Harsh overtones when playing live

A

Aaron Sharpes

New Member
First time posting here, so apologies if this is the incorrect sub-forum, or if this is a newbie question. (I will note that I'm new to guitar cabs and playing live.)

I'm playing guitar in a band for the first time (first and foremost a drummer!), and my band is about to kick me out due to some harsh overtones coming from my rig. I'm using:

- Carvin DC800 (Lundgren M8 bridge pickup)
- Axe FX II
- Matrix GT800FX
- Engl 4x12 cabinet

When I'm playing live, I'm using the bulb rhythm guitar preset from Axe Change. But it happens with almost all of my presets (except the clean ones).

I'm turning cab modeling OFF and tweaking the AMP block levels. I'm getting a harsh overtone whenever I hold a note to sustain it for more than 2 or 3 seconds (it starts to squeal). This also occurs frequently when palm muting and playing on the low F string. It happens more often when I'm facing the 4x12 with my guitar (so, the pickups are facing it -- not sure why but it makes a difference). When the squealing stops, muting the strings doesn't stop it, I actually have to turn away from the cabinet (so the pickups are no longer facing it). The only way to get it to (mostly) go away is to modify the DRV block of the preset and turn the "tone" knob to zero.

I recorded a small clip to demonstrate the squeal / harsh overtone. (And this is with it behaving well -- it's usually much worse):

Thanks in advance, and also perhaps "sorry" in advance, if I'm doing something idiotic and making a newbie mistake.
 
Below is the demo clip I posted on YouTube so you can hear the harsh overtone. Since I have not yet made 10 posts, I can't post it as a full URL, so I will post it with some modifications.

 
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Way too much 'Gain' for that volume level. As your volume increases, you need to back down the 'Gain'. What works at a low volume - doesn't at higher volumes.....

That goes for Low and High frequencies also.
 
Wow, thank you all for the fast replies! I will see if I'm allowed to practice at our space tomorrow and test some of these ideas. I did tweak the EQ for the lows and highs a bit since our bassist isn't playing with us, and the drummer wanted it to sound "heavier" (mainly the added bass). I will reset that particular preset and start over I think, and try what you all are suggesting!
 
You can add a bit of thump to replace a bassist but the fact of the matter is it gets muddy and indistinct quickly.

Try those, see how you go!
 
Back off the Master or input or both, make sure your input pad is set right. Lower the level on the drive block or just eliminate it, it's not really needed anymore with all the amp settings. Put a PEQ after the amp block and set the lowest/highest bands to blocking, and cut around 100hz and 6khz. Lower/raise the presence a bit, and adjust the presence freq. to taste.
 
First time playing guitar in a band = first chance to find out whether you've got microphonic pickups in your guitar. ;)

See if you have the same problem with a different guitar.


In any case, I agree with the above comments: all that gain is crushing the life out of your tone, and it's not helping the feedback situation.
 
Aaron Sharpes said:
Below is the demo clip I posted on YouTube so you can hear the harsh overtone. Since I have not yet made 10 posts, I can't post it as a full URL, so I will post it with some modifications.

Click to expand...

That's not overtones... Your setup is running away.... If you really feel the need for that much gain I suggest learn how to man handle the beast.
 
I like the clip, sounds like you've figured out how to get pretty close to the doom metal fuzz thing that's not easy to do on the axe fx.

But, if you want less feedback, I'm sure the previous posts here will help a lot. The only thing I can add, is try a more aggressive noise gate in addition to the other advice.
 
Dude. You're feeding back. Feedbacking? Back feeding?... That is what is called a Carpload of feedback.

Hey Cliff! You said you didn't have an HM2 in the Fractals! This gets close!


Kidding! Don't mind me.

Seriously. When the band starts you also probably can't hear yourself?
Try dial the gain down a couple of digits, to the lowest setting you can still get enough of the Brootalzzz with. Add some mids and high mids and remember you have a bass player, so you don't need to fill his frequencies. If he has any kind of a serious bass amp he will totally conquer your ass anyway. It may not sound as scooped but scooping the mids too much will scoop your guitar right out of the mix.

Read up on Fletcher-Munson.
 
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