How to get great guitar tone - Part2.
In the first part of our article on how to get great guitar tone we looked at some of the physical influences over your sound - the guitar, it's strings etc. In this second part we'll look at some of the more subtle ways your can impact the sound of your instrument.
6) Pick or finger & where you play
One of the more subtle tone changes can be found from ditching your pick and playing finger style instead. The pick creates a sharp attack and playing fingerstyle creates some interesting dynamics and subtleties. For some inspiration try watching Mark Knopfler's or the great Chet playing style.
7) Take the lead
How's your guitar lead? Surprisingly the style of manufacture and even length can have an impact on the tone you hear through your amp. Try some different leads until and see what sounds you get.
8) Take Control
Your tone and volume controls each have a massive impact on your tone - a lot of players play with them set full up but try backing off your volume and listen to the impact that has on your sound, experiment with the different settings your tone control offers.. For inspiration listen to some early Clapton (Cream era). Eric's "womantone" was in some ways created by experimenting with the sounds he could obtain by changing his tone setting.
9) Optimise your effects chain
How you order your effects chain can have a dramatic impact. As effects modify the signal certain pedals have an optimum position. For example if you use a Wah-Wah pedal they usually work best when placed first in the chain (before distortion) because a stronger signal is then passed onto the other effects. If you use effects mix up the order and see what affect that has on your sound.
10) Playing styles
Finally your playing style can also impact your tone. How hard you attack the strings, where you pick from (near the tailpiece or near the neck?) each affect the tone. What's your picking style? Do you mute the strings when playing. Try out a number of playing styles to see which works best for you.
Well there you have it 10 sure fire ways of enlivening your tone - why not give some of them a try.