In this demo, we bring it down to the classic "dying battery" sound and then into complete chaos. Notice how the LED indicator light on the fuzz goes dark when we bring it all the way down.
The Volture concept is most often used with fuzz pedals, but try it with any analog pedal! It's worth exploring—you never know what sort of sounds you may find!
]]>What first attracted us to the Nexxus was that it's rechargeable. We tune a lot of instruments. Seriously. Any tuner in the shop gets a ton of usage, so over the years we've gone through more Snark batteries than you can image.
After we started using the Nexxus in the shop, we realized how handy it is. It rates 360 degrees both at the base of the clip and on the read-out display itself, so it's use on a variety of different instruments.
We also like that the display is bright and easy to see, and with the handy USB charger cable, it'll stay bright with up to 24 hours of usage between charges.
Only $29.99 with free shipping! The Nexxus 360 is our favorite tuner hands down.
]]>Over the years, us banjo players have developed thick skin. Not only are we the butt of every bluegrass joke, but over the course of a 4-hour gig, the bright, stinging tone can be super fatiguing on your ears (and your band mates... and the audience).
Anyway, on to the tip. Check out this picture.
See the wear on the banjo head? Those marks aren't from the fingerpicks. They're from where the previous owner would rest his non-picking fingers. Sometimes they are focused into one circle; other times the wear is in a linear pattern. The banjo pictured above suggests the previous owner liked to pick in three places. On top of the bridge, just in front of the bridge, and closer to the neck. This also tells me, this guy was a pretty good picker (or at least aware of tone and dynamics). Picking closer to the bridge will yield bright, crispy tones with a bit more volume, but move closer to the neck and you will notice rounder, warmer, softer tones.
For example.
This isn't just a banjo thing. You can apply this to acoustic or electric guitar, bass, mandolin, and pretty much anything with strings.
Next time you pick up your instrument of choice, pay attention to where you are hitting the strings. Try to incorporate these different locations in your playing for more interesting dynamics and a bit of style.
-wg
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With most delay pedals, the echoes stop when you switch the pedal off. But with some delay pedals, the repeats continue after you’ve switched it off, so you get your dry signal and the echoes from before—we call these the "trails." Trails a subtle detail, but for certain players and certain music, it can add a lot.
There's no denying the ProCo RAT is a first ballot Hall of Famer in the effect pedal world. Over the past 40 years, you've heard it on Country, Grunge, Rock, Funk, Jazz, and Fusion records. But it's 2022, someone has to be making modern interpretations, right? Let's check out some JHS and Caroline offerings, shall we?
Do you have a favorite?
]]>What's happening fellow guitar nerds? Modulation is a great way to add texture and nuance to your tone. It's also a great way to give separation to dual guitar or guitar/keyboard bands. Whether you leave it on all the time or crank all the knobs to max, every guitarist needs some wiggle on their pedalboard. Check out the difference between Uni-Vibe, Chorus, and Vibrato.
Personally, I've played entire sets with my Vibrato pedal on the entire time. I use it for a subtle "warped record" sound that, to me, is aurally pleasing. Add little delay or reverb, and voila! I also use Uni-Vibe (sometimes in tandem with my Vibrato) for a "faux-Leslie/Organ" sound that is great for jazzy blues rhythm. Additionally, the Uni-Vibe makes a great lead tone (clean or with a fuzz pedal).
Tom also makes great use of the Uni-Vibe in a similar way to what I described above. However, I've never seen a Tom Pedalboard without a Chorus on it. Obviously, he coaxes some super nostalgic tones from it, but combined with a little dirt, his lead tone gets a bit thicker and interesting.
Which one do you prefer?
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The Recording King "Tonewood Reserve" Series is an incredible value—Adirondack Spruce top and vintage-inspired details for $800? Hard to beat. But how do they stack up against a good Martin? We'll let you decide. In this video, Warren uses "When I'm Sixty-Four" to compare a RO-328 with a used Vintage Series OM-28V.
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If you enjoyed the Somersault lo-fi modulator, then you’ll really enjoy ARIGATO. It’s built on a similar framework: an analog LFO that can do some wild stuff and push things beyond their boundaries, a mix control that can go 100% wet, and a havoc control that is all gas,no brakes.
We couldn't resist taking it for a test drive with Wilco's "Passenger Side"—one of the classic phase-ed out guitar parts.
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In the right hands, at the right settings, Pitch Vibrato can be a wonderful effect to use on musical instruments. By dialing in a slow rate, and heavy depth, you can create a tone similar to a warped record. Before you scoff at that description, there is something pleasing to our ears about subtle pitch modulation. In fact, many artists like Madison Cunningham, leave it on for entire sets! Faster settings can be used for Rotating Speaker tones, or a great substitute for more popular modulation effects, like Chorus or Tremolo.
The Panaramic 1210 (made by Magnatone) is considered the bench mark for many Pitch Vibrato enthusiasts. Let's see how the Artificial Blonde compares.
Pretty close, don't you think? In the video, our mic captured a bit more brightness, but you'll notice the EQ on the the Artificial Blonde was tilted toward the bass. Perhaps, bumping it up a bit would match the overall tone. BUT, did you notice how close the wavelengths are? Sure, it's not a perfect match, but it's damn close. Additionally, the Artificial Blonde is capable of much more versatility. The SPEED and DEPTH controls are able to go considerably slower/faster and deeper than the Panaramic. Plus the EQ tilt shift, the two independent presets, and the stereo outs.... Sincere upgrades, for sure.
We think JHS really knocked it out of the park with this one. Not only is it a great sounding Vibrato with an excellent feature set, but Madison Cunningham is an absolute monster player, and her music deserves more attention. Go check her out! She's unreal! Go see her if she's near by! Buy her records! Put her on your playlist! Tell your friends! Learn her songs!
http://www.madisoncunningham.com
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We had so much test-driving the two new pedals that we thought we'd take some time to compare them to others. In this next video, Warren used "Paranoid Android" from Radiohead to sample all three of the 3 Series reverb pedals. Check it out as he goes through Reverb, Hall Reverb, and then the new Octave Reverb.
With the addition of the Harmonic Trem, the 3 Series now features four different modulation pedals, so what happens when you try each back to back? We used Pink Floyd's "Shine On Your Crazy Diamond" to sample the Chorus, Harmonic Trem, Phaser, and Flanger. Which is your favorite? Ever wanted to try all four at once? Well, we couldn't resist—watch until the end to hear the chaos!
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Sometimes, it takes a new instrument to get inspired. After Vedder received an Electric Tenor Guitar, the songs started pouring out. At times, the album sounds like a long-lost Tom Petty record, only with Vedder's familiar baritone "yarl." And when you are one of the leaders of the Grunge movement, you can record with anyone you want. The all-star band lineup includes Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Josh Klinghoffer & Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Pino Palladino (D'Angelo, John Mayer), and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty).
Denver-based duo Tennis released Yours Conditionally in 2017, and the album was largely inspired by a sailboat trip across the Pacific Ocean. Sonically, Yours Conditionally channels a retro ‘70s soul vibe with warm synth and four-on-the-floor rhythms. The decidedly analog feel and mellow vibe allows Alaina Moore’s vocals to sit at the front of the mix as she delivers melodies that are at times fragile despite lyrics that are sarcastic and defiant.
Originally from Southern Georgia, Cobb’s music has been described as “pure rural, country, soul filled music.” This album is Cobb's fourth effort, and it lives up to its title by going further. It's a mix of country, rock, and folk that tends to fall more into the Americana space. On "Shut Up and Sing," Cobb harps on the importance of taking a stand, but then he preaches the opposite message on “Soap Box.” A juxtaposition of musical styles, genres, and lyrical messages, Cobb keeps the listener on they toes
]]>Tom and Warren strike again with fresh vinyl picks! Warren tells us about "Ukulele Songs" by Eddie Vedder, and Tom's pick is "The Israelites" from Desmond Dekker.
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Warren's Pick: JEFF PARKER - "Forfolks"
Mostly known for his work with Tortoise, Parker is a "musician's musician." This solo-guitar album explores sonic textures and loops by delicately weaving notes and space. It is sparse, thoughtful, organic, and proof that the notes you don't play are just as important as the ones you do play. "Forfolks" features some reimagined classic jazz covers, as well as new and old Parker originals. For fans of Frisell, Fripp, Eno, and Cline, you'll be happy to have this spinning on your turntable.
Tom's Pick - ROY ORBISON / The Original Sound (70th Anniversary)
A new release celebrating Sun Records' 70th Anniversary, “The Original Sound” from Roy Orbison is a time capsule into Memphis’ Sun Studios, where Sam Phillips recorded music that forever changed the trajectory of Rock n’ Roll. Mostly recorded in ’56 and ’57, this collection captures some of Orbison’s lesser-known tunes, each delivered with his impassioned style and wide vocal range. This pressing is optimized for audiophile quality, so it sounds like you’re right behind the mixing desk with Sam!
Andy's Pick - ST VINCENT / MassEducation
MassEducation is stripped-down reworking of St. Vincent's 2017 studio album Masseduction. On Masseduction and most of her releases, St. Vincent demonstrates her talent on the electric guitar with a production style so unique that it has been described as "genre agnostic." But put away the synthesizers, turn off the drum machines, and unplug those fuzz pedals, and you get MassEducation. Comprised exclusively of Annie Clark's vocals and Thomas Bartlett on the piano, this acoustic version of the album highlights St. Vincent's superior songwriting skills and allows the listener to experience the songs in a more personal and intimate way than the original release.
]]>Using effect pedals on banjo can be a great way to explore new textures and sonic territories. Try using a delay as a more interesting reverb/echo, maybe dial it in to create a bed of rhythm, or a quick slapback to make it sound like you are playing faster than you really are! When playing single notes, an envelope filter can add some quacky, Jerry-like tones, but when rolling chords and "overloading the filter" it opens up unique vowel sounds that feel like it's constantly evolving. Of course, phaser has already found its place in the country/bluegrass world. Nothing new there. But, who uses a Flanger? You could, and most people would probably dig that "jet-engine swoosh". Maybe some old-timers wouldn't care for it, but they are on their way out anyway (jk, love you, Dad).
Moral of the story, be different. Do what you like. Experiment. Try some effects on your banjo. You might dig it.
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Tom likes the .010-.052 set for his Gibson SG. Like many Gibsons, the SG has a 24-3/4" scale length, so the 10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom give you plenty of heft on the bass side, but the treble strings remain easy to bend.
Available in three gauges:
Five years can go by really fast. As of today, it has now been five years since 6 Strings Music, LLC took over ownership of Telluride Music Co. Exactly five years ago, Benjamin Preston and I started this incredible journey, and we can’t thank you enough for being part of it.
I’m so proud of what we have accomplished in five years, and I’m humbled by the generous encouragement and support we’ve found from our wonderful customers. Our customer base is a diverse group of interesting folks, and many have grown to be true friends over the years. Most are working musicians of various levels—those who play the coffeeshop down the street all the way up to those who play Mile High Stadium in Denver. Regardless of our scattered backgrounds and differing musical tastes, we’re bonded by a passion for the instruments. That passion is what Telluride Music is all about.
We’ve often said Telluride Music’s greatest contribution is the immeasurable value it adds to the community. By “community,” we of course mean the Town of Telluride, but we include ourselves in the vast landscape of independent music stores across the globe. More broadly, our community is all of those who share our passion for musical instruments. Our goal is to bring value to that conversation, and I think we’ve succeeded in that endeavor. But we’re not done yet—we intend to keep the pedal to the floor!
Looking around the shop this morning, our carefully-curated selection gets better every day. It’s a small wonder that a shop like ours exists anywhere. Yet somehow it makes sense that—of anywhere—a shop like ours exists in Telluride. This town isn’t like anywhere else in the world, and neither is our shop. I mean, how many guitar stores have a ski rack in the back?
While 2022 is only our 5th Anniversary, this year also marks the 30th anniversary of Telluride Music Co. Thirty years, three locations, and three owners later, there’s plenty to celebrate. We’re planning formal celebrations around the third weekend of June when the Bluegrass Festival is in town—stay tuned!
Thank you being a part of Telluride Music. We could not do any of this without all our customers, friends, and supporters. We appreciate you all more than you know.
Can’t wait to see what the future holds!
-Tom Nading, 4.14.22
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Originally inspired by 4-string Irish banjos, the Tenor Guitar is often misunderstood and too often overlooked. The earliest origins of the tenor guitar are somewhat unclear, but by 1927, Tenor models appeared in both the Martin and Gibson catalogs.
In those days, tenor guitars provided a familiar neck and tuning for plectrum banjo players who were hired for guitar gigs. After a burst of popularity during the folk revival of the '60s, tenor guitars were back in fashion. Even though sales dwindled through the mid-'70s, Martin has continued to build them in limited quantities, while Gibson has abandoned them all together.
Nowadays, they have found a home in bluegrass, Americana, folk, Celtic, and many other genres where a resonant, articulate tone is desired. We particularly like tuning Tenors down in low G, like an octave mandolin. It unlocks interesting two-finger chord voicing that leave open strings, and the low notes resonate like you wouldn't believe.
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Whenever we see the "Music On Vinyl" sticker, we know we're in for a treat. MOV is a vinyl-only record label based in the Netherlands. They specialize in high-quality, audiophile pressings. These are some of the best-sounding records available, and their well-curated catalog consists of both remastered editions of classic recordings and new releases from modern artists.
We do our best to keep a fresh stock of MOV records, and there's quite a variety available. Whenever you see that "Music On Vinyl" sticker, know that the record in your hands will be a top-notch listening experience.
Jeff Beck is perhaps the most underrated guitarist of the '60s and '70s. Hendrix, Clapton, and Page get the lion's share of praise, but none of them are as expressive or precise as Beck. Don't believe us? One search on YouTube, and you will be treated to a masterclass on right hand technique. From the opening track's "You Know What I Mean" guitar gymnastics, a disco-reggae "She's A Woman" cover, and "Freeway Jam" freak-out, it's impossible to listen to this funk-rock masterpiece and not groove!
RONETTES / Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
We've all heard of the recording technique "Wall of Sound," but you've never heard its full effect until you've explored the Ronettes. In the '60s, the intention was to maximize the possibilities of studio recording to create an unusually dense orchestral aesthetic for pop music that came across well through lo-fi radios and jukeboxes of the era. To hear it with modern precision, you'll appreciate the genius of arrangements in what might initially sound like simple pop songs. Side note: "All Things Must Pass" would not exist without this record.
The Branchettes - "Stayed Prayed Up"
On Sunday morning of this year's Telluride Film Festival, some of us were lucky enough to go to church and hear the story of North Carolina gospel-singer Mother Lena Mae Perry. The film Stay Prayed Up follows Mother Perry as she records this live album with Telluride-favorite Phil Cook (who has played in town both solo and with Hiss Golden Messenger). Mother Perry's mission of spreading gospel music through the South is inspiring, and her powerful voice and deep faith make you feel the Spirit through to your bones.
In the film, you catch glimpses of her effect on those around her—especially as you see how much she inspires Phil to make music he believes in. As you listen to this record, it's no surprise that the band is solid. But what really stands out is the tasteful piano from Wilbur Tharpe (RIP). On both sides, Wilbur's soulful licks create a call and response with the singers. But these aren't any low-down and dirty blues licks—Wilbur's piano is sharp, clean, dressed-up and ready for Sunday morning.
COMMANDER CODY & HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN /Live At Ebbett's Field
Fueled by alcohol, speed, a little reefer, and a love of 18-Wheelers, Commander Cody was notorious for tearing up the West Coast in the 1970s with his brand of boogie-woogie-rockabilly-western swing. Here's the band on one of those nights ("gots to be one of those nights!"). Denver, 1973, featuring the Master of the Telecaster himself, Bill Kirchen. Sadly, Commander Cody passed away a few months ago, but his boogie-woogie lives on. RIP George Frayne.
MY MORNING JACKET /[Self-Titled]
If you've seen MMJ live, you've witnessed one of the best rock bands of our generation. There's no shortage of fuzzed-out pointy guitars, band dynamics, unkempt hair, and unforgettable melodies you'll be humming for the next 6 months. Their latest self-titled release is their first record in six years, picking up where 2015's The Waterfall left off. One could argue that MMJ isn't one of the best modern rock bands, but they'd be wrong and we wouldn't listen to that nonsense.
PEARL JAM /No Code [Gatefold LP Jacket, Reissue]
Fresh off the heels of Vitalogy, a lengthy and difficult "Boycott Ticketmaster" tour, and the loss of Kurt Cobain, 1995 found Pearl Jam exhausted, unwilling thrust into the spotlight, and needing to take a step back from all the chaos. What resulted is a record often compared to Led Zeppelin's III, as acoustic guitars, slower tempos, and incredible album packaging on No Code take center stage. Overtime, songs like "Hail, Hail", "Smile", "Lukin", and "Present Tense" became concert staples.
Huge congratulations are due to Telluride's own Emily Scott Robinson today—the official release day of her new album "American Siren." This is Emily's first album with Oh Boy Records, and we couldn't be any more proud to see it here in the shop.
One of life's most satisfying pleasures is witnessing your friends turn dreams into reality. We first met Emily years before she was the professional musician and acclaimed songwriter she is today. At the time, she worked for the San Miguel Resource Center, and she was a part of our crew of 20-somethings who settled in Telluride after graduating college.
Once she started singing on the Siam porch, Emily's talent caught the attention of folks all around town. In those early days, she entered in the Telluride's Got Talent competition, and as we all knew she would, she won. She used her $1,000.00 cash prize to buy a nice Martin guitar from us. Fast forward a few years, and she's a finalist for the Troubadour competition at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Guess what? She won that, too.
After spending the last number of years promoting her music around the country, she's now well known in the Americana, Folk, and Country music circles. Following the success of her second album ("Traveling Mercies"), Emily wrote a fitting anthem for the early days of the pandemic: "Time for Flowers." That song captured the attention of music fans all over the world, and it prompted John Prine's son Jody Whelan to reach out and let Emily know how meaningful the song was to his family.
Jody is John's oldest son, and he runs Oh Boy Records. That conversation opened the door for "American Siren" to be released on the record label started by one of Emily's greatest influences.
This highly-anticipated new release was made possible not only by Emily's gift for storytelling but also by her determination and dedication to her craft.
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Give us a call at 970.728.9592, and we will hook you up!
CARLILE, BRANDI / In These Silent Days
Brandi Carlile is a once-in-a-generation talent. If you've seen her perform, you know how powerful her songs and voice can be (are your hairs standing up yet?). For In These Silent Days, Carlile teamed up with Nashville's Dave Cobb to produce yet another genre-defying album. This one will further cement Brandi's status as a figurehead in the Americana scene.
You probably haven't heard of Ted Hawkins, and that's because this mostly anonymous street performer had an unconventional career and lifestyle. Ted was known for singing his heartfelt songs on the Venice Beach boardwalk, and there is unique authenticity in his music. Many record producers "discovered" him over the years, but his rambling ways made the realities of a record deal impossible.
YOAKAM, DWIGHT / Dwight's Used Records
Dwight's Used Records is mostly compiled of traditional country and bluegrass tunes. "Understand Your Man" and "Paradise" pay homage to two Country legends—Johnny Cash and John Prine—and "Down Where The River Bends" showcases the legendary Ralph Stanley. If you're looking for Rock and Roll, check out the ZZ Top classic, "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" like only Dwight can do.
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In the opening track "I Need a Teacher," Hiss Golden Messenger's MC Taylor yearns for "beauty in the broken American moment." As Terms of Surrender unfolds, the lyrics struggle with difficult questions and try to make sense of life's complications. Joined by Jenny Lewis' harmony vocals and Aaron Dessner's guitar, the band explores emotive sound scapes that are new for Hiss listeners.
Rolling Stones "Exile on Main Street"
Recorded in tax exile while the Stones holed up in the South of France, Exile on Main Street finds the band at their creative peak. Initially criticized because the songs didn't seem cohesive, the album's breadth and diversity show what's possible when Keith Richards has plenty of extra time on his hands.
Chavez Ravine takes place in LA during the 1950s. Unlike a lot of concept albums, the story is easy to follow. It kicks off with a groovy, laid-back “Poor Man’s Shangri-La,” then quickly takes you on a wild journey complete with The Dodgers, Mexican Culture, UFO landings, Joe Friday, and an increasing fear of Communism.
Constructed entirely of rare Primavera, this particular CL Deluxe is extremely resonant, and it only weighs 8 lbs 2 oz. We based its design off of '50s "custom" solid body templates, so it features a Lollar Staple pickup in the neck and Lollar P90 in the bridge. It's a hugely dynamic guitar with a ton of sustain. With the volume control wide open, it wants to make your amp growl, but when you roll back on the volume, it cleans up nicely.
We're told this is only the fifth guitar Collings has made out of Primavera. We sold this one to our friend Zack King of the Zack King Band. It's a fitting stage guitar, and we're sure it will inspire years of songs and stories.
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Basically, each string has a bridge in the middle that enables you to play on both sides of the string. Depending on where the bridge is (math, how does it work?), will determine the pitches.
I learned the "drumstick trick" from Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth. Loosen your strings, slide a drumstick under there, and slide it around. Different spots on the neck will result in different tones. For example, this riff started with the drumstick at the 14th fret, but I wanted what was happening under my left hand to happen under my right hand. So, I moved the drumstick to the 10th fret (math, how does it work?)and voila!
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First things first, don’t believe the message boards! It is all opinion. There is no “best.” There may be “better,” but “best” is always evolving (or I like to think it is). What works for 7-string low-tuned chugga-chugga, probably won’t work in your Lumineers cover band.
Delay before dirt? Why does my fuzz sound different when certain pedals are plugged into it? What is that awful screeching? Signal chain, or pedal order, can be a real head scratcher, and often overwhelm those new to the colorful world of effect pedals. Think about it like an assembly line. As your signal moves down the line, you are “stacking” effects on top of each other. So, if your choppy tremolo is after a thick reverb, your reverb trails will be chopped, with significant “on/off” from the tremolo. If you wire it the other way, tremolo into reverb, that “on/off” will be smeared or softened by the reverb trails. Make sense?
Sometimes the best way to learn is by making mistakes and then remembering them (that’s often the hard part for me). In my years of pedal trial and error, I think this chain is a good general place to start and experiment from here.
Guitar > Filter > Fuzz > Compression > Dirt > Modulation > Delay > Reverb > Amp
My personal pedalboard looks a little different, but that is due to my tastes, the desired effect, and perhaps some quirky pedal limitations. Maybe we will talk about that at some point, but for now lets look at the different categories and a few thoughts on them.
“Guitar > Filter > Fuzz”
Right off the bat, this is a tricky one. What I mean by “Filter” are Wah Wahs, Envelope Filters, Auto Wahs, Octave, Pitch Shifters, or any thing that is dynamic/responsive to your playing. Because of this, the pedal needs to see the cleanest signal possible in order to achieve the intended effect. However, a lot “Fuzz” pedals, especially vintage ones, can be finicky seeing anything but your guitar’s pickups first. Here comes your first dilemma. We could talk about the science of it, but I don't really want to. Thats just how it is, and this is where you have to make sacrifices or keep flipping pedals until you find a combination that works.
“Compression > Dirt”
I hear people say they don't like “Compression,” but they do, they just don't realize everything they’ve ever heard on record was sent through a compressor at some point in the production (probably multiple times, even). I’m not suggesting you need a compressor on your board, rather highlighting why someone would maybe want to run “Compression” after dirt or even the whole board. The sustain resulting from “Dirt > Compression” is really pretty amazing, just ask Trey Anastasio or your local Phish fan. However, you will likely experience more hum with this setup (but thats kind of what a compressor is supposed to do).
Finding the optimum signal chain for multiple “Dirt” pedals will take a bit of trial and error. For the longest time, I ran lowest gain to highest gain, but over the past couple years, I’ve preferred high to low. Reason being, having my clean boost last gives a volume bump to the dirt pedals before it. Preamp boosts, or “Amp-In-A-Box” pedals, are another thing to keep in mind. Think about it, if you have a pedal that emulates The Beatles or a Vox AC-30, wouldn’t you want everything running into that to have a “British” tone fingerprint when the signal moves on to the next stage? Which is…
“Modulation > Delay > Reverb”
For the sake of brevity, let’s lump anything that “wiggles,” “moves,” or “chops” in the “Modulation” category. As far as what order you want your “wiggles,” that’s where things can get real fun. There are so many different directions you could go. Generally, running them all into Tremolo seems most user friendly (PRO TIP: If you are running two modulations at the same time, try one slow and subtle while the other is fast and intense. But, two modulations at the same time is risky business. Good luck).
Traditionally, “Delay” comes next because that’s how it would have happened in the studio, but also because running some “wiggle,” like a phaser, into “Delay” is really pleasing once the delays start to overlap on each other. That said if you think about it, a lot of famous players got “Dirt” from their higher-gain amps (a la Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, etc), so you could make the argument that “Delay” should be before “Dirt,” and you wouldn’t really get a rebuttal out of me.
Again, “Reverb” makes sense at the end because this is how most of the music we listen to sounds, but “Reverb” into “Fuzz”… pretty awesome! Or, using a Wah Wah after a super-washy 80’s “Reverb” as a shape-shifting filter-y thing can be a ton of fun, too.
Still stuck looking for a certain tone? Look at what your favorite players have on their board. Maybe try to figure out what order it is in. After all, there’s a reason you like them. Buy pedals. Flip pedals. There are so many amazing tones waiting to be discovered!
Moral of the story, there are no “wrong” sounds. Trust your ear. At the end of the day, a lot of those “wrong” sounds wind up being the exact tone needed to transform a regular riff into a memorable hook (have you ever listened to Radiohead or St. Vincent?). It can be frustrating because what sounds good in your bedroom may not sound good on stage, and what sounds good on stage might sound like crap in your bedroom, but always remember this is supposed to be fun! Experiment! Take chances! Piss off your roommates and neighbors! Rock out!
]]>Obviously, the Baby Taylor was a huge success, but there are a few flaws that you should know about before you purchase a 3/4-scale travel or kids guitar. Here's a little story we posted on our Instagram.
Now let's look at a LX series Martin.
You'll notice there are no wood screws in the neck.
That's because...
there's a proper neck joint with a heel.
Just like a real guitar!
Plus, it says Martin on the headstock.
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