Your sound

[Allen Garrow]

Hey Dave, I was just wondering if you could explain your sound set up. I'm curious to how you change your sound depending on your gig. For example when you are touring with Steve you are back in the mix and don't do alot of stand out lead work and you and Tony were sort of a dry mix compared to Steve. Now that you are going out to support your own music, how much of a change did you make to your live rig. What sort settings do you prefer for lead, do you depend alot on effects? I've seen Tony in his own shows years ago, and his sound is totally different compared to what I heard in Atlanta with Vai. His lead work on Stage there ( as well as the Astoria vid ) sounded Tinny and thin, it worked in the mix but alone it just didn't sound warm at all.

~A

[DavejWeiner]

I try to have a consistantly good tone, no matter what the gig or rig I'm playing through. Tone does start in your fingers, the gear just helps embellish it.

With Vai, I don't have to worry as much about a lead tone, cuz he does most of that. So I can lay off the delays/verbs, etc. (except when I load up my solo spot with yummy wetness!).

With my band, I will have a more concentrated lead tone. And my lead tone always centers around note clarity, but with a nice warm, smooth wetness. So when I gig in support of my cd, I'll be trying to replicate what I did on the cd. Unfortunately, I have to use some backing tracks due to the lack of band members, but eventually I'd like to add another 7-string player, maybe two.

[Allen Garrow]

Right on that makes sense. Some guys use alot of effect which sounds good, studio sitting in a room just jammin'. I've found that tones can become addictive but when you try to put it together live it just falls all over it's self.

I have been in tone re-hab if you will. I've been playing 2 different RG1527's one with Blaze/Blaze customs and the other has Airnorton7 and Tonezone7. My main sound comes from a Digitech Valve FX, I use reverb and 2 tap delay. I copy that tone to another patch and raise the levels and delay or reverb so that my lead tone is a very close sonically to my rhythmn sound.

So what do use to create the "Dave tone" and what do you add to make your lead tone?

~A

[mesa_boogie_man]

Originally Posted by DavejWeiner

Unfortunately, I have to use some backing tracks due to the lack of band members, but eventually I'd like to add another 7-string player, maybe two.

Does that mean you're going to start auditioning? Just let me know when and where to show up!

[DavejWeiner]

Originally Posted by Allen Garrow

Right on that makes sense. Some guys use alot of effect which sounds good, studio sitting in a room just jammin'. I've found that tones can become addictive but when you try to put it together live it just falls all over it's self.

I have been in tone re-hab if you will. I've been playing 2 different RG1527's one with Blaze/Blaze customs and the other has Airnorton7 and Tonezone7. My main sound comes from a Digitech Valve FX, I use reverb and 2 tap delay. I copy that tone to another patch and raise the levels and delay or reverb so that my lead tone is a very close sonically to my rhythmn sound.

So what do use to create the "Dave tone" and what do you add to make your lead tone?

~A

Right now nothing better exemplifies my tone than my 7-string "strat" thru either the VHT or the Mesa (or both as I've been running both since I've been home). I start with guitar straight to the amp. That's how you really work on your tone, personal nuances, etc. If that sounds good to you, then start to mix in fx that will keep the integrity of the tone, but add in any wetness that you'd like for lead tone, atmosphere, ambience, etc.

But I try to keep the tone pure as if it was just guitar to amp all the time, even if I have a rack of fx running in the loop too.

[DavejWeiner]

Originally Posted by mesa_boogie_man

Does that mean you're going to start auditioning? Just let me know when and where to show up!

I'd love to find players right now. But I kinda need 7-string players that live near me for rehearsals and stuff.

[Val]

U should come to London, thats what Jimi did!

[guitarshredder7]

well i have 2 tones. one is pure insane high gain death metal tone like cannibal corpse or hate eternal or necrophagist.. and i have a smooth shred tone that i wish was more like vais