26 replies to this topic

[Disappearer]

...on different types of guitars? When I play my LP, it's a lot of AiC/Pantera-esque riffs and slow, sludgy stuff, when I play the Jagmaster it's weird, early Biffy like stuff, or the less strange/noisy moments of Modest Mouse, or Shoegaze-y/atmospheric stuff, and on the Strat it's pretty much exclusively weirder Modest Mouse/Pixies stuff, and Pumpkins/Hendrix-y/Floyd-y stuff. I only realised this while playing the Strat yesterday, is it just my brain telling me what I 'should' be playing on each guitar? Or are they genuinely better suited at playing certain types of music over others? Like, the LP just doesn't feel right for Hendrix stuff, for example. I don't know.

[mayajag]

Maybe you're right but I don't really feel like playing different stuff when I change guitar just playing it a bit differently I guess... But what about having only one guitar, then you're doomed playing the same #### in the same way forever ?

[feedbackismyfriend]

I have a tendency to play punk rock whenever I pick up my Jag-Stang....... like more than normal...... aside from that never really noticed it.....

[Disappearer]

Yeah, I'm playing the strat loads ATM and it's great. I'm really starting to prefer singlecoils TBH - even sounds better for Metal for some reason... Might be to do with the scale length though. Sounds a lot tighter and cleaner.

[foxyloxy]

I get it heaps. ORM1- Prog/noise. 'stang-shoegaze/blues.

[Fran]

I do get that. Some guitars have more 'soul' than others, a good Fender evokes your best but it is also an unforgiving guitar. Very transparent. A good Gibson or Metal style guitar with some decent FX will make anyone sound reasonable, you cant get away with that on a Fender.
My mindset does'nt change too much, i can play something like Slayer on a Jag-Stang as easily as i can my BC Rich.

[Earth]

I play pretty much the same on any guitar. Maybe slightly heavier stuff comes out of my mustang than jaguar....(both have humbuckers) but I'm not sure.

[irish_punk13]

Sorry to bump, but I guess I can add in here.

On my Jagmaster I play alot of stuff influenced by Velvet underground, the Stooges, and Screaming trees.
On my fretless SG I tend to play pretty fast because the drones seem to ring out better that way. I also have it in ostrich tuning.
On my Ibanez acoustic I tend to play folky stuff in DADGAD.
And on my other acoustic I play bluesy stuff in open G.
Also when I play on a Les Paul I tend to play more leads then on any other guitar type.
And when I play a strat I tend to play funkier material.

[NathanStang75]

i can play something like Slayer on a Jag-Stang as easily as i can my BC Rich.

If only Kerry King would do this!!!!!!!

[AngryHatter]

My playing sounds the same no matter what guitar I use.

[irish_punk13]

My playing sounds the same no matter what guitar I use.

That's pretty weird. I always notice that on longer scale lengths I sound a little higher pitched than on shorter scales.
I have my SJM in D standard, and my jagmaster half step down, and the SJM sounds brighter than the jag.

[AngryHatter]

That's pretty weird. I always notice that on longer scale lengths I sound a little higher pitched than on shorter scales.
I have my SJM in D standard, and my jagmaster half step down, and the SJM sounds brighter than the jag.

The reason I said that is my tone is in my fingers, not the guitar.

Higher pitched?
Where'd you get that?

The difference is, the neck feels flat with a short scale and the 9.5 radius.

[foxloner]

I have to say, that I play pretty much the same stuff no matter what guitar I have in my hands.....but to be fair, I'm just now learning scales and dont' really know that many songs.....I used to, but at my age, I'm forgotten alot of what I taught myself back in my heyday....I will admit, I practice scales more on electrics than my acoustic.

Steve L.
Cypress, TX

[brandonwinmill]

The reason I said that is my tone is in my fingers, not the guitar.

Higher pitched?
Where'd you get that?

The difference is, the neck feels flat with a short scale and the 9.5 radius.

i think that sound and style is more a finger thing, tone i would say isn't. I'm still me with different guitars and amps and it sounds like me, but the tone is different.
My picking style and timing is all me.
I would say we just have different meanings for the word tone. When i play my takamine acoustic the tone is no way similar to when i play any electric no matter how clean. That doesn't mean you wouldn't say that sounds like brandon. It would sound like me because it is, and that is in my fingers. Especially those of us who aren't schooled in guitar or music for that matter. We have more of an identity because we don't know the rules. i still to this day at 35 yrs old don't know what key i'm in sometimes and don't completely understand time. Nothing against educated guitarists or musicians. Sometimes i wish i was for the simple reason to be able to communicate with drummers or whatever. This might not make sense.

If you say i can give billy gibbons any brand of guitar and amp and you would know who it was i would agree 100% with that. The pinch harmonics and rhythm will be there no matter what.

[SA 65]

Yeah, I think once you reach a certain level in your journey as a musician, you put your own sonic imprint on everything you play, with minor variations based on the instrument, amp, acoustics, etc. I would go one step further and say "tone" is born in the brain, even before the fingers can exact any influence. My whole purpose in playing music since the day I picked up the '65 Mustang my old man handed me at 15 years old was to be able to replicate the notes, rhythms, melodies and harmonies that were already floating around in my oversized melon head. It took a long time to be able to think something and then turn it into music and do it well. I'm always so much more creative writing music WITHOUT an instrument in my hand, rather than sitting there noodling in the same old patterns. I think the very best players take whatever instrument, be it guitar or whatever else, and put their soul into it. It's something that we all can hear instantly, and there is nothing more satisfying than knowing without a doubt, you can put that out there without aping someone or something else. I used to (and still do) get so bored and discouraged playing cover songs, even little riffs, because no matter how perfect you get it down, it's not yours, and its not YOU.

Hey Brandon, I'm not schooled either, but come on, man, you gotta know what KEY your in, at the very least. I taught myself music theory thanks to the local bookstore, and it changed the way I looked at music, played music, though about music...I still have trouble reading and writing (MUSIC, not words!) and I know that is holding me back...but I know how it is, it's more fun to just PLAY! But do learn to count 4/4 time at least and the keys of the songs. Your bandmates will thank you.

[brandonwinmill]

If it sounds good together i use it. I don't think of a key though, i'm just being honest. If you know somewhere where there is some help for this let me know. You don't have to stay in one key though right? Isn't modal mixing using different keys in one song?

[brandonwinmill]

there is a great article in the new guitar player about playing different with different guitars. Its with dweezel zappa who is finally using guitars other than his sg. He said he strums different and goes blank with a different guitar. Its exactly this thread.

[brandonwinmill]

Yeah, I think once you reach a certain level in your journey as a musician, you put your own sonic imprint on everything you play, with minor variations based on the instrument, amp, acoustics, etc. I would go one step further and say "tone" is born in the brain, even before the fingers can exact any influence. My whole purpose in playing music since the day I picked up the '65 Mustang my old man handed me at 15 years old was to be able to replicate the notes, rhythms, melodies and harmonies that were already floating around in my oversized melon head. It took a long time to be able to think something and then turn it into music and do it well. I'm always so much more creative writing music WITHOUT an instrument in my hand, rather than sitting there noodling in the same old patterns. I think the very best players take whatever instrument, be it guitar or whatever else, and put their soul into it. It's something that we all can hear instantly, and there is nothing more satisfying than knowing without a doubt, you can put that out there without aping someone or something else. I used to (and still do) get so bored and discouraged playing cover songs, even little riffs, because no matter how perfect you get it down, it's not yours, and its not YOU.

Hey Brandon, I'm not schooled either, but come on, man, you gotta know what KEY your in, at the very least. I taught myself music theory thanks to the local bookstore, and it changed the way I looked at music, played music, though about music...I still have trouble reading and writing (MUSIC, not words!) and I know that is holding me back...but I know how it is, it's more fun to just PLAY! But do learn to count 4/4 time at least and the keys of the songs. Your bandmates will thank you.

well, timing is still confusing to me. It has never really been explained to me in a manner i understood. The thing i wanted to add about keys is that i don't sit there and say, what key is this chord in? I need to find other chords in this key that will give me the basic melody. In other words i do not want to be limited to chords that fall in certain keys, it's too structured to be fun for me. For me music is without boundaries and rules and as you said, which i agreed with wholeheartedly, it's in me and it has been in me forming and fusing like a fetus since the first time i heard music. It has been evolving and changing and it is full of heart and soul. I thought that was well stated. The way you said come on man, it made me feel inferior for a moment(even though i am). I find things that work together but i have never studied music theory. I have however investigated certain things that made me curious. The tri-tone for example is something i spent forever studying because i wanted to know more about it. There is no doubt if i studied keys i would know them. I do know that if you said i iv v in the key of e normal 12 bar blues, and then counted out loud to 4, so i could have an idea of the tempo, i would be fine. I don't play in a band so maybe keys imply more to bands? I was thinking the bass and everyone would have to be together.

[AngryHatter]

i think that sound and style is more a finger thing, tone i would say isn't. I'm still me with different guitars and amps and it sounds like me, but the tone is different.
My picking style and timing is all me.
I would say we just have different meanings for the word tone. When i play my takamine acoustic the tone is no way similar to when i play any electric no matter how clean. That doesn't mean you wouldn't say that sounds like brandon. It would sound like me because it is, and that is in my fingers. Especially those of us who aren't schooled in guitar or music for that matter. We have more of an identity because we don't know the rules. i still to this day at 35 yrs old don't know what key i'm in sometimes and don't completely understand time. Nothing against educated guitarists or musicians. Sometimes i wish i was for the simple reason to be able to communicate with drummers or whatever. This might not make sense.

If you say i can give billy gibbons any brand of guitar and amp and you would know who it was i would agree 100% with that. The pinch harmonics and rhythm will be there no matter what.

That was well said.
Can you tell it's Hendrix when you hear a song? Sure you can. But there are tunes in which he was playing something other than his strats and I doubt you'd immediately pickup the difference.

Let's play a game, shall we? (Wargames)



One track is a G5122 the other, a Jaguar.
The setup past the guitar is identical.

[brandonwinmill]

Ok when Hendrix did train kept a Rollin on acoustic I would not have known it was him

Is that what you are asking?