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Best tone 3 questions
kungfumonk007
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1. Whose tone do you most admire and can you describe it?
2. Best tips on technique for tone.
3. Gear tips for tone
Comments
Sam Farthing. I learned some from him at Django in June but I’m not sure how to put it in writing!
2) I'm thinking a looser grip on the pick = a more brilliant and complex tone. I'm not totally sure but I'm thinking allowing the pick to hinge back and forth in your fingers seems to give me a more sophisticated tone. For a long time I was holding it pretty firmly and pushing it through the string but it sort of makes sense that allowing it to rock gives a lower angle of attack and maybe is less violent to the string.
3) I don't think gear does a ton for tone, most players will sound like themselves on most guitars. A good instrument will make it easier for a player to get the sound they want but ultimately I think it's the way the player approaches the instrument that makes the tone.
But my guitars all have great tone and you should buy one.
It seems like a variety of people use a variety of picks and all end up with their own tone so I don't think any one setup is going to fix any particular problems.
3. I love Django's electric stuff. I find that a Krivo pick-up through a Blues Jr gets me where I want to be every time.
Your #2, you nailed this one on the head. Actually I observed Sam doing exactly that, except when he's playing a super fast run, then he'll grip it stronger. But in general as a default, all one needs is enough grip so the pick won't drop if you hang your hand towards the floor.
3 Gear has no effect on the tone, at least I don't think it does. It does on the sound, different things however. Although there's been top players that say they couldn't get their tone without a 5mm pick. Also, the tone the player gets, and the way a guitar sounds, two different things.
I made this little excerpt of Edouard Pennes playing...he does this thing where he releases his grip on the pick almost every pause he takes. I'm not totally sure why he does it but maybe it helps him control how much pressure he wants to use.
I actually think that the looser grip helps you play faster, not totally sure why Sam would tighten up to play fast but maybe I'm wrong.
@paulmcevoy75 But my guitars all have great tone and you should buy one.
This is my favorite advice so far. Buy Paul's guitars!
That's what I thought I noticed. His wrist was still loose and bouncy but the pick wasn't seesawing back and forth. This seesawing is what struck me though, to see that his grip was that loose and relaxed. I've been trying to do the same and it helped my playing.
If you look in slow mo, the pick is actually just sitting attached to his index finger with no thumb when he's between phrases. It reminds me of people dangling a cigarette off their lower lip.
It all works together. Gets you to keep both hands relaxed. I think when people say their pick rotates between their fingers, it's probably because of gripping it too tight. Can't see what else can cause that. I definitely had that issue early on but nowadays never.
This may be an unpopular opinion but I switched strings and am much happier. I use Argies normally but I find my Gitane John Jorgenson is really brittle and thin, like it had a built in high pass filter. And it has a wolf note around low-B, so the overall experience was like raking shards of glass next to a belching walrus (I imagine).
I decided to try D'Addario Silk & Steel (EJ40) and now the sound is more full bodied, as in, there are actually discernable mids now. String tension is only a little stiffer.