 - You said that, apart from licks, tone also makes a great guitarist.
- I meant that all great guitarists are easy to identify because of their tone. And don’t forget: before we hear rhythm, melody, harmony and chops, we hear the tone.
- This means that great guitarists know how to choose their gear.
- Oh, no. As Ritchie Kotzen put it: “Tone is as much about Marshall, Boogie, or Fender as it is about Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, and Eddie Van Halen. Tone comes from the person, and the idea of an amp is to make it easier for you to get your natural sound”. Yes, gear is there but the personality of the player is more important.
- How does personality lead to sound?
- Every great guitarist has a certain tone in his head and he/she won’t give up until he/she gets it. But it may work the other way, too. Limitations can determine beginner’s style. Let’s say you don’t use overdrive and distortion. How would you play? Or, your guitar sounds too weak in the context. You strike harder.
- Can you recommend some gear?
- No, I won’t do it here. In the early days of rock, it was simple. Tele, Strat or Les Paul for guitars; Vox, Fender or Marshall for amps. You didn’t have as much choices as you have now. The offer is confusing. Anyway, don’t get out from the music shop until you get the sound you were thinking of when you got in. I’m not talking about beginners. They are supposed to start with a cheap and reasonably reliable acoustic guitar that you won’t cry too much if you get stuck with it. Don’t buy something expensive in the idea you’ll sell it expensive. You won’t. And don’t underestimate second-hand guitars! As Stevie Ray Vaughan said: “A battered guitar is a frequently used guitar and it means it’s good”.
- What’s your opinion on soft gear?
- It helps to make a choice. I mean, you can try different combinations of amps and effects on your computer, then you know what to ask when you get at the music shop. You see, soft amps don’t sound and don’t have the dynamics real amps do. But it’s more than that, it’s more than gear.
- What?
- It’s the way you attack the strings, it’s what notes you emphasize, it’s phrasing, it’s the techniques you choose. For instance, don’t let the long notes just hang there. Apply a harmonic, a trill or a vibrato to it. By the way, vibrato may be produced in five ways, at least: horizontal (for acoustic guitars, mostly); vertical (B.B. King and Angus Young are two of the great masters in this category); tremolo picking; vibrato produced by the tremolo bar and vibrato produced by the quick move of the volume knob. It’s just an example of how great an instrument guitar is. It’s so much about it! You can get such a diversity of sounds! Of course, every musical instrument can be fascinating but guitar seems to be the most versatile of them all. And I’m talking not only about techniques. Guitar can raise a great diversity of emotions. And what about the sheer physical pleasure of playing it?
|
