Lukather sound...

[Ivo V.]

Hi,

I just heard the new TOTO album. In the booklet it says lukather only used his signature guitar and a SMALL MARSHALL combo. But if you listen to the record, especially "While my guitar gently weeps", his tone is awesome. I realize they put all the effects in at the console, but how can he control his guitar sound/tone while he's actually playing his solos/riffs ? I mean does he also play without reverb on the amp ? or does he get a headphone with the console signal ?
Is it normal to record a guitar(amp) completely dry and add the effects later, or is it allright to use effects with the amp during the recording ?

Greetz,
Ivo V.

 

[Lopp]

Hi,

I just heard the new TOTO album. In the booklet it says lukather only used his signature guitar and a SMALL MARSHALL combo. But if you listen to the record, especially "While my guitar gently weeps", his tone is awesome. I realize they put all the effects in at the console, but how can he control his guitar sound/tone while he's actually playing his solos/riffs ?

Lukather rocks. I never really listened to him until getting an Alice Cooper tribute album. I love his style, at least on "Welcome to my Nightmare." Very Van Halen-ish. I'm sure so much of his tone is in his fingers.

I mean does he also play without reverb on the amp ? or does he get a headphone with the console signal ?
Is it normal to record a guitar(amp) completely dry and add the effects later, or is it allright to use effects with the amp during the recording ?

Greetz,
Ivo V. [/B]

"Normal?" That depends on preference.

I personally prefer to record rather dry so I can make sure the part is played perfectly before adding effects. I also often add effects later after hearing how the guitar sits in the song.

To the contrary, it can also be useful to use effects while recording. Thus, the guitarist can hear how the final product will sound and this will affect the guitarist's playing.

Greetz,
Matt

 

[JR#97]

The "Luke" is one of the finest guitars there is. I had a chance to play one at the local when I was getting my Musicman Sillouette. I highly recommend you chase one down and give it a test drive.

 

[foo]

I don't know how they recorded this new stuff, but back around the time of Rosanna etc I did a session like this:

Boogie 1 x 12 combo in a 'live' room. Hardwood (maple) floor and walls, about 10' x 30' with the wood being about a 10' U-shape at the end of the room.

Two mics (SM 57's I think), one on the speaker and one about six feet from it.

Amp volume at 8, no reverb or distortion. Too loud to even go near it without feedback. Volume on guitar turned off to adjust amp controls.

Long cable into the control room, recorded part using the monitors.

It sounded killer.

foo

 

[Ivo V.]

Cool,

So what he's actually hearing is his signal from the sm57's thru the console with the effects added ?
So he can't play with feedback effects as he is outside the room where the guitar amp is ?

Greetz,
Ivo

 

[foo]

Cool,

So what he's actually hearing is his signal from the sm57's thru the console with the effects added ?

I don't know if that's how Luke did it, but that was how I've done it in the past.

So he can't play with feedback effects as he is outside the room where the guitar amp is ?

To use feedback as a musical tool, I think you really need to be near the amp (or at least able to move around near it and in the same room). I've never heard of anyone being able to do that in any other way. But just 'cos I';ve never heard of it doesn't mean it can't be done. To use feedback effectively in that way you need to be able to move the guitar in relation to the amp.
Check out Peter Green on his tune 'The Supernatural' from John Mayall;s album 'A Hard Road' for some pointers on what it can sound like.

Greetz,
Ivo [/QUOTE

Good Luck

foo

 

[Tom Hicks]

Ivo
I know what you mean.If a guitar player is used to his "sound" being processed by effects etc. then he might not play the same listening to a dry signal.
This is where headphone mixes come in.Take an aux from the dry channel and make it as wet as the guitar player wants it to be.Return the wet signal to a spare channel strip and use an insert,or another aux or monitor send to get the wet headphone mix to the player.
That way he gets to hear the effects as he plays,but you get to record him dry and preserve your options for processing the sound later.

 

[Ivo V.]

Ok guyz,

thanks for the replys....another thing learnt in the wonderfull world of recording :d

Greetz,
Ivo

 

[Lopp]

Originally posted by Ivo V.
Cool,
So he can't play with feedback effects as he is outside the room where the guitar amp is ?

To use feedback as a musical tool, I think you really need to be near the amp (or at least able to move around near it and in the same room). I've never heard of anyone being able to do that in any other way. But just 'cos I';ve never heard of it doesn't mean it can't be done.

To get feedback, you can set up a small amp/speaker in the control room. You can then take the pre out of the main guitar amp and run one line to the main amp and one line to the small amp in the control room. Or you can use an aux send off the board to run it to the small amp. You can also give yourself the ability to turn on and off the small amp depending on when you need feedback.

Thus, you are getting the great tone out of the main amp and the feedback ability from the small amp.

 

[foo]

Way to go Lopp.
I figured that someone here would know how to do it!

Cool.



foo

 

[Lopp]

Thanks foo.

I forgot to mention the Fernandez Sustainer. Not as fun as squeezing feedback out of a blaring speaker cab, but it does the job.

 

[Gidge]

Luke uses a setup with pedalboard and rack which goes to 3 different 1X12's which he mics each with a SM57....2 speakers are the stereo effects left and right and the third speaker is the mono unaffected signal.....

Elliot Scheiner just did a Christmas jazz album with Luke and used no effects,compression,or EQ...took it straight off of his rig......

and look out, his son Trevor made his debut on this one....

but he needs to get that 80's hair back......