Tone Police

[Durtdog]

I know, it's so offensive to make a sarcastic comment suggesting that the oh-so-oppressed middle aged white guy doesn't have the rhythm for blues. I feel your pain, man; I feel your pain. Are you going to be mad if I say they can't jump either?

Mighty brave post.

Substitute any minority for "white guy" and I dare say you wouldn't have the cajones to post it, now woudja?

 

[chabby]

I wish I could start this thread over again, because I would have phrased it even more to the point than I did. This was never intended to be anti-pedal.
Never did I say pedals were evil or anything else. Pedals are useful tools and this was never intended to turn into a debate on whether folks should use pedals, or not.

In fact in my experience (even with the OCD Fulltone I use there) I adjust my rig prior to playing so that my rhythm is clean or slightly OD'd, but clear and easily heard in the mix. Then, adjust the boosted signal so when I click on the OCD for my solo it rises up just the right amount to cut through.

This thread is more about knowing how to use the pedals, adjusting your rig for the band mix and finally, laying down a sufficiently loud enough rhythm to carry the tune. Also about being there in the moment for the band and music, which is part of what is being taught there. Not shut up within your own world with your eyes and ears closed. Pedals are fine, I own them, I love them, the world is a better place because of them. As Bradpdx stated my rig is usually Amp-compressor-distortion-delay-volume pedal-depending on the music sometimes I will throw in a Wah-Wah and change the distortion pedal to an OD pedal.

How it got to be winding down a path of pedal board debate is probably due to the fact most of us use pedals and are therefore sensitive about it.
From what I've seen at most these jams however, is that the folks that do show up with a pedal board never turn it off and always have the distortion turned pretty high. Too much distortion in traditional blues music sounds like crap to me. This ain't the "are you experienced" workshop.

Could you imagine if BB King did his fills with a big muff kranked all the way up? Probably not much tonal value there. Or how about if his rhythm section just quit playing? Thats what this thread was supposed to be about.

 

[fenson]

http://www.michaelburks.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CeDell_Davis

Thanks guy and thanks nosuch good stuff.

 

[Big Steve]

Wouldn't a two channel amp with enough balls to cut through do the same trick?

Yeah, but a two channel amp in my opinion has all of the problems that a single channel with a pedal in front. You get preamp distortion from a two channel amp on the distortion channel. We are looking for power tube distortion.

 

[nosuch]

We are looking for power tube distortion.

Who is "we"?

 

[fenson]

Who is "we"?

Them

 

[Rumble]

If by some weird happenstance we were having this little talk in person I suspect the rest of us would have already left the room and rejoined somewhere else without ya, maybe we'd all have a drink, talk a bit and reminisce about how we all missed you.

Maybe.

That’s interesting. In scanning over this thread it appears that 100% of your posts over the last 3 days have been directed at me personally. I’ve tried to ignore the stalking, but it seems that if I leave, you won’t have anyone to talk to. I hate to do that to you. By the way, did someone suggest that Pink Floyd and U2 are soul bands? I must have missed that.

 

[Rumble]

I have seen the error in my ways...

I have seen the error in my ways. To those of you who have chivalrously come forth in righteous indignation to protest my unwarranted attack on white, middle class men, I must apologize. I don’t know what I was thinking making a tongue-in-cheek comment about middle aged, middle class white men, historically one of the most oppressed, disenfranchised demographic groups in our society. I should have known better than to direct criticism, even sarcastically, at such a downtrodden, mistreated segment of the population.

Now that I have heard your reasoning, I can definitely see how middle aged white men can identify with and channel the blues, which developed in large part due to a climate of oppression and economic hardship, the type of climate they now face daily. In addition, they have a long, rich history of having exquisite rhythm, both in dance and in music. I should not have disregarded their inherent soulfulness. I just should have been more sensitive to their plight, appreciated their gifts more, and should not have treated it as a joking matter. I shall now bow out of this thread by offering you my apologies, knowing that I should try my hardest never again to offend the sensitive men on this board.

 

[tiktok]

I had no idea Georgians were so insightful and polite.

 

[stephent2]

That’s interesting. In scanning over this thread it appears that 100% of your posts over the last 3 days have been directed at me personally.

Yeah, I know. It's just so unfair isn't it.

If I get the OP point, he's complaining about players at a jam being insensitive to the song and their fellow players. Not getting the groove, being in it only for their solo and unable to play a supporting role when they're not in the spotlight. He also hit upon inappropriate tone for the context of the material.

OK, so what do we get? Someone feels that on a telecaster board with a goodly share of old white guys, it's hip to dis the poor soulless white guy (didn't we already do this 30 years ago?).

How do we say "insensitive to the song and their fellow players" and "inappropriate tone for the context of the material"?

Did you happen to notice I wasn't the only forum member that took exception to your racist rant?

 

[nosuch]

Them

Ah, them!
That makes sense!

 

[nosuch]

If by some weird happenstance we were having this little talk in person I suspect the rest of us would have already left the room and rejoined somewhere else without ya, maybe we'd all have a drink, talk a bit and reminisce about how we all missed you.

Maybe.

If we had this conversation in person rumbles (and anybody else's) sarcasm would better translate to all of us. Now that's the internet and we have only text and tiny emoticons to express irony or sarcasm, some talk may be offending which wasn't intended to insult anybody.

peace, brothers?

 

[Guitarslinger1]

Effects are wonderful. Without them, we couldn't do things such as this...

 

[nosuch]

Effects are wonderful. Without them, we couldn't do things such as this...

a new minority to bash on: rich heirs


what a great threat: anti-pedal, anti-middle-age, anti-white, anti-canadian, anti moustache, anti- overweight, anti-jam, anti-whatever.
and now the filthy rich improvisers get it.

 

[outbreak]

only a smurf can truly understand what it is to have the blues.....

 

[Guitar_Ninja]

only a smurf can truly understand what it is to have the blues.....

or this guy:

 

[jericho60]

All I need is an MXR DynaComp and a little bit of slapback. I can't even think of the last time I brought my Tube Screamer (well, Super Tube) to a gig and put it in the pedal chain.

Just getting pure, slightly overdriven Fender tone out of an amp has forced me to become a better player, polygraph-style.

 

[Vol. Knob]

This is why I don't like to go to blues jams.

You got the guy with the $4,000 guitar who fakes a southern accent and says "Ah jus play da blues" between songs, and you see him drive off in a luxury SUV with liscence plates that indicate he came from the rich side of town. Yeah, sometimes these guys can play, sometimes they can't, but for some odd reason they play more songs than anyones else.

You got the 23 year old kid with a brand new $400 strat, finely coifed hairdoo, freshly pressed bowling shirt, and a 50 foot guitar cable he brought from home. He uses his 50 foot guitar cable to saunter up to every chick within reach, point the headstock to the sky, throw back his head, give up a magnificently well rehearsed "guitar face", while perfectly executing a lick he learned on his "Play like SRV" DVD collection.

tone, schmone, the posing has got to go....

 

[Vol. Knob]

Could you imagine if BB King did his fills with a big muff kranked all the way up?

That would be TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!

 

[fenson]

Effects are wonderful. Without them, we couldn't do things such as this...

But really some guys and gals, can and do wonderful things with effects , each to their whatever, all good