Ezine Articles

Have you ever heard a recording of a guitar solo and thought, "I wish I could get that tone"?

If you're like most of us the answer is a resounding "yes". We, as guitar players, are always looking for that new sound, that missing piece to the puzzle where we will discover nirvana...the perfect tone!

The interesting thing about guitar tone is that there are a million ways to adjust, tweak, and accomplish various tones. And even if we knew the exact guitar/amp/effects rig that the guitarist on the recording used, there are so many variables involved that it could be literally impossible to ever create an exact replication of the tone on the record. Close, but rarely exact.

But the fact that there are so many variables involved in guitar tone is an advantage. It allows us to create a sound that is unique and all our own, just by dialing a few knobs.

Here is a short list of methods you can use to "shape" your sound when searching for the perfect tone:

1. Guitar

Every guitar produces its own sound that is unique and set apart from others. Factors such as pickups, construction materials, fret board types and more all contribute to this. In addition, almost all guitars, electric and acoustic/electric have on board EQ controls. Start here by making adjustments in tone to suit your tastes.

2. Guitar Amp EQ

Most amps have a 3 band EQ that allows you to adjust the bass, middle, and high tone levels. There are limitless combinations here but you can begin by setting the bass and high (or treble) to a desired position, then adjusting the mid's. A boost of the mid range will produce more distortion, and a decrease will clean up your tone.

3. Guitar Amp Distortion

Many amps have "channel switching" capabilities that allow you to switch between a clean channel, and a distortion or gain channel. Within the distortion channel there will often be a channel "gain" adjustment, as well as a "master" volume level adjustment.

For more distortion, turn up the "gain" and lower the "master". For a cleaner crunch, turn down the "gain" and increase the "master.

4. Distortion Pedal

The number of various distortion pedals on the market are too numerous to mention and choosing one is often a matter of trial and error over a long period of time, and under extreme pressure to the wallet!

Each pedal has its own nuances and appeals to different segments of the guitar playing population. Adjustment options range from very basic and simplistic - to "over the top" complicated.

Even the simplest distortion pedals have a wide range of tonal options and the result is that no two guitarists with the same pedal ever sound exactly the same.

5. Compressor Pedal

A compressor or compressor/sustainer pedal acts to "level out" the transient peaks normally produced by a guitar. They are especially useful with a "Strat" style guitar with single coil pickups.

A compressor pedal can be used to "fatten" up the tone of a guitar that is otherwise thin sounding and help it jump out of the mix.

6. Wah Wah Pedal

A wah wah pedal is nothing more than a glorified tone potentiometer mounted in a foot controlled pedal. Most guitarists are familiar with the use of it as a means to produce a "wah" sound similar to that of a baby crying.

But because it is an overgrown tone control it can also be used to make tone adjustments by setting it in one position and leaving it there. It's a great way to produce a very "Santana-esque" sound.

7. String Attack

One huge issue in determining guitar tone that is often overlooked is the finger and pick attack on the strings and fret board.

Some players have a heavy attack, some lighter, others are somewhere in between - and as a result, we all produce a slightly different tone through our physical approach to the guitar.

In fact, you could take ten guitar players on the exact same rig set exactly the same way - and each would sound a little different simply due to their own unique string attack.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the only methods available for shaping your tone. There are, of course, numerous other types of effects pedals, many multitudes of guitar and amp combinations, acoustics of the room or venue - and other factors that contribute to guitar tone.

So how do we find the perfect guitar tone?

In over 30 years of playing guitar professionally my answer would be "we don't"! We often find a "great" tone that really trips our trigger for a while, then later we get restless for something new. That's just the nature of guitar players. We're always searching.

But whether it's a new tone, a new lick or riff, a new chord or scale, or a new song - the beauty of playing guitar might just be in the fact that we don't become complacent and satisfied with anything. That guitar playing is a journey with a destination never to be reached - that the true joy of making music on the guitar lies in the never ending pursuit of new discovery!