The potential of tone matching?

M

MattR

Inspired
The thread about matching a viola has got me thinking about what kinds of other crazy stuff you can use TM'ing for.

What I've thought about:
1) Tone matching old strings to new strings? Record a DI track of your guitar with new strings and after you think the strings have lost their newness, tone match your dead strings to your recorded DI track - the TM block would obviously go first in the effects chain. This probably won't replace new strings, but maybe it will give it some of that twang and sparkle that only seems to live for the first few hours after restringing?
2) Tone matching pickups? Again, same principle with matching DI tracks. If I want my Seymour Duncan's to sound like a set of BKP's I could find some DI tracks made with the pickup I want to match. Over at SS.org there's a thread dedicated to compiling DI tracks of various pickups - they have most BKP's and a lot Dimarzios/Duncans/etc! (I guess you should adjust input trim if you match lower output pickups to higher output pickups and vice versa, though?). This may or may not work well with different kinds of pickups - humbuckers to single coils, etc.

I haven't tried these, so they are simply guesswork, but tell me what you think and what other ideas you have thought of :)
 
Cool ideas. In fact the idea of using the TMA at the beginning of the chain sparks many ideas. The specific EQ of a drive, boost, or comp pedal for instance. I'll be giving this a try sometime during the week. Cool idea! :)
 
Another idea for those who like metal:

3) I realize that trying to match EQ clean vocals would definitely suck, but what about growling? I know it's a far out idea, but if your voice have the same characteristics (gain type? haha!) as another growler (I can do somewhat of an Åkerfeldt growl), maybe it could work out?? It would probably need the smoothing parameter enabled to work out, at least I bit I'd presume!
 
it all depends on the difference in time between reference and new signal .. as long as the frequency curve is not a function of time it will work. but i think e.g. strings will differ much more then just damped highs ;)

to make that clear: used strings tend to sound not that crisp because the dirt between the woundings will damp the highs. so high frequencies will fall of much faster than lower frequencies.
 
pickup matching has been on my mind a lot lately and would be a great way to be able to use different guitars with the same presets. Just engage the TM block when you swap guitars and you're off to the races.
 
I wouldn't mind if I could make my 8 string with EMG's in it to sound like a Strat with Texas specials.
 
Funeral said:
I wouldn't mind if I could make my 8 string with EMG's in it to sound like a Strat with Texas specials.
Click to expand...

That would be nice but probably outside of what is possible although I'm certainly no expert. I think the best we could potentially hope for is one humbucker cloning another or an anemic strat pickup getting molted into a Texas Special. Kinda like it's essential to pick the right amp for tone matching I would think starting with a compatible reference to work with would be necessary for satisfactory results.
 
Pick-up matching would only work if they were the same guitar. Matching someone else pickup clips would be matching their guitar aswell.

When you tone-match something you are matching the player, the guitar(woods/pots etc), the pickups and then the Amp + Cab.

Where Tone-matching really shines is blending tones. Eg: Dial in a hi-gain rhythm tone with a lot of bass and low mids, all the notes will be clear and smooth but palm mutes will be muddy/overbearing. Then match it with a really tight rhythm tone from a recording of your choice. When you've matched the tight rhythm tone dial back the "Amount" & "Smooth" to taste. You will then have the strengths of both tones. Cutting palm mutes with a 3d feel to chords and notes. Try it!
 
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