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May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | I have been playing primarily acoustic guitar for the past 20 years but lately I am getting more into electric guitar playing. A problem I am having has to do with volume control. When I am playing a rhythm part I have my volume set a certain way, When it's time to solo, I need to kick the volume up, but I guess I am a bit uncoordinated at doing this.
Adjusting the volume knob with my right hand without skipping a beat is difficult, especially on guitars where the volume is far away from the picking area of the guitar. I have also tried volume and EQ pedals, but I guess I am one of those people who cant walk and chew gum at the same time, it just seems pretty difficult to do smoothly while also minding my playing, or with out the pedal making this huge clunky difference in the output sound.
I was looking at some Stratocasters recently and I noticed that the volume control is right below the bridge pick-up, like 1/2 inch away. This puts the volume knob in near perfect position for me to easily adjust with my pinky and ring fingers while still gripping my pick with my thumb, index finger. I can see the brilliance of this design. I went to GC and tried out some strats, and I really like how accessable the volume knob is. There just may be a strat in my future.
But I am wondering if accomplished lead players actually tweak the volume knob mid song, or if other methods of volume control are used. I was told by an experienced lead playing friend that he controls his volume mainly by his attack, (how hard he hits the strings).
So I wanted to ask some of you other other experienced players how you manage and control volume.
thanks |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | You're both right, it's the attack and the knob. Teles tend to be right there so they can get pinky rolls on the Volume too. You just gotta learn it. I bet you don't have that big a problem regulating the volume of your acoustic attack. Same thing. |
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Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | I started out playing electric, and played lead guitar in bar bands. I always played using a pick, and used my stretched pinkie to adjust the volume, for the solos. During those days, I played an SG Standard, then eventually, got a strat. I love the strat's playability, you can't beat them. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Volume pedals are also nice.
Some guitars have a "lead" switch that automatically kicks the guitar into maximum volume bypassing the controls....which allows you to set a lower volume for rhythm but crank it for leads. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I am by no means an "accomplished lead player" but for what its worth, I use attack to control the volume for a lead riff. Generally, I don't use a pick. Just variations of nails, meat of my fingers tips, callouses, and techiniques like slapping, pulling up on the strings etc ... You can use the same tricks you use on an acoustic. I'll use the volume as an effect, say to extend a note or make it warble. Or you can, say on a tele with a four way switch, move from the r pup to the "series" switch for the lead.
Really good people will use attack and the knob, but I'm not one of them. |
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March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Don't overlook your amp. Most amps that have more than one channel will allow you to adjust gain and volume seperately for each channel. You usually need a cleaner sound for rhythm and a higher gain/more sustain sound for lead. You can adjust the volume of the second channel just a tad higher and use the footswitch to switch chanels when you go to lead.
Also on some of the higher end amps that have effects loops, you can set the send and return volumes independantly, and you can actually use the effects loop without effects as a volume boost if you want to keep a clean sound for leads.
My Fender 'Pro Tube Series' Twin is like this and is an extremely versatile amp.
Also a simple pedal like a TS-9 Tube Screamer, and most overdrive pedals have an output level adjustment which can be used for this as well. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | To continue what JN just said, I have a cheapie Danelecto overdrive. You can just set the level and gain up just alittle, so it still stays pretty clean. When you need just alittle more volume, you step on it. Step on it again to go back. If you need more variety in one song... Oh Well! I don't play in public. Just going from the pickin' to the strummin' on Wish You Were Here (for example). I am looking for a volume pedal.
Otherwise... What all the other guys said. |
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November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | try a volume pedal... |
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December 2001
Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by cwk2:
You're both right, it's the attack and the knob. Teles tend to be right there so they can get pinky rolls on the Volume too. You just gotta learn it. I bet you don't have that big a problem regulating the volume of your acoustic attack. Same thing. A tele is nice, but an Ovation Viper sounds like what you need. Nice big volume knob, that much like Fenders, is actually usable. Because it's so large, you don't have to be real precise. In fact, I actually use the tone knob wide open for lead, and just back it off to about half for rhythm. I use the volume more to go from a mild more acoustic tone, to a nice electric crunch.
This is one of the reasons the Viper is my favorite electric overall. The neck pickup, with the tone about 3/4 is a nice near acoustic sound, and opening up the tone will get it a little more brightness. A nice sortof Strat sound with everything wide open with both pickups on. Using the bridge pickup only you get some nice rhythm and lead sounds using the tone control with the Volume being used more for crunch.
The pickups on the Viper are hot and the overall tone with the right amp you can get an near humbucker sound, or back'em off to a more strat or tele tone, and they do an almost acoustic clean sound very well too. |
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Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Does your guitar have a pickup selector switch that allows you to change to a setting with different gain levels? The normal wiring for Fender Strats and/or 'Gibson style' (two pickups, two volume, two tone, 3-way) allow getting that change by altering one strum sweep.
Watch Eric Johnson play if you want to see someone who is constantly adjusting his controls while playing. He is a master of using his controls to color his phrasing. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | While I slowly build my "perfect peddle board" I am realizing there is no such thing. Playing mostly humbuckers I tend to set the guitar in one setting and rely on the outside influences like pedals.
Digitech RP80 is very flexible and has preset and edit capabilities. It simulates several amps as well as effects.
An MXR Micro amp is good for that "boost".
I have also incorporated a "blender" switch in the place of the 3 way in most projects. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | vol pot
selector switch
dual channel in amp
vol pedal
boost or distortion pedal
that about covers it all |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Woody, it took me over 3 years to build my "perfect" pedal board. Now I never even think about it, I just use it when I play cause I think it is "perfect"!
The trick is that once you are satisfied.....quit looking! |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Ah yes, knowing when to stop. Just like buying guitars.... |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | We do meet often... |
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Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | It's seems many go through what I did, but I guess many don't admit it either :)
early 70's to early 81ish:
Many assorted stomp boxes and amps with a nest of wiring. Boost-Delay-Phase-Wah-Compressor-Octave-StereoChorus -Reverb-> amp
Early 81ish to 86ish:
Worked on mounting it all nice on a pedal board, but I don't think I did a gig without something failing.
86ish-89ish:
Rockman X-100 stereo out into two Roland Bolt60 Amps. Seemed like the perfect solution for me. No pedals, Really learned to use the Vol and Tone on the Viper.
89ish-92ish:
Went rack-mount. Tried all the major one piece effects units and ended up with Vintage Rockman modules. It appears I like that sound. Around 91 had Genz Benz build a custom speaker cabinet for me.
92ish-97ish:
Rockman Rackmount Modules. I had two of each Chorus-Sustain, Delay Echo, and EQ and a switcher to allow any combination of a max of three at a time. Also used a CryBaby, but eventually when to a Rockman Wah/Vol
97ish - Present
Although I still have a Rockman Rig it's basically just a XP Rack unit with a Rockman 500 amp used with my custom cabinet. However, the few times I have played since the mid 90's, I just grab an amp and stick the cable in, no effects. My favorites are an XP-100 combo, Trace Elliott twin-10 and a Trace Elliot 12R, and if I need anything big, I have a Carvin Anniversary head w/ a Carvin slant 4x12. I still have a plethora of cool amps, no Fender or Marshall.
The reason I wrote this out the way I did was to try and show the full circle of trying all sorts of gizmo's and in the long run... ending up plugging straight into the front of the right amp.
The part that probably isn't obvious, is I could have saved myself a lot of grief if I had hung out with musicians or gone to concerts like many others have. In thinking about it, I was gigging, before I ever saw another band play in person. The point is... It took me over 30 years to figure out that like amps with EL34 tubes. If I had been listening to amps in the 70's instead of trying to achieve sounds with pedals, I would have saved myself a TON of money and wasted effort.
Bottom line. Don't overlook the amp. Get the right Guitar and Amp combination for you, then think about pedals.
JMHO |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Apopos of Miles comments, recently I've tried a bunch of multi FX boxes and I keep coming home to the guitar and plain amp (which has a spring reverb in it).
That said, if you must have a stomp, then I'd recommend a BBE Freq Stomp, though, the same effect can be achieved as I stated before with just switching between the series and r settings. Plus, you'll save yourself some money. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I meant apropos. I don't know why it repeated. |
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March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Nice post Miles. I've never played professionally but over the years I have tried a series of equipment and have come to the conclusion that electric tone comes from the fingers, the amp and the guitar, in that order. My chain now consists of guitar -> Boss TU-2 tuner -> Keeley Compressor -> tube amp. Occasionally I'll add a TS-9 Tube Screamer and Boss CH-1 chorus in between the compressor and amp, but rarely use them. I prefer a cleaner sound with just the right amount of power tube saturation.
I must admit that I rely on the Keeley compressor alot. I was fortunate that I bought this one first, even though it is quite expensive. Most compressor pedals are terribly noisy and rob tone from the signal, but this one is quiet and allows all the frequencies to shine through. And is adjustable to obtain a nice sustain to the point where the notes start to bloom, without nasty feedback, at a variety of volume levels.
Other pedals can add flavor but don't add tone. |
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September 2003
Posts: 782
Location: Waurika OK | I believe one other factor that comes into play on this issue is the fact that when we watch the pros play, they have a band backing them up. So when they switch from rhythm to lead with a switch or use vol./tune knobs, the music continues. When we are playing at home or solo, there is that split second of silence that seems to destroy the continuity of the song.
I have a vol. pedal (a cheap one that is a Kaman product, made it Italy) and also a Crybaby wah. They both help, but I do admire those who can adjust quickly and smoothly.
And a lot of practice makes it possible. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Avoid all them Pedals..adjust Reverb/speed/depth,fiddle with Tremolo, use just delay,echo ,a CryBaby,a Wah,TubeScreamer,and an...They`re coming to take me away,aha,
to the funny farm ,with nice young men
they`re coming to take me away ahaaa...
Vic :cool: |
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Question for electric guitar players
