Test: the sound of electric guitars from different types of wood and with different pickups.

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

Listen carefully to the current sound of your guitar. Pay attention to the quality of the sound being extracted and how you can influence it. Listen to your guitar different provisions pickup switch, turn the tone control knob.

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

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

Change pickups. Cheap pickups are often an insurmountable obstacle to great sound. Singles, humbuckers, P90 and Telecaster pickups, these pickups all sound different and require different playing styles. If you leave the usual pre-installed pickups, the sound will most likely suffer a lot.

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

If you're still unhappy with the sound of your guitar, it might be the body. Solid-body guitars sound very different from full-body or half-body guitars. New guitar can have exactly the sound you dreamed of.

Game technique. Good technique definitely contributes to the overall sound, maybe you can even learn to play like Joe Satriani, or at least master a difficult solo that you have 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 need to learn rock and funk playing techniques, like left hand muting the strings, and pay attention to pinky technique when playing chords. It will also help you compose songs better, as you won't be limited by playing technique.

1. Initially correct sound

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

2. Inversions

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

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 real important step, anticipating the search for the desired sound, since only this can already make the guitar play more powerful and heavier. By using different inversions in the left and right channels, you can add even more breadth 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 actually is.

3. Retention of interest

Emotional contrast is a powerful tool in the hands of an artist. For example, in thrillers, silence usually precedes "nervous" episodes, while in music, dynamic contrasts can be used to create a sense of volume and power. Joey Sturgis: “Look at your song like a movie or a story where things have to happen all the time. There shouldn't be one giant explosion from start to finish, because that would make the song one big boring brick. There are many tools for creating variety - equalization, automation and combination of different timbres.

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

4. Strings

Andy Snape: “I think you can get too carried away with the thickness of the strings. If downgrading to drop C, I wouldn't use anything thicker than 0.052. And in the case of a normal setting - 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 stay in tune. However, we change strings quite often. Everything depends on the situation. For example, a musician wants to play some 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 the riff has vibrato or something like that. And then we go back to the big meaty guitar that holds the tuning well.”

5. Using lower tunings

As you know, lower tuning gives the guitar a fatter, meaty sound. Even if your song is made in a normal key, you can easily add more meat to it if you record some tracks in a lower tuning. Try tuning the guitar in 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 Snap:“I noticed a long time ago that for lower tunings, the choice of speakers is more important than the amplifiers themselves. For example, the Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30s work better with lowered tunings because they have a more accentuated midrange. The lower the part, the more effort is required to achieve good readability of each note. And since many riffs are played on the same string, the task is even more complicated. In a normal tuning, everything sits perfectly in its place, including the bass. But when you lower the tuning, you get a problem: the guitar gets where the bass should be, and in general, the whole spectrum moves down. But, if these speakers are in the cabinet, then due to the natural rise of the middle, you rake up this pile and improve the readability of the part.

7. Build power with your hands, not with an amp

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

8. Use gentle volume levels

Alain Johannes:“I think you don’t need huge and loud amplifiers to record. Not all microphones can transmit such levels normally. It is better to use good models of a more modest size, the volume of which does not break the eardrum. Take, for example, a good jazz album, and you will hear what a wonderful and big sound the drums have. But it's just a small kit playing, backed up by one or two tube mics and compressed a bit. But, on the other hand, these microphones captured the full frequency range and nothing is destroyed by excessive volume.

What happens when the ears are too loud? They are deaf. That's why I like small amps. If I have to use large devices, I try to set them to a fairly moderate volume. This opens up wide access to a wide range of different mics (such as ribbon mics) that can add depth, richness and texture that dynamic models can't.

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 this aspect is neglected, then 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 get ordinary porridge.

10. Recording the acoustic sound of the strings

If desired, you can add a percussive 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 (because the electric guitar strings themselves sound very quiet), located at a distance sufficient to avoid touching your hand. Of course, you need to consider that he can pick up extra sounds. For example, breathing, sniffling, stomping, or rumbling in the stomach.

11. Two tracks good - four tracks bad?

So, if a double track creates a wider and fatter sound, then a quad track will probably produce an even more massive sound? Not always. With the right approach, they can add dynamics to an arrangement, making the instruments sound very wide. Otherwise, instead of width and weight, you end up with a dirty wall of overdriven guitars. Let's find out what the professionals have to say about it:

Romesh Dodangoda:“If the arrangement allows, then 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 don't always work the way 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 ( about this, I would like to refer to the article from the cycleSecrets of Mix Engineers “Mike Fraser. AC/DC: Black Ice).

Andy Snape: “Maybe there will be two tracks in the verses, but when it comes to the choruses, it will be four tracks to create a feeling of some kind of uplift. You can also look for other chord inversions to make the sound more voluminous. If you immediately start with four tracks, you can quickly end up with a loss of readability of the performance. In fact, I prefer to work with two tracks rather than four. I want to hear the attack in the notes. Many people think that the more the better, but in my opinion, this can lead to a chorus-like sound due to differences in guitar tuning and blurry performance due to rhythmic deviations during playing.

Tom Dalgety: “Instead of putting together a timbre from many tracks, I immediately try to make the individual sound as big as possible. I often change microphones and recording techniques. I like condenser or ribbon mics for cabs, although the Shure SM57 tucks them into the belt in some cases. However, I usually record the cabinet with only one microphone. But, if necessary, I can install and record much more. I think it's better to take some time and create two or three really cool tones than sit back and try to put something together out of fifteen pieces."

Joey Sturgis: “I think there are significant misconceptions about how to make a big guitar. People think that for big sound need a lot of guitar tracks. I recommend the exact opposite thing: I think that the fewer guitars, the more powerful and voluminous the sound is. If there is only one guitar in the right and left channels, then you can heap power on them to the maximum. And if there are already two tracks, then you need to compromise, turn down something so that they can be heard properly. It's a lot easier to set up one really kick-ass meat tone and just play with it."

12. Use different equipment and tools

Remember what we recently talked about small changes in hardware settings and how big of an impact they can have on the final sound? By changing the configuration of your equipment between track recordings, you can easily get a wide range of different sounds. Try different guitars, pickups, amplifiers and microphones. This will add interest and variety while holding the listener's attention.

Tom Dalgety: “Recording takes, you can change the input level (gain) on the amplifiers or pedals. That way you get different harmonics for different tracks.”

Romesh Dodangoda: “I like to use different amplifiers for the right and left channels. For example, on the left, the rhythm guitar will play through Marshall, and on the right, through Blackstar. I think it's better not to change the guitar 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 Snape: "... Gary Holt (Exodus) played all the rhythm guitar parts. However, the right and left channels were recorded with slightly different sound. This helps to add some width to the mix. Having the same sound on both channels makes the song sound dull 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 out-of-phase effect, which does not contribute to the fullness and power of the sound.

14. Use delay on your solo

Romesh Dodangoda: “In the case of a lead guitar, the delay can really extend it almost beyond the edges of the speakers. First, 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 has become 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 placed in the chain, so experiment and find the best.”

15. Recording two amplifiers at the same time

If you have two different amplifiers, then you can try to record them at the same time - in fact, as if it 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 give you the same type of expansion as a true double track, but it does give you a wider range of useful tones nonetheless.

Alain Johannes: “I like to record multiple mics and multiple amps at the same time. I usually don't put a mic on more than one speaker, but I will almost always have a room mic - ribbon or otherwise - to give everything a bit of depth. I can put the mic behind an open-backed cabinet to get a sense of air movement. And I like to send the signal to two amplifiers at once, setting one of them with a small delay, giving the sound a little more volume and width.

16. Experiment with your equipment

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

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 the Pignose) with its tinny “bzz bzzz” and record along with the big machine. Now, by mixing this “bzz bzzz” into the main track, you will be sure that it will be noticeable in any bunch of instruments.”

17. Feel free to use emulators!

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

18. Add living air...

If you're working in a purely virtual environment and you find the guitars sound too sterile, then try to get out of the box and add a real mic track to your project. Even if you output the signal to some cheap amplifier and record it back through the microphone, it will help to enliven 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 want 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 above 10 kHz. In fact, only a certain hiss will remain. This will be "air". Then, mix it back in until you hear the desired effect."

20. Record clean tracks

In some cases, stacks of distorted tracks may lose the attack and legibility of individual notes. This is especially true for parts played on open strings. And how to solve it? Write parallel clean parts and mix into the main ones! So you keep readability and do not damage the "meat".

21. Work with speaker simulators

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

22. Choose the right microphone location

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

23. Think carefully about the placement of elements in the mix

Alain Johannes: “…I think mixing and arranging are related. For example, there are 10 things vying for the same sonic space... and decisions need to be made so that each track has its own natural space. And then mixing won't be so difficult - you just need to put the parts in their own parts of the spectrum. What will be ahead? What about behind? And what is behind everything? 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 push them away. There's a lot to play with here."

24. Avoid Bass Boost

A common problem when recording and mixing heavy guitars is bass buildup. Often, bass and guitar spectra overlap, low frequencies colliding with each other, creating an unintelligible humming sound in the mix. If this occurs, try cutting your guitars below 120Hz.

25. Use Automation

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

Joey Sturgis: “There are a lot of very useful tools here. You can automate literally every parameter of an ampsimulator, but a lot of people just don't do it."

26. Save your mids

Andy Snape: “Don't fool yourself by cutting out the middle and thinking that this will make 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 the Tube Screamer or some kind of EQ in front of it, then you've got your hands in the right place."

Who is who

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

Tom Dalgety is a producer and mix engineer and has been used by such famous bands as Band Of Skulls, Opeth, Turbowolf, The Macabees, Royal Blood.

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

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

Alain Johannes has worked as a mix engineer and producer with the likes of Chris Cornell, Arctic Monkeys, Jimmy Eat World, Hilary Duff, Kelly Clarkson and many more. In addition, he has worked as a touring sound engineer with a wide variety of bands and artists, including Queens Of The Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures.

Translation prepared by Vyacheslav Berezhnoy

Kevin Choco. Ozzy Osbourne

Andy Snape

Fredrik Nordström

Colin Richardson: heavy metal production guru

Liam O'Mullane. heavy metal recording

Mike Senior: Guitar Amp Recording

Source: udaloff.com
Evgeny Udalov

A few words about electromagnetic pickups for electric guitars:

If we talk about the flat frequency response of the sensors, then theoretically, the ideal electromagnetic sensor is a sensor with one turn. The efficiency of such a sensor will be miserable and excludes the possibility of its use. Practical applications have found sensors that have 4000-6000 turns per 1 section ("humbucker") and 6000-8000 ("singles" 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.

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

Stratocaster vs. Les Paul":

Over time, a certain classical standard and requirements for guitars appeared. For example, a typical Stratocaster sounds different than a Les Paul. The sound differs not only because of the timbre of the pickups, which sound brighter on the Stratocaster. The sound of "Les Paul" is influenced by a shorter scale than that of "Stratocaster". When using the same thickness of strings, notes played on a short scale guitar will last longer, as the strings will be less tensioned than the "Stratocaster", and their vibrations will be longer in time.

Density timbre "Les Paul" gives mahogany body and glued 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 to the bridge, the more "upper middle" in the sound. For the design of the guitar "Les Paul" this decision is not accidental. After all, if we take into account the size of the scale, the sound would be too "gundos" and less readable with the standard location of the bridge pickup. In addition to this, we have a more significant difference in the sound of neck and bridge pickups.

Active or passive sensors - pros and cons:

Active sensors are deprived of such a drawback (for example, EMG sensors). 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 from the coils, a small preamplifier built into the pickup is used. There is an additional amplification of the signal and the guitar cord no longer has such an effect on the sound. The disadvantage of such sensors is the additional noise from the preamplifier chips. However, it is so insignificant that not everyone will notice it, even if you use "HI-GAIN Distortion". "EMG 81" makes a little more noise 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 a "passive". "Active" has a more readable and "sterile" sound. Recommended if you want good readability. They will also be useful if your guitar processing gives the effect of "locking" at low frequencies.

It's fashionable on guitar forums to criticize active pickups and say that the sound is devoid of dynamics with them, but this is not the case. 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. In passive pickups, one of the resonant "humps" is in the region of 80-200Hz, so there may be a subjective feeling that braided strings sound louder and thicker than with "active". Apparently, accusations of a weak attack are connected with this factor, but in any case, "active" or "passive" is a matter of taste, and it is not customary to argue about tastes.

Wood species:

To say that all guitars made of, say, X wood will sound the same is silly. Different types of wood have only common certain 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 when guitars are assembled 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 conflicting rumors and statements, but in my opinion, these guitars are interesting. Guitar wood should only dry naturally. Speed ​​drying does not have the best effect on wood fibers.

Lacquer coating is also important. If the lacquer layer is too thick and the structure of the lacquer is hard, then the openness of the low frequencies will disappear. The "sustain" (sound duration) 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 of the string with the wood that is important for transferring the energy of the vibrations of the strings to the body. The energy of the strings should not sink in the body of the guitar, as if in water, ideally this energy should return back to the strings and work as one.

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 from alder. Maple neck. The guitar has a bright attack sound, not quite smooth and predictable decay of the strings at different frets. But the timbre is still quite soft. With the Stratocaster 1's mini-humbucker, rhythmic patterns and full chords with distortion sound quite tight and well-defined. The guitar has an unusual difference in sound 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 bed is different from the standard Floyd Rose. The bed is rigid - hardening was carried out using a special technology, all details are made more carefully to ensure better transmission of the energy of the strings to the body. For this reason, the sustain of this guitar is not quite typical of Stratocaster type guitars.

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

Let's first try to understand when there is a desire to improve the sound of an electric guitar. In general, dissatisfaction with the sound of an electric guitar is manifested when comparing the sound of your own electric guitar with some reference sound that is most often associated with the sound of your favorite guitarist's instrument. 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 the electric guitar more or less than the sounds he knows, for example, if he knows how the piano and violin sound, then he can say that he likes the sound of the electric guitar more or less than the sounds of these musical instruments.

So, comparing the sound of their electric guitar with the sound of the electric guitar of their favorite artist, many come to the conclusion that they need to change and buy something in order to get a more similar sound to the standard. To do this, some novice guitarists try to purchase an electric guitar and equipment similar to that used by their favorite performers. But after some time after buying these expensive goods, the question arises, where is the sound and why does the electric guitar not sound like my favorite guitarist? Let's see what moments affect the sound of an electric guitar:

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

As a rule, these components contribute differently to the final sound, so the main task is to correctly identify and eliminate the most problematic moment.

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 reproducing 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 easy to make sure of this - first suggest the performer to play the phrase on his electric guitar, and then on a professional expensive instrument of the same type. A performer with a weak sound extraction skill has the sound of an electric guitar for 9,000 rubles. and for 50,000 rubles. will not have fundamental differences, so the refinement of the electric guitar in this case will not improve its sound quality. The same can be said about the sound reproducing system. Buying a more professional amp, pedal or effects processor will change the sound of the electric guitar, but these changes will improve the quality of the sound physics, but not the quality of the overall sound.

Speaking of sound extraction, we mean the technique of playing on it: setting and moving the hands, the way the pick is held with the fingers of the right hand, the strings are muffled with the hands, the nature of the interaction of the pick with the strings (the angle the pick touches the strings, the depth of the pick’s drop 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 beginner guitarist to keep track of all this, so here we are talking about control while playing the instrument. What does good sound production mean? There are some general rules, which allow, under the control of the teacher, to acquire the skills of competent sound extraction, although each guitar teacher brings something of his own to the learning process, which further allows you to compare the quality of training from a particular teacher. By the way, if you don’t like the sound of an electric guitar, then before selling it, ask a teacher to play it (a musician in a store, a musician you know). 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 by itself, since the problem was not with them, but that you had 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 an 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 tuning pegs, nut, etc.), electronics - pickups and tone block.

The question of finalizing an electric guitar (changing pickups, strings in terms of improving sound quality) can be raised if you are not satisfied with how it sounds when a competent musician plays it on good equipment. Generally speaking, good guitarist thanks to sound extraction, it can produce sound even 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. a guitarist likes a warm blues sound and plays electric guitar for punk and heavy styles or wants a "bright clean sound" and plays humbuckers etc.

What can be done to improve the sound of an electric guitar? We do not consider changing the "tree" as it is more practical to choose another electric guitar. Therefore, the strings and electronics remain. New strings can significantly improve the sound for a while, so this is the first thing you can do without spending a lot of money. Swapping out pickups and electronics (from passive to active) doesn't always make a big difference if the guitar doesn't sound right. First you need to understand whether it is possible to fundamentally improve the sound of an electric guitar? The problem with many inexpensive models of electric guitars is a dull and unintelligible sound (there are no tops, unreadable middle and bottoms). In the past, electric guitars were even subdivided into rhythm guitars and lead guitars. And in the first, except for the middle, nothing sounded in principle. To find out the potential of an electric guitar, unplug it and compare its sound with other electric guitars also in the unplugged state. 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 loud enough when muted, then plug the electric guitar directly (without pedals or processors) into a good sound 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 at high frequencies. On a number of electric guitars, a bright top is simply impossible to get, despite the abundance of tone controls and a large number pickup switch positions. If there are no high frequencies in a clean sound, then they will not be in the processed sound either. If everything is quite good even on a clean sound, then, most likely, improving the sound of an electric guitar is associated with a desire to change the quality of the sound physics or its character. In this case, changing pickups and/or acquiring higher-quality sound-reproducing line elements can significantly change the sound of the instrument.

Sound system

Under the sound reproducing system here we will understand everything that is connected after the electric guitar: from effects pedals to the acoustic system.

Let's conditionally accept that 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 reproducing system can significantly affect the resulting sound, i.e. we can improve the quality of the sound and change the character and color of the sound.

Sound quality

Since the signal from an electric guitar can go through a variety of 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: gritty, not rich enough and does not sound dense, quickly fades out, breaks, weak middle, basses tambourine, there are no highs, something constantly phonates, whistles, etc., t .e. The problem is the poor sound quality. As you know, the general trend is as follows: the better the sound quality, the more expensive the device. At the same time, there is a certain average level of prices for goods, below which the probability of buying a quality product is very small. Suppose that the average market price for an effect pedal in the region is about 2500 rubles. The question arises, can a pedal for 700 rubles. qualitatively overload the signal? No. A pedal for 1500 rubles.? Probably not. It is easy to calculate that a well-composed 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 the sound quality, it is necessary to use devices that cost above average, which provides some acceptable sound quality.

Sound character

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

If you like the pronounced, hard, and distinctive sound of an electric guitar, you probably won't like the soft, 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 an effect pedal connected in line may well be suitable here.

There are situations when it is difficult for a beginner guitarist to understand what kind of sound he likes. In this case, buying a guitar modeling processor will be more practical than buying an amp or effects pedal, because with the help of the former you can understand the basis of different sounds. Of course, "overdriven digital" sounds much softer and less interesting compared to analog overdrive, but as for the effects on a clean sound, guitar processors of the middle price range can already outperform analog devices.

Acoustics and sound accompaniment

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

Above, we indicated that the sound of an electric guitar in a line is somewhat softer compared to the sound in a combo. However, many guitarists play through a amp at home and don't find the sound harsh. They like the distinct, punchy, thick, "masculine" sound of the electric guitar. But other guitarists like the softer sound of the electric guitar in the overall mix, when the emphasis is not on the sound of the electric guitar as such, but on its sound accompanied by other instruments. If a synthesizer accompaniment is used as an accompaniment, then the "live" sound of the electric guitar through the amp will drop out of the smoothed digital sound of the accompaniment. In this case, connecting an electric guitar in line and using a guitar effects processor will make the electric guitar sound more consistent with the accompaniment.

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

A few words about electromagnetic pickups for electric guitars

If we talk about the smooth frequency response of the sensors, then theoretically, the ideal electromagnetic sensor is a sensor with a single turn. The efficiency of such a sensor will be miserable and excludes the possibility of its use. Practical applications have found sensors that have 4000-6000 turns per 1 section ("humbucker") and 6000-8000 ("singles" 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.

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

Stratocaster vs Les Paul

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

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

The density of the Les Paul timbre is given by a mahogany body, as well as a 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 to the bridge, the more "upper middle" 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 size of the scale, the sound would be too "gundos" and less readable with the standard location of the bridge pickup. In addition to this, we have a more significant difference in the sound of neck and bridge pickups.

Active or passive sensors - pros and cons

Active sensors are deprived of such a drawback (for example, EMG sensors). 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 from the coils, a small preamplifier built into the pickup is used. There is an additional amplification of the signal and the guitar cord no longer has such an effect on the sound. The disadvantage of such sensors is the additional noise from the preamplifier chips. However, it is so insignificant that not everyone will notice it, even if you use "HI-GAIN Distortion". "EMG 81" makes a little more noise 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 a "passive". "Active" has a more readable and "sterile" sound. Recommended if you want good readability. It will also be useful if your guitar processing gives the effect of "locking" at low frequencies.

• Les Paul 1, EMG 85 NECK 0:04

It's fashionable on guitar forums to criticize active pickups and say that the sound is devoid of dynamics with them, but this is not the case. 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. In passive pickups, one of the resonant "humps" is in the region of 80-200 Hz, so there may be a subjective feeling that the strings with a braid sound louder and thicker than with an "active". Apparently, accusations of a weak attack are connected with this factor, but in any case, “active” or “passive” is a matter of taste, and it is not customary to argue about tastes.

wood species

To say that all guitars made of, say, X wood will sound the same is silly. Different types of wood have only common certain 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 when guitars are assembled from the same type of wood in a conveyor, the sound color varies from guitar to guitar. Perhaps it is this fact that gives rise to such a large number of conflicting rumors and statements, but in my opinion, this is what guitars are interesting for. Guitar wood should only dry naturally. Speed ​​drying does not have the best effect on wood fibers.

Lacquer coating is also important. If the lacquer layer is too thick and the structure of the lacquer is hard, then the openness of the low frequencies will disappear. The "sustain" (sound duration) 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 of the string with the wood that is important for transferring the energy of the vibrations of the strings to the body. The energy of the strings should not sink in the body of the guitar, as if in water, ideally this energy should return back to the strings and work as one.

Conditions for recording sound samples

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

Examples: "Bridge" sensor and - unprocessed sound from the microphone is recorded in the left channel, light "reverb" with "delay" in 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 (gluing of 2 pieces)
• Neck - maple (solid)
• Pickups: bridge - Dimarzio Fast Track2, middle - udaloff alnico single-coil, neck - udaloff alnico humbucker

The body of the Stratocaster 1 is made from alder. Maple neck. The guitar has a bright attack sound, not quite smooth and predictable decay of the strings at different frets. But the timbre is still quite soft. With the Stratocaster 1's mini-humbucker, rhythmic patterns and full chords with distortion sound quite tight and well-defined. The guitar has an unusual difference in sound 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 bed is different from the standard Floyd Rose. The bed is rigid - hardening was carried out using a special technology, all details are made more carefully to ensure better transmission of the energy of the strings to the body. For this reason, the sustain of this guitar is not quite typical of Stratocaster type guitars. The guitar was made in 1997.

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

STRATOCASTER 2

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

• Bridge sensor and distortion T324 0:06

The body of the Stratocaster 2 is made from ash wood. 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 has a more confident character. Rhythmic rusunki played on 6-4 strings sound more aggressive in attack than with alder. In the sound example, the sound is somewhat thinner than the alder guitar due to the thinner strings. The sound of this guitar cannot be called soft, it is more suitable for the classical interpretation of the Stratocaster.

STRATOCASTER 3

• Body - ash (gluing of 3 pieces), Neck - maple (solid)
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion 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 wood, only denser than the Stratocaster 2. The sound of the guitar is similar to the Stratocaster 2, but differs in the moment of attack and decay. This sound can be compared with the German language by ear - "said - as cut 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 devoid of a dense bottom and with good sustain, but the sound is not soft, high overtones are emphasized.

LES PAUL 1

• Body - mahogany (gluing of 2 pieces), top - Karelian birch
• Set neck - maple with ebony fretboard
• Strings - Fender Stainless Bullets 10-46

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

The body of the Les Paul 1 is made of mahogany (Honduras), the neck is made of maple. "Top" is Karelian birch. This is not standard LP top material. 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 when unplugged it sounds louder than regular guitars and has what's commonly referred to as an LP sound. The guitar has excellent sustain and a very melodious sound with a smooth attack moment, and without unnecessary beats. The EMG 85 pickup in the neck position sounds very clear and wide with Distortion, 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 middle inherent in classic LP pickups. Not suitable for all musical tasks.

LES PAUL 2

• Body - mahogany (gluing of 2 pieces), top - maple
• Strings - DR 10-46

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

SV model

• Body - linden (solid piece), top - ash
• Neck - maple with rosewood fretboard
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:06
• NECK sensor, coils in parallel 0:05

The SV guitar commissioned by Sergei Vlasov is based on the Ibanez guitars, but is 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 theoretical calculations of the customer, should have given more highs while maintaining the sound qualities of basswood. In practice, a guitar was obtained, in which the sound qualities of basswood dominate more. The ash top rather added solidity to the sound and "sustain".

X1

• Body - mahogany Honduras (2 pieces on the sides and the central part with a fingerboard)
• Neck - mahogany with rosewood fretboard
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:06
• Bridge sensor and distortion T324 0:05

The X1 guitar is based on the Maverick guitars and is completely made of mahogany (Honduras), with a rosewood fretboard. The instrument has a dense and smooth sound in terms of dynamics, the moment of attack is smoothed out. There is a feeling of compression on each note played, due to which difficult 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, juicy prekras on the "upper middle", it is audible even in an unconnected form.

telecaster

• Body - alder (gluing of 3 pieces),
• Neck - maple with rosewood fretboard
• 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:06

The body of the Telecaster is made from alder. The guitar sounds open and bright, but the "mids" in the sound are less than in the Stratocaster 1, which is also made of alder, but the neck is without a rosewood fretboard. The Fender Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickup pickups have, in my opinion, magnets that are too strong, their magnetic field affects the decay character of the strings. The frequency response of the pickups has very sharp rises in the "upper middle", so the sound is not as dense in timbre as compared to other pickups. However, this classic Telecaster should be different from other guitars.

LES PAUL 3

• Body - African mahogany (one piece), maple top
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion 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 structure of the fibers of this tree is denser than mahogany Honduras. The weight of this type of wood is also higher, and to compensate for this shortcoming, an additional milling was made inside the body in the center before gluing with the top. The sound differs from the Honduras mahogany LP - a more juicy lower middle, and the moment of attack is somewhat different from other LPs.

LES PAUL 4

• Set Neck - Mahogany (Honduras) with ebony fretboard
• Sensors: bridge - EMG 81, neck - EMG 85
• Strings - DR 10-46

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

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

LES PAUL 5

• Body - African mahogany (solid piece), top - Karelian birch
• Set neck - maple with rosewood fretboard
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:05
• NECK sensor, coils in parallel 0:04

The Les Paul 5 features a rosewood fretboard and a brighter, richer Karelian birch top pattern. In an unconnected form, the guitar gives a juicy resonance in the middle, but it also has the bottom characteristic of an LP. Guitars with rosewood fretboards tend to sound brighter than those with ebony fretboards. The bridge pickup is not the most successful 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 clipped bottom, it is very similar in timbre to a single-coil. Such a thin and weak signal from the pickup does not go well with the rich wood sound of this LP. With the Distortion effect, this becomes especially noticeable. If you want to get a sound like some of the heroes of the 70s of the last century, then perhaps this sensor will suit you (Vintage Tone).

LES PAUL 6

• Body - Honduras mahogany (one piece), top - Karelian birch
• Set neck - mahogany with ebony fretboard
• 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:05
• Bridge sensor and distortion T324 0:06

The Les Paul 6 unplugged sounds similar to the Les Paul 1, not the mids are any 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 coloration can be heard on the samples. With Dimarzio Super Distortion, the bridge has a compression effect (2 Bridge sample sensors and distortion T324) that gives a feeling of lightness in the game. The Dimarzio PAF Classic sounds richer with Distorton than Seymour Duncan's SH-2 Jazz model.

TD model

• Body - Honduras mahogany, top - Karelian birch
• Neck-through - mahogany with ebony fretboard
• Pickups: 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:05

The guitar has good sustain, tight and smooth sound on all frets, which reminds LP. The standard scale, as in all strat-like guitars, makes it possible to carve bright artificial harmonics, and the features of the materials from which the guitar is made make it possible to have an elastic bottom. For the person playing for a long time on a stratocaster - the convenience of playing 5+. Fast arpeggios with 32 notes, as well as legato and stakato, are very easy to win. One of the lightest and most comfortable guitars I have ever owned.

SG

• Body - mahogany Honduras (gluing of 2 pieces)
• Set neck - Honduras mahogany with ebony fretboard
• 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 sensor and distortion T324 0:06

The SG case is noticeably thinner than the LP case, and with the same arrangement of sensors as the LP, the bottom is denser. The absence of a maple top and a thinner body make their own adjustments to the sound. Even the fairly sharp EMG 81 pickup sounds tighter with the SG than with the LP.