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Posts: 199
Location: Winston-Salem, NC | I'm looking for a more delicate strummed tone from my '05 Collectors. Kind of bold and in-your-face right now. Where should I start...picks, strings, technique? What would you guys do first?
Finally...a post where I'm not trying to sell it! |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Try a delicate touch. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | ... then strings. |
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Location: SoCal | Both right. It's mostly in your technique, but you can try lighter strings...... |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Any string recommendations? I am new to this ovation stuff and wonder what everyone prefers here? |
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Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by twistedlim:
Any string recommendations? I am new to this ovation stuff and wonder what everyone prefers here? And the fun begins.
I use D'Addario Custom lights. |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Try silk and steel strings. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Try a Taylor, that will give you a much less in your face tone. In fact it will be much less tone overall............. |
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Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Work on your touch and tone. Practise, and then some more. Then some more and again.
Keep going. Don't stop. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Oh yeah, I forgot one... don't use a pick. I rarely do (I can't seem to hold onto 'em while playing!). |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Thanks folks, Iffy what is a pick? :) |
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Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | ...what are picks?
....hehehehehe |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | a plectrum |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | actually using a fatter pick will achieve some of that. An old bluegrass trick the boys showed me is use the blunt edge of the pick for a fatter rhythm tone. I've been using a .060 pick for sometime which is considered heavy or xheavy. Get one of those and use the rounded edge, not the point. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Play while standing barefoot on a flat of eggs.
That always works.
"Delicate" tone? Heck, bang on that thing so they can *hear you at the back! (for those who play at home make that; *hear you at the neighbours!) |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Throw the pick away and use your thumb, or better yet, your thumb and all your fingers. BUT, if you must use a pick, there is a company called Micro that makes a felt pick. I never tried one, but they are in my catalog. They aren't cheap so I haven't ordered any, but if you're interested in trying them shoot me a PM. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | +1 what beal says about using the blunt edge of a pick. i've been using that technique for years. and now that i give it thought, i never use the pointed end of a pick anymore. blunt edge habit. and +1 on bobbo's recommend of using silk and steel strings. using a thumb/fingers to strum may work for you. thumb will generate a mellower sound than fingers. felt picks will shed all over the front of your instrument and down your pants! they are decent for ukulele and autoharp though. |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Technique is important, but playing with different string and pick combinations can work. Jim Dunlop make some really light plectrums. I use a white 0.46mm pick a lot of the time and used to use their superthin 0.38mm pick. These don't generate much volume, but are fairly subtle.
However, if your pick is too thin, you will end up compensating by hitting the strings with your nails anyway (check for black marks on your fingernails to see if you are doing this).
For technique, practice strumming some easy chord progressions and paying close attention to the sound coming from your guitar. Make sure the face of the guitar is nice and upright and check your posture in a mirror. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by The Artist (FKA Richard):
(check for black marks on your fingernails to see if you are ... ... due for a string change!)  |
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October 2005
Posts: 4046
Location: Utah | Pick material can make a big difference in sound. Softer picks have a softer tone. The really hard picks cause a harsher shriller tone.
Note that this is hardness, not thickness. A basic Fender Medium pick is a good starting place. I prefer the Tortex picks, but they are pretty similar to Fenders.
Phosphor Bronze strings are a good choice, and less brassy than 80/20 strings. I haven't tried Silk n Steels on my O's, but one used '06 Koa Collector Ovation at the Guitar Center has old Silk n Steel on it, and it is definitely not harsh or bright.
Strum further from the bridge. |
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February 2005
Posts: 199
Location: Winston-Salem, NC | I figured out what I was looking for. There is a guy I know who has a very delicate sound, and that was what I was after...it's mainly the way he plays some of his chords. For most of the chords he plays on his acoustic, he plays them with the high B and E open...lots of different chords too. Is this some kind of special technique, or is it just alternate chord fingerings? Here is an example...when I play a B major, I just bar the 2nd fret and play it like a normal A chord...when this guy does it, he plays it similarly, but he leaves the high B and E open, so there is a very delicate, jangly, shimmery sound. I love this kind of sound, and would like to apply it to more of the chords I play. Anyone have any tips? |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The B chord you speak of represents a doubling of the B note instead of the D# and an E note instead of the F# on the first string. I'm not very good with chord theory, but I think the chord signature would then be B/E (no 3rd). For a similar chord sound, start with an open E chord, then play an A and then a B in the position, but leave the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings open and strum fully. Written out, it would look like E, A/E and B/E. I think. Nice tone for some things. If you like this sound, then you ought to love D tuning. |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Sounds to me like the
I typed this up from info on Paul Baloche's website. It gives a full, ringing sound. But unlike what BB's describing, you don't play the 6th string on the 4 or 5 chord. Give it a try at least. It's an easy way to get a different sound for some songs.
HERE is the article from Paul B's website that gives more background. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I knew I wasn't clear. The A and B are played in the barre positions (5th and 7th frets) but with open B and E strings. The effect is similar to playing in D tuning. On the other hand, this is not "delicate" tuning to my ear. There's too much ringing. Delicate to me is via lighter arpeggio picking. |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Gotcha. I'll try that. |
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December 2001
Posts: 7223
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Things to help achieve a "delicate" tone.... moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. |
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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | I am by no means any kind of expert but I do find that there is a sweet spot for my fingernail length (picking hand). If my nails get too long I tend to get a harsher shound and the pluck is too agressive. When they are shorter I seem to get a combination of skin and nail that produces that soft tone with just a hint of nail. |
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Things to help achieve a "delicate" tone...