The "how to get that sound?" thread

bigswifty

bigswifty

Inspired
I'm making this thread with the hopes that questions about particular effect combinations, procedures or overall sound shaping can be brought up and discussed in one place.
The goal is to help those of us who don't have a deep background in FX layouts to better understand how to achieve particular sounds. Hopefully this will cross over into production as well.

Lets see what happens!



I've been working on a tone for Cheating the Polygraph, and stumbled upon this live version which is fantastic.
At about the 0:15 second mark, SW upstrokes the final chord in the progression and the attack is clacky.
I can't think of other ways to describe it right now.. But I want to know why that happens. It doesn't happen to that effect for the rest of the song.

I've got a delay and such on my patch, a touch of drive for the parts when the drums kick in.
My only guess is that there is a Wah engaged at a very low setting? Or possibly the particular delay he has?

Lookin' forward to your input!
 
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dbrozz said:
I've been working on a tone for Cheating the Polygraph, and stumbled upon this live version which is fantastic.
At about the 0:15 second mark, SW upstrokes the final chord in the progression and the attack is clacky.
I can't think of other ways to describe it right now.. But I want to know why that happens. It doesn't happen to that effect for the rest of the song.
Click to expand...

All the previous chords/notes up until that point are being swelled in with a volume pedal, so you don't hear their initial attack as they are fed into the delay. On the chord you are talking about, the volume pedal is still fully forward from the swell before it, so the attack of the chord comes through. Looking at the way he strums that particular chord with his right hand, the "clack" may also have been emphasized by the thumbnail of his right hand making contact with the strings on the upstroke, along with (or instead of) the pick. The "clack" is also quite noticable at 0:52 on the same chord.
 
I guess I should have noted..

I'm well aware of the basic effects and techniques going on.. Volume swells, delays, etc..
I mean specifically the "clack" of the attack on that chord. What's happening there? I've got a pretty close tone and am content but I'm just curious to know if anyone is able to deconstruct the root of that noise.
 
It's a short delay with mild feedback, on top of the rest of the shimmer on that tone. A slow sweep of the pick, plus the delay kicking in before he completes the stroke, plus the fact that he's sweeping from high strings to low, plus the fact that it's the first time in the song that you're introduced to the attack.

In-between sounds on single-coil pickups will emphasize the effect.
 
Since I've just got my EV-1 and set it up for volume control for the swells on this patch, the question is bugging me more than ever..
I appreciate the feedback but as far as I've been able to go it hasn't pinpointed the sound..

Could it be the delay type? Maybe rig up a multi delay to have my current delay as well as a very fast "attack" delay set with a highpass?
Maybe place the delay elsewhere in the chain.. Hmm.
 
yeah, i think it's his thumbnail

btw - i don't think it's useful having lots of preset requests in one thread. stuff gets missed and it's also harder to search for things
 
dbrozz said:
At about the 0:15 second mark, SW upstrokes the final chord in the progression and the attack is clacky.
Click to expand...

I'm with Simeon, that "clacky" sound is his pick attack or thumbnail smacking the strings. If I get some time in the next few nights, I could see if I could make a preset that is closely representative of that with a Soundcloud example. What FAS product are you using now? I have the AX8 and AFX II Original then could build it from either. Best way for me to mimic that is place an effect block with the reverb/delays in parallel feeding into a MLTDLY block for his quad-tap echo. This read may be a hint helpful: http://www.emusician.com/101/1348/the-prog-rock-process-of-porcupine-tree-and-magenta/40662

He's using some serious swells there also so keep that in mind with the preset using an expression pedal. Cheers!
 
does anyone have a clue how to get the synth sound form Dream Theater - This is the life (starts at 2:00) on guitar?:)
 
simeon said:
yeah, i think it's his thumbnail

btw - i don't think it's useful having lots of preset requests in one thread. stuff gets missed and it's also harder to search for things
Click to expand...

Fair points, Simeon.


swartzfeger said:
Just stopping by to say -- any tone discussion involving PT/Nil Recurring gets a major thumbs up from me. :D
Click to expand...

Agreed dude! A huge EP.


Rex said:
How long is the delay you're using?
Click to expand...

I believe a 1/4 or something very close. I've tried a few alternatives without luck.


ibanezfreak4 said:
I'm with Simeon, that "clacky" sound is his pick attack or thumbnail smacking the strings. If I get some time in the next few nights, I could see if I could make a preset that is closely representative of that with a Soundcloud example. What FAS product are you using now? I have the AX8 and AFX II Original then could build it from either. Best way for me to mimic that is place an effect block with the reverb/delays in parallel feeding into a MLTDLY block for his quad-tap echo. This read may be a hint helpful: http://www.emusician.com/101/1348/the-prog-rock-process-of-porcupine-tree-and-magenta/40662

He's using some serious swells there also so keep that in mind with the preset using an expression pedal. Cheers!
Click to expand...

That would be very cool!
I'm using the Axe 2 Mk 1. I also just got my EV-1 pedal so swells aren't a problem :D
One thing I am forced to do in this instance though is use a pitch block to drop my tuning two semitones.
My only electric currently is my Suhr and it's locked in standard. Pretty sure Cheating the Polygraph is D standard.
As for the reverb/delay into a MULTDLY.. I've never thought of doing that before.
Would love to hear your approach!

98tsle said:
does anyone have a clue how to get the synth sound form Dream Theater - This is the life (starts at 2:00) on guitar?:)
Click to expand...

Start by trying a synth block and maybe some pitch shifting in parallel!
 
Cheating the polygraph is in drop C. As is Anesthetize. Everything else is pretty much drop D for everything since Blackest Eyes with some stuff being in standard
 
It sounds like the majority of what you hear is the slap back delay ringing out which sounds out once he stops using the volume swells. Joe
 
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