goes through a mixer with compression though (basically 100% of the time) then he's right to just leave it off the board because the sound guy will add so much compression anyway
@@katkong281 Your signal being compressed at the board is completely different than your signal being compressed as soon as it leaves your pickups before it hits any gain stages or any other pedals. I agree with you, the feel and sound (when adjusted properly) is just so much better with it on. I use a Strymon Compadre (full analog) with great results and I have complete control over wet/dry blending. Anyway, different strokes for different folks, right?
Details, details, details, details, details. So many guitar details. My ears and brain not tuned in to catch all of that, but it is really cool to hear Nicky V. break it all down for something as basic as tone. I just like the elec guitar sound and I know when I like it. Great job Nicky V. I would like to see some examples how you see various guitar player skill levels, and some guitar players you look up to / admire - they got their stuff together, and maybe examples of bad electric guitar player stuff (what studio engineers / producers / sound guys) can't stand about a guitar player). Thanks - good to see a new video, watching the vids from a non expert guitar hobby guy perspective located in rural NW TN.
That’s a fantastic idea! Maybe a “what separates the pros” kind of video. As far as know guitar players my favorite is Brian May…you can sing every solo…might have to do a video on him as well.
@@NickyV I always enjoy the Nicky V hangouts. I get a chance to get my virtual coffee and sit like a fly on the wall and listen to you share things that make my brain go numb - and I actually enjoy it. Reading the comments is cool. Then there is a community of virtual coffee drinkers hanging around and talking about stuff that I have no clue about. I just keep smiling and nodding my head, and the music geeks haven't kicked me out yet, so I keep hanging around, nodding and smiling a lot :)
As soon as you said studio musician in Nashville I immediately subscribed and listened to everything you had to say. I will always hear what a real real musician has to say about anything. I’m younger but I played with 3 classic rock cover bands around Asheville NC as well as 2 churches for 5 years until Covid hit… at the churches I was always provided with a sweet pedalboard to do more atmospheric ambient stuff, and a tube screamer to hit the bigger parts but that’s as far as it went. With the cover bands, all I used was an Orange CR60 plugged into my Jackson Soloist and it never let me down. It’s been over 4 years since playing out now but I made a pretty sweet budget pedalboard tonight for the first time and I honestly hated it. I looked at pedals and signal chains and bought a good power supply and cables and everything.. I thought i did everything right.. but the best sounds I got in my 5 hours of messing around tonight was with an epiphone Les Paul into the Orange amp and nothing else. The fact that this video popped into my feed as soon as I sat down afterwards I feel like isn’t a coincidence. You made such a good point that less is more. Make it feel good under your fingers and don’t worry about the rest of the low end. It’s hard for us guitarists to do but dammit you’re right. I’ll do a reevaluation tomorrow night. Thank you sir :)
Just discovered you through the Les Paul Forum. Very informative. Going to have try the dialed-back bass and reverb. And amen on one day you love your tone and the next you don't!
One of my guitarist has an AC 30. That amp just cut through EVERYTHING, including my cymbals. It's just a very nasally amp as you said. Yet, it instantly gave him a Rory Gallagher and Brian May vibe. Not a bad thing
fav amp of ALL TIME. i set the "tone cut" pretty high up on mine (like 3 or 4 oclock which makes it a bit darker, more manageable). sure, not for everybody, but perfect for some
Mostly hard Rock/ metal guitarist here..I agree with damn near every word. There's YOUR boundaries and a window of tone that you work in. Volume knob is also an incredibly valuable tool
Just picked up a 70s bassman hints why I clicked on this video. Man! Make more videos like this. I have always dialed in amps using the “sweet spot” method. Never thought about how that affects the overall mix. You explained the dial the bass back perfectly. Keep on doing what you do.
@@NickyV yeah, the best point was about serving the overall band. Guitarists are used to playing alone…. Super wet sound…. But it does tend to muddy the sound with the full band comes together. Another concept the past few years I’ve leaned on is letting the bass drive the bass notes more of the time and focusing more on triads. I know the bass notes have their place but in a full groove, often adding the bass notes also clutter the sonic space. But yeah…. I’ve actually practiced the advice of going dry more for overdrive and I have to say.. much tighter sound!
@@Rossimac_ This is spot on. Let the bass be the bass and grab our midrange parts that serve their purpose. Thank you for the feedback and checking the channel out.
I understand and agree with what you're saying regarding reverb and delay. I have carved out a specific frequency range in my mix for the rare occasion when I choose to push them.
Nicky - thank you so much. I am primarily a fingferstyle player, but have started playing with a band, using a tele. YOu absolutely nailed so many points. As well, as a jazz player I used to put way too much bass on the guitar. Pure gold here - thank you.
I always preferred hearing the dry sound from my amp, no reverb whatsoever, back in my rock days. I tried using reverb in the practice space but in my mind I was wondering why would anybody like this. Dry tone has so much more punch and impact. It was only by accident of playing a gig where I had some reverb on my amp that I realized it gives you sense of space, it makes your sound bigger and wider. Dry sound gives you more focus but it's much narrower compared to adding some reverb. So that's what I do now, add until I can hear it's wet and then take away a single notch.
@@BucoBucolini Even mixing in DAW, I might copy paste a track and pan then hard, then pull just a few milliseconds off time from each other and give each a bit different EQ curve, then add a smidge of extra reverb to just one side. This makes it sound wide, like almost two guitars double tracked even and prevents the stereo cancellation effect that occurs from overlapping exact audio in the same speaker.
@@BucoBucolini HELLA Bro, it works awesome. Use ur headphones in real time while it's playing, align one perfect on the beat and make small adjustments to the EQ curve, maybe right side is more steep on the mid scoop or peak and left has a wider midcurve smoother shape, or whatever you like and play around with the slight offset timing on the opposite track in small amounts, like overlapping the beat, and you'll just hear it BLOW up wide and fill the entire space! Then maybe play with if you want either side a few clicks louder or quieter and maybe a bit of extra reverb on the quieter side, you see?! The amount of reverb and stereo separation depends on if it's a super tight fast metal track that you don't want to be too noisy vs. a big ambiance clean channel earth music or a solo lead part or whatever. \m/ Rock out!
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS heck yeah, there's a good manual right there. These days I play mostly acoustic but this can work on any guitar track it sounds like.
My Marshal AFD 100 has a fantastic built in attenuator….and it still sounds amazing at 1 watt. My Fender Hot Rod on the other hand is much more difficult at bedroom volumes, but during the day with just an Fulltone OCD in front……can go from John Mayer to Paul Kossoff in an instant.
In a related topic, some time ago, I stopped worrying about trying to sound like my heroes and found my own sound. For years, I tried to sound like Clapton, SRV, Andy Summers, and others. I realized that no gear was going to make me sound like anyone else but me. Since I found my own sound, I've been more satisfied with my own playing and I love my sound.
Great video! Can't overstate how much I appreciate your presentation...no over the top or bombastic material, dumb sound effects, or any other silly gimmicks that take away from the discussion. I've played guitar most of my life (but not well) and I've never been in a band or recorded music, but this video still was informative and useful. Stuff like this gets me revved up to go dig my guitars out of the corner, plug in, and try to get better. Thank you!
This really speaks to me. . I run an old Fender Bassman as well, and he speaks the truth about the slight clip and sustain. And the dynamic control you get by not using compression. Super informative vid. Thanks for this.
Well....players have to get to the place where they will appreciate these fine points. Until you've run sound or engineered recordings most of this just flies over most people's heads. Finding a band's worth of folks who understand where each instrument sits and how things actually work is a rare thing until you get on a pro level. There are civilian folks who get it here and there though.
There is a LOT of great information here. Such a fantastic resource to hear this stuff from a pro like Nicky! I play in cover bands. That's all I do, for the most part. My use of delay or reverb is predicated on what song I'm playing, and what the guitar tone is like on the most widely known recording. If I'm covering...oh...say.."China Grove", I'm using both delay and reverb on the intro to get it to sound something like the original. If I'm covering the Cars, "Just What I Needed", I'll use no reverb or delay, just a bit of gain. "Hurts So Good", just a wee bit of reverb and a bit of 'hair', but mostly clean, that's it. If I'm 're-imagining' a well known song, doing it in my own style, all of this is subject to change.
Right on the money. Those great tones we all grew up on were powerful and clear. Gain was the beginning of bad, mushy tone. Thin Lizzy was a great example. Turn it up and let you gear sing. When they started making Marshalls with gain, and then a myriad of pedals, the sound of guitars went down hill. And the lastest death nell, playing with no amp directly through the PA. Open you ears!!!
What I have had to learn the hard way is when you are alone practicing, I would set set everything up to what sounds good to me alone. To your point the frequency is complete until you add other instruments. The way I learned to play by practicing also, had to be relearned to play with others because of dynamic and amp volume to pedal setting variations etc. Indeed it turned out to be less is more. Wish there were these kind of discussions 40-45 years ago. Guitarist today have such a unique culture to learn and grow now. Enjoyed your shared knowledge and thank you for putting it out here. You definitely are spot on.
I like the Robin Trower approach: take a Marshall, set mids to 8 or 9, treb and bass to 1 or 2, presence about 3, and set your gain/breakup as appropriate.
Blackmore used a Hornby Skewes treble booster which was plugged into the “normal” channel of a Vox AC-30. A lot of British players used treble boosters such as Clapton and Rory Gallagher? Treble boosters acted more like a distortion device in practice.
Great points! I'd like to add one: Guitar players are always close to their amps, and I for one, tend to judge my tone right there, and that's not what the live audience hears. It's all perspective. I can think this amp sucks and then hear positive comments from somebody out there. Serve the song, serve the audience...amen!
I used to play for years with just amp and guitar and use the volume knob and that's it. I would get the amp to push for a lead tone and then use the volume knob to dial down to a general tone and use it most of that time. When I had to solo I cranked the volume and that was it. Then I did start using a tad bit of reverb and delay in solos and a boost. That's the way I use pedals today basically. I do like three times. Clean, edge of breakup, and blazing lead. I play 80s metal and mostly blues hard rock. Think Thin Lizzy, Jackyl, Ted Nugent, Lynard Skynard, etc. etc . Be well sir and regards from South Central Indiana. USA Tim .
"Tone is in the hands" always bugs me. There's a sound I'm trying to get. My hands through a Fender Deluxe isn't going to get me a brown sound. There's amp choices, pedal choices, guitar/pickup choices, knobs to dial. Don't tell me "tone is in the hands".
I agree that it sounds silly. Learning how to dial an amp and configure a signal chain has been the key to improving my tone. The saying should be, “Technique is in the hands.”
But Eddie Van Halen would sound like Eddie Van Halen on a deluxe. When you don’t understand something, The only conclusion worth drawing, is that you don’t understand.
I think people say that as to say "Equipment isn't gonna replicate talent". Playing like SRV will always sound more like him than just trying to copy his setup in order to just sound like him tonally.
From a Tim Pierce interview, I remember him saying his clean tone was a turned up amp, but then played softly. Your tone nails this concept too! First time watching a vid of yours and loved the insight.
You're givin us pearls here, Nicky. Oddly, I played for 25 years without reverb and delay and just recently added both to my rig and am still getting used to it. I keep them both around 10% in my mix.
thanks man, i really appreciate this. ive played since i was a kid, but as an adult i got so frustrated with tone, not only from guitar, but everything, i stopped playing. this comes far too late for me, but may help many others
I have Peavey 6505 100 watt tube head through a single 412 cab and a 100 watt Marshall AVT Valve /solid state head through a single 412 cab. Both cabs have green backs. Both rigs are connected together. Awesome tone everytime no matter what setting I use. Metal and hard rock. Love it
Thank you for those immediately useful practical tips, I already knew to cut bass, however never ever I would have thought that ever-so-slightly crunch would serve as a perceived clean that cuts through the mix. I just used those tips to fix my patches on my Boss GT-1000 CORE and the results are phenomenal. Many thanks!
simple, straight to the point. exactly how it should be with this stuff. at the end of the day, we gotta shape our sounds to what serves the band and the songs best.
So glad to hear all this. Ive been recording alot and roll back the bass and mids which makes the guitar standout. I actually never use reverb. I let the engineer add it or at shows there’s plenty of natural reverb from the venue.
I just subscribed. I like it when someone makes complete sense. Great advice that I knew. Thank you for not hyping up bullshit that most other guitar channels give us. You also reminded me of the fundamentals of tone. We all go off the deepend sometimes.
Excellent video! You are absolutely right about the amount of bass coming from the amp but also the amount of bass coming from the pickups. A game changer for me was when I created a patch in my Boss JS-10 where I turned off absolutely everything, from the amp sim to the noise gate and all effects and use it just for the level meter which is only a humble 7 lines. With that in place I proceeded to set the height on the treble and bass sides of all the pickups. I could not believe how much lower it ended up being on the bass side. The Guitar was a G&L Legacy Fullerton Deluxe with HSS configuration. It sounded much better after that, almost all my dirt pedals (even the ones I did not care for) became very good and when using digital Sims I was able to jump between different amo models much smoother.
A few years back I finally got my dream amp, a '61 brown Deluxe. I actually like my live sound with it and in the studio, put a mic in front of it and classic rock sounds abound. It makes you a better player too, there is no hiding your mistakes, I like to play plugged straight into the amp. You are so right about both the perceived clean and dirty sounds.
Hey Nick, thanks so much for the tone advice. It’s really invaluable for us to get tone tips like this from a professional musician. Love your channel.
That high end tip for live/in-the-mix tone is spot on. Before I knew anything about EQ, I would set my Strat between bridge and middle (still do) because it just sounded better.
Thanks for this. I play out of a podgo and it has been frustrating lately. I get in and mess with the amps and speakers, will find a set up that I like, get it to the gig, and it will all sound bad in ear. This was good stuff. Thanks again. I look forward to hearing more.
That is a common problem for sure. I rely heavily on the front of house guy when I’m going direct on a gig. Just to get a feel for how it’s working in the mix out front. So glad this was helpful and appreciate you watching!
that's very well-done, Nicky, with a good lot of solid cautions provided, buuut; from what i can tell, the typical Nashville session musicians' / guitarists' world is quite different than that of other cities: it feels as if you're really addressing folks interested inworking within that very specific environment.
You are probably right. A lot of these are transferable to other styles but are definitely pretty solid approaches in this particular world. Thanks for the kind words and checking the video out!
Great stuff... and great advice. I've been a gigging musician for well over 30 years and something ive learned the hard way that i believe many guitarist struggle with is that less gain/distortion is more in a live setting. If you want your sound to get lost in the band mix...crank your preamp gain to where you thinknit sounds goodnat home...then at your gig be wondering why it sounds bad...or what happened lol. Probably why i cant stand the preset/direct etc stuff cause it may sound good at home but once at gig volume i think many of the presets sound like a$$ without lots of tweaking/saving and then glitches/ errors etcand after the struggle realizing a simple amp just "works" in a band setting.... it may sound a bit dry or boring at home but add a drummer and bass player and another guitar all fighting for a spot in the mix and itll be glorious... at gig volumes the way it cuts thru the mix is truly amazing without being harsh and if done correctly you have headroom to get louder for a solo or for the dynamics of a song. Speaking of which i think another thing that gets lost with many of todays players that have no real amp/high volume stage experience is the importance of the volume knob on the guitar itself. Just like playing softer vs louder if set to what I consider to be good for a band mix the amp will clean up with the volume knob around 5 and be crunchy around 7 and lead volume sound at 10...most seem to like 10 all the time and try another channel/preset for leads but imo that doesnt sound natural and often you loose your "spot" in the mix. Either way great advice👍
I find keeping money in my pocket, not spending it on gear, propelled me years ahead of where I would have been as a player. The fact of not piling shit , on top of shit, on top of shit , and looking for more shit, to pile on top of shit , makes my life a lot easier & my guitar playing better , I just don't like to deal with unnecessary shit . Thus my mix is simple and not shit. You my man stated very good points, and by the points you share , I can tell your the real deal. Way Cool Daddy - O ................. Peace Out ..........
You are a real one man. Appreciate the kind words. Actually did a video after this about how to record for $500 with a $200 guitar haha…I’m usually trying to thin the hoard out
Yes! Thank you! I’m tired of people saying tones in the hands. That’s not what tone is. Notice if you go into a music store and try a half dozen amps and guitars. They all sound different even though it’s the same hands playing them. The difference you hear, that’s what tone is. The difference from one player to another, that is called skill and style.
Really appreciate your comments. Like some others who've commented here, I've been playing 50+ years-lots of different situations (clubs, concerts, studio, etc) and your advice here is spot-on. Especially your comments on reverb and delay( I agree a little goes a long way). Anyway, glad I stumbled across your channel. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for putting out the video, it will really help a lot of people. I moved from SF to the Tahoe Forest and down sized all my gear, everything‘s digital now. I’ve custom all my guitars and cleaned up my sound for the most part. You can have some dirty layers when you double track guitars but if there’s not some clean mixed in, it’s just a bunch of gobble tea goop, and it’s taking me a lifetime to figure that out.
Thinking about making a “How to record great tone on a budget” video next. You guys into that? (Update: I made it...its posted)
@@NickyV yes please! I'm using ToneX and loving it!
@@leandroleal3874not familiar with that. Will have to check it out!
That’d be sick! Do it!
Oh yea! That’d be awesome!
YES.
I’m a bass player and I’ve been harping for decades at every guitarist and keyboardists I’ve played with to dial down their low end. I think when some players practice with themselves they want to have the entire sonic palette and forget that when they’re playing with others they have to share it. It’s always nice to be validated!
Spot on man.
I literally will ask engineers to turn the knobs on my amp if they need to.
Leave that low end for the specialist…I’ll take care of the midrange and sparkle
So what's the typical range between bass and guitar? Like, is there a frequency range that I can make sure my guitar isn't going down to or my bass isn't going up to? Playing both, I feel like I'm always trying to get more treb from my bass and more bass from my guitar.
@@Lazarus_G
I'll give you an opinion as an amateur live audio engineer/bassist/guitarist. For bass, you want the whole frequency range. There's not a lot of info above 800, but what is there you want some of to hear the front of the note- but nothing spiky in a mix context to distract from the vocals or lead. But usually you don't want a lot of 200 to 400 hz.
For guitar, I would say you generally want to limit the content below around 150, especially if there is a close mic-ed amp.
@@Lazarus_GI'd say anything 100Hz and below. These frequencies are easily produced by a 4X12 cabinet. If you're pushing a 100W tube amp into it, those frequencies can be very loud if you have too much bass in the EQ.
@@Lazarus_Gif you want more treble from your bass sound, I’d recommend compression & a drive. It really helps my bass cut even if you’re not going for a “distorted” sound.
Gotta respect a man that appreciates Thin Lizzy.
Haha yes! The best band nobody talks about.
Saw them 19 times before Philo died. The best.
Awesome band, started playing there songs in high school band. Great memories.😊
Come on IRELAND!!! Yess!! Lizzy!!!
I saw Thin Lizzy 2 times opening for Queen (A Night at the Opera & Day at the Races) Santa Monica civic & Inglewood Forum - they were so good!
I’m 73. Been playing nearly 60 years. Played hundreds of gigs, festivals etc.
I have a LOT of guitars and gear.
I really find your channel cool and engaging. Everyone has a preferred tone but it’s not always what the audience wants to hear 😊
This right here is spot on! Have to set our own needs aside to serve the listener.
Great advice... thanks!
Have you been to Woodstock?
@@thelightstillshines2476no
Yeah, man!!! Let's hear it for us boomers with guitar walls!!! Woot woot!!!!
I watch probably about 100 guitar videos a week. This is the one I’m going to remember this week.
That makes my day, so glad you found it helpful!
Thank you for not making me have to skip over an extra bunch of talking that is just worthless filler, it's extremely refreshing! Excellent insight!
Killer! So glad you enjoyed it
No question, I compensate my flaws with reverb/delay because at 71 the tremors in my left hand have left me dreaming of my youthful finesse. It is what it is but I won't stop playing. After thousands of dollars and many various rigs, I've settled on my '68 Bandmaster with 4x12 cab working through my Vox Tonelab using the Modelay preset. Drawing on the Dylan catalogue I get nearly everything I could wish for using these components. Grateful for the insights and truths. Honesty wins every time.
I bet that rig sounds great! Love that you are still powering through it and not letting the tremors stop you. Thank you for sharing and checking the video out!
I've been playing guitar since 1988, and gigging since 1994, and the tips and information presented here is spot on. I learned all of this information from years of experimenting, trial and error, and a lot of falling flat on my face lol! Nicky, you have boiled it all down to the fundamental principles that will help everybody who has yet to learn these. Thank you, you have given a great gift to any player willing to listen and learn.
Man thank you for saying this. Really appreciate the kind words and appreciate you checking the video out
Thank you for hitting the points and not trying to be a comedian. I really appreciate it.
You got it man!
Yeah, an underappreciated point.
Many musicians who create YT videos always try to be funny, but they're the least funny people in the world.
@@DenisMorissetteJFK I'm with ya, I usually skip through the comedic parts myself.
@ If I want to see comedy, I’ll watch funny videos. 😁
it's so true. very few of us love our tones. we're ALWAYS looking for that magic sound. also, the last thing singers love is the sound of their own voice as well. it's not what we hear when we open our fat traps...well done son...thx
I hear you man, we're all always chasing that magic sound and rarely get ahold of it haha. Very well said with the vocalist comparison. Thanks for watching
I’m an older musician and finished touring and gigging and you’re a good man Nicky for giving out these great tips that would take years to figure out on your own. I switched to tweed amps 30 years ago and playing without reverb and delay is the best way to become a better player. Nothing to cover up mistakes!
Spot on! Appreciate you taking the time to check the video out.
I know so many players that cannot play without reverb or without delay or without distortion or without compression or even without all 4. What is that really saying about their skill or ability? Maybe it's just a mental block.
Yes and no. I’ve seen live acts that were very good and played with virtually no effects, but their sound got repetitive and dry over the gig and I and others lost interest. Variety is also something to aim for with effects. Sometimes a reverb or delay heavy sound can break up the gig and give the audience a rest from the same ol’ tones.
@@JPMonstie Effects can become repetitive too though and addicting for the player. A lot of players cannot solo without using a wah-wah pedal. It drives me nuts to hear that over and over for every solo. My buddy is an excellent player and is probably the best musician I know. When he plays thru his rig, he really shines using his complicated array of stacked overdrives, reverb, delay and compression. However, when he plays thru my rig, which is completely dry save for usually an overdrive of some type, he doesn't know what to do. Same can sort of be said when I play thru his rig though. I find hearing a delay to be confusing and compression to be limiting being primarily a touch player. A light, quality reverb is fine, but I prefer not to have it at all.
@@JPMonstie I think the ear craves contrast after a while as well. Something to be said for that. Great players use effects but they can also go without if needed because they are at a certain point in their playing and have gotten some of their insecurities figured out/overcame them.
Even though I don't understand the sound engineering specifics, your explanation is perfectly clear. You don't get too technical, and you're not showing off some massive amount of gear that I don't have. Explained then demonstrated exactly what you're talking about without a $500+ pedal.
Appreciate that man. Actually did a follow up video to this showing how to record a track with a $200 guitar, $200 interface and a $58 pedal
@@NickyV You don't even need the interface. Since I started using TikTok, I haven't been creating content for YT, but I should at least to show where I'm at now.
One of my TT friends I've known since he was a beginner just bought his first decent amp and one of those all in one pedals, so of course some jackass kid had to gaslight him saying he's not good enough to buy the pedal. Holy crap, what a jerk.
I'll recommend this video to the friend. I think he'll get a lot out of it.
@@JohnOhkumaThiel Right on man, much appreciated and unfortunately the trolls are on the loose haha.
This was one of the most genuinely useful and well described videos on tone I've ever seen. 👍
Thank you! So kind of you to say and so glad it was helpful
Finally, just the simplicity and the purity of using your guitar an amp correctly when dialing in tones. So many players don't understand the dynamics of placing your tone in the mix when recording, or the band went on stage. Sometimes little is more. Appreciate the video and looking forward to more insights ;-) ** PS - "We are serving the song" (7:35). So true!
Thank you for the kinds words. Appreciate you checking the video out!
A vey concise, simple explanation which is easy to understand. Yes, serve the song but also back the singer....never drown them out with too much volume. The crowd are there to hear the vocals backed up by some tasty guitar. Thanks Nick
Exactly! Have to set the ego aside…not always easy for us guitar players haha
I got it. Thank you, for this video. I had my bass up pretty high. Lowered the bass and set the high to 7 and the mids 3.5. the tone sounds so much better. Thank you
Killer! So glad it was helpful
60 years old. Started playing five years ago. Recorded a lot for TikTok. Got a little studio recording area in my home. Love this. Glad to have found you. I will be exploring your channel more.
Age 71. Yrs experience in the biz 64. Guitar since age 14. Protools fourteenth year producing. Still working professionally and improving daily. Tone is a huge component and I strive to always sound and to record, perform at optimum. I subscribed and happy to have found you!
Brilliant. Couldn't agree more. Thanks for boiling it down so clearly !
You got it! Thanks for watching and so glad it was helpful
YES YES YES
For twenty years I’ve been sick of people saying “tone’s in the fingers” when they mean feel. Tone is what comes out of the speaker when you hit an open string. It can’t start in the fingers when there are no fingers on the fretboard!
Spot on. Glad to hear I’m not the only one on that haha
100%
I’ve always described it as “sound” being a sum of “style” and “tone”. You can influence tone with your hands (how and where you attack the strings), but 95% is in the equipment.
When people talk about “[player] always sounds like [player], no matter what they’re playing”, they’re talking about their distinctive style, not some magical ability to negate the tonal characteristics of whatever guitar/amp they’re using.
No amount of magical finger voodoo is going to make a pointy Dean into a screaming Engl sound like a Strat into a clean Two Rock - because tone is in the equipment, NOT the hands.
@@j-genmod8493 I lost patience with the "it's the hands" trope when I asked what I thought was a pretty specific question about a specific tone in a guitar forum and got back nothing but useless regurgitation of "its the hands." I wanted to know (and still want to know), what is it that I'm hearing in the tones of Andy Timmons' Carpe Diem and Greg Howe's jam on Sunny and Simon Phillips' Eyes blue for you. They have something in common.
I agree 95%... That being said, there's that 5% that demands attention, and it's probably not worth me says, as I'm sure you're well aware. There's lots of ways to make micro differences in the tone with how you're figures contact the strings, from how hard to press the frets, to how hard you pick, where you pick, the material you pick with, etc. But it's fair to say, this is a very small contribution to the over all tone. But feeling is huge in the fingers!
You're so right. I think @NickyV carries this concept into reality with his comment about serving the song. Truly great players DO have it in their hands that's because they're hand/brain connection is serving the song with their feel. They're maximizing their tone. They ARE separate concepts: Tone is static and Feel is dynamic = true service of the song for the listener. People who are all about "Tone, tone, tone" don't get that yet. Tone is not a substitute for feel!
People comment on my tone which is what they hear. That's how they connect with me. The best way to develop that feeling of serving the song? Practice unplugged first.
That is a pretty good no-nonsense bunch of advice. As far as the hyped up bass and excess reverb advice, my take is: there is a tone you may want to hear when you play by yourself because it sounds inspiring... then when playing with the band, you have ask what tone everyone else is expecting/what serves the song/situation. Part of good tone is just a little common sense and a little less ego i think.
Spot on man, letting the ego go and serving the environment you are being paid to serve. Wild how many struggle with that haha
Thanks for checking the video out!
Curious about settings on the guitar. Do you keep the volume at 5 or push it to 10 to get the breakup?
to many guys out there dialing in their tone at home and not with the band and it shows. golden rule, less is more...
@@nathantardrew7068 sometimes I feel like saying "I don't care how much you spent on that or who made it, it doesn't sound good."
Yeah, you can spend hours in your bedroom tweaking your tone and then when you get with the band, you find you're turning down the low end, turning down the gain, turning down the reverb/delay so it actually works in the mix.
Thanks for addressing this. As a bass player for decades I have run into guitarists who set their tone when alone (as we all tend to do), and make it nice and fat. But as you point out, in a mix it almost always doesn't need to be that "thick" since other instruments are covering the thick lower freqs. I think this is where many of the volume wars begin (when not just immaturity). Guitarist can't hear him/herself well live because much of their tone (volume) is covered by others, then the go-to fix is almost always "turn it up." Then you have the whole domino thing going on and things get worse not better. This word is really needed. (We bass players can do similar things that create problems on our end as well.)
I enjoy the cool videos. Keep up the good work.
Yep , they can’t hear their self so turn it up or how about play off time to hear yourself 😅dialing in tone to blend with the other instruments is very important. Best to fine tune tone with the instrument knobs .
We all need to stay in our own sonic lane on the frequency spectrum. Thank you for the kind words and feedback
I think most gigging musicians tend to learn this kind of stuff through trial and error, but it's really nice to hear a concise, clear, and accurate summary. This might be my favorite video on the subject. Liked and subscribed!
Much appreciated man! Thanks for checking the video out
You just articulated things I knew but couldn’t explain to anyone after playing guitar for 50 years. Keep up the great videos. I just subscribed!
That is so kind of you to say. Really appreciate it and thank you for checking the video out!
Really cool video. I subscribed after the first three minutes of this. Thank you for the excellent advice.
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed it
I really appreciate you taking time to talk about this. I’d love to see more of these
You got it. I’m thinking about doing a deep dive on the dirty tone and clean tone thing as separate videos. Or maybe great guitar tone on a budget. Something like that.
@@NickyVThat would be a great and helpful video Nicky!
Yes. More please. Help us get specific tones. After about 10 mins of fixing the settings my ears are tired and can't detect subtle changes and only big adjustments. It can be exhausting. I play a lot of Satriani and Vai. Two different tones. I have a little quick delay, little reverb for Vai and it gives that perceived sustain without compression. Can't get Satriani tone to save my life
@@michaeljiggs2053 The Satriani tone is a modern twist on a cranked 68 Plexi. I'm friends with the company that makes his new amps...3rd Power Amplification. The plexi thing is rolling all of the low end out and letting the mids and top end bite how they need to, move enough air and get the tube situation to give you the natural compression needed. Thats a big oversimplification of it but I can't get a good plexi tone without cranking it up.
This man knows what he’s talking about. I love videos like this because they let me pat my own back for a bit, wank myself off you might even say, from the conformation that I’m on the right track in my approach to my tone and music in general. These tips can be applied across the board. The best is the serve the song part. I tell people that as well. Serve the song, not your need for attention. These are the things that will make the difference between truly creating a work of art, or cranking out some quickly forgettable trash to serve your own ego. ✌️
I agree. We are just the messengers the music is what matters.
Man thank you for the kind words and taking the time to check the video out. So glad you found it helpful
Thank You! You're 100% correct! The guitar amplifier relationship is an ongoing process for most guitar players I know, including myself. 50 years plus of playing through more gear than I can remember came down to many of the tones I used in the late 60's early 70's. Just being ready to play in the pocket, and step out where needed. Thanks again. J.D.
Ya man! Appreciate the kind words and thank you for sharing!
Finally. A working pro addressing this subject in a laid back, no nonsense way. Thank you sir!
You are too kind, really appreciate it and thank you for checking the video out.
Not a wasted word in this whole video. Everything you said was gold. Makes total sense.
Man really appreciate the kind words. Thanks for stopping by
Great!!! Love it and it makes so much sense! Thank you Nicky!
You got it!
Got my 'money's worth' by 1:45 - thanks! I'd worked out thaat treble cuts through but it never occurred to me to roll back bass, too.
Thank you for the kind words and appreciate you checking the video out!
Thanks for all the Tips. I've been playing for most of my life and still learning the Art of Tone and frequencies. Your Tip on Bass and Reverb so spot on. I play in a two guitar band and my other Guitarist who also does a ton of Recordings definitely has a different approach and always aims to create that sweet sound we hear in the Studio but live. His first comment on my sound was to roll off the Bass and as far as reverb, I'm a Sucker for a good natural Reverb sound but recently at a gig, I had a little trouble with my pedalboard making an awful noise that was due to grounding so after the first two songs I decided to unplug and go straight to my Marshall which made me play way differently in a good way. The Tone was crazy good and my guitar just cut through like butter. It made me realize that we just get too caught up in adding way too many spices and just like the best Chefs say, "a simple Salt and Pepper" goes a long way and that's exactly what I realized. I have a great Amp, why am I bastardizing the signal by using all these pedals? I'm also learning more about how certain effects sound best going through the effects loop rather than in front of the amp. Maybe you could demo that in your next video, showing how to get the best possible sound from Pedals.
Thanks again for the video.
This is so spot-on. Buying a bassman changed my life... if you can sound good playing clean without reverb or delay, you will sound amazing when you start to learn to use pedals.
Exactly. Get the fundamental dialed in then decorate
Such a great straightforward explanation of the core elements of great guitar tone! Thanks!!
You got it! Thanks for checking it out
Just got a ‘59 Bassman Ltd to go with my Orange Rocker, 12”. Tele and Epi Riviera. I rely on pedals. I’m a home studio guitarist and more of a pianist. I’m loving my Bassman.
Fantastic! Hard to beat a Bassman
First time viewer I subscribed after 3 mins. Cool stuff keep going.
Thanks man! Appreciate it and so glad you enjoyed it.
Bass has been my primary instrument for the better part of 3 decades. Eventually I’d like to be doing guitar live as well but I have really been on the tonal struggle bus. Thank you for this video!
So glad it helped! I know the feeling haha
I’m a working audio engineer mostly in studio but also occasion live. Everything this guy put out in this video is pure gold and great knowledge. Especially the part that he talked about the gain, it will definitely make any audio engineer happy if you follow the tips. Thanks Nicky for sharing all these valuable knowledge
Man, really appreciate you taking the time to check the video out and comment.
I just love professionals' perspectives on how to manage the electric nature of our instrument. It's so easy to go wild, but like you say, it's about service to the *song*. Thanks!
Spot on. Thanks for watching
We say we’re chasing tone but I think what we’re chasing is talent.
You need to start making T Shirts Pete!
@@NickyV Ha!
It’s like you know me 😂😂
Yup. No matter how much gear I buy, it doesn’t improve my playing.
@@daveosullivan2698 Same man, I feel like I get better when I sell gear haha
As soon as you said tone and feel are two different things, i figured i would watch, then you laid out the bass issue. I've been playing a long time, and everything you said, i totally agree with. Good job!
Appreciate the kind words man. Thank you for checking through video out
This is spot on. I always roll off the bass and increase the treble. Another important point is matching the wattage of the amp to the gig. In ears notwithstanding, a Deluxe reverb in a medium club might be a little under powered. A Twin reverb in a coffee shop will be too much.
Being able to roll the volume to clean or dirty it up is right in the sweet spot.
Thanks for the kind words and checking the video out. You are spot on. Have to play to the room in more ways than one.
Good stuff. I have recently transformed my tone by finally USING my guitar volume knobs. Turns out keeping everything wide open on the guitar was not optimum. It left me nowhere to go. Rolling the volume off after getting some grit going has SO many advantages. I’m loving my tone now like never before. Sounds sit in the mix so much better, and playing live is now so much more fun. Jeff Beck was right all along and I am finally paying attention to the master. I have made some KILLER tones on my last record. I have been learning.
I’m going to be that old guy for a minute. The reason we who came up in the 80s were WAY better players live and had rhythm chops was because we played JCM800 1/2 stacks. There was no reverb or delay. We mostly played dry… loud… but dry and the ambience was the size of the room and FOh adding a bit of slap. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to be a great rhythm player like an Angus Young or Steve Cropper with a lot of dirt or a bunch of delay and reverb.
Agreed. It’s hard to replace that growing up on an amp experience.
It's so great to hear you talk about a lack of compressor on boards. I couldn't agree more.
Amen haha. Got one on live board that’s only there when I need it and it’s barely tapping
@@NickyV I don't get the obsession that guitar players have with them.
@@SimonMorelguitar It feels better when they are on. If the tone goes through a mixer with compression though (basically 100% of the time) then he's right to just leave it off the board because the sound guy will add so much compression anyway
@@katkong281It's a subjective thing. Good that you like them on the board, I'm less keen. Rock on mate!
@@katkong281 Your signal being compressed at the board is completely different than your signal being compressed as soon as it leaves your pickups before it hits any gain stages or any other pedals. I agree with you, the feel and sound (when adjusted properly) is just so much better with it on. I use a Strymon Compadre (full analog) with great results and I have complete control over wet/dry blending. Anyway, different strokes for different folks, right?
Details, details, details, details, details. So many guitar details. My ears and brain not tuned in to catch all of that, but it is really cool to hear Nicky V. break it all down for something as basic as tone. I just like the elec guitar sound and I know when I like it. Great job Nicky V. I would like to see some examples how you see various guitar player skill levels, and some guitar players you look up to / admire - they got their stuff together, and maybe examples of bad electric guitar player stuff (what studio engineers / producers / sound guys) can't stand about a guitar player). Thanks - good to see a new video, watching the vids from a non expert guitar hobby guy perspective located in rural NW TN.
That’s a fantastic idea! Maybe a “what separates the pros” kind of video.
As far as know guitar players my favorite is Brian May…you can sing every solo…might have to do a video on him as well.
@@NickyV I always enjoy the Nicky V hangouts. I get a chance to get my virtual coffee and sit like a fly on the wall and listen to you share things that make my brain go numb - and I actually enjoy it. Reading the comments is cool. Then there is a community of virtual coffee drinkers hanging around and talking about stuff that I have no clue about. I just keep smiling and nodding my head, and the music geeks haven't kicked me out yet, so I keep hanging around, nodding and smiling a lot :)
As soon as you said studio musician in Nashville I immediately subscribed and listened to everything you had to say. I will always hear what a real real musician has to say about anything. I’m younger but I played with 3 classic rock cover bands around Asheville NC as well as 2 churches for 5 years until Covid hit… at the churches I was always provided with a sweet pedalboard to do more atmospheric ambient stuff, and a tube screamer to hit the bigger parts but that’s as far as it went. With the cover bands, all I used was an Orange CR60 plugged into my Jackson Soloist and it never let me down. It’s been over 4 years since playing out now but I made a pretty sweet budget pedalboard tonight for the first time and I honestly hated it. I looked at pedals and signal chains and bought a good power supply and cables and everything.. I thought i did everything right.. but the best sounds I got in my 5 hours of messing around tonight was with an epiphone Les Paul into the Orange amp and nothing else. The fact that this video popped into my feed as soon as I sat down afterwards I feel like isn’t a coincidence. You made such a good point that less is more. Make it feel good under your fingers and don’t worry about the rest of the low end. It’s hard for us guitarists to do but dammit you’re right. I’ll do a reevaluation tomorrow night. Thank you sir :)
Man thank you for the kind words and sharing that. Really appreciate it and so glad you found the video helpful
Just discovered you through the Les Paul Forum. Very informative. Going to have try the dialed-back bass and reverb. And amen on one day you love your tone and the next you don't!
One of my guitarist has an AC 30. That amp just cut through EVERYTHING, including my cymbals. It's just a very nasally amp as you said. Yet, it instantly gave him a Rory Gallagher and Brian May vibe. Not a bad thing
They do a very very cool particular thing. Love mine
fav amp of ALL TIME. i set the "tone cut" pretty high up on mine (like 3 or 4 oclock which makes it a bit darker, more manageable). sure, not for everybody, but perfect for some
Mostly hard Rock/ metal guitarist here..I agree with damn near every word. There's YOUR boundaries and a window of tone that you work in. Volume knob is also an incredibly valuable tool
Spot on. Might need to do a whole separate video on using the knobs
Plain and simple! Great video!
Glad you liked it!
As a vintage tube amp tech / audio engineer, I would say you nailed it. Spot on Nicky V
Thanks man!!! Appreciate it
Just picked up a 70s bassman hints why I clicked on this video. Man! Make more videos like this. I have always dialed in amps using the “sweet spot” method. Never thought about how that affects the overall mix. You explained the dial the bass back perfectly. Keep on doing what you do.
Thanks! Congratulations on the Bassman as well. Glad you enjoyed the video!
I needed to hear the bit about reverb and delay! Haha love it
I was just reminding myself haha
@@NickyV yeah, the best point was about serving the overall band. Guitarists are used to playing alone…. Super wet sound…. But it does tend to muddy the sound with the full band comes together. Another concept the past few years I’ve leaned on is letting the bass drive the bass notes more of the time and focusing more on triads. I know the bass notes have their place but in a full groove, often adding the bass notes also clutter the sonic space.
But yeah…. I’ve actually practiced the advice of going dry more for overdrive and I have to say.. much tighter sound!
@@Rossimac_ This is spot on. Let the bass be the bass and grab our midrange parts that serve their purpose. Thank you for the feedback and checking the channel out.
Fenders Deluxe Reverb has never let me down for any tone I need,.
The gold standard
Very helpful, thank you. !!😊
Glad it was helpful!
I understand and agree with what you're saying regarding reverb and delay. I have carved out a specific frequency range in my mix for the rare occasion when I choose to push them.
Exactly. And when you don’t use them all of the time they have more of an effect when you do tastefully use them. Thanks for checking the video out!
Nicky - thank you so much. I am primarily a fingferstyle player, but have started playing with a band, using a tele. YOu absolutely nailed so many points. As well, as a jazz player I used to put way too much bass on the guitar. Pure gold here - thank you.
Thanks man! Appreciate you checking out the video and glad it was helpful :)
I always preferred hearing the dry sound from my amp, no reverb whatsoever, back in my rock days. I tried using reverb in the practice space but in my mind I was wondering why would anybody like this. Dry tone has so much more punch and impact. It was only by accident of playing a gig where I had some reverb on my amp that I realized it gives you sense of space, it makes your sound bigger and wider. Dry sound gives you more focus but it's much narrower compared to adding some reverb. So that's what I do now, add until I can hear it's wet and then take away a single notch.
Exactly. Spot on man. Thanks for sharing and checking the video out!
@@BucoBucolini Even mixing in DAW, I might copy paste a track and pan then hard, then pull just a few milliseconds off time from each other and give each a bit different EQ curve, then add a smidge of extra reverb to just one side. This makes it sound wide, like almost two guitars double tracked even and prevents the stereo cancellation effect that occurs from overlapping exact audio in the same speaker.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS I'm doing that on my next track. Thanks man!
@@BucoBucolini HELLA Bro, it works awesome. Use ur headphones in real time while it's playing, align one perfect on the beat and make small adjustments to the EQ curve, maybe right side is more steep on the mid scoop or peak and left has a wider midcurve smoother shape, or whatever you like and play around with the slight offset timing on the opposite track in small amounts, like overlapping the beat, and you'll just hear it BLOW up wide and fill the entire space! Then maybe play with if you want either side a few clicks louder or quieter and maybe a bit of extra reverb on the quieter side, you see?! The amount of reverb and stereo separation depends on if it's a super tight fast metal track that you don't want to be too noisy vs. a big ambiance clean channel earth music or a solo lead part or whatever. \m/ Rock out!
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS heck yeah, there's a good manual right there. These days I play mostly acoustic but this can work on any guitar track it sounds like.
First lesson: dont get a tube amp with a wattage that was meant to replace a PA in the sixties ;)
Blasphemy!! my 100 watt tube head and 4x12 cab are perfect for noodling on the couch while my wife watches Survivor.
@@TheSdrake1967🤣🤣🤣
Haha same setup man and I can't go past volume 1 when the wife and kids are home lol
My Marshal AFD 100 has a fantastic built in attenuator….and it still sounds amazing at 1 watt. My Fender Hot Rod on the other hand is much more difficult at bedroom volumes, but during the day with just an Fulltone OCD in front……can go from John Mayer to Paul Kossoff in an instant.
Boomer logic.
In a related topic, some time ago, I stopped worrying about trying to sound like my heroes and found my own sound.
For years, I tried to sound like Clapton, SRV, Andy Summers, and others. I realized that no gear was going to make me sound like anyone else but me.
Since I found my own sound, I've been more satisfied with my own playing and I love my sound.
Thanks great man. Glad you found a voice that works for you and are satisfied!
Great video! Can't overstate how much I appreciate your presentation...no over the top or bombastic material, dumb sound effects, or any other silly gimmicks that take away from the discussion. I've played guitar most of my life (but not well) and I've never been in a band or recorded music, but this video still was informative and useful. Stuff like this gets me revved up to go dig my guitars out of the corner, plug in, and try to get better. Thank you!
Man I love hearing that. Thank you so much for the kind words and so glad you enjoyed the video!
This really speaks to me. . I run an old Fender Bassman as well, and he speaks the truth about the slight clip and sustain. And the dynamic control you get by not using compression. Super informative vid. Thanks for this.
Thanks man! Appreciate you checking the video out
100% correct on all points
Appreciate it man. Thank you for checking the video out.
Well....players have to get to the place where they will appreciate these fine points. Until you've run sound or engineered recordings most of this just flies over most people's heads. Finding a band's worth of folks who understand where each instrument sits and how things actually work is a rare thing until you get on a pro level. There are civilian folks who get it here and there though.
This comment is very well said and needed haha. Appreciate you man
There is a LOT of great information here. Such a fantastic resource to hear this stuff from a pro like Nicky! I play in cover bands. That's all I do, for the most part. My use of delay or reverb is predicated on what song I'm playing, and what the guitar tone is like on the most widely known recording. If I'm covering...oh...say.."China Grove", I'm using both delay and reverb on the intro to get it to sound something like the original. If I'm covering the Cars, "Just What I Needed", I'll use no reverb or delay, just a bit of gain. "Hurts So Good", just a wee bit of reverb and a bit of 'hair', but mostly clean, that's it. If I'm 're-imagining' a well known song, doing it in my own style, all of this is subject to change.
Very very well said! I took a similar approach when I was doing the band thing…just trying to get the record down.
@@NickyV Great minds.....(lol)
Right on the money. Those great tones we all grew up on were powerful and clear. Gain was the beginning of bad, mushy tone. Thin Lizzy was a great example. Turn it up and let you gear sing. When they started making Marshalls with gain, and then a myriad of pedals, the sound of guitars went down hill. And the lastest death nell, playing with no amp directly through the PA. Open you ears!!!
Spot on man. Appreciate you checking the video out!
What I have had to learn the hard way is when you are alone practicing, I would set set everything up to what sounds good to me alone. To your point the frequency is complete until you add other instruments. The way I learned to play by practicing also, had to be relearned to play with others because of dynamic and amp volume to pedal setting variations etc. Indeed it turned out to be less is more. Wish there were these kind of discussions 40-45 years ago. Guitarist today have such a unique culture to learn and grow now. Enjoyed your shared knowledge and thank you for putting it out here. You definitely are spot on.
This is the struggle of most right here. Appreciate the kind words and thank you for stopping by
Would love more about recording guitars please.
I’m thinking of doing a “recording great tones on a budget” series where I talk about the gear you don’t need.
I like the Robin Trower approach: take a Marshall, set mids to 8 or 9, treb and bass to 1 or 2, presence about 3, and set your gain/breakup as appropriate.
Dang right, Trower's tone is absolutely killer.
The mid boost special. Top shelf
I think Blackmore does that too on his electric sound. Maybe higher treble :)
Blackmore used a Hornby Skewes treble booster which was plugged into the “normal” channel of a Vox AC-30. A lot of British players used treble boosters such as Clapton and Rory Gallagher? Treble boosters acted more like a distortion device in practice.
Which Fender Bassman is in your video? What is the circuitry model?
Great video.
It’s a stock 65 that’s been re tolexed at some point. Not sure the specific circuitry
Great points! I'd like to add one: Guitar players are always close to their amps, and I for one, tend to judge my tone right there, and that's not what the live audience hears. It's all perspective. I can think this amp sucks and then hear positive comments from somebody out there. Serve the song, serve the audience...amen!
Fantastic point. That speaker sound a lot different 20” infront of it
I used to play for years with just amp and guitar and use the volume knob and that's it. I would get the amp to push for a lead tone and then use the volume knob to dial down to a general tone and use it most of that time. When I had to solo I cranked the volume and that was it. Then I did start using a tad bit of reverb and delay in solos and a boost. That's the way I use pedals today basically. I do like three times. Clean, edge of breakup, and blazing lead. I play 80s metal and mostly blues hard rock. Think Thin Lizzy, Jackyl, Ted Nugent, Lynard Skynard, etc. etc .
Be well sir and regards from South Central Indiana. USA
Tim .
Tone sucks because everyone plugs their axes into a computer. I plug mine into glowing red glass bottles
Hahaha amen to that
Oh that will fix it. All tube amps always sound good, right? Everyone who plays a tube amp always sounds great.
"Tone is in the hands" always bugs me. There's a sound I'm trying to get. My hands through a Fender Deluxe isn't going to get me a brown sound. There's amp choices, pedal choices, guitar/pickup choices, knobs to dial. Don't tell me "tone is in the hands".
Amen to that! Always bothered me as well
I agree that it sounds silly. Learning how to dial an amp and configure a signal chain has been the key to improving my tone. The saying should be, “Technique is in the hands.”
@@damienalvarez2957 Exactly.
But Eddie Van Halen would sound like Eddie Van Halen on a deluxe.
When you don’t understand something,
The only conclusion worth drawing,
is that you don’t understand.
I think people say that as to say "Equipment isn't gonna replicate talent". Playing like SRV will always sound more like him than just trying to copy his setup in order to just sound like him tonally.
I record with no reverb on rhythm. If i need any i put it in post
That’s what I’m doing a lot of the time now as well depending on the situation and producer
First time checking our your channel, Nicky, and I'll be back. Love your low key vibe and sage advice. 💙
Absolutely man! Thanks for stopping by
From a Tim Pierce interview, I remember him saying his clean tone was a turned up amp, but then played softly. Your tone nails this concept too! First time watching a vid of yours and loved the insight.
Tim is the legend. Really appreciate the kind words and glad you enjoyed it
Less is more.
Thanks 🙏🏾 great presentation
I like that Tele tone you get
I have a 5e3 & little old delay petal sounds nice.
Nice man! Glad you enjoyed it!
THOROUGHLY needed to hear this!
Thanks
Ya man! Glad it was helpful
You're givin us pearls here, Nicky. Oddly, I played for 25 years without reverb and delay and just recently added both to my rig and am still getting used to it. I keep them both around 10% in my mix.
Spot on where they probably need to be. Thanks for hanging out man!
thanks man, i really appreciate this. ive played since i was a kid, but as an adult i got so frustrated with tone, not only from guitar, but everything, i stopped playing. this comes far too late for me, but may help many others
Appreciate the kind words man. The tone dilemma is a big hurdle for sure. Thanks for watching!
I have Peavey 6505 100 watt tube head through a single 412 cab and a 100 watt Marshall AVT Valve /solid state head through a single 412 cab. Both cabs have green backs. Both rigs are connected together.
Awesome tone everytime no matter what setting I use.
Metal and hard rock.
Love it
Right on and rock on!
Thank you for those immediately useful practical tips, I already knew to cut bass, however never ever I would have thought that ever-so-slightly crunch would serve as a perceived clean that cuts through the mix. I just used those tips to fix my patches on my Boss GT-1000 CORE and the results are phenomenal. Many thanks!
I love hearing this! Thank you for the kind words and so glad it was helpful!
simple, straight to the point. exactly how it should be with this stuff. at the end of the day, we gotta shape our sounds to what serves the band and the songs best.
Exactly! Really appreciate the kind words and thanks for checking it out!
So glad to hear all this. Ive been recording alot and roll back the bass and mids which makes the guitar standout. I actually never use reverb. I let the engineer add it or at shows there’s plenty of natural reverb from the venue.
Spot on man! Thanks for checking the video out
I just subscribed. I like it when someone makes complete sense. Great advice that I knew. Thank you for not hyping up bullshit that most other guitar channels give us. You also reminded me of the fundamentals of tone. We all go off the deepend sometimes.
Absolutely! Thank you and I’ll do my best to keep the goods coming
Excellent video! You are absolutely right about the amount of bass coming from the amp but also the amount of bass coming from the pickups. A game changer for me was when I created a patch in my Boss JS-10 where I turned off absolutely everything, from the amp sim to the noise gate and all effects and use it just for the level meter which is only a humble 7 lines. With that in place I proceeded to set the height on the treble and bass sides of all the pickups. I could not believe how much lower it ended up being on the bass side. The Guitar was a G&L Legacy Fullerton Deluxe with HSS configuration. It sounded much better after that, almost all my dirt pedals (even the ones I did not care for) became very good and when using digital Sims I was able to jump between different amo models much smoother.
Great point. Definitely been a lot more bridge pickups recorded in history than neck pickups.
A few years back I finally got my dream amp, a '61 brown Deluxe. I actually like my live sound with it and in the studio, put a mic in front of it and classic rock sounds abound. It makes you a better player too, there is no hiding your mistakes, I like to play plugged straight into the amp. You are so right about both the perceived clean and dirty sounds.
That’s a fantastic amp! Congratulations and thank you for sharing. Appreciate you checking out the video
Hey Nick, thanks so much for the tone advice. It’s really invaluable for us to get tone tips like this from a professional musician. Love your channel.
Thanks man, appreciate you!
That high end tip for live/in-the-mix tone is spot on. Before I knew anything about EQ, I would set my Strat between bridge and middle (still do) because it just sounded better.
Thanks for this. I play out of a podgo and it has been frustrating lately. I get in and mess with the amps and speakers, will find a set up that I like, get it to the gig, and it will all sound bad in ear. This was good stuff. Thanks again. I look forward to hearing more.
That is a common problem for sure. I rely heavily on the front of house guy when I’m going direct on a gig. Just to get a feel for how it’s working in the mix out front. So glad this was helpful and appreciate you watching!
that's very well-done, Nicky, with a good lot of solid cautions provided, buuut; from what i can tell, the typical Nashville session musicians' / guitarists' world is quite different than that of other cities: it feels as if you're really addressing folks interested inworking within that very specific environment.
You are probably right. A lot of these are transferable to other styles but are definitely pretty solid approaches in this particular world. Thanks for the kind words and checking the video out!
Great stuff... and great advice.
I've been a gigging musician for well over 30 years and something ive learned the hard way that i believe many guitarist struggle with is that less gain/distortion is more in a live setting. If you want your sound to get lost in the band mix...crank your preamp gain to where you thinknit sounds goodnat home...then at your gig be wondering why it sounds bad...or what happened lol. Probably why i cant stand the preset/direct etc stuff cause it may sound good at home but once at gig volume i think many of the presets sound like a$$ without lots of tweaking/saving and then glitches/ errors etcand after the struggle realizing a simple amp just "works" in a band setting.... it may sound a bit dry or boring at home but add a drummer and bass player and another guitar all fighting for a spot in the mix and itll be glorious... at gig volumes the way it cuts thru the mix is truly amazing without being harsh and if done correctly you have headroom to get louder for a solo or for the dynamics of a song. Speaking of which i think another thing that gets lost with many of todays players that have no real amp/high volume stage experience is the importance of the volume knob on the guitar itself. Just like playing softer vs louder if set to what I consider to be good for a band mix the amp will clean up with the volume knob around 5 and be crunchy around 7 and lead volume sound at 10...most seem to like 10 all the time and try another channel/preset for leads but imo that doesnt sound natural and often you loose your "spot" in the mix.
Either way great advice👍
Thank you for sharing that. Appreciate you checking the video out man
I find keeping money in my pocket, not spending it on gear, propelled me years ahead of where I would have been as a player. The fact of not piling shit , on top of shit, on top of shit , and looking for more shit, to pile on top of shit , makes my life a lot easier & my guitar playing better , I just don't like to deal with unnecessary shit . Thus my mix is simple and not shit.
You my man stated very good points, and by the points you share , I can tell your the real deal.
Way Cool Daddy - O ................. Peace Out ..........
You are a real one man. Appreciate the kind words. Actually did a video after this about how to record for $500 with a $200 guitar haha…I’m usually trying to thin the hoard out
Yes! Thank you! I’m tired of people saying tones in the hands. That’s not what tone is. Notice if you go into a music store and try a half dozen amps and guitars. They all sound different even though it’s the same hands playing them. The difference you hear, that’s what tone is. The difference from one player to another, that is called skill and style.
Exactly! Thanks man!
Really appreciate your comments. Like some others who've commented here, I've been playing 50+ years-lots of different situations (clubs, concerts, studio, etc) and your advice here is spot-on. Especially your comments on reverb and delay( I agree a little goes a long way). Anyway, glad I stumbled across your channel. Keep up the good work!
Love hearing that. Thank you for checking the video out!
Thanks for putting out the video, it will really help a lot of people.
I moved from SF to the Tahoe Forest and down sized all my gear, everything‘s digital now.
I’ve custom all my guitars and cleaned up my sound for the most part.
You can have some dirty layers when you double track guitars but if there’s not some clean mixed in, it’s just a bunch of gobble tea goop, and it’s taking me a lifetime to figure that out.
Man this is spot on. Definitely have to have some cleanish fundamental sound happening for clarity.