What are commonly used amplifiers/ amp settings in pop music?

[C.Thep]

Like Ashlee Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavgne, Fall out Boy etc.

I don't want to watch through thier videos figure out what their guitarists are using.

[David McCarroll]

Well their videos wouldn't tell you anything regardless as:

a) Their tracks are played by session players whereas their videos feature the nearest bunch of pretty boys their management can come up with.

b) The videos are probably rife with product placement in any case.

c) Most session players doing this sort of crap would be using Line6 Amp Farm in ProTools rather than any mic'ed up amp in any case

Besides, these "artists" usually have their tracks composed of the most generic "what's hot right now" sounds going, because they are put together by a producer, not the artist, or a band as such, and producers are THE WORST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD for jumping on trends and bandwagons - ever wondered why every song in the charts basically sounds identical to every other song of that particular genre?

[ZOMB13]

/\ He asked what amps they "use"...

I've seen
Marshalls and Mesa Boogies most of the time.

[C.Thep]

while we are on the subject, does anyone have any ideas on how to make pop music a little more guitar-oriented?

[C.Thep]

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

producers are THE WORST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD for jumping on trends and bandwagons

That is not nice.

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by C.Thep

That is not nice.

............... but it's true!

I actually think that pop music today is considerably more guitar oriented than it has been for quite a while - no matter what transpires, pop music is basically about a hooky chorus - no one ever leaves a gig humming the guitar solos, so the guitar, or synths, or marimbas or whatever have to be subservient to the melody and chorus.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, and there have been some great guitar based pop songs (I'm thinking say, Walking on the Moon, or Message in a Bottle, both by The Police), but you are never gonna hear a screaming five minute guitar break in a pop track (thank heavens!).

Heck, maybe by Prince mind you........

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by C.Thep

while we are on the subject, does anyone have any ideas on how to make pop music a little more guitar-oriented?

Have a listen to Butch Vig's band Garbage - it's ALL guitar, but groove based, and ridiculously catchy! Lot's of lessons to be learned there - a great singer helps of course!

[Reaper]

off-topic: Prince is one helluva guitarist, far more than most give him credit for

carry on.

[Ferrous Lepidoptera]

The Donnas were sorta guitar oriented, in an AC/DC kind of way. Not shred, but guitar oriented. Nice rhythm playing. So that's one answer -- follow the path blazed by AC/DC.

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by Reaper

off-topic: Prince is one helluva guitarist, far more than most give him credit for

carry on.

Well, not really off topic - Prince is a really cool dude who incorporates some very serious guitar playing into some great pop music - a less in how to do so in fact!

In a similar vein, I went and saw a friend's band a few nights ago - they do super funked-up instrumental versions of material by artists like James Brown - the guitar is simply another element in this huge badass rhythmic mix: occasionally there is a guitar break, but it has to sit in the same sort of groove that all the horn players use, so it sits incredibly well in the music - he reckons it's the best music ever to play, and after that particular evening I'm inclined to agree - just 100% fun for band and audience alike!

[C.Thep]

I was looking at some videos listening for a guitar tone I was going after, and DAMN....hillary duff's music freaking sucks. I was trying to look at these vids with an open mind, but this is seriously a bunch of crap. She has no business behind a microphone.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MyShkaAwbR8
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zOQi5bgWYQo

[quiksilverdew]

Orange, Carvin, Boogie, and Fender. That's what they have in the studio I record in, I use my JSX for everything I do, sometimes I prefer the Carvin's more saturated tone though and I might use it...

[Rotti]

I think many would surprised by the quality of gear and the quality of guitarists on a lot of pop songs.

[Mike239]

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

I actually think that pop music today is considerably more guitar oriented than it has been for quite a while - no matter what transpires, pop music is basically about a hooky chorus - no one ever leaves a gig humming the guitar solos, so the guitar, or synths, or marimbas or whatever have to be subservient to the melody and chorus.

When your a musician you can recognise and appreciate the smaller things such as the guitar riff, the percussion, the bass track etc, we know how it all works how it all fits together, what key, style, their playing is in we recognise the smaller minute deatils in music that non musicians don't, so we are more biased when making desisions regarding how good or bad a band/vocalist is its easy to say they suck cause all their playing is Powerchords or they can't do arpeggios or they can't sweep, or they just keep it in the pentatonic.
BUT to non-musicians it all sounds good it has a good beat, sounds good, the vocals might be "Good" according to them, non musicians couldn't give a care whether a band is sweep picking like theres no tomorrow. I was at school one day and someone had dragonforce playing and everyone was like wow "They really play fast, their awesome", but we know how they play so fast, its all arpeggios, alternate picking, non musicians don't know that, all they know is that its fast. Non musicians don't realsie the smaller details like we do so they think everything is good. So of course they won't leave a gig huming a guitar riff, they only care about the vocals cause its easy for them to get, they might come out huming the drums maybe.

Pop music really isn't for me, not my cup of tea.

In response to the original question, they use mesa's, Marshalls, most name brands of amps, and gear, you'd be suprised with some of the gear they have. They would get supplied by the company hosting the gig.

[Phishphood42]

Originally Posted by Rotti

I think many would surprised by the quality of gear and the quality of guitarists on a lot of pop songs.

Session players need to have good chops, and they get good paychecks. I remember seeing avril lavigne on snl and being surprised the guitarists were using orange, matchless, and divided by 13. Guess avril pays well