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Attention Guitar Players

I want sustain

         

lawman

1:50 am on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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I have a Behringer Composer Pro XL (compressor), which I normally run a condensor mic through to record radio commercials. Since I have an extra input, I'm thinking I should be able to run my guitar through it and get some sustain. Any ideas what settings I should use?

edit_g

1:58 am on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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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]

tbear

7:20 pm on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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edit_g.......... LOL

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!

lawman

8:19 pm on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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I'm trying to avoid buying a stomp box compressor/sustainer for the time being.

trillianjedi

8:27 pm on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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The problem with compression is you ramp up the noise as the signal on the guitar fades and signal/noise ratio drops.

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

Rugles

8:39 pm on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Whenever I hear about sustain I think of that scene from Spinal Tap where Nigel is showing off his collection. He says something like "listen to the sustain, you could go for a cup of tea and it will still be going".

lawman

10:44 pm on Dec 21, 2004 (gmt 0)

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>>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

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 . . . :)

grandpa

11:50 am on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Now, if only I could figure out how to get me some sustain

Just do what Jimi or Stevie Ray Vaughn would do. You can do that.

Woz

12:16 pm on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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>The problem with compression is you ramp up the noise ~ combine it with a noise gate

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

edit_g

12:26 pm on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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There's a good few sustain pedals for guitars - I know that Boss makes them (used to have one). The problem is that it sounds very artificial. There's really no substitute for a good guitar (and failing that, good pickups) and a good amp. Not what you wanted to hear - and apologies for my facetious answer before.

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.

trillianjedi

12:30 pm on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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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

Woz

12:36 pm on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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>the inverse phase method will compress, but it won't sustain

Hehe, depends on how you set it up - ;), but I must admit I am more used to studio work than live. I'll keep quiet now ...

Onya
Woz

trillianjedi

12:55 pm on Dec 22, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Hehe, depends on how you set it up

LOL - can you enlighten me?

TJ

TheVisitor

12:48 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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What you really need is good vibrato. Here's a link to me holding a note on a recording of the intro to a particular solo. It's done with just an amp and a guitar, no pedals:

[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?

lawman

2:56 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Fender/Fender

TheVisitor

3:11 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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No Fenders involved

trillianjedi

4:10 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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guitar/amp

Something with a humbucker (Les Paul?)/Amp - no idea on brand but I would say low power, 12" speaker?

TJ

ogletree

5:03 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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I have no idea I'm a drummer. We need to make a WebmasterWorld band for Pub Con.

TheVisitor

5:17 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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TJ indeed a humbucker - think original 'shape' by Gibson.

Well done on low power. 12" speaker. It's an absolutely knackered 50 Watt Marshall combo with no knobs left on it (I have to use my thumbnail to get the gain up).

willybfriendly

5:18 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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PAiA electronics makes a little kit called "Hot Lyx" that will give sustain that will make your eyes water. I think it's about $50 + 3 or 4 hours of time to solder it all together.

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

trillianjedi

6:18 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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think original 'shape' by Gibson.

LOL - OK, either a flying V or an Explorer.

I'd love a flying V - Albert King style.

TJ

TheVisitor

7:05 pm on Dec 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Closer... I used to have a Washburn asymmetrical flying V when I was in my full on rock phase 15 years ago. Locking trem and all that stuff.

It's not a Flying V or an Explorer, or a Les Paul. Here's a giveaway - and still my favourite player - Angus Young...

jamesa

7:01 am on Dec 25, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Nothing like good sustain... get it just on the verge of feedback and you can really make it sing. I've never had any luck at it with pedals/outboard gear alone though (unless you're talking about a nice tube compressor or tube preamp, then maybe). It's in the amp... and to a certain extent the room. I do it by pushing the amp a bit. Gotta get a good boost in the the lows and low mids (won't happen if you like that tinny sound). Then adding *little* compression on top of that will do wonders as well I'm sure (I've never really used compressors much).

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 :)

edit_g

10:39 pm on Dec 28, 2004 (gmt 0)

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For sustain - go and listen to "parisienne walkways" by Gary Moore. In the live version there's a bit where he holds a note for an absolute eternity.

tbear

7:56 pm on Dec 31, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Must be an SG......
Picked this info up at recordingwebsite dot com:

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 ;)

grandpa

8:00 pm on Dec 31, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Any bass players in here

I played bass as a teen. Had a Gibson EB-3. More than anything I think I just irritated my neighbors.

Some things never change....

jk3210

8:18 pm on Dec 31, 2004 (gmt 0)

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>>It's not a Flying V or an Explorer, or a Les Paul. Here's a giveaway - and still my favourite player - Angus Young...<<

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]"

TheVisitor

8:41 pm on Dec 31, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Yes - a Yamaha SG, as played by Santana (before he started using Paul Reed Smith). Unfortunately a 90's remake of the late 70's and 80's model, so no thru-neck - still plays beautifully though.

ScottM

8:59 pm on Dec 31, 2004 (gmt 0)

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Something similar was famously used by the Edge on U2's Joshua Tree album.

Yep. I bought one when that album came out. It was called an "E-bow"

You can hear it on the song "With or Without You"