Electric guitar sounds. Test: the sound of electric guitars made from different types of wood and with different pickups

1. Initially correct sound

Before you begin processing the material, make sure that the source material is recorded correctly, played correctly and has the correct tone (timbre). As producer Joey Sturgis says, “If it (the guitar) doesn't sound great from the start, it probably doesn't have the right tone... It's all about tone and player; and if these two things are in harmony with each other, then all that remains to be done is to add your extra five percent.”

2. Inversions

A surefire way to add meat to the resulting sound is to duplicate the part, using different fingerings when playing. Try playing the same chord progression two different ways: the first time as originally intended, and the second time with inversions (for example, playing an open chord instead of a barre).

Romesh Dodangoda: “One of the most important prerequisites for a wide guitar sound is how you play the instrument. Sometimes I try different chord inversions because some of them sound more weighty and fat on their own. This is a really important step before finding the right sound, since only this can make the guitar play more powerful and heavier. Using different appeals in the left and right channels, you can add even more width to the overall sound. The thing is, the listener perceives these subtle differences, and they make him feel the guitar part is wider than it really is."

3. Maintain interest

Emotional contrast is most powerful tool in the hands of the artist. For example, in thrillers, silence usually precedes nervous scenes, while in music, dynamic contrasts can be used to create a feeling of volume and power. Joey Sturgis: “Look at your song like a movie or story where something constantly needs to happen. There shouldn't be one giant explosion from start to finish because then the song becomes one big boring brick. There are many tools to create variety - equalization, automation and combining different tones."

Romesh Dodangoda: “If, for example, there are a bunch of guitars piled up in the chorus, then when the chorus starts playing, these guitars will no longer seem so wide. Analyze the arrangement and identify places where you would like there to be width. This way you can create the right impression exactly in those places where it is most needed.”

4. Strings

Andy Sneap: “I think you can get too carried away with the thickness of the strings. If you go down in drop C, I wouldn't use anything thicker than .052 gauge. And in the case of normal settings - 0.046. In the old days, I always chose 0.011 - 0.056, but since there is a certain dullness in their sound, I find that the brightness is more thin strings may be preferable."

Joey Sturgis: “The thicker the strings, the better they hold the tune. However, we change strings quite often. It all depends on the situation. For example, a musician wants to play something in a special way– for example, to play certain notes with a specific bend – and, in this case, we take an instrument with thinner strings. Or, for example, if there is vibrato in the riff or some similar things. And then we go back to a big meat guitar that stays in tune well.”

5. Using lower tunings

As is known, low pitch Gives the guitar a fatter, meatier sound. Even if your song is in a normal key, you can easily add more meat to it if you record some tracks in a lower key. Try tuning your guitar to Eb or drop D, just remember to transpose the part so that the notes play correctly and in the right key.

6. Speaker selection

Andy Sneap:“I have long noticed that for lower tunings the choice of speakers is more important than the choice of amplifiers themselves. For example, Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30 work better with reduced formation, because they have a more accentuated middle. The lower the part, the more effort is required to achieve good readability of each note. And since many riffs are played on one string, the task becomes even more difficult. In a normal tuning, everything fits perfectly in its place, including the bass. But when you lower the tuning, you get a problem: the guitar ends up where the bass should be, and in general, the whole spectrum moves down. But, if there are these speakers in the cabinet, then due to the natural rise of the middle, you clear out this pile and improve the readability of the part.”

7. Create power with your hands, not an amplifier.

Andy Sneap: “Now there are amplifiers with high-gain saturation, where you can immediately create a powerful, hard sound. However, all this energy and pressure should be born in the hands of the musician, and not in the amplifier. If you play with the lowest possible gain, the sound will be the most transparent and readable.

8. Use gentle volume levels

Alain Johannes:“I think you don’t need huge, loud amplifiers for recording. Not all microphones can properly convey such levels. Better to use good models more modest sizes, the volume of which does not break the membranes. Take a good jazz album, for example, and you will hear how wonderful and big the drums sound. But this is just a small kit playing, backed by one or two tube microphones and slightly compressed. But these microphones captured the full frequency range and nothing was destroyed by excessive volume.

What happens when it's too loud for your ears? They stall. That's why I like small amps. If I have to use large devices, I try to set them to a fairly moderate volume. Then, you have wide access to a wide range of different microphones (for example, ribbon), thanks to which you can add depth, richness and texture that dynamic models cannot.

9. Recording double tracks

Double tracks are one of the most famous and simple ways add volume and weight to any guitar recording. The principle is outrageously simple: you just need to record the same part twice. The main condition is that both parties must play in sync with each other. If you neglect this aspect, the texture of the riff will suffer, there will be fuss in the stereo space and instead of the expected volume and weight you will end up with an ordinary mess.

10. Recording the acoustic sound of strings

If desired, you can add a percussion effect to the electric sound, similar to what we hear in the sound of an acoustic guitar. To do this, you need a condenser microphone (since the strings of an electric guitar themselves sound very quiet), located at a sufficient distance so as not to touch it with your hand. Of course, you need to take into account that it can pick up unnecessary sounds. For example, breathing, snoring, stomping or rumbling in the stomach.

11. Two tracks good – four tracks bad?

So, if a double track creates a bigger, fatter sound, then a quad track would probably give an even bigger sound? Not always. At the right approach, they can add dynamics to an arrangement, making the instruments sound very wide. Otherwise, instead of width and weight, you will get a dirty wall of overloaded guitars. Let's find out what the professionals say about this:

Romesh Dodangoda:“If the arrangement allows, I will record quad tracks. For one pair of tracks there will be one amplifier, and for the second - a completely different one. And sometimes, another guitar. This adds new frequencies and harmonics to the guitar part, and creates an ultra-wide, textured sound. However, quad tracks do not always work as they should. If, for example, the arrangement is overloaded, then it is better to stop at a double track. In some cases, two guitars play more powerfully and wider than four ( regarding this, I would like to refer you to an article from the seriesSecrets of mix engineers “Mike Fraser. AC/DC: Black Ice").

Andy Sneap: “Maybe there will be two tracks in the opening parts, but when it comes to the choruses, there will be four tracks to create a feeling of some kind of lift. You can also look for other chord inversions to make the sound more spacious. If you start with four tracks at once, you can quickly end up losing the readability of the performance. In fact, I prefer working with two tracks rather than four. I want to hear the attack in the notes. Many people think that bigger is better, but in my opinion this can lead to a chorus-like sound due to tuning discrepancies between the guitars and blurred performance due to rhythmic deviations during playing.

Tom Dalgety: “Instead of putting a tone together from many tracks, I immediately try to make the individual sound as big as possible. I often change microphones and recording techniques. For miking cabinets, I like condenser or ribbon microphones, although in some cases the Shure SM57 puts them under the belt. However, I usually record an office with only one microphone. But, if necessary, I can install and record much more. I think it’s better to spend some time and create two or three really cool tones than to sit and try to cobble together something out of fifteen pieces.”

Joey Sturgis: “I think there are significant misconceptions about how to make a big guitar. People think that to make a big sound you need a lot of guitar tracks. I recommend the completely opposite thing: I think that the smaller the guitars, the more powerful and spacious the sound. If there is only one guitar in the right and left channels, then you can load them with maximum power. And if there are already two tracks, then you need to compromise, turn something down so that they can be heard properly. It’s much easier to set up one really killer meat tone and just play with it.”

12. Use miscellaneous equipment and tools

Remember what we recently talked about small changes in hardware settings and how big influence Can they influence the final sound? By changing the configuration of your equipment between recording tracks, you can easily achieve a wide range of different tones. Try it different guitars, pickups, amplifiers and microphones. This will add interest and variety while keeping the listener's attention.

Tom Dalgety: “When recording takes, you can change the input level (gain) on your amps or pedals. So you get different harmonics for different tracks."

Romesh Dodangoda: “I like to use different amps for the right and left channels. For example, the rhythm guitar on the left will play through a Marshall, and on the right through a Blackstar. I find it best to keep the guitar the same so that the intonation and tuning are close in both channels. However, two different amps are a good way to add some width. Plus, it makes for a more interesting sound...”

Andy Sneap: “...Gary Holt (Exodus) played all the rhythm guitar parts. However, the right and left channels were recorded with slightly different sounds. This helps add a little width to the mix. The same sound in both channels makes the song sound boring and amateurish.”

13. Don't copy

Resist the temptation to simply copy the same file over multiple layers. Nothing good will come of this, since the spectrum will be the same everywhere. In some cases, this can lead to an antiphase effect, which in no way contributes to the fullness and power of the sound.

14. Use delay on solos

Romesh Dodangoda: “With a lead guitar, the delay can really extend it almost beyond the edges of the speakers. To begin with, try setting the left channel to 1/4, and the right channel to 1/8. Different time delay will create the illusion that the guitar is wider. I often use it to create interesting rhythmic effects in stereo. …The sound of a delay can vary greatly depending on where it is connected in the chain, so experiment and find what works best.”

15. Record two amps at the same time

If you have two different amplifiers, you can try recording them simultaneously - in fact, as if they were one device. To do this, you need to split the guitar signal (for example, use a splitter) and feed it to amplifiers. Ideally, they should be isolated from each other. Of course, this technique does not provide the same type of expansion as a true double track, but it nevertheless provides you with more volumetric range useful tones.

Alain Johannes: “I like to record with multiple microphones and multiple amps at the same time. I usually don't mic more than one speaker, but I will almost always have a room mic—ribbon or otherwise—to give everything a little depth. I can place the microphone behind the cabinet with the back open to get the feeling of air movement. And I like to send the signal to two amplifiers at once, setting a small delay in one of them, giving the sound a little more volume and width.”

16. Experiment with your equipment

It is worth saying that many famous musicians used when recording albums, including cheap semi-amateur equipment. Thanks to it, you can increase the tonal palette, add aggression and solve some problems associated with the readability of individual parts.

Alain Johannes: “If there is a guitar track that you really want to push forward, then why not record it through several amplifiers at once? You take an extra small home practice amp (like a Pignose) with its tinny “bzzz bzzz” and record along with the big rig. Now, by mixing this “bzzz bzzz” into the main track, you will be sure that it will be noticeable in any pile of instruments.”

17. Feel free to use emulators!

Virtual guitar amplifiers have already reached such perfection that not all people can distinguish their sound from the real thing. For example, Joey Sturgis really prefers to use amps to create heavy tones. “I use ampsimulators very heavily for this type of thing. There are some clients who come and ask for real amplifiers, and then I say to them: “Would you like to do a blind test?” And, in almost 99% of cases, people choose the ampsimulator.”

18. Add living air...

If you work purely in a virtual environment, and you think that guitars sound too sterile, then try to get out of the “box” and add a real microphone track to your project. Even if you take the signal out to some cheap amplifier and record it back through a microphone, this will help liven up the sound and create additional texture in the mix. [ In fact, we are talking about reamping - BVV].

19. ...Or create your own

Joey Sturgis: “If you need to add more air (brightness) to the sound, you can use an exciter or some kind of saturator. You can also copy a track and process the copy with an HP filter higher than 10 kHz. In fact, only a certain hiss will remain. This will be the “air”. Then, mix it back in until you hear the desired effect.”

20. Record clean tracks

In some cases, packs of distorted tracks may lose the attack and clarity of individual notes. This is especially true for games played on open strings. And how to solve this? Write parallel pure batches and mix them with the main ones! This way you will maintain readability and not damage the “meat”.

21. Work with speech simulators

Many guitar amps have direct signal output, bypassing the cabinet, so to speak. It doesn't sound the best in the best possible way however, such tracks can be very useful in later mixing. They can be processed with speaker simulators and get a wide range of different timbres.

22. Choose the right microphone placement

The microphone and its placement have a huge impact on the tone and character of the guitar amp. In fact, there are two main decisions to be made here: which part of the speaker the microphone will be placed in front of, and at what distance. By placing it in the center, you will get a brighter sound. Moved to the edge - darker. By changing the distance, you get a different amount of surroundings.

23. Be thoughtful about how you place elements in your mix.

Alain Johannes: “...I think mixing and arranging are related. For example, there are 10 things that are fighting for the same sound space... and decisions need to be made so that each track has its own natural space. And then mixing won't be so difficult anymore - you just need to place the parts in their parts of the spectrum. What's next? What's behind? What's behind it all? I like layered sounds. You can localize sounds from left to right, you can make them play right in front of the listener, you can move them away. There’s a lot of stuff to play with.”

24. Avoid bass build-up

A common problem when recording and mixing heavy guitars is the build-up of low frequencies. Often, the spectrums of the bass and guitar overlap, causing low frequencies to collide with each other, creating an unintelligible droning sound in the mix. If this occurs, try cutting frequencies below 120 Hz from the guitars.

25. Use automation

In addition to all other advantages, plugins allow us to change their parameters while playing a song. These changes can be recorded in a DAW and then used to develop the arrangement.

Joey Sturgis: “There are a lot of very useful tools. You can automate literally every parameter of the ampsimulator, but many people simply don’t do it.”

26. Keep the mids

Andy Sneap: “Don't fool yourself by cutting out the middle and thinking that it will give you the best sound. ...You need to control the timbre with your own hands. If you can play and get a good sound through the JCM800 without a Tube Screamer or any EQ in front of it, then your hands are in the right place.”

Who is who

Romesh Dodangoda owns Longwave Studios in Cardiff. Over the last decade he has become a sought-after producer and mix engineer on the British rock scene. He has worked with bands such as Twin Atlantic, Bullet For My Valentine, Funeral For A Friend, Sylosis and many others.

Tom Dalgety is a producer and mix engineer whose services have been used by: famous bands, like Band Of Skulls, Opeth, Turbowolf, The Macabees, Royal Blood.

Joey Sturgis began recording rock bands in 2004, and has been helping to forge the sound of modern metalcore ever since. He has worked with bands such as Asking Alexandria, Miss May I, Emmure, Blessthefall and many others. He also has his own plugin development company, Joey Sturgis Tones.

Andy Sneap started out with such titans as Arch Enemy, Megadeth, Exodus and Machine Head. Now he is one of the world's most famous metal producers. Andy owns Backstage Studios in Yorkshire and works with Toontrack.

Alain Johannes has worked as a mix engineer and producer with such artists as Chris Cornell, Arctic Monkeys, Jimmy Eat World, Hilary Duff, Kelly Clarkson and many others. In addition, he worked as a tour engineer with a huge amount different groups and artists including Queens Of The Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures.

Translation prepared by Vyacheslav Berezhnoy

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Mike Senior: Recording Guitar Amplifiers

Find out what sound you like. Listen to other guitarists and choose a sound that suits you. It's hard to get the sound you want if you don't know what it sounds like.

Listen carefully to the current sound of your guitar. Pay attention to the quality of the sound produced and how you can influence it. Listen to your guitar in different pickup selector positions and turn the tone control knob.

Experiment with touching the strings. Try changing the way you produce sounds. Pay attention to how the sound changes depending on the attack. Your guitar vibrato will become your personal signature, years of practice will improve the sound. The sound of a guitar depends on where you play. Playing closer to the bridge makes the sound sharper, and conversely, playing closer to the neck softens the sound.

Change strings. New set strings can radically change the sound of any guitar. A different string size will also change the sound dramatically. Try different sets of strings to find out which string gauge you like and which sounds best.

Change pickups. Cheap pickups are often an insurmountable obstacle to great sound. Coil coils, humbuckers, P90s and Telecasters all have different sounds and require different playing styles. If you leave the usual pre-installed sensors, the sound will most likely suffer greatly.

Where does the signal from the guitar go? Directly into the amplifier? If you use effects, make sure they are of high quality so that there is no interference or interference. Cheap is rarely quality. Even if you don't have the money for a tube Marshall, you can try using iRig. Avoid cheap solid state amps like Line6 Spiders or Marshall MGs. This is probably the best thing you can do for great sound. A guitar for 5,000 rubles will sound good through an excellent amplifier. But a cheap amplifier will destroy the sound of even a guitar costing 50,000 rubles.

If you are still not satisfied with the sound of your guitar, it may be the case. Solid body guitars sound very different from full body or half body guitars. New guitar may have exactly the sound you dreamed of.

Technique of the game. Good technique will definitely contribute to your overall sound, and you may even learn to play like Joe Satriani, or at least master a difficult solo you've been learning for a long time. If you like someone's game, learning their technique will help a lot. For example, if you want a sound like RHCP, you'll need to learn some rock and funk playing techniques, like muting the strings with your left hand, and paying attention to your pinky finger technique when strumming chords. It will also help you write songs better, since you won't be limited by your playing technique.

A few words about electromagnetic pickups for electric guitars

If we talk about the smooth frequency response of sensors, then theoretically, an ideal electromagnetic sensor is a sensor with one turn. The efficiency of such a sensor will be scanty and excludes the possibility of its use. Sensors that have 4000-6000 turns per section (humbucker) and 6000-8000 (single coils with alnico magnets) have found practical application. Frequency response in this case it is far from linear due to the large number of turns. “Humps” in the frequency response, their size and location within the frequency range depend on the number of turns, the type of magnetic circuit, the mass of the magnet and the material from which it is made.

It so happened historically that in the process of popularizing the electric guitar, sensors became a tool for forming a certain timbre of the electric guitar, and for different types guitars use pickups with different frequency response.

"Stratocaster" vs "Les Paul"

Over time, a certain classical standard and requirements for guitars have emerged. For example, a typical Stratocaster sounds different than a Les Paul. The sound is different not only because of the timbre of the pickups, which sound brighter on the Stratocaster. The sound of the Les Paul is influenced by its shorter scale length than the Stratocaster. When using the same thickness of strings, notes played on a guitar with a short scale will sound longer, since the tension of the strings will be less than on a Stratocaster and their vibrations will last longer.

• Les Paul 1, NECK 0:15 pickup
• Stratocaster 1, NECK pickup 0:08

The density of the Les Paul's tone is given by the mahogany body, as well as the glued-in neck. The location of the "bridge" pickup on the LP is closer to the bridge than on guitars with a standard scale - and the closer the pickup is to the bridge, the more "upper mids" there is in the sound. For the design of the Les Paul guitar, this decision is not at all accidental. After all, if we take into account the scale length, the sound would be too “mushy” and less readable with the standard arrangement of the bridge pickup. In addition to this, we have a more significant difference in the sound of the neck and bridge pickups.

Active or passive sensors - pros and cons

Active sensors do not have this drawback (for example, sensors from EMG). The number of turns in active sensors is 2-3 times less, so the signal is weaker, but the frequency response does not have high “humps” and is more linear than “passive”. To compensate low level output signal from the coils, a small pre-amplifier built into the sensor is used. The signal is further amplified and the guitar cord no longer has such an effect on the sound. The disadvantage of such sensors is the additional noise from the pre-amplifier chips. However, it is so insignificant that not everyone will notice it, even if you use “HI-GAIN Distortion”. "EMG 81" is a little more noisy than "EMG 85", but the background level of the "active" is lower than that of passive sensors.

Not all musicians like to use active pickups - their specific frequency response causes completely different sensations than when playing with “passive” ones. “Active” has a more readable and “sterile” sound. Recommended if you want to achieve good readability. They will also be useful if your guitar processing produces a “locking” effect at low frequencies.

• Les Paul 1, EMG 85 NECK 0:04

It’s now fashionable on guitar forums to criticize active pickups and say that the sound with them is devoid of dynamics, but this is not so. It is enough to open the sound files of active and passive sensors, attached to the article, in any audio editor and compare the wave amplitude and the moment of attack. For passive pickups, one of the resonant “humps” is located in the region of 80-200Hz, so there may be a subjective feeling that the braided strings sound louder and thicker than the “active” ones. Apparently, accusations of a weak attack are associated with this factor, but in any case, “active” or “passive” is a matter of taste, and it’s not customary to argue about tastes.

Wood species

To say that all guitars made from, say, X wood will sound the same is nonsense. Different types of wood only have certain common tendencies in terms of sound, but nothing more. Even the pattern of the fiber structure in pieces of one sawn tree is different, as well as the weight of each of them - the density of the tree differs from the base of the root to the middle of the trunk. And despite external resemblance, no one has 100% repeatability with all the nuances - even with assembly line assembly of guitars from the same type of wood, the sound color varies from guitar to guitar. Perhaps it is precisely this fact that gives rise to such a large number of contradictory rumors and statements, but in my opinion, this is what makes guitars interesting. Guitar wood should only be dried under natural conditions. High-speed drying does not have the best effect on wood fibers.

The varnish coating is also important. If the varnish layer is too thick and the varnish structure is hard, the openness of the low frequencies will be lost. The “sustain” (duration of sound) of a guitar depends on the material of the body, its exposure, the type of fastening of the guitar neck, the length of the scale, the design of the stand, the materials from which it is made and the coating of the guitar. It is the moment of contact between the string and the wood that is important to transfer the vibrational energy of the strings to the body. The energy from the strings should not sink into the body of the guitar like water; ideally, this energy should return back to the strings and work as one unit.

Conditions for recording sound samples

Overdriven sound— (“GAIN” 2 hours), Amplifier — , guitar speaker — “Сelestion Greenback”, 1 microphone “Shure SM 57”, mixer, computer sound card.

Examples: “Bridge” sensor - raw sound from the microphone is recorded in the left channel, a light “reverb” with “delay” is the right channel, if this interferes with adequate sound perception, you should shift the balance when listening to the left. Thus, we will hear the signal without the slightest hint of processing.

Acoustic sound— Amplifier — guitar speaker — “Celestion Greenback”, 1 microphone “Shure SM 57”, signal from the speaker — left channel, signal from the preamplifier — right channel (line), mixer, computer sound card.

STRATOCASTER 1

• Body - alder (glued from 2 pieces)
• Neck - maple (solid)
• Sensors: bridge - Dimarzio Fast Track2, middle - udaloff alnico single-coil, neck - udaloff alnico humbucker

The body of the Stratocaster 1 is made of alder. Maple neck. The guitar has a bright attack sound, and a not entirely smooth and predictable moment of string decay at different frets. But the timbre is still quite soft. Using a "mini-humbucker" in the Stratocaster 1, rhythmic patterns and full chords with a distortion effect sound quite tightly and with good readability. The guitar has an unusual sound difference from most others: the G note smoothly transitions into a harmonic in all available octaves, regardless of whether it is connected to an amplifier or not. The secret of this phenomenon most likely lies in the custom Floyd Rose. It is plated with real gold, the material of the springs and frame is different from the standard Floyd Rose. The frame is rigid - hardening was carried out using a special technology, all parts are made more carefully to ensure better transfer of the energy of the strings to the body. For this reason, the sustain of this guitar is not quite typical for Stratocaster-type guitars. The guitar was made in 1997.

• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06
• Example, Bridge sensor 0:12

STRATOCASTER 2

• Body - ash (glued from 3 pieces)
• Neck - maple (solid)
• Sensors: bridge — Dimarzio Fast Track2, middle — Dimarzio FS-1, neck — Dimarzio DP404

• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The body of the Stratocaster 2 is made of ash. The texture of this wood is denser and the body of the guitar is heavier than alder. The moment of attack is even brighter than with alder, the decay of the strings is more confident. Rhythmic Russians played on 6-4 strings sound more aggressive in attack than with alder. In the sound example, the sound is slightly thinner than an alder guitar due to the thinner strings. The sound of this guitar cannot be called soft; it is more suitable for the classic interpretation of the “Stratocaster”.

STRATOCASTER 3

• Body - ash (glued from 3 pieces), Neck - maple (solid)
• Sensors: bridge - Schaller Golden 50(alnico), middle - Dimarzio FS-1, neck - Dimarzio DP404, piezo - fishman powerbridge
• Strings – Fender Stainless Bullets 10-46

• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:05
• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06
• Piezo Sensor Fishman PowerBridge 0:03
• Piezo Sensor Fishman PowerBridge 0:05

The body of the Stratocaster 3 is made of ash, only denser than the Stratocaster 2. The sound of the guitar is similar to the Stratocaster 2, but differs in the attack and release times. This sound can be compared to German language by ear - “he said it as if he cut it off.” These characteristics are ideal for playing short, staccato chords and fast passages, arpeggios and sharp blues solos. The timbre of the instrument is bright, not without a dense low end and with good sustain, but the sound is not soft, high overtones are emphasized.

LES PAUL 1

• Body - mahogany (glued from 2 pieces), top - Karelian birch
• Glued neck - maple with ebony fingerboard
• Strings – Fender Stainless Bullets 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The body of Les Paul 1 is made of mahogany (Honduras), the neck is made of maple. The “top” is Karelian birch. This is not the standard material for “top” LP guitars. It is similar in density to maple, but emphasizes the resonance of the guitar more. With active pickups it doesn't sound quite like a classic LP, but unplugged it sounds louder than regular guitars and has what is commonly called an LP sound. The guitar has excellent sustain and a very melodious sound with a smooth attack moment and no unnecessary beats. The EMG 85 pickup in the neck position sounds very clean and wide with the Distortion effect, the readability of individual notes is higher than with any passive pickup. “EMG 81” in the “bridge” is a controversial issue; the timbre is obtained with it without the usual lower mids inherent in classic LP pickups. Not suitable for all musical tasks.

LES PAUL 2

• Body - mahogany (glued from 2 pieces), top - maple
• Strings – DR 10-46

The Les Paul 2 body and neck are made of mahogany (Honduras), and the top is made of maple. This guitar sounds like a classic LP paired with a set of passive pickups. Maple top, unlike Karelian birch, gives a more even timbre. Unplugged, the sound is similar to a Les Paul 1, but a little quieter.

SV model

• Body - linden (one piece), top - ash
• Neck - maple with rosewood fingerboard
• Sensors: bridge - seymour duncan SH-4 jb model, neck - seymour duncan SH-2 jazz model
• Strings - GHS 10-46

• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:05
• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06
• NECK sensor, parallel coil connection 0:05

The SV guitar, commissioned by Sergei Vlasov, is based on Ibanez guitars, but made using a different technology. This is a kind of experiment with a combination of different types of wood. The body is made of basswood, but has an ash top. This idea, according to the customer’s theoretical calculations, was supposed to give more high frequencies while maintaining the sound qualities of linden. In practice, the result was a guitar in which the sound qualities of linden were more dominant. The ash top rather added solidity to the sound and “sustain”.

X1

• Body - Honduras mahogany (2 pieces on the sides and the central part with the neck)
• Neck: Mahogany with rosewood fingerboard
• Sensors: bridge – Dimarzio Evolution, neck – seymour duncan SH-2 jazz model
• Strings – DR 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:05

The X1 guitar is made based on Maverick guitars, entirely from mahogany (Honduras), with a rosewood fretboard. The instrument has a dense and even dynamic sound, the moment of attack is smoothed out. There is a feeling of compression on every note played, due to which complex passages are easily won, which with other guitars require some training and work on the volume of each note. The timbre of the guitar has a resonant, rich beauty in the “upper middle”; this can be heard even when unplugged.

Telecaster

• Body - alder (glued from 3 pieces),
• Neck: maple with rosewood fingerboard
• Pickups: Fender® Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickup Set
• Strings – Fender Stainless Bullets 9-42

• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The Telecaster body is made of alder. The guitar sounds open and bright, but there is less midrange in the sound than the Stratocaster 1, which also has an alder body but no rosewood fingerboard. The Fender Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickup pickups have, in my opinion, too strong magnets, their magnetic field affects the damping pattern of the strings. The frequency response of the pickups has very sharp rises in the “upper mids”, so the sound is not as dense in timbre compared to other pickups. However, this is where the classic Telecaster should differ from other guitars.

LES PAUL 3

• Body - African mahogany (one piece), maple top
• Sensors: bridge - seymour duncan SH-4 jb model, neck - seymour duncan SH-2 jazz model
• Strings – DR 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:05

Les Paul gold top is one of the few guitars in the test, the body of which is made of African mahogany. The fiber structure of this tree is denser than Honduras mahogany. The weight of this type of wood is also higher, and to compensate for this disadvantage, additional milling was done inside the body in the center before gluing it to the top. The sound differs from the LP from Honduras mahogany - the lower mids are juicier, and the moment of attack is somewhat different from other LPs.

LES PAUL 4

• Glued neck - mahogany (Honduras) with ebony fingerboard
• Sensors: bridge - EMG 81, neck - EMG 85
• Strings – DR 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The Les Paul 4 is built similarly to the Les Paul 1 except for the neck material. The sound of the 2 guitars is similar, but the LP with the maple neck sounds a little brighter. The location of the pickup at the bridge is shifted closer to the neck by 6mm from the standard position for these guitars. This was done in order to emphasize the lower mids, since in a Les Paul with a standard bridge pickup position, the sound from the EMG 81 is somewhat thin. IN in this case This is an element of small sound correction, taking into account the guitar equipment used by the customer.

LES PAUL 5

• Body - African mahogany (one piece), top - Karelian birch
• Set Neck - Maple with Rosewood Fingerboard
• Sensors: bridge - seymour duncan SH 1 (classic 59), neck - seymour duncan SH-2 jazz model
• Strings – DR 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:05
• NECK sensor, parallel connection of coils 0:04

The Les Paul 5 features a rosewood fingerboard and a brighter, richer Karelian birch top. When unplugged, the guitar gives a rich resonance in the middle, but it also has the low end characteristic of an LP. Guitars with rosewood fingerboards tend to sound brighter than guitars with ebony fingerboards. The bridge pickup is not the best configuration in the test of all guitars. This sensor was chosen by the customer by chance, after reading short reviews on English-language sites. In fact, this pickup has a sharp hump at 6 kHz, a weak output and a cut off low end, it is very similar in timbre to a single coil. Such a thin and weak signal from the pickup does not fit well with the rich wood sound of this LP. With the Distortion effect this becomes especially noticeable. If you are trying to get a sound like some heroes of the 70s of the last century, then perhaps this is the sensor that will suit you (Vintage Tone).

LES PAUL 6

• Body - Honduras mahogany (one piece), top - Karelian birch
• Glued neck - mahogany with ebony fingerboard
• Pickups: bridge – Dimarzio Super Distortion, neck – Dimarzio PAF Classic neck
• Strings – DR 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:05
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The Les Paul 6 unplugged sounds similar to the Les Paul 1, but the mids are less bright. In this case, it is interesting to compare this particular LP with others, since this LP has Dimarzio pickups installed and their characteristic coloring can be heard on the samples. With Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge there is a compression effect (2 sample-sensor Bridge and distortion T324), which gives a feeling of ease in the game. The Dimarzio PAF Classic sounds richer with Distorton than the SH-2 Jazz model from Seymour Duncan.

TD model

• Body - Honduras mahogany, top - Karelian birch
• Neck through - mahogany with ebony fretboard
• Sensors: bridge - seymour duncan SH-4 jb model, neck - seymour duncan SH-2 jazz model
• Strings – Fender Stainless Bullets 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:04
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:05

The guitar has good sustain, a tight and even sound on all frets, which is what LP sounds like. The standard scale length, like all strat-like guitars, makes it possible to carve bright artificial harmonics, and the specific materials from which the guitar is made allow it to have an elastic bottom. For the person who plays for a long time on a Stratocaster - ease of play for 5+. It is very easy to play fast arpeggios with 32 notes, as well as legato and staccato. One of the lightest and easiest to play guitars I've ever held in my hands.

S.G.

• Body - Honduras mahogany (2 pieces glued together)
• Glued neck - Honduras mahogany with ebony fingerboard
• Sensors: bridge - EMG 81, neck - EMG 85
• Strings – D’Addario 10-46

• Acoustic sound, NECK sensor 0:05
• Acoustic sound, BRIDGE sensor 0:04
• Bridge and distortion sensor T324 0:06

The SG body is noticeably thinner than the LP body, and with the same arrangement of sensors as the LP, the bottom is denser. The absence of a maple top and a thinner body makes its own adjustments to the sound. Even the EMG 81 pickup, which is quite sharp in timbre, sounds denser with the SG than with the LP.

To correctly answer this question, it is necessary to answer the following questions: what influences the sound of an electric guitar and who or what is the reason for the unsatisfactory sound of the instrument in a given case.

Let's first try to figure out when the desire to improve the sound of an electric guitar arises. In general, dissatisfaction with the sound of an electric guitar manifests itself when comparing the sound of your own electric guitar with some reference sound, which is most often associated with the sound of the instrument of your favorite guitarist. Indeed, if a person has never heard the sound of another electric guitar, then he cannot say that the sound of his electric guitar is better or worse. He can say that he likes the sound of an electric guitar more or less compared to the sounds he knows, for example, if he knows what a piano and violin sound like, then he can say that he likes the sound of an electric guitar more or less than the sound of these musical instruments.

So, comparing the sound of their electric guitar with the sound of the electric guitar of their favorite performer, many come to the conclusion that they need to change and buy something in order to get a sound more similar to the standard. To do this, some beginning guitarists try to purchase an electric guitar and equipment similar to what their favorite performers use. But after some time after purchasing these expensive goods, the question arises, where is the sound and why doesn’t the electric guitar sound like my favorite guitarist? Let's see what factors influence the sound of an electric guitar:

• executor
• electric guitar
• sound system
• acoustics and sound

As a rule, these components make different contributions to the final sound, so the main task is to correctly identify and eliminate the most problematic aspect.

Executor

Beginning guitarists often believe that the sound of an electric guitar is determined solely by the parameters of the instrument itself and the sound reproduction system, so they tend to purchase a more expensive electric guitar, more expensive effects pedals, processors, and amps. However, in many cases, the reason for the unsatisfactory sound of an electric guitar is the performer himself, or rather, his weak sound production skills. It is very simple to verify this - first invite the performer to play the phrase on his electric guitar, and then on a professional expensive instrument of the same type. A performer with poor sound production skills has the sound of an electric guitar for 9,000 rubles. and for 50,000 rubles. will not have any fundamental differences, so modifying the electric guitar in this case will not qualitatively improve its sound. The same can be said about the sound reproduction system. By purchasing a more professional amp, pedal or effects processor, the sound of the electric guitar will change, but these changes will improve the quality of the physics of the sound, but not the quality of the overall sound.

When talking about sound production, we mean the technique of playing it: positioning and movements of the hands, the way of holding the pick with the fingers of the right hand, muting the strings with the hands, the nature of the interaction of the pick with the strings (the angle of contact of the pick with the strings, the depth of lowering of the pick relative to the surface of the strings), the position of the point of contact of the pick and strings, etc. It is clear that it is simply impossible for a beginning guitarist to keep track of all this, so here we are talking about control when playing an instrument. What does good sound production mean? There are some general rules that, under the supervision of a teacher, allow one to gain the skills of competent sound production, although each guitar teacher brings something of his own to the learning process, which later makes it possible to compare the quality of teaching from one or another teacher. By the way, if you don’t like the sound of an electric guitar, then before selling it, ask a teacher (a salesman-musician in a store, a musician friend) to play it. I believe that in many cases you will hear the real sound of your electric guitar and the question of buying a new electric guitar, pickups and other equipment will disappear on its own, since the problem was not with them, but with the fact that you have not yet developed the skill of good sound production.

Electric guitar

Generally speaking, the sound of an electric guitar is influenced by: “wood”, “metal” and “electronics”, as well as how well all this is implemented in the electric guitar. Here, “wood” means the material from which the body and neck are made, “metal” means strings and structural elements (mechanics of the bridge and tuners, nuts, etc.), electronics – pickups and timbre block.

The question of modifying an electric guitar (changing pickups, strings from the point of view of improving sound quality) can be raised if you are not satisfied with the way it sounds when played by a competent musician on good equipment. Generally speaking, a good guitarist, thanks to sound production, can produce sound on a very mediocre instrument, but situations are not uncommon when the problem lies precisely in the electric guitar or in the wrong choice of electric guitar. Those. the guitarist likes a warm blues sound, but he plays an electric guitar for playing punk and heavy styles, or he wants a “bright clean sound”, and he plays humbuckers, etc.

What can you do to improve the sound of an electric guitar? We are not considering changing the wood, since it is more practical to choose another electric guitar. So that leaves strings and electronics. New strings can make a big difference in the sound for a while, so this is the first thing you can do without breaking the bank. Replacing pickups and electronics (from passive to active) does not always provide quality improvements if the guitar doesn't sound good in the first place. First you need to understand whether it is possible to fundamentally improve the sound of an electric guitar? The problem with many inexpensive electric guitar models is a dull and unintelligible sound (no highs, unreadable mids and lows). Previously, electric guitars were even divided into rhythm guitars and lead guitars. Moreover, with the first ones, nothing sounded except for the middle. To find out the potential of an electric guitar, unplug the cord from it and compare its sound with other electric guitars, also unplugged. If the sound is barely audible even on new strings, then most likely there is little that can be done, since “wood does not work for sound.” If the sound is quite loud when turned off, then connect the electric guitar directly (without pedals or processors) to a good sound reproduction system and listen to its clear sound with the tone controls on the system and guitar in neutral. After that, try using the pickup switches and tone controls to get the brightest sound in the high frequencies. On a number of electric guitars, a bright top is simply impossible to achieve, despite the abundance of tone controls and large number pickup switch positions. If there are no high frequencies in the clean sound, then they will not be in the processed sound. If everything is quite good on a clean sound, then, most likely, improving the sound of an electric guitar is associated with the desire to change the quality of the sound physics or its character. In this case, changing pickups and (or) purchasing higher-quality elements of the sound-reproducing line can significantly change the sound of the instrument.

Sound system

Here we will understand by sound reproduction system everything that is connected after the electric guitar: from effects pedals to the speaker system.

Let's conditionally accept that the sound production and the guitar itself suit us. But at the same time I want to improve the sound. Since an electric guitar does not produce an acoustic sound, but an electrical signal, the sound reproduction system can significantly affect the resulting sound, i.e. we can improve the sound quality and change the character and color of the sound.

Sound quality

Since the signal from an electric guitar can go through various processing and effects, you need to decide where you need to improve the sound - in a clean or processed sound. In most cases, dissatisfaction is caused by an overloaded sound, when they say that it is: sandy, does not sound rich and dense enough, quickly fades, is interrupted, weak middle, bass drones, no highs, something constantly hums, whistles, etc., etc. .e. The problem is the low quality of sound processing. As is known, The general trend is this: the better the sound, the more expensive the device. At the same time, there is a certain average price level for goods, below which the probability of purchasing a quality product is very small. Let’s assume that the average market price for an effect pedal in the region is about 2,500 rubles. The question arises: can a pedal for 700 rubles? qualitatively overload the signal? No. And the pedal for 1500 rubles? Most likely no. It is not difficult to calculate that a well-designed board of 5 pedals will cost about 14-15 thousand rubles, and, most likely, it will “sound” much better than an “all-in-one” device for 5-7 thousand rubles . Therefore, to improve sound quality, it is necessary to use devices that cost above average and provide some acceptable sound quality.

Sound character

Currently, there are two types of audio processing with fundamentally different results: analog and digital. The advantage of analog sound is richness, density and transmission of nuances. The advantages of digital processing are softness, functionality and low price.

If you like the pronounced, harsh and characteristic sound of an electric guitar, then most likely you will not like the soft and smooth digital sound of a processor. In this case, it is better to connect the electric guitar to a good amp. If you prefer synthesized sounds, then a guitar processor or effect pedal connected in line may well be suitable.

There are situations when it is difficult for a beginning guitarist to understand what sound he likes. In this case, buying a guitar modeling processor will be more practical than buying a amp or an effect pedal, since with the help of the former you can understand the basis of different sounds. Of course, “overloaded digital” sounds much softer and less interesting compared to analog overdrive, but when it comes to clean sound effects, mid-price guitar processors can already give analogue devices a run for their money.

Acoustics and sound accompaniment

To feel the sound of an electric guitar through a amp, you need to set the volume to a high level, which is impossible at home, so here we will talk about the psychological perception of sound.

We indicated above that the sound of an electric guitar played in line is somewhat softer compared to the sound of a combo. However, many guitarists play through a amp at home and do not find the sound harsh. They like the distinct, sharp, tight, “masculine” sound of an electric guitar. But other guitarists like a softer electric guitar sound in the mix, where the emphasis is not on the sound of the electric guitar itself, but on how it sounds when accompanied by other instruments. If synthesizer accompaniment is used as accompaniment, then the “live” sound of the electric guitar through the amp will fall out of the smooth digital sound of the accompaniment. In this case, connecting an electric guitar in line and using a guitar effects processor will allow you to get a more consistent electric guitar sound with the accompaniment.

Now you can see that the sound of an electric guitar is influenced by many factors. And not always purchasing more expensive accessories and equipment can significantly improve it.

Source: udaloff.com
Evgeny Udalov

A few words about electromagnetic pickups for electric guitars:

If we talk about the smooth frequency response of sensors, then theoretically, an ideal electromagnetic sensor is a sensor with one turn. The efficiency of such a sensor will be scanty and excludes the possibility of its use. Practical applications have been found for sensors that have 4000-6000 turns per section (humbucker) and 6000-8000 (single coils with alnico magnets). The frequency response in this case is far from linear due to the large number of turns. “Humps” in the frequency response, their size and location within the frequency range depend on the number of turns, the type of magnetic circuit, the mass of the magnet and the material from which it is made.

Historically, in the process of popularizing the electric guitar, pickups became a tool for forming a specific timbre of an electric guitar, and pickups with different frequency responses are used for different types of guitars.

"Stratocaster" vs "Les Paul":

Over time, a certain classical standard and requirements for guitars have emerged. For example, a typical Stratocaster sounds different than a Les Paul. The sound is different not only because of the timbre of the pickups, which sound brighter on the Stratocaster. The sound of the Les Paul is influenced by its shorter scale length than the Stratocaster. When using the same thickness of strings, notes played on a guitar with a short scale will sound longer, since the tension of the strings will be less than with a Stratocaster, and their vibrations will last longer.

The density of the Les Paul's timbre is given by the mahogany body, as well as the glued-in neck. The location of the "bridge" pickup on LPs is closer to the bridge than on standard-scale guitars - and the closer the pickup is to the bridge, the more "upper mids" there is in the sound. For the design of the Les Paul guitar, this decision is not at all accidental. After all, if we take into account the scale length, the sound would be too “mushy” and less readable with the standard arrangement of the bridge pickup. In addition to this, we have a more significant difference in the sound of the neck and bridge pickups.

Active or passive sensors - pros and cons:

Active sensors do not have this drawback (for example, sensors from EMG). The number of turns in active sensors is 2-3 times less, so the signal is weaker, but the frequency response does not have high “humps” and is more linear than “passive”. To compensate for the low output level from the coils, a small pre-amplifier is used, built into the sensor. The signal is further amplified and the guitar cord no longer has such an effect on the sound. The disadvantage of such sensors is the additional noise from the pre-amplifier chips. However, it is so insignificant that not everyone will notice it, even if you use "HI-GAIN Distortion". "EMG 81" is a little more noisy than "EMG 85", but the background level of the "active" is lower than that of passive sensors.

Not all musicians like to use active pickups - their specific frequency response causes completely different sensations than when playing with “passive” ones. "Active" has a more readable and "sterile" sound. Recommended if you want to achieve good readability. They will also be useful if your guitar processing produces a “locking” effect at low frequencies.

It’s now fashionable on guitar forums to criticize active pickups and say that the sound with them is devoid of dynamics, but this is not so. It is enough to open the sound files of active and passive sensors, attached to the article, in any audio editor and compare the wave amplitude and the moment of attack. For passive pickups, one of the resonant “humps” is located in the region of 80-200Hz, so there may be a subjective feeling that the braided strings sound louder and thicker than the “active” ones. Apparently, accusations of a weak attack are associated with this factor, but in any case, “active” or “passive” is a matter of taste, and it’s not customary to argue about tastes.

Wood species:

To say that all guitars made from, say, X wood will sound the same is nonsense. Different types of wood only have certain common tendencies in terms of sound, but nothing more. Even the pattern of the fiber structure in pieces of one sawn tree is different, as well as the weight of each of them - the density of the tree differs from the base of the root to the middle of the trunk. And despite the external similarity, no one has 100% repeatability with all the nuances - even with assembly line assembly of guitars from the same type of wood, the sound color varies from guitar to guitar. Perhaps it is this fact that gives rise to such a large number of contradictory rumors and statements, but in my opinion, this is what makes guitars interesting. Guitar wood should only be dried under natural conditions. High-speed drying does not have the best effect on wood fibers.

The varnish coating is also important. If the varnish layer is too thick and the varnish structure is hard, the openness of the low frequencies will be lost. The "sustain" (duration of sound) of a guitar depends on the material of the body, its exposure, the type of fastening of the guitar neck, the length of the scale, the design of the stand, the materials from which it is made and the coating of the guitar. It is the moment of contact between the string and the wood that is important to transfer the vibrational energy of the strings to the body. The energy from the strings should not sink into the body of the guitar like water; ideally, this energy should return back to the strings and work as one unit.

Conditions for recording sound examples:

Overdriven sound- "T-324" ("GAIN" 2 hours), Amplifier - "Regent30-Mod", guitar speaker - "Celestion Greenback", 1 microphone "Shure SM 57", mixer, computer sound card.

The body of the Stratocaster 1 is made of alder. Maple neck. The guitar has a bright attack sound, and a not entirely smooth and predictable moment of string decay at different frets. But the timbre is still quite soft. Using a "mini-humbucker" in the Stratocaster 1, rhythmic patterns and full chords with a distortion effect sound quite tightly and with good readability. The guitar has an unusual sound difference from most others: the G note smoothly transitions into a harmonic in all available octaves, regardless of whether it is connected to an amplifier or not. The secret of this phenomenon most likely lies in the custom Floyd Rose.

It is plated with real gold, the material of the springs and frame is different from the standard Floyd Rose. The frame is rigid - hardening was carried out using a special technology, all parts are made more carefully to ensure better transfer of string energy to the body. For this reason, the sustain of this guitar is not quite typical for Stratocaster-type guitars.

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