EQing Guitars
walters said:
How to make a guitar tones/voicing?
A guitar tones/voicing comes from many factors. You start with the density of the wood and the shape of the body. Certain guitar bodies are solid, which usually have resonances, but unlike hollow-body resonances, they have much less influence on the actual interaction with the resonance and subsequent harmonics of the vibrating string(s.) Each part of the guitar resonates at a different frequency, for example 774.3 Hz two inches from the bridge towards the ground for this theoretical discussion. Now, when you play a note that corresponds with the 774.3 Hz tone, that part of the guitar will resonate and may or may not increase the amplitude of that tone and subsequent harmonics which happen to correspond with other open/fretted strings or parts of the guitar (IE: between the tuning pegs and the nut.) These harmonics may or may not also interact with other harmonics creating a complex phase relationship that institutes a particular signature on every guitar that is individually unique to that instrument. Now in the case of the need for amplification of said instrument, we must find a way to use the vibrations and subsequent harmonics within the moving strings/resonating body of the instrument to create an electric field. Introduce: The transducer. Most guitar transducers rely on a medium to high gauss permanent magnetic field which is imposed on a series of coils which are wound for the purposes of inductance over the critical fundamental and harmonic audible resonances of the sought-after frequency spectrum of the resonating strings and subsequent harmonic resonances. Please search the thread for inductive transducers before you move on.
walters said:
What makes a tone different from another guitarist tone?
We left off with a small electrical signal created by the inductance 'pickup' of the guitar actually leaving the guitar body in a series of combinative pulses of amperage and voltage. From this can be calculated the impedance of the waveforms using ohms law. This shall heretofore be referred to as the 'signal.' The 'signal' then passes through a conductive carrier in which the valences of the atoms of the conductive material allows the 'signal' to be carried by way of electrons travelling from valence to valence in response to the potential of electrons on either side of the conductor channel. This shall be referred to as the 'cord.' The total circuit output impedance of the instrument should ideally be about 10% of the input circuit impedance of the next stage, which is the initial amplification stage. This stage often uses a bipolar germanium or silicon doped field-effected gate through a channel of oppositely doped germanium or silicon. Or, one can use the effect of the dislodgement of electrons through a near vacuum's tendency to travel uninhibited by random atmospheric molecules to an anode of lesser electron potential. This is controlled by a 'grid', or a small shield which is referenced to ground. Some researchers/experimenters like to think of this process in reverse and use 'hole flow' theory. A small signal impedes the natural electron flow of a heated element, and therefore your small 'signal' is able to produce a large voltage swing, which when properly adapted to the circuit impedance of a reverse transducer, (1/10 again) will project a facsimile into the atmosphere (hopefully) which is a larger version of the 'signal.' You must take into account the imperfections and noise that are introduced throughout the amplification chain, such as capactitance, inductance, and resitance of differing stages in the amplification chain which create passive filters, limiting the frequency response to one which occasionally impedes into the audible spectrum. The reverse transducer also impinges its own particular characteristics upon the signal, often due to effects of the resonant frequencies of the chamber in which it is enclosed, the resonant frequencies and density of the material which actually resonates correspondingly to the amplified signal, helmholtz resonance of the enclosing chamber, and the influence of the listening environment to the signal in matters of phase, amplitude,etc.
walters said:
Jimi Hendrix has like 10 guitar tones/voicings on every song they are all
different tones and voicings how do you make this tones and voicings?
We will use the mention of a specific instrumentalist as an introduction to our next lecture: Individual playing dynamic.
A guitarist may have many social and physical factors which affect the sound of his/her playing of said instrument. For example, Djengo Reinhart had only two fully functional fingers, so he devised many scale 'runs' to accomodate his handicap. Can you see how this would apply to someone with : A lack of general coordination or: someone with creamy butter in his compressor?
A guitarist also can utilize a number of devices (usually in the 'signal' chain before the first amplification stage [see previous post]) which alter the signal in a way that is pleasing to the audible pallette. Scientists have discovered and perfected many ways to change the sound of the signal (usually by changing or 'modulating' [look up modulating] the signal waveform voltage, amplitude, and/or phase.) These modulation techniques have 'names' and can be 'looked up' in this 'forum.'
walters said:
See previous answer.
walters said:
How to adjust the Eqs to sound like a trumpet?
"so if any source was put in the eq input the output would have a
trumpets curve and tone and waveform"
walters said:
How to adjust the Eqs to sound like a Trombone?
"so if any source was put in the eq input the output would have a
trombones curve and tone and waveform"
walters said:
How to adjust the Eqs to sound like a sax?
"so if any source was put in the eq input the output would have a
sax curve and tone and waveform"
There are a few easy ways to accomplish this. We will use a saxophonist as an example.
1) Have a real saxophonist play the exact part that you want your guitar part to sound like. Play the guitar on another track. Make sure they are as close as possible. Then, align the phase 180 degrees between the guitar and the saxophone. Mix them down, and you will have a wave profile which is the difference between the two instruments. Make sure this is at or above the gain of the actual subtractive result of the phase relationship. Then re-add the guitar. Presto!
2) Get a Roland
