Here’s an odd question i have just because I want to learn more. It seems like the nature of EQ is basically a placeholder of sorts in the Sonic realm. So when you say it just has to be the right gain in the right place, does that specifically mean changing the EQ or
Changing the tone? Or both? What exactly is tone made of sonically? It can’t just be the same as EQ right? Because then changing tone would change eq but it seems like with gear we can change tone separately from EQ. Help me in curiously lost
A few things going on in guitar tone in any mix situation in layman’s terms:
Gain - how overdriven/distorted is the sound
EQ - Balance of your frequency spectrum
Compression - dynamic range of the signal
Volume - DB of mix
There are more along with these, but this is kind of a basic way to think about it. These also are related. More gain can mean more distortion, but distortion is a form of compression in that it clips the signal to have less dynamic range. Too much compression/distortion can make the guitar sit awkwardly in the mix. Too little though and the guitar won’t be consistent and could be hard to mix. It is easier to for the sound tech to add compression though to even out the guitar as they want in the mix.
EQ is the control and tone of the frequency balance. A “bright” tone has more high end, a “warm” tone more low end. The fun part with this is that the human ear hears differently at different volume levels. Quiet sounds are perceived to have more midrange with the human ear hearing closer to a “flat” sound nearer to 90DB.
All of these come together for the tone. Personally I find if I am the only guitar player, I can get away with more gain and a warmer tone in the mix to fill in the midrange content but not get in the way of the clarity of the vocal. But if there is another guitarist, I will turn down the gain and compression and brighten my tone a bit or cut low mids.
Hearing the level of gain in Justin’s presets in the video and not having heard it in a mix has me thinking that he gets to play through a LOUD PA at shows and might be the only electric guitarist on at least most of the songs.
I hope that helps! The tones in the video are wicked too! Makes me want to play with the pitch block again! And got me to put down my Novo and K-Line and pick up my Les Paul for the first time in a few weeks!
