Tone is in the fingers........but...

X-Mann

X-Mann

Experienced
As a middle aged weekend cover band warrior, I've realized that "Yes", tone is in the fingers & hands that we all currently own right now :eek:

While I await the AX8 & dream of the tonal possibilities, I take a look back at what I've created w/ the modelers of X-Mas past.

Note: This is a for FUN only thread w/ the intention of passing time, talking hands, tones & amp modeling & maybe even what YOU will do w/ your AX8 when it arrives.

So....

I decided to document EVERYTHING that I do on the guitar a long time ago & my sound is even more evident to me now as I look back.....

But......There are some better versions of me & my playing based on great digital guitar tones though. A stellar tone & product can inspire you to play more, practice harder & write songs, riffs & much more.

Here's a few (Best of) 11-Rack examples & what I was able to create w/ it.

Lick #5 of a 10-Days of Licks series I did for my Instagram page: All Eleven Rack content & tones.


Lick #1 & all 3 of my Carvin Guitars through the Eleven Rack.


While the Eleven Rack was limited in FX & maybe even amp models, it was/is a simple unit & way to get solid tones & ideas to tape (aka your D.A.W.).

Here's the last Eleven Rack example & a funny story. Neil Zaza asked his fans to record his most popular hit song titled "I'm Alright" a few years ago so that they could all be used in a master edited video. I had 2-weeks to learn this cover tune & just barely pulled it off & got it done. Here's take #32 & the one that I went with.



More to follow.....
 
Last edited:
I wanted the Helix to be everything that the Eleven Rack was & more......So I tried it for 21-days & was able to achieve this:

X's 1st Helix Demo.....


Here's audio of the 5150, Uber & Soldano amp models of Helix & the tones I'll go for w/ the might AX8.



I've got plenty more clips & videos to show & share, but to sum up my point here. I sound like me & go for the same handful of tones on any piece of gear that I own or try-out. That's both good & bad at times & just what it is in the end.

I really hope that the AX8 & the amp modeling that Cliff & Fractal have developed will ROCK my world & then some.

Tone may be in the fingers, but GREAT amp modeling (aka Tone) will be the difference in the end & what will separate the men from the boys.

I can't wait to play the AX8 & put some fun demos together too!

The wait is almost up & peace! X-Mann
 
Last edited:
One last thing before I go......

Forum Jams:

I like to create global forum jams & will be doing an "AX8 Only" all star jam in the months to come w/ a full video.

Here's a few examples of my jams from the Carvin Guitars forum to keep you entertained while you wait.....& wait....

Temple of Sparta:


I write the base parts & am the conductor, while I assign different sections to the players that sign up.



If I can offer the newer intermediate players one piece of advice or tip, here it is. Record yourself, write tunes & jam over your own backing tracks. Play musical examples of the guitar things that your working on.

As time moves forward, so will your progress. Then you will be able to see & hear it as well.

Good luck all! X

PS - It doesn't matter what gear you end up with, it matters what you do with the gear you do own in the end.
 
Last edited:
X-Mann said:
If I can offer the newer intermediate players one piece of advice or tip, here it is. Record yourself, write tunes & jam over your own backing tracks. Play musical examples of the guitar things that your working on.

As time moves forward, so will your progress. Then you will be able to see & hear it as well.

Good luck all! X

PS - It doesn't matter what gear you end up with, it matters what you do with the gear you do own in the end.
Click to expand...

My tonal palate is very similar to yours X-Mann... Crisp tight and not very subdued. I don't do the ambient pad like playing like some of the effects junkies around.

OMG... yes record yourself... even if you suck... you'll hear where you suck and can actively work to improve it. You'll learn a lot about what you perceive as good tone... record yourself soloing over some backing tracks... (take time to learn the progressions that you are playing over too.) You'll find that your phrasing will improve when you start doing multiple takes...and you'll discover where your phrases need to breath. Go in with a handful of whole notes, half notes and quarter notes.... solos don't just consist of 8th, 16th, 32nd notes. if you are a bend offender... not completing your bends before you hit the target note... you'll know it and can work to correct it. (My partner guitarist in my band was like that when he started with us... pretty good technique on the whole but always fell short on his bends... a little record and play back so that he could hear the effect on what is heard when he fell short and bam he corrected it...)

Oh and yeah hear how your "amp in the room" tone actually sounds recorded... having ran enough live sound consoles for other acts... many need that "what you sound like to other people" reality check too...

I'm not perfect, but I've gone deep into the rabbit hole a few times on my tone quest... and I probably use too much gain... ;) but I rarely get through a gig without an other guitarist complimenting my live tone from when i was using tube amps... and modelers... (I got the least compliments when I was using an HD500X...) But I think that after many years my fellow guitarist in my band has ever been told that he has good tone... it's not offensive but I gave up trying to get him to improve it but his ear refuses to develop further.
 
oh yea, I forgot the #1 rule I live by too! :rolleyes:

Have "FUN" on your guitar journey people! :)

Here's some fun/funny things that have happened so far on my guitar journey.

I've been a Superhero & recruited some of my on-line friends:


I had a "Home Alone" day & documented it all:


I was asked to do a solo on a friends tune & ended up recording one of the best things I've ever done on the guitar so far. It's funny that it's not even on one of my tunes though too.


At da end of da day, you gotta ask yourself "Who am I as a guitar player?". o_O

Who is X-Mann?


I don't take myself very serious & enjoy every project that I get involved in. I encourage every player (& at every level) to try some new things & find inspiring ways to move your progress on the guitar forward.

It doesn't have to be perfect & you don't have to post or share them along the way either. Keep them as a record of your progress & accomplishments.

I still hate my vibrato & find it a constant fight to correct. We all deal w/ things & have to keep pushing through to the next level.

Peace! X
 
I almost forgot my biggest accomplishment to date here.

While I've wrote & recorded over 20 original instrumental tunes, I've always wanted to release a Pro level tune.

I finally did it this year w/ my iTunes single release titled "Turning Point".

I took my favorite tune, hired a producer mixer, drummer & bass player. I did all of the guitar parts at Studio-X & the rest was mixed & mastered at another studio.

Here's the high energy solo section & a taste of "Turning Point".



I learned more about music, guitar, recording & life by taking on this task. I also raked in $213 while spending $550 to create it too! :p:(

But money was never the point or goal here. ;)

X
 
Nice videos. Hopefully you will open up your "Ax8 only" collaboration to be a "Fractal only" thing? I'd love to contribute :)

One comment on the topic of tone: it's not so hard to get a decent tone from a modeler... I've had good luck from the early days with the Johnson JM-150 and the J-Station as well as DAW plugins later on. But the thing Fractal brings to the table is the FEEL! Nothing else responded like an amp... Big difference :)
 
UNIX-Guy, ALL Fractal users & products will be welcome in the "X" jam! ;)

Yea, modeling has come a long way & I've had a lot of success with it so far.

I'm at a point where I really can't wait to hear & try out a Fractal product for myself. The entire world knows that's it's the best amp modeling on the planet too!

I can't wait to test it, demo it & create music w/ it! Then report back my findings to the masses! :eek:

We'll jam very soon son!

Peace! X

PS - I kept getting a server error & couldn't quote your post though.
 
Yeah, tone is in the fingers...but...

tumblr_m31anz1XF81qgcra2o1_500.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom