Notes Don't Have Power

[MrStitch]

Lately in band practice, I've noticed that when I start playing leads, the sound is very low... er should I say, volume seems less than normal.

I've got an Ibanez Radius, running a V5 humbucker (i think).
Amp EQ is set at max for High, maybe 5-7 for mid, and 3-5 for low.
There is a countour thing, but i never really figured that out... it's usually set in the middle.

Not only does the sound level seem lower than expected, but when I try to hold onto notes, they seem to fade out quicker than usual.

Haven't tried anything yet, not even changing strings..... since I've never had this problem before, I guess I never bothered.

Has anyone else had issues like this before? Suggestions?

 

[flamin-gitaur]

I think changing the strings would be a good, inexpensive, and logical place to start. As strings wear and/or get dirty they will loose their ability to sustain, and could affect you guitar tone in all kinds of different ways.

 

[RideTheCrash]

Is it a tube amp? Maybe the tubes are dying?

Do you run any pedals? I own a fuzz pedal and when the battery started dying I got a really distorted sound and the decay was extremely fast on notes.

 

[soundchaser59]

Most likely thing is a battery somewhere in your chain going dead.

Then tubes going bad...

Even old crusty strings will sustain and be loud if everything else is ok... they just get dirty and harder to play, but they dont quit making sound.

If it is a battery going dead, and you are committed to using pedal gear, you should think about getting a 1-Spot to power all your pedals.....or something similar. Voodoo Lab makes a unit to power multiple pedals also, theirs may be better, but the 1-Spot is a bargain for a set of run of the mill pedals like I have...

 

[MrStitch]

I've got an el-cheapo whah pedal, but it's using a wall wart.

Never really thought of it before, but maybe I should just take that out.

Then I happen to have an S100 effects processor, but that uses wall wart power as well. Can't get rid of that as it's the only thing that makes my crappy amp sound any good. hahahah

I'll start with the pedal anyways. Maybe I'm getting loss of signal with all the cabling?

If that don't work, then I'll move on to some new strings. Sure, they could be changed, but I've had old strings before, and never had this issue... at least I don't think.

 

[goldtopchas]

It's possible you might be pulling too much mids out of your signal. Guitar is mostly midrange, and if you take too much out to get that "beefy" sound everyone is after, it sort of disappears in the mix. Most of the lead stuff you hear in songs has been enhanced in the midrange a little. It will also help with sustain. Investigate your "contour" control, It could be the key to repairing whats missing.

 

[dragonworks]

I don't think you have told us what amp you are using yet?

 

[Myriad_Rocker]

I don't get what is with guitar players scooping out their mids. Granted, I've done it in the past. But I just don't do it these days. You gotta have some mids in there to cut through all the other stuff that is going on.

 

[travelin travis]

I don't get what is with guitar players scooping out their mids. Granted, I've done it in the past. But I just don't do it these days. You gotta have some mids in there to cut through all the other stuff that is going on.

I scooped the mids when I was into metal and played shitty solid state amps.......you have to cut something out of a shitty amp.

 

[tkingen]

Lately in band practice, I've noticed that when I start playing leads, the sound is very low... er should I say, volume seems less than normal.

I've got an Ibanez Radius, running a V5 humbucker (i think).
Amp EQ is set at max for High, maybe 5-7 for mid, and 3-5 for low.
There is a countour thing, but i never really figured that out... it's usually set in the middle.

Not only does the sound level seem lower than expected, but when I try to hold onto notes, they seem to fade out quicker than usual.

Haven't tried anything yet, not even changing strings..... since I've never had this problem before, I guess I never bothered.

Has anyone else had issues like this before? Suggestions?

If there is no problem with your amp, try this - Turn your guitar volume to about half. Set your amp the way you want it to sound for playing rhythm. When it's solo time turn the guitar's volume knob up until it's the right volume. Your notes will sing and cut through over the band.

 

[ggunn]

Even old crusty strings will sustain and be loud if everything else is ok... they just get dirty and harder to play, but they dont quit making sound.

But they certainly will lose high frequencies, and the unwound ones will lose sustain when they get worn out.