Asking for help with tone please.

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 6 Aug 2012 8:14 pm

Here's a song off a CD that a friend recorded for me with a little portable recorder bout 7 years ago. Not at all satisfied with my tone, to muddy, but anyways>
Where is the clean, clear, crisp tone I hear on most all of the recordings here on the forum? My tone is to muddy, murkey, mellow. Our Gospel band is in the process of making 3 CDs, one being an instrumental.
We have laid down the rythmn tracks and vocals for the 1st CD. we need to add my steel, and the lead guitar and then Bill will do the mixing. I really don't want my steel to sound like it sounds in the Sound Cloud link. Nor do I want it to sound like it did in the first CD, I played on about a year ago.(which was recorded in a studio, BTW)
I know some of you guys can listen to this song, and proably have a good idea what I need to do, to get the tone that I'm talking about. I really need your help on this. Please help your fellow forumite!

I'm playing a Mullen RP on this tune, through a Nashville 1000. I'll be playing a Mullen pre RP through an LTD 400 in the studio. Thanks
http://soundcloud.com/terrys-steel-guit ... 9-09-track

terry[/code]

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 6 Aug 2012 9:02 pm

See you got it.Nice

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 6 Aug 2012 9:08 pm

Thanks Billy, but my tone is a little muddy to my ears. I'm making a new CD in a sure-nuf recording studio this time. I'm gonna put this song on the new CD and play the dobro part also.

terry

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 9 Aug 2012 7:51 pm

TTT for help with tone.

Peter Nylund · Post by **Peter Nylund** » 10 Aug 2012 1:32 am

For what it's worth from an amateur like me. To me it sounds like you are very easy on the strings with your picking. I am picking perhaps too hard and this is how that sounds. Mullen RP straight into a SteelKing. No effects.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aplCjOMvxa0

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 10 Aug 2012 3:56 am

Terry.... Add just a touch of highs and then... Cut some of your midrange frequency. IMO this will give you the bell like quality you are asking for. Muddiness can always be cleared up by reducing mids. Hope this helps

Gary Cosden · Post by **Gary Cosden** » 10 Aug 2012 5:29 am

I think sometimes you get into this scenario where you get the treble set to get the low strings sounding the way you want but then the high strings are too shrill so you turn down the treble and you are back where you started. I agree with Jim Bob Sedgwick that its an EQ thing but I have a suggestion. Have you ever tried a Black Box? I found that it did help some in this regard since it allows you to vary the frequency response of the pickup to some extent to better dial in the tone of your guitar. Works particularly well in front of a SS amp like a Peavey in this regard. Just an idea.

Matthew Knapp · Post by **Matthew Knapp** » 10 Aug 2012 10:08 am

I like to put on a fresh set of strings before tracking. That'll make a big difference in clarity and tone overall. You might also need to try picking harder

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 10 Aug 2012 10:33 am

Very nice Peter, and good tone to!

Thanks for the advice guys. Jim Bob I'll give that a try, although I've tried just about every setting on my LTD 400. That bell -like sound is a good way to describe what I'm lookin for.

Gary, I have owned a black box and wish now I hadn't got rid of it. It did help take the shrill out of the highs. When I get the money, I'm getting another one.

I'll try pickin a little harder if you guys think it'll help.

More suggestions from anybody else is very much welcome. Thanks
terry

Ron Kirby · Post by **Ron Kirby** » 10 Aug 2012 11:22 am

Terry, You did some fine playing on the song.
But maybe a little less volume pedal movement would smooth it some. Maybe a little more attack on your strings in places. You have a great guitar and amp.

Over all it sounded great. Thanks for posting it. Ronnie

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 10 Aug 2012 11:51 am

I play a Session 400, which is the exact same amp as the LTD 400. Try setting the presence and treble at 6 to 7 each, the mid at 3 to 4, the shift at 10, and bass at 5 to 6. That should be plenty bright and clear.

PS: What speaker do you have in your amp?

PSS: What gauge strings are you using on the high strings? Heavier strings will make a difference in tone (and pedal pressure).

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 10 Aug 2012 6:42 pm

Well, I appreciate the kind words Ron. I'll try to even out my VP and punch the strings a litle harder.
That makes 3 posts that said I may be to easy on the stings, so I'll try and improve on that.

Paul, I have a JBL K-130 in my LTD. My high string gauges are:
1- 012
2- 015
3- 011
4- 014
5- 018
6- 022p
I'll try those settings, thanks a bunch.
Terry

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 10 Aug 2012 6:59 pm

You could try a .0115 or .012 on the third string and a .015 on the 4th string. It certainly increases the pedal pressure and cabinet drop, but it will reduce some of the shrillness of running a lot of treble on the amp. You already have the maximum gauges on strings 5 & 6.

Your amp with the JBL should sound great with the Mullen.

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 11 Aug 2012 9:35 am

Thanks Paul, I might try those gauges if it will help with the shrillness.
terry

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 12 Aug 2012 5:21 am

Terry, what gauge finger picks do you use?

The brand is not important, but the thickness or stiffness is.
I used .018 in the past and my tone was terrible.

I use .025 now (any brand) and my tone and picking is much more assertive and positive.

Buy the new StickyPicks product if you are scared of losing your picks.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=228721
You can hear it when somebody is too scared to pick positively or firmly.

You need to practice this well before the recordings happen.

If you have a humbucker pickup on your Mullen you might need to replace it with a single coil pickup.

Good luck.

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 12 Aug 2012 5:55 pm

Peter I use 025 gauge gauge pro-pik. Their the doubble band, so I don't worry about losing my picks. They stay on real good. I have a Mullen single coil on my guitar.

terry

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 18 Aug 2012 10:55 pm

Terry,

Your question about tone is a good one, and all the responses have been good advice. I think it is easier to "get" the tone than to "record" the tone.

The answer to recording the tone you produce out of your amp lies in the mic, preamp, effects and certainly, the mixdown. In a live setting outside a studio, it may be easier to record direct with a good preamp. You avoid the inherent problems of recording with an open mic.

I am sending you a link to a song I recently recorded with Brad Sarno's Revelation Preamp. It was recorded direct into ProTools. The guitar is a Zum Hybrid.

http://soundcloud.com/drguitar/who-am-i

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 19 Aug 2012 12:33 pm

Nice job Darrell! And one of my favorite Gospel songs of all time. I may have to add that one on my next Instrumental CD.
terry

Carl Kilmer · Post by **Carl Kilmer** » 19 Aug 2012 3:13 pm

Hey Terry, I just found this out today. I had a sound
that was so flat and muffeled no matter which amp I
used. I use a Hilton pedal, and found the tone control
was set at the middle point. I turned it all the way
up and couldn't believe the perfect sound it produced.
Thought I'd pass this along in case it might help you.
Carl

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 19 Aug 2012 5:38 pm

Thanks Carl. I have a Sho-bud VP and a Hilton. I use the Hilton most of the time, and will be using it and my Mullen when we start recording. I'll check the tone control on the bottom of the Hilton and make sure it's where it's suppose to be.
terry

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