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I want sustain
Try this - [gibsoncustom.com...] :)
[edited by: lawman at 2:03 am (utc) on Dec. 21, 2004]
[edit reason] Fix Link [/edit]
I think what you do is squash the tops and open out the bass, so adding high harmonics from the bass frequencies. Not sure though.
Have a look at 'Pedal Stackers' Guide to the Universe', some interesting stuff there.
Or run it through a Marshall JCM 900 wind it up (er, I'd stand back a bit, if I were you:))then put your mike in front!
You'll need to combine it with a noise gate of some kind (you probably have one on the behringer).
I would suggest you start at about 3:1 on the compressor with the fastest attack setting and enable the noise gate (if it has one) and set that by ear.
It'll probably sound terrible though. Guitars through hi-tech gear, unlike the human voice, sound terrible.
What you really need is a decent valve amp which naturally compress anyway. A few years back Fender started re-issuing some of their classics which is an option.
If you can justify it, a 1960's vintage Super Reverb is, frankly, the king of amps for fatness and sustain.
Don't take this the wrong way, but I would also examine your technique. A good guitar player doesn't need anything other than a guitar and a good amp (unless you want that HM "wasp in a jam-jar" sound ;-).
It's all in the fingers...
TJ
I have no technique and have never been accused of being a good guitar player. I can make a lot of racket that, on a good day, passes for music. I'd like to have a good amp, but the Fender Champion 30 DSP will have to do for now.
Now, if only I could figure out how to get me some sustain . . . :)
Or a Dynamic Low pass Filter, not sure if you can get those for Guitars though.
One of the better Compressors I had (still have it around somewhere) worked the opposite of most compressors by adding in varying amounts of signal in reverse phase to get the compression effect. S/N was much better that way, although not so good for Bass and the likes. Would be good if someone could put something like that together for Guitars.
Onya
Woz
The 'Main Squeeze' pedal from DigiTech is one that a studio engieneer friend of mine mentioned - but I've not had personal experience with it.
Now, if only I could figure out how to get me some sustain . . .
OK, well I tried to steer you in the right direction ;-)
The sledgehammer method is with a sustaniac [sustainiac.com]
They work. I've owned one before. Something similar was famously used by the Edge on U2's Joshua Tree album.
The cheaper alternative is to increase the weight of the guitar neck, which can actually be achieved by bolting on a slab of metal. Looks ugly, but it does work ;-)
You can also fake the sustaniac effect by being in close proximity to your amp and using the accoustic energy from it to naturally resonate the body and neck of the guitar. Hendrix was famous for it. It's not easy to do it well (see "technique" references above ;-)).
I don't think you'll have much success with using a compressor for above-mentioned reasons.
Woz - tgood call, but he inverse phase method will compress, but it won't sustain - it's used to decrease overall volume, not increase it.
TJ
[impossiblenote.co.uk...]
The vibrato on this isn't completely steady all the way through, but keeps the note going.
Anyone care to take a guess at which guitar/amp I'm using?
The reason guitars do poorly through high end equipment is due to the impedence mismatch. A guitar pick up is very high impedence. If you are going to run it through a compressor with low impedence inputs you will need to buffer the signal.
WBF
Same with distortion pedals... never really liked the sound of most distortion pedals into a bone dry amp. But when you get the right tone out of the amp, everything sounds good.
Any bass players in here :)
Compression settings......
To get a good sustain, try a 4:1 ratio, use a fast attack and slow release. Then play the note you want to sustain, and raise the ratio until the sustain is as long as you want it.
Getting my old strat set up well helped with it's sustain. Totally shielded, the harmonics fly around nicely now, without a background fog of buzzes and hums ;)
Just one minor note:
"In 1961, Gibson replaced its Les Paul series with a new line of lightweight, ultrathin, all mahogany, double-cutaway solidbodies Ð the SG (for solid guitar). Developed under the aegis of Ted McCarty and introduced as the "new Les Paul [vintageguitar.com]"