Anatomy of Guitar Tone

Anatomy of Guitar Tone is the home of session/touring guitarist, composer, instructor, and blogger - Mark Marshall.

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IsoAcoustics Stage 1 Board

Aug 27

Aug 27 IsoAcoustics Stage 1 Board

Amps, Reviews, Gear, Tour, Tips

For many decades guitarists would walk into a studio or gig and put their guitar amp on the floor without putting much thought into it. Sometimes, a guitarist would need to hear their guitar more so they would place their amp on an amp road case, chair, wooden box, or anything lying around.

There was little thought about how the guitar amp reacts sitting on a floor or on top of a road case. Guitarists would notice issues with the sound of their amp from gig to gig but often chalked that up to the venue or other circumstances.

Analog Man Sun Face BC108

Aug 16

Aug 16 Analog Man Sun Face BC108

The Fuzz Face circuit is the most well know of the fuzz circuits alongside the Big Muff. This largely in part by the usage of the Fuzz Face by Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmore. David Gilmore eventually moved to a Big Muff, which made that pedal well known.

Although Hendrix used other fuzz pedals from time to time, he became associated with the Fuzz Face. Likely because of his performance at Woodstock. I actually got to hold the Fuzz Face, and wah-wah Hendrix played at Woodstock. I was thoroughly pattered down, leaving the location where they are stored.

The term Fuzz Face has become a generic term for fuzz among some guitarists. Some major manufactures don't help in their marketing either. You're often led to believe there is one basic Fuzz Face, which is not valid. I'm not saying Dunlop is lying to you. I'm saying they're making a vanilla Fuzz Face with hopes it fits all.

Victoria 518 Tweed Champ

Jul 29

Jul 29 Victoria 518 Tweed Champ

Guitarists are searching for solutions to get a great tone in their home studios or on quieter gigs. Higher wattage amps are falling out of favor for these situations.

Bigger amps are harder to control at lower volumes and only saturate when played loud.

Many guitarists have tried products like the Kemper or Fractal as well as amp simulators. There are a wide variety of products today aimed at the volume restrained guitarist.

I have struggled with each of these products when dialing in a guitar amp tone I love. I find myself spending more time tweaking then playing. While mixing, I keep going back to make adjustments I wouldn't bother with a real amp.

The Echorec Delay Sound

Jul 6

Jul 6 The Echorec Delay Sound

The Bnson Echorec delay is a sound that many guitarists have heard but aren't aware of its identity. There is an assumption that anything before digital or analog delays are tape-based echos.

Tape echos such as the Maestro Ecoplex were produced in quantity and more available in the USA. Italian inventor Dr. Bini designed the Echorec to solve some of the issues known with a tape delay.

Recording vintage resonator guitar tones using the Wasaphone

Jul 4

Jul 4 Recording vintage resonator guitar tones using the Wasaphone

For many studio owners specializing in recording guitar, a lot of thought goes into deciding which mics to collect.

There are some obvious choices like ribbons, dynamics, and condensers. Mics like the AEA 840, Sennheiser 906, and Soyuz Bomblet are my favorite choices for tracking guitars and guitar amps.

There will be times, though, when you need something a little more specialized and specific. Something like a Wasaphone MKII.

Gemini Pickups Danelectro Lipstick Replacement

Jun 27

Jun 27 Gemini Pickups Danelectro Lipstick Replacement

My first memory of a Dan Electro guitar is watching footage of Led Zeppelin from the Knebworth concert in 1979. I was intrigued by the unique look with the black body and white pickguard.

The pickups also caught my eye. They seemed to have a visual similarity to Telecaster neck pickups, but they weren't an exact match.

I decided to research Dan Electro guitars, which was a little more time-consuming than it is in modern times. Now Google is always at our fingertips.

Upon some digging and asking local guitarists about Dan Electro guitars, I stumbled upon the Sears catalog line of guitars called Silvertone.

Kush Audio Clariphonic Parallel EQ

Jun 13

Jun 13 Kush Audio Clariphonic Parallel EQ

When a lot of guitarists start recording themselves, they often complain about a tonal blanket hanging over their tone. I get asked frequently about the best ways to remove the dull blanket sound.

There are several ways to make a guitar more lively. Firstly, I try to start with the instrument itself. If I'm playing acoustic guitar, I will pick one that suits the tonality of the song. The same goes for an electric guitar and amp.

Concerning guitar amps, I spend time tweaking the EQ knobs on the amp itself. I'm not opposed to adding EQ down the line, but I want to get the tone as close as possible from the start.

You may have made the right decisions with the guitar and amp but still find you need to open up the tone.

A Brief but Complete Guide to Guitar EQ

Jun 10

Jun 10 A Brief but Complete Guide to Guitar EQ

I spend a lot of time on stage and in the studio. Because of this, I'm always thinking about my guitar tone. For most recordings, I engineer myself. This means I have to be pretty aware of how my sound gets captured.

This goes one step further these days as I also happen to be mixing all of the music I compose. I also mix a good portion of the music I produce with other artists.

Dealing with guitar at every stage of the process, from stage to recording to mixing, has given me a broad perspective of EQ.

I thought I would share some of my findings on the subject of guitar EQ—one thing to remember about getting a tone that it's merely an audio opinion. There are many ways you can approach sound. You can watch five guitarists or engineers talk about guitar tone, and each has a different approach.

Kush Audio Pusher Saturator

May 30

May 30 Kush Audio Pusher Saturator

I've been watching a lot of Mix with the Master's videos. I find it fascinating to watch others work. It's so interesting how many different approaches there are. Recently I was watching Tchad Blake mix. He was using a plugin I never saw before for saturation and distortion called the Pusher.

A Brief but Complete Guide to Guitar Compression

May 23

May 23 A Brief but Complete Guide to Guitar Compression

Compression is one of the most confusing effects to incorporate into your guitar chain. It’s a misunderstood effect.

What a compressor actually does isn’t all that confusing. The difficulty is in its application.

Let’s start at the beginning. A compressor’s purpose is to even out your guitar’s signal. With a clean guitar, you will see peaks in the recorded sound. Lots of peaks and valleys. The transients pop out. The difference between those peaks and valleys could sound jarring or cause overload, depending on what you’re running your signal into.

Compressors were invented to reduce the distance between peaks and valleys. This allows for a more consistent sound and has benefits like preventing tape output from overloading and digital output from clipping.

Guitar Production: Soundtoys Plugins

Mar 27

Mar 27 Guitar Production: Soundtoys Plugins

Sound Toys plugins have been a staple for many recording engineers and mixers for quite some time. But for some reason, I just didn't end up trying them until recently.

I dropped by my friend and film composer Gene Back's studio. We were discussing plugins, and I was mentioning how I was generally dissatisfied with delay plugins. I just haven't bonded with any.

I'll admit that I'm an analog delay nut. Although some companies have made emulations of old delays, I've been unsatisfied.

Gene suggested I try Echo Boy from Soundtoys. I had heard of EchoBoy before but was jaded using delay plugins. After some not so gentle judging from my friend, I tried EchoBoy.

The Myth of the Pedal Platform Amp

Mar 18

Mar 18 The Myth of the Pedal Platform Amp

There is a new phrase being thrown around in the guitar community. I hear the term Pedal Platform amp a lot. I believe some of the pedal community are perpetuating this phrase. There seems to be a particular crew of pedal manufacturers that see pedals as being the core of their tone.

There isn't anything wrong with this per se. However, I will expect that many who go down this path will still be experiencing an anemic guitar tone.

Behind the Guitar: The Cheat by Future Relics

Feb 21

Feb 21 Behind the Guitar: The Cheat by Future Relics

I just released a new single from my band Future Relics, a surf/sci-fi inspired instrumental project.

The direct inspiration for the music of Future Relics is movie scores from the 1950s,1960s, and 1970s. Each song is based on an imaginary film that could have come out during that time period.Here is the backstory of “The Cheat”

The year is 1968. A modern-day Robin Hood has just landed in Las Vegas. HIs plan: to cheat the cheaters from their swindled fortunes. But no plan goes without glitches. The song’s underlying question is, when does good become evil? Find out in “The Cheat.”

Retro Sonic Chorus CE-1 Circuit

Feb 11

Feb 11 Retro Sonic Chorus CE-1 Circuit

Pedals, Reviews

It would be fair to say that in certain periods of music history, both past and present, chorus has been one of the most popular guitar effects.

Chorus is most notably associated with the 1980s but really got its start back in the 1960s. The Beatles were the first to use ADT (artificial double tracking), which to the ear sounds like a light chorus or doubling effect, on “Rubber Soul.”

In fact, chorus is meant to sound like more than one source playing at once. Like a chorus of singers. It’s an electronic way of doubling your guitar or any other instrument.

Guitar DNA: You Got Lucky by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Jan 9

Jan 9 Guitar DNA: You Got Lucky by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I grew up in the era of Tom Petty. The Heartbreakers’ music was a part of my life soundtrack as soon as MTV went live. It’s hard to pick a favorite song from Tom Petty’s catalog. Tom’s music went through various sonic journeys, just as we do in life.

I grew up in the era of Tom Petty. The Heartbreakers’ music was a part of my life soundtrack as soon as MTV went live. It’s hard to pick a favorite song from Tom Petty’s catalog. Tom’s music went through various sonic journeys, just as we do in life.

Headstrong Lil’ King Reverb

Dec 25

Dec 25 Headstrong Lil’ King Reverb

The Fender Blackface Princeton guitar amp tone is about as classic as it gets. The identity of that era of amps might be the most identifiable guitar amp ever. They've been on countless records starting from 1964 on that Feature the Fender Blackface tone.

Buying an original mid to late 60's blackface Princeton isn't only expensive but potentially problematic. I love vintage guitar amps, but they can be unreliable. Right now, a 1964 Princeton is a 46-year-old amp. That's long past the life expectancy of many of the components.

You could get lucky and buy one with no issues. More than likely, though, you will need to maintain and baby a vintage amp more than a new one.

Anasounds Element Spring Reverb

Dec 19

Dec 19 Anasounds Element Spring Reverb

Pedals, Reviews, Gear

I’m a sucker for drippy spring reverb. I listen to a lot of surf and psychobilly music. You will find records from The Ventures and The Cramps in our vinyl collection.

Spring reverb isn’t just “reverb” to me. It’s an extremely specific flavor. One that just can’t be recreated digitally. Digital technology has come far, but I don’t feel there is a digital equivalent of spring reverb yet.

Auto Align Phase Correction Tool

Dec 12

Dec 12 Auto Align Phase Correction Tool

Discussing phase relationships with guitar microphones can be a complicated conversation because not all sounds that have imperfect phase sound terrible. That's a critical thought to store in your brain library.

The most significant consideration when dealing with phase is sound disappearing when listening in mono. A signal that is out of phase can disappear when played in mono.

Analog Man CompROSSor pedal with RYCK mod

Nov 22

Nov 22 Analog Man CompROSSor pedal with RYCK mod

Reviews, Pedals

Compression is often misunderstood and looked at as a dynamics fixer. Meaning, some players use them to even out there playing. A compressor can substantially narrow the dynamic range of the guitar.

Although it does do that, it's not how I think about it, or I use it. I've spent a lot of time playing guitar to manually event my dynamics if I want to. I don't use a compressor as a band-aid.

Compression is a tone tool for me. I'm very interested in the varieties of compressors and how they modify my sound. Sure, a compressor is still containing the dynamic range of the guitar. But, to me, that's just a side effect.

Strymon Iridium and Live Amp Sim Thoughts

Nov 8

Nov 8 Strymon Iridium and Live Amp Sim Thoughts

Pedals, Gear, Tips

Amp and speaker cab emulators are trending right now. A lot of musicians are recording less in commercial studios. Perhaps they can’t record a real amp in their home studio due to volume restraints.

Some guitarists are looking for solutions to loud or heavy amps. Perhaps there are volume limitations on the gig. Or guitarists are trying to have as little a footprint as possible when traveling to gigs. For these players, an amp in a pedal is appealing.