One guitar sound for all covers?

flying_pie

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken. I find that using different EQ tweaks in front of it from a Boss GT100 I can easily have 3 basic breakup/crunch/gain tones which are all based around the same basic sound and further influenced by playing dynamics. Because I sing I find having preset EQs easier than fiddling with the volume knob for songs that go from clean to drive and back and forth.

I also have a high output bridge pickup and low output neck so get a lot more variety with the selector switch.

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

fastonebaz

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken. I find that using different EQ tweaks in front of it from a Boss GT100 I can easily have 3 basic breakup/crunch/gain tones which are all based around the same basic sound and further influenced by playing dynamics. Because I sing I find having preset EQs easier than fiddling with the volume knob for songs that go from clean to drive and back and forth.

I also have a high output bridge pickup and low output neck so get a lot more variety with the selector switch.

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

flying_pie

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken.....

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

At the moment just Fool For Your Loving (1980 version but with more of an 87 guitar tone)

And I'm sure you'll approve that we do it with two guitar solos seeing as there are two of us on guitar

Lestratcaster

If I played in a covers band I could probably cover most tones with my HSS strat, which the humbucker can be coil spilt for the twangy tones. I'd use my Kemper and can switch amps instantly but I'd still take a Les Paul too for tunes like Sweet Child and any Oasis numbers. I'd likely to be using a JCM800 for most stuff.

Flanging_Fred

For my own amusement I decided to change up my equipment for a gig I played at the weekend. I have an old DOD multi effects pedal unit so I thought I’d programme in some presets to cover what I normally do with my standard pedal board. Despite me using 3 main sounds (clean, crunch & solo) I was pretty surprised to find that I filled about 30 preset slots on the fx unit to cover what I do. 

fastonebaz

flying_pie said:

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken.....

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

At the moment just Fool For Your Loving (1980 version but with more of an 87 guitar tone)

And I'm sure you'll approve that we do it with two guitar solos seeing as there are two of us on guitar

Splendid song, bet it sounds great.   We play Crying In The Rain and I muddle through about 50%of the notes in John Sykes' solo  

Evo

I was in a covers band where the singer/band leader seemed to think that anything above "tube screamer into a cranked fender deluxe" was childish, immature, and not appropriate for a "professional act". 

If I ever ventured into even plexi gain levels, I'd get a lecture via text the next day. 

One thing I did note, was that the audience never cared at all. The only time I have ever had compliments or criticisms about tone was from musicians. 

Maybe worth bearing in mind?

Danny1969

Evo said:

I was in a covers band where the singer/band leader seemed to think that anything above "tube screamer into a cranked fender deluxe" was childish, immature, and not appropriate for a "professional act". 

If I ever ventured into even plexi gain levels, I'd get a lecture via text the next day. 

One thing I did note, was that the audience never cared at all. The only time I have ever had compliments or criticisms about tone was from musicians. 

Maybe worth bearing in mind?

I have come across this myself when mixing professional corporate circuit covers bands. They do cover a few big hitters like Sweet child and Living on a prayer but they they tame it down a bit guitar wise and it sounds like The Eagles are attacking these songs .. kinda wrong. 
My view is never apologise for being on stage. Some songs need an aggressive very distorted tone so just use one. That aggression is part of the songs appeal IMHO so there's nothing professional or clever about trying to tame it down. 

I know we always say the audience doesn't care. They don't care about the tone, they don't notice if the drummer is a bit unsteady, they don't care if you can't play the solo's note for note or that the singer is ca bit pitchy here and there. 

The way I see it is,  if this is true then why are some bands pulling in 1.5K a night and some struggling to pull £500 ?

flying_pie

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken.....

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

At the moment just Fool For Your Loving (1980 version but with more of an 87 guitar tone)

And I'm sure you'll approve that we do it with two guitar solos seeing as there are two of us on guitar

Splendid song, bet it sounds great.   We play Crying In The Rain and I muddle through about 50%of the notes in John Sykes' solo  

Yeah... I'll stick with Moody/Marsden solos and not bother with Sykes or Vai!

FFYL goes down a treat with the punters. Such a good number and great fun to play

stickyfiddle

We have the opposite issue - guitarist that always plays really clean and almost always on neck/neck&middle pickups even for rock stuff. And little-to-no ability to dig in for a bit of aggression with the right hand either. 

It is hard work…. 

ICBM

I'm entirely of the opinion that 'nailing the tones' of covers is completely unnecessary, and you can do the job perfectly well with just one guitar and one amp, but using *the same tone* for every different song and style whether it's appropriate or not is bad musicianship in my opinion, no matter if he can play the notes. I would probably even think so if he was playing originals - music needs dynamics and variety. (And you can do those with an acoustic guitar.)

It's like a drummer who only has one tempo or a bass player who only plays root notes.

Dominic

Truth is ......
Nobody Cares
In reality ,if it sounds vaguely like the song and the vocals are about right then that's all the public know or care about

stickyfiddle

Dominic said:

Truth is ......
Nobody Cares
In reality ,if it sounds vaguely like the song and the vocals are about right then that's all the public know or care about

I simply don’t believe this. 

Regular punters won’t be able to articulate  why a given band isn’t as good as another but they will absolutely know that they’re different. 

hollywoodrox

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken.....

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

At the moment just Fool For Your Loving (1980 version but with more of an 87 guitar tone)

And I'm sure you'll approve that we do it with two guitar solos seeing as there are two of us on guitar

Splendid song, bet it sounds great.   We play Crying In The Rain and I muddle through about 50%of the notes in John Sykes' solo  

“Muddle through “ I’ve seen videos of you playing  & it was quality widdling not muddling at all 

midiman1962

Rowby1 said:

Played a local community/family day gig this weekend. Back of a wagon job. Was a lovely day and we had a great time. We played during the mid afternoon, a couple of other bands on.

Last band on were doing the usual rock/soul/classic covers but what was odd was the guitarist used exactly the same guitar sound for every single song, from Proud Mary to SCoM to Alright Now to Uptown Funk….full on metal grind. Pretty odd really. 

Anyone else on here use the same sound for every cover they do??

Maybe he’d forgotten his pedal board?

guitarmangler

I use one moderately distorted guitar sound from the amp for everything, with a boost in front (always on) so I can turn my volume up and down without losing treble and a tubescreamer for more.
I turn down for a cleaner tone. If need to swap between clean and distorted tone quickly,I use the selector switch on my guitar to go to an out of phase sound which drops the volume and adds loads of treble for a sparky tone. 
I constantly change my volume and tone control and pick attack. I rarely play on the neck. Bridge single coil 80% of the time. No reverb or delay either, live. 
This is possibly because I'm lazy and cant be bothered to plug pedals in and switch them on and off. 

fastonebaz

hollywoodrox said:

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

fastonebaz said:

flying_pie said:

I use only the green channel of a Victory Kraken.....

This covers everything from Talking Heads to REM to ACDC to Green Day/Whitesnake and beyond. Perhaps it's a bit more rocky for the cleaner tones but it fits with how we play.

Ooh which Whitesnake songs do you play Mr Pie?

At the moment just Fool For Your Loving (1980 version but with more of an 87 guitar tone)

And I'm sure you'll approve that we do it with two guitar solos seeing as there are two of us on guitar

Splendid song, bet it sounds great.   We play Crying In The Rain and I muddle through about 50%of the notes in John Sykes' solo  

“Muddle through “ I’ve seen videos of you playing  & it was quality widdling not muddling at all 

Very kind and generous of you sir  

Evo

Danny1969 said:

The way I see it is,  if this is true then why are some bands pulling in 1.5K a night and some struggling to pull £500 ?

Good social media and promo.

The truth is, often the £1.5k and struggling £500 bands are actually the same band. I really wish it were just based on ability and quality, but most high paying gigs these days are locked up tight with either agencies or “brand-bands” which will happily send out four or five different acts in one night under the same name.

I’ve had plenty of weekends where Friday night we were the 1.5k and Saturday we were the £500, just depends on what comes your way or who throws some work your way that week. 

fastonebaz

I've never gotten close to £1.5k for a gig

Danny1969

Evo said:

Danny1969 said:

The way I see it is,  if this is true then why are some bands pulling in 1.5K a night and some struggling to pull £500 ?

Good social media and promo.

The truth is, often the £1.5k and struggling £500 bands are actually the same band. I really wish it were just based on ability and quality, but most high paying gigs these days are locked up tight with either agencies or “brand-bands” which will happily send out four or five different acts in one night under the same name.

I’ve had plenty of weekends where Friday night we were the 1.5k and Saturday we were the £500, just depends on what comes your way or who throws some work your way that week. 

I do see a bit of that. I've mixed a corp band over the last 6 weeks under 3 different names .. same guys. I'm not sure about social media though. The bands I play in are terrible at social media but are very good earners ... all word of mouth, repeat bookings or ticket sales work. Being older we started out long before social media was a thing. 

Looking at my own view though, across a lot of bands I know (and running a studio for 5 years means I know a lot of bands) the best earners are generally very good muso's .. 
Then again to a lot of us this is a hobby and those with proper jobs aren't as keen to gig in london on a school night even if the money is great.