Why Guitar Players Have To Develop Their Own Tone And Playing Style--And Not Relying On Effects Or Modeling Amps--Arggh!!

I see too many musicians use effects pedals and stomps to color or add texture and tone to their playing, in essence ruining their original intentions. Then what happens is they don't learn to develop their own tone or feel using an axe and amp only.Then the effects become a crutch if you will to dial up some effect that does nothing to enhance your own tone or playing. You might think it will but you'll end up using it constantly never developing any original tone or feel in your playing. So here is what to do you all. Leave your effects pedals at home the next time your band practices or jams. And don't use any effects from your amps either.

Now, just using your volume and treble and bass setting on your axe along with the distortion and volume on your amp rig, tweak these settings so they coincide with the type of music you play, and variate it a little as well. And you don't need to cranl your amp either. by doing all this it will be like recording or playing Analog style. But better yet, record it and see what great elements of your sound and style shine through when playing using just the axe and amp.

A lot of players who use effects and rack units have a tough time getting a handle on analog settings in this age of digital BS. That's why it's best to go back to the stone ages of rock n' roll where all the great sounds emanated from, recording riffs and chords using more bass distortion off your amp and playing riffs like a bass player, not a lead guitarist.

By playing lead guitar like a bass player you'll become more creative as well when using just your axe and amp to modify your tone. If you're creative enough, and I know at least some of you are, you'll come up with tones,textures and riffs that will astound you, your band and your fans.

By using less technology and more basic or Analog based equipment, it will force you to become creative when playing and recording, to develop your own original tone. But if you're hell bent on using effects and digital technology to the detriment of your sound--then this article is useless to you and you better get out of music. Some of music's best players learned how to create their own original tone using their guitar,amp and recording it to 4 track cassette players at the most.

I know I'd be impressed if you did. I always love seeing an old Tascam 4 track tape recorder in a player's home studio. Makes me feel good knowing they use the old hat technology to get really creative with. So get started today using your axe, amp and maybe a 4 track player or even a ghetto blaster with a dual tape deck.

Then get a little Jiggy using just analog equipment and really get creative. I think a lot of blues cats from the 30's and on would be proud of you if you did and did it with flair, not digital crap.

Mark Grove