How do I get that sound?

[cooter]

What kind of pedals or whatever are these country players using to get that driving twangy sound? Like the sound on Alan Jackson songs, or like the Toby Kieth song "I'm as good once as I ever was". I have been told you use some overdrive, also a compressor. Or both. I have a new Baja Tele (which is unbelievable, go by one) and a 59 Bassman amp. This combo is just killer. But can anyone help me with with my question? Thanks in advance for any respones. Cooter.

[morroben]

Sounds like you're on the right track. A little overdrive and compression should get you what you're looking for. Be careful with the compressor...it's easy to overdo it. Definately a "less is more" type thing, but it will help with the twang.

[onecrazykid5]

sup cooter?

My name is Scott! it depends on what sound you are looking for, sometime thay don't use any pedals at all and go threw a tube amp.

the best way to find the sound you want is go to a guitar store and try all the pedals there out till you find it.

but the guitarist that plays for Alan Jackson and Toby Keith is a great player called brent mason and he uses:
boss blues driver, sparkle drive (made by voodoo lab), boss valume, vox wah-wah, boss dynamic llah, voodoo macro vibe,boss equilizer, and alot more.


good luck

[morroben]

That's good advice...go to a store. Our local shop has a boss display set up now where every pedal is on a wall already chained together and into an amp. You can just start hitting pedals in different combinations and see what works best for you. I think OD and compression are a good place to start though. A Baja and a '59 Bassman are a great combo on their own, so you probably won't need a lot to get your sound dialed in.

[Big John]

I'm having big fun with a Visualsound Route66 pedal, it has O/drive and a compressor all in one pedal and its easy to dial up some great twang and blend between the two, have a look here ....Route66

[cooter]

I asked this question on the stomp box section and only recieved a couple of respones (thanks to those that reponded) so I thought I would ask here for additional thoughts. How do some of these country guys get that driven twangy sound. Like in some of Shania Twain, or Alan Jackson songs. I have a brand new Baja Tele and a 59 Bassman amp. By the way, WOW what a combo together. Can't be happier with both. Thanks in advance for any respones.

Cooter

[Mitch Roberts]

You need a good compressor

[Rathmann]

A lot of those cats whose sound you want to cop are probably running through rack systems that are worth more than my car. But a good compressor (Boss has a blue one -- can't remember the model number) that does a real nice job.

Also, it is always a good idea to turn an amp pretty far up so you can get the power section of the amp to bark a bit -- and if you have a tube rectifier, that helps as well.

[Boxelder]

a good string attack (that's what i call it) helps too.... try plucking the string from underneath with a finger tip or nail instead of a common down stroke with a pick....


see if that helps.....

[klasaine]

Over at the stompbox thread someone mentioned a Visual sound Rt.66 pedal. Which is comp and OD in one pedal. The sound you're talking about is pretty typical, though how each player achieves it can vary widely. The compressor is an almost 'absolute'. The overdrive can really be any variation of the 'tubescreamer'. you could even start with the venerable Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9. There's 100's of OD's out there and some are a better fit than others depending on exactly what tone you're looking for and also your existing gear. You can get that tone with just guitar and amp but with your '59 bassman you're gonna have to really turn it up to get that kind of natural compression and OD from just the amp.

[tonebender]

Yes a compressor will do wonders for you. Troy Lancaster (nashville session player) swears by the vintage boss CS-2. I have the CS-2 and just love the tone I can get from using it. check out the http://gearslutz.com/board/for other advice as well. Good luck on the hunt for tone.

JP

[E.D. Patton]

The Durham Sex Drive has the best/most natural sounding compressor I've used. Kinda pricey, though. I use one though my tweeds and never turn it off.
It just sounds weird without it now that I'm used to it.

[aussie52]

cooter, I think the particular sound you're after is that brent mason tele back pickup sound (which is on alot of alan jackson albums & countless other ones). The main pedal you're after there is a compressor as others have mentioned. You could go a boss cs-3, but I personally think a CS-2 is way in front... (but thats just my opinion ). Unfortunately they're all 20 years old but there's still lots on ebay.

It would probably be worth picking up the brent mason hot licks video to check out his style too.

(PS A keeley comp would be awesome for the job too if you've got the $$).

[Stefan]

Compressor
Overdrive (just a bit...)
maybe some fast Delay...

[cooter]

Man thanks to all that have responded. You guy's are great. On your advice I just got home from a couple of stores. Everyone was out of the Route 66, but should have them next week. Will try a few other places in my travels. But, they did have a Keely Comp box. Wow was I surprised. It was great. I did not have time before they closed to try it with a Overdrive of any kind, but I liked what I heard. They said it would be about $250.00. I little expensive. I have a Boss OD-3 Overdrive. Not sure if it would be a good match, although it should. I like the idea of the Route 66 being a Comp and OD. Maybe I could consolidate. Thanks so much for all your respones. I feel like I am on the right track. By the way, my new Baja together with the 59 Bassman is a beautiful thang. Talk about twang! Also I can get that classic Fender CLEAN with this combo. I must say I cannot be happier with the set up I have. I want to get some pic's on the board because I got my first digital camera for Christmas but I don't know how to use it yet. My Dad came over with his digital camera and we had some fun out in the back 40 with my gear next to my tractor. How Hillbilly Deluxe can you get. I have to figure out how to get that to you guy's. Thanks again!!!

Cooter

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by cooter

I, my new Baja together with the 59 Bassman is a beautiful thang. Talk about twang! Also I can get that classic Fender CLEAN with this combo. I must say I cannot be happier with the set up I have.

Cooter

Yeah, that is a pretty good combo!

[Guitarzan]

Cooter:

The others have covered overdrive and compressors pretty well. You can set a delay at about 40 ms to thicken the sound without actually hearing a repeat. Sometimes there is a dab of chorus in those songs too.

[teleguitarist]

Just a quick note...most of that tone is technique, not so much equipment. :)

bw

[J-man]

Yep a compressor, be very careful how much you use though, compressors can sap all the dynamic range from your playing leaving it sounding dead and robotic. Personally I don't recommend their use in anything except recording but they will help you get the tone you're after..

[Grin'n'pick]

All great advice so far. I would say that the short delay tip is very important too, and you can go a bit slower than 40ms too, for instance Brad Paisley often goes around 200ms I believe and he uses a touch more overdrive into the mix too. I have mine usually set around 120-150, with no feedback to speak of and at about 30% level so it is subtle. I have the luxury of a Boss DD-20 so I set that to an analog delay sound, I like it but there are a myriad of other options out there to fit your taste and budget.

With your guitar and amp you are probabaly going to get very close, although perhaps the less midrangey blackface sound is better still for this style, dunno. I guess any classic american sounding tube amp will do the business. Actually, Brad Paisley used to use vintage Vox ACxx amps I think so again it isn't all down to particular gear.

As for compressors I've tried a ton. My current go to is an Analogman Mini BiComp which replaced a Keeley for me. I wanted the Orange Squeezer side for that sound but if you are just looking for the Ross Compressor sound (which is like an MXR DynaComp or indeed the Keeley - very country) it may be overkill. The Bicomp does have a very good Ross compressor side though, and I love the pedal. I have also used the Boss ones and still own a CS-2 and a CS-3. I would bet that most of the sounds you're hearing Brent Mason play on Alan Jackson's stuff went through one of those. I prefer the CS-2 to the 3, it is less sterile and effected sounding and has a voice which is definitely all over nashville sessions. Shop around on eBay for one and wait for a bargain, they can go for silly money but at other times not, so it is worth waiting your chance. J-man is right, you don't need a lot, especially at stage volumes where a compressor can easily become too much. FYI Brent was using a Keeley Compressor last time I looked and many of the country guys are going over to them.

I think the Route 66 has a Tubescreamer style overdrive, so that advice above about checking out one of the many TS style boxes is very apt. I have an Analog Man Tubescreamer and a Barber Direct Drive, either gets that sound. I've heard some good things about the Digitech Bad Monkey, do a search on here. The Digitech Digital delay with an analog setting has its fans on here too for this style, both of which won't break the bank.

But above all the most important advice, which has been given here and on countless other occasions, is that the technique is the key to this sound. A superb demonstration would be Big John's recent post of him playing Little Liza Jane at a festival, go watch it if you haven't already. His sound is that defintive chicken pickin' hot country sound and he is going straight from his tele into a modern Fender tube amp, no pedals. Like all the great exponents of this style John's technique is awesome and really is the reason why he gets that sound coupled with his thorough grasp of the classic licks of the style. It's about popping the strings, using your fingers as well as the pick, and the whole feel of the style, things like double stops, unison bends, hammer ons and pull-offs, and open string runs. Learn all the cliched licks inside out and backwards and also get into the theory a little, it is worth it. Many of us here are on the same quest as you, keep at it and it will come. I can recommend Lee Hodgson's fabulous 'Hot Country' Book and CD as a great place to start if you can find it. Until I got that I was scratching around from various sources, afterwards I understood enough to really get a lot from the wealth of other more advanced or idiosyncratic instructional material out there for country guitar.

Good luck!

[Guitarzan]

Cooter:

This may interest you:

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Sounds...?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

[JohnnyCrash]

For newer Country, definitely a Compressor.

A hair of overdrive helps, whether from a box or a slightly cranked tube amp.

[Ben Harmless]

A compressor will absolutely help you get the sound you're looking for, especially at lower volumes.

However, I'd warn not to get too addicted. IMHO, much of that sound can be achieved without the use of a compressor. If you're really into that new-school country sound, then it might actually be called for, but you can do very similar things by training your hands to hit the strings in certian ways. If you do this in combination with cranking that Bassman a little, (which will add some killer compression before it starts to break up) you're doing exactly what the old country cats used to do before people started stuffing compressors into little pedals.

You're on the right track though. I can't think of a rig I'd rather have for playing country music. That Bassman will give you everything you're looking for in terms of dirt if you just crank her up - though I realize that may not always be possible...