The Edge - Full Rig Rundown

Cirrus

It does seem like you're trolling, but it's possible you're not.

Your suppositions are flawed. You're making a crazy logical leap that if someone applies effects to a guitar, they might as well use a synth.

Even if that were true (and how could you possibly justify that view?) I'd say the majority of the Edge's recorded and live tones aren't highly processed. Just use your ears. Guitar, some form of overdrive, a delay, AC30. Sometimes there's not even a delay. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great example. Guitar, boost, AC30.

I think the big rack of effects and the switcher confuses people, they don't appreciate it often means you can have shorter chains than you would in a typical pub band pedalboard - it's just that you have lots of options.

A lot of the more processed stuff, like the shimmer reverb, are in parallel with a more normal tone. Occasionally, you get the highly processed stuff like mysterious ways, but then we're back to your initial (IMO silly) supposition that for those kind of tones it would be better to use a synth. Go and make a synth sound like that, I'll wait here.

stickyfiddle

thegummy said:

stickyfiddle said:

thegummy said:

I have to wonder why the people who don't like normal guitar playing, and only like highly processed textures, don't just play the synth that does a much better job at that.

Because noone has *ever* looked cool playing a keytar...

lol!

Dunno if "looking cool" is the word but this is pretty great in some way: (at 6 minutes 51 seconds, if the time link doesn't work)

I have no words. 

For a start, I had no idea Cyndi Lauper had played with Rog. And second, the keytar was far from the worst element of the performance at 6:51... 

Bridgehouse

I refuse to rock up to a gig with a keyboard and thump single notes out to replace bass with little feeling or style.

I will stick to rocking up to a gig with a bass and thump out single notes with little feeling or style on that instead.

thegummy

robinbowes said:

thegummy said:

I do not appreciate being attacked. I didn't think this was that kind of place.

Attacked? You think that's an "attack"? Ha ha ha ha ha ha.

"normal" guitar playing - WTF is that? You make the classic self-centred mistake of assuming that "most people" think just the way you do.

Take your blinkers off, and stop generalising based on your own opinion. People like different things. Not everyone wants a guitar to sound like Warren Haynes, and just because they don't does not mean they are not a great guitarist.

This doesn't make your own view wrong, but please stop assuming "most" people think the same way.

What are you on about?

My comment about synths is in no way saying anything you're accusing me of. Ironically, you're making an assumption about my post then accusing me of doing that.

Someone might have seriously tried synths in the past 5 years and still has the opinion that a guitar through pedals does a better job of the texture thing - if that's the case they could have replied with their own opinion.

What does the "ha ha ha" mean? Of course it was an attack, it was an accusing me of something negative and not meant in a friendly, joking way.

Just for the record, I use synths and have made the decision to use them over guitars for the kind of sound we're referring to. Just in case you think I'm some kind of Ted Nugent type who used synth as some kind of insult.

thegummy

Cirrus said:

It does seem like you're trolling, but it's possible you're not.

Your suppositions are flawed. You're making a crazy logical leap that if someone applies effects to a guitar, they might as well use a synth.

Even if that were true (and how could you possibly justify that view?) I'd say the majority of the Edge's recorded and live tones aren't highly processed. Just use your ears. Guitar, some form of overdrive, a delay, AC30. Sometimes there's not even a delay. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great example. Guitar, boost, AC30.

I think the big rack of effects and the switcher confuses people, they don't appreciate it often means you can have shorter chains than you would in a typical pub band pedalboard - it's just that you have lots of options.

A lot of the more processed stuff, like the shimmer reverb, are in parallel with a more normal tone. Occasionally, you get the highly processed stuff like mysterious ways, but then we're back to your initial (IMO silly) supposition that for those kind of tones it would be better to use a synth. Go and make a synth sound like that, I'll wait here.

I am definitely not trolling and never would (and hate anyone who ever does).

Possibly the comment is out of context on the Edge thread - I haven't listened to tons of his work, he might not use as much processing as I'm thinking.

So I was referring to the stuff you mean in your last paragraph - when it really is so highly processed that it barely sounds like a guitar anymore - I've heard those sounds in Post Rock and wanted to use similar sounds but always found I can get much better results using synth pads. I'm using modern software synths released in the last 5 years are so, not analogue synths that obviously sound totally different to guitars.

You could be right that a synth couldn't get that sound, I would think it could but unfortunately I don't have the time to try to get it close to an existing guitar sound. When I wonder why someone going for those sounds wouldn't just use a sound, it's with the opinion that those type of sounds can be done better on synths.

I do appreciate your reasoned answer even though you, too, thought I might be trolling. It is something I would never do and think people who do are morons.

Jalapeno

Mods: theGummy / Cirrus - Cool it please ! Or take it elsewhere .....

Cirrus

Excuse me? We're having an interesting conversation. Neither of us have attacked the other personally, it's not descended into insults, and we're both giving reasoned replies about different approaches and perspectives on the guitar. My last post was the first in this thread in 3 days, and my other posts have been on topic.

So, if any of the mods have taken issue with anything I've said, I'm at a loss as to what it could be and I'd appreciate having it pointed out in PM.

stickyfiddle

I think the synthy-analoguey-pedals vs actual synths question is valid. 

I think it's partly about live performance (guitar is a much more dynamic and interesting guitar to play live, imo). It's also about how any given player approaches guitar vs keys - the two encourage a different mindset, and most songwriters seem to feel more creative with one than the other. Lastly, it's a different sound between the two. I'm a fan of stuff like the Echosystem, where you can get a load of textural stuff happening in the background and then mute or trigger the dry (or dry-ish) guitar sound at the push of a button. 

One guy can't do that alone with just a synth, but you can on guitar.

thegummy

stickyfiddle said:

thegummy said:

stickyfiddle said:

thegummy said:

I have to wonder why the people who don't like normal guitar playing, and only like highly processed textures, don't just play the synth that does a much better job at that.

Because noone has *ever* looked cool playing a keytar...

lol!

Dunno if "looking cool" is the word but this is pretty great in some way: (at 6 minutes 51 seconds, if the time link doesn't work)

I have no words. 

For a start, I had no idea Cyndi Lauper had played with Rog. And second, the keytar was far from the worst element of the performance at 6:51... 

Yeah I was surprised to see Lauper come out. Seems like an odd pairing lol

Dolby rocking the keytar dressed as the teacher was also unexpected but great in some indescribable way lol

thegummy

stickyfiddle said:

I think the synthy-analoguey-pedals vs actual synths question is valid. 

I think it's partly about live performance (guitar is a much more dynamic and interesting guitar to play live, imo). It's also about how any given player approaches guitar vs keys - the two encourage a different mindset, and most songwriters seem to feel more creative with one than the other. Lastly, it's a different sound between the two. I'm a fan of stuff like the Echosystem, where you can get a load of textural stuff happening in the background and then mute or trigger the dry (or dry-ish) guitar sound at the push of a button. 

One guy can't do that alone with just a synth, but you can on guitar.

The way it looks live seems to be a common reason for going with guitar.

Great point about it inspiring different playing - sometimes I'll do a synth solo but then play it on guitar if I prefer that sound but I'd never have came up with it on the guitar.

I find on the keys I'll play differently in different key sigs too because the layout totally changes, where on guitar the shapes stay the same.

darthed1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHnbC1N_G6w

I know I keep posting it, but you guys keep making me think of it, so I'm unapologetic

Voxman

robinbowes said:n 

Voxman said:

I think I understand his appeal and why he has influenced many folk to take up guitar.

Because he keeps things simple and unfussy combined with his  tone which can roughly be emulated with modern low priced delay effects, his economical style is a more sensibly attainable goal for those starting out than trying to imitate flashier and more technical players. 

As I said earlier,  he is a master of less is more and one of his strengths is that he knows when to play and when not to. Not unlike BB King he can often say more with 4 or 5 notes than many players can say with 30. 

What a bunch of condescending bollocks. 

Wasn't meant to be at all @robinbowes ; ...I honestly intended it to be a complimentary and positive post. Peace! 

Hattigol

To divert this thread (hopefully only briefly) away from rants and nonsense, the pick thing is indeed interesting, in a nerdy way.

I've always had a thing about getting a 'scratchy' tone from a pick. Love it. I've tried the picks he uses but prefer using the rough edge of Sharkfins, to be honest. Used them for years - can't bear normal picks now.

Alterlifeson

Just watched the whole rundown, really interesting. 49 guitars on the road! 23 a night! I don't know how he can change string gauge that often either, Dallas mentioned he often does it for him if he thinks the guitar/Edge needs it. The Vox thing was cool too, how his original no1 was actually nothing like a proper AC30, it was full of marshall caps and different resistors where it had been repaired over the years.

tone1

I had heard that the Edge books a separate seat for his Vox when he flies...

not_the_dj

Finally got round to watching this over lunch today.

Amazing attention to detail, and Dallas always comes across as a really passionate guy, even if he does use the term ‘cat’ more than Keef which gets a bit annoying. 

thegummy

tone1 said:

I had heard that the Edge books a separate seat for his Vox when he flies...

Bono books one for his ego

darthed1981

thegummy said:

tone1 said:

I had heard that the Edge books a separate seat for his Vox when he flies...

Bono books one for his ego

Lets face it that needs it's own plane!

Hattigol

tone1 said:

I had heard that the Edge books a separate seat for his Vox when he flies...

My guess is that 'booking seats' isn't actually something they need to do at all:

Bridgehouse

tone1 said:

I had heard that the Edge books a separate seat for his Vox when he flies...

And he likes his flight to be delayed