What do you use for your live lead tone to cut through?

telecaster90 · 09-25-2006, 11:59 PM

I played with lead with my church's new youth band for the first time last sunday and I couldn't hear my lead tone at all. I have the gain on about 60 and I have it running with Chorus, Delay, and Wah. Do you have any advice for what I should change/add?

jakeskylyr · 09-26-2006, 05:07 AM

For me personally, live lead tones are all about mids. If you back off some of the lows and highs, and accentuate the frequencies between 600-1500hz (ish) to taste, you'll find something. Also, if it all possible, try to replicate a similar musical situation that you will be using it for when trying to tweak this, as to get an accurate idea of which mid frequency (or frequencies) will allow you to cut through. It's also important to remember that lead sounds that sound the best over multiple instruments aren't generally the most exciting on their own.

noodles · 09-26-2006, 12:34 PM

In addition to mids, make sure you turn up the presence more. I've noticed that the presence knob really effects the ability for your guitar to stand out in the mix. Also, the less effects the better. A little bit goes a long way, and what sounds great in your bedroom will get drowned out live.

Leon · 09-26-2006, 01:05 PM

^ +1

with effects, it's nice on a recording or in the bedroom, but once you're in a large room, like in a church, you'll get natural reverb and delay, and any that you're adding with pedals can really hamper the sound.

maliciousteve · 09-27-2006, 08:11 AM

shit loads of mids with no reverb and not too much gain

rummy · 09-27-2006, 10:51 AM

Reduce gain, increase mid/high.

eleven59 · 09-28-2006, 02:26 PM

Since I'm playing small clubs/my singer's basement lately, I use a little delay on my solos to thicken it up a bit, but what helps me cut through is the "EQ" boost on my Flextone II, which essentially just makes it cut nicely. I have the option of a pure volume boost, but I never found it as effective.

Drew · 09-28-2006, 11:38 PM

Lose the chorus, first and foremost. Chorus kicks ass for making a guitar part sort of sit back in a mix and blend in, but it robs it of all "presence" and body.

You can use delay and 'verb if you're careful, but err towards a dry signal. Also,mids are your friend and you don't need a TON of bass for a good lead sound.

And when in doubt, flex.

shadowgenesis · 09-29-2006, 01:41 AM

what kind of amp are you using? When i have guitar lessons, my guitar teachers runs through my old randall SC-200 combo or whatever it is and no matter how we EQ it, the instant i start playing (through a deville) his sound gets totally drowned. And i've heard from a lot of other people that solid state amps and/or any digital sounds seem to have that problem a lot.

Elysian · 09-29-2006, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew

Lose the chorus, first and foremost. Chorus kicks ass for making a guitar part sort of sit back in a mix and blend in, but it robs it of all "presence" and body.

You can use delay and 'verb if you're careful, but err towards a dry signal. Also,mids are your friend and you don't need a TON of bass for a good lead sound.

And when in doubt, flex.

+1

09-25-2006, 11:59 PM	#1
telecaster90 RIP Garcia3441 :( Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clover, South Carolina Posts: 2,315 Real Name: Colin Main Seven: Schecter C-7 Blackjack Main ERG: See above Rig: Line 6 Flextone III Thanked: 41 $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $telecaster90 is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	What do you use for your live lead tone to cut through? I played with lead with my church's new youth band for the first time last sunday and I couldn't hear my lead tone at all. I have the gain on about 60 and I have it running with Chorus, Delay, and Wah. Do you have any advice for what I should change/add? Fender Standard Telecaster w/ Dimarzio ToneZone(bridge) Schecter C-7 Blackjack w/ '59(neck) and JB(bridge) Sigma Acoustic (CGCEGC) Line6 Flextone III XL My acoustic stuff

09-26-2006, 12:34 PM	#3
noodles I'm your huckleberry • Super Moderator • Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 17,641 Real Name: Dave Main Seven: KxK V7 - The Emo Killer Rig: Roadster/GMaj/4x12 Thanked: 291	In addition to mids, make sure you turn up the presence more. I've noticed that the presence knob really effects the ability for your guitar to stand out in the mix. Also, the less effects the better. A little bit goes a long way, and what sounds great in your bedroom will get drowned out live. Noodles Division: American Metal without the suck. sales@kxkguitars.com "Somewhere along the way, the Straight Talk Express lost some wheels..." --Barack Obama on John McCain

09-26-2006, 01:05 PM	#4
Leon {##[====:::. • Super Moderator • Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Ohio Crew Posts: 11,744 Main Seven: RG7620 of Doom Rig: Mesa / Sovtek Thanked: 78	^ +1 with effects, it's nice on a recording or in the bedroom, but once you're in a large room, like in a church, you'll get natural reverb and delay, and any that you're adding with pedals can really hamper the sound. I have a radical idea. The door swings both ways, we could reverse the particle flow through the gate. We'll cross the streams.

09-28-2006, 02:26 PM	#7
eleven59 Terrorhorse Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,749 Real Name: Aaron Main Seven: Schecter Hellraiser C7 Rig: Line6 Flextone II HD Thanked: 108	Since I'm playing small clubs/my singer's basement lately, I use a little delay on my solos to thicken it up a bit, but what helps me cut through is the "EQ" boost on my Flextone II, which essentially just makes it cut nicely. I have the option of a pure volume boost, but I never found it as effective. --------------- TERRORHORSE Eleven59 Your Extended Network

09-28-2006, 11:38 PM	#8
Drew Fear the Polo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 21,333 Real Name: Call me Ahab... Main Seven: 1991 Ibanez UV7PWH Main ERG: Sherman 5-string bass Rig: Mesa Recto-verb 50 Thanked: 141	Lose the chorus, first and foremost. Chorus kicks ass for making a guitar part sort of sit back in a mix and blend in, but it robs it of all "presence" and body. You can use delay and 'verb if you're careful, but err towards a dry signal. Also,mids are your friend and you don't need a TON of bass for a good lead sound. And when in doubt, flex. "...and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon." http://www.metalguitarist.org

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09-26-2006, 05:07 AM	#2
jakeskylyr ss.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 403 Real Name: Jake Main Seven: 1998 Ibanez UV777BK Rig: Mesa MkIII+TC Gmajor Thanked: 4	For me personally, live lead tones are all about mids. If you back off some of the lows and highs, and accentuate the frequencies between 600-1500hz (ish) to taste, you'll find something. Also, if it all possible, try to replicate a similar musical situation that you will be using it for when trying to tweak this, as to get an accurate idea of which mid frequency (or frequencies) will allow you to cut through. It's also important to remember that lead sounds that sound the best over multiple instruments aren't generally the most exciting on their own.

09-27-2006, 08:11 AM	#5
maliciousteve Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hertfordshire, UK Posts: 1,256 Real Name: Steve Main Seven: no more 7's Rig: Laney VC50+BM Thanked: 24	shit loads of mids with no reverb and not too much gain

09-27-2006, 10:51 AM	#6
rummy maybe this year Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 902 Real Name: J.C. Main Seven: RG7421 Rig: GH50L/Recto 2X12 Thanked: 2	Reduce gain, increase mid/high.

09-29-2006, 01:41 AM	#9
shadowgenesis Yarrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bed Sty, Brooklyn, Ny Posts: 1,291 Real Name: dAN Rig: ? Thanked: 14	what kind of amp are you using? When i have guitar lessons, my guitar teachers runs through my old randall SC-200 combo or whatever it is and no matter how we EQ it, the instant i start playing (through a deville) his sound gets totally drowned. And i've heard from a lot of other people that solid state amps and/or any digital sounds seem to have that problem a lot.

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What do you use for your live lead tone to cut through?