How to get more sustain?

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StanleyAccringtonStanleyAccrington Frets: 264
edited January 2020 in Technique
What are the general principals/rules of audio physics so as to get a plucked guitar string to sound for a longer length of time?  Like, how do/did the lads Gallagher, Gary Moore and Gilmour get their sustain?
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Comments

  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10356
     Kind of happens naturally when you play with a bit of a gain At high-volume 

     The trick with getting massive sustain in a pub small club type environment is don’t go mad on the gain ...  let the natural acoustic  resonance give you the sustain .... Usual right hand to mute  all the strings except the one you want to ring out
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    1. Volume, and not too much gain. Dave Gilmour is renown for “volume you can lean on”.
    2. Standing in the exact position where there’s a standing wave between guitar and speaker. Gary Moore used to mark it in chalk on the stage when he soundchecked Parisian Walkways.
    3. Vibrato, which can inject a little energy into the vibrating string, keeping it going for longer.
    4. Head of guitar touching the speaker cabinet, although this often just sustains one frequency leading to feedback.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • soma1975soma1975 Frets: 6626
    Pickups lowered to lessen string pull. 
    Volume


    My Trade Feedback Thread is here

    Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
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  • Fuzz - and lots of it :)
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  • vizviz Frets: 10643
    Consider OD, compressor and wah pedals. My wah boosts the vol, and of course you can sweep the angle to the point at which it boosts the frequency you want sustained. 
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
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  • robertyroberty Frets: 10893
    Gallagher was a rangemaster into a cranked AC30

    Gilmour used a triangle spec (I think) Big Muff

    The Big Muff is probably your easiest shortcut tbh
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  • zedhexzedhex Frets: 191
    Basically three ways to get sustain:

    1. Natural sustain from your guitar.
    2. Compression, either from a pedal or from overdrive.
    3. Feedback

    All of those three methods will be assisted by good vibrato technique.
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  • Higher action can help but makes other things tougher.  Your name caught my eye.  How are you enjoying Colby Bishop this season?
    When other sites and teachers leave you frustrated: https://www.taplature.com/ 100% Unique, 100% Effective, 100% Free!
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  • Old_Swanner said:  How are you enjoying Colby Bishop this season?

    A big lad up front.......averaging a goal every two matches.......every team would like one.  
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  • ;) My team used to have one ... signed for Accrington on the first day of our pre-season ... broke my son's heart :(
    When other sites and teachers leave you frustrated: https://www.taplature.com/ 100% Unique, 100% Effective, 100% Free!
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  • AK99AK99 Frets: 1563
    zedhex said:
    Basically three ways to get sustain:

    1. Natural sustain from your guitar.
    2. Compression, either from a pedal or from overdrive.
    3. Feedback

    All of those three methods will be assisted by good vibrato technique.
    Or get the hold of a Fernandes with the sustainer kit.. :)
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26746
    I used to go with a bit of compression plus a chunky bit of my own sound fed back through wedge monitors pointed at the guitar. Really nice and controllable and not much gain/dirt at all.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • Use a Les Paul (or variant), 
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Left hand technique- vibrato.
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  • chromatunachromatuna Frets: 366
    edited January 2020
    octatonic said:
    Left hand technique- vibrato.
    This and right hand too. Play unplugged (not all the time obviously) and get the guitar working for you. Experiment with picking strength and subtle fretted string wiggle. It will become more natural over time to get the guitar singing nicely. Then you can experiment with volume, gain, compression etc. Same with getting good sound with acoustic instruments, just playing more, strengthening muscles and so on does wonders.
    This is the truth from hillbilly guitars!
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  • JMP220478JMP220478 Frets: 421
    IMHO -  lh technique ; volume ; gain pedal or very gainy amp ; good string damping rh and positioning of guitar/player  relative to cab ...  all of course based around a well setup guitar with good pickups that dont squeal with feedback but musically bloom with all of the above ..

    saw a lizzy gary moore soundcheck a long time ago - and the parisienne walkways sustain went on almost infinitely once he'd dialed in everything - he marked floor with ideal location ... it was gloriously loud :-) 

    not tried any of the ebow , sustainer or freqout units .. 
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