The One Thing Every Influential Guitar Tone Has In Common

[@JimLill]

paypal.me/JimLill Thanks, and see you again soon. -Jim

[@kazzxtrismus]

1.someone please make a product/software so that my tone outta my amp will sound like the recording 2. so youre telling me its impossible for me... to sound like the album... but its me , in my living room..... but thats all i wanted!! 😭😭😭😭😭

[@ectoplasma5]

But how does it sound in your room ?

[@DustinHaggerty-lj1ix]

What's your website again, bro? You should put it in this comment. Cause I was to dumb to look at the video description 😅

[@Sokko13]

done. thanks again for your work and insights!

[@darkcranny3851]

How do you feel about HAVING gear you like, even though you know it's far from necessary to sound good? It seems like you've got a good deal of it still. I do too, but it's because it's fun for me and I enjoy it. But I admit it's not necessary.

[@rorybninetythree]

I love how you have created a goldmine of fantastic guitar youtube content by doing 1 simple thing no one has ever thought to do in the history of guitar youtube: Apply critical thinking skills.

[@j_c_93]

The average guitar KZbinr basically just makes infomercials, so they can't make videos like this, because they wouldn't be able to make bold claims about the new overdrive of the week or whatever.

[@CobyBassett]

Very well stated, thanks!

[@lucasgoncalvesdefaria7121]

There's also the humongous fuckton of work that may put of some ppl

[@neilmacmusic]

and humour too

[@idiotburns]

except with a massive amount of oversight, but that said I did all that A B testing in the early 2000s and the youtube videos just confirm what people knew for decades

[@InvestmentJoy]

The real journey is the tones we made along the way.

[@isanyoneelseheretoday]

You and I watch a lot of similar things

[@InvestmentJoy]

@@isanyoneelseheretoday engineering, physics and guitar videos?

[@george.vasilev.reyner1916]

That's the real magic of music

[@395PRS]

Thats a profound statement...

[@PaulDavids]

You can take things one further, all of your favorite tones came from great musicians. Awesome video man!

[@Spuzzmacher]

Yeah one thing I always hear from musicians who’ve played with the legends, is how much of their sound is in their fingers & is transposable. If I swap a strat for a Les Paul, my tone goes from sounding like a strat to a tele, but Gilmour does it on the Another Brick solo and he still just sounds like himself, bc what we associate with his “sound” is all the nuance he piles on every note that give them a shared character. I’m too clumsy yet to have a coherent character, so the only thing my notes have in common are the sound of the equipment, which becomes their defining “sound”. I think.

[@veganjoy]

It’s great to see these videos getting more mainstream attention, would love to see what other big KZbinrs think of the findings!

[@hellcat5music]

And then AI comes in making beautiful tones for our ears based on biological ear research, and all human created music falls to the wayside. It could go that way. We could create a thing that creates better music than we could. Does that mean the music is less human if we create the creator?

[@kristopherk5454]

And the context of the mix!

[@teleplus97]

@@michiellombaers3198 "pretty good", that was a good one!

[@piemanmusic]

As both a musician and a practicing audiologist of 13 years, I can confirm that your interpretation of auditory physiology is tight. And this series is amazing.

[@Craig52-zq1bt]

Never start a sentence with 'and'.

[@DioCanYouHearMe754]

Dude that Binary Sunset / Force Theme rendition is absolutely killer. I was already enjoying the video to that point but that earned the sub right there. Awesome job.

[@aliensporebomb]

I was going to say - if someone said that the individual elements for that would produce an eloquent beautiful rendition of a classic theme I'd say it might be crazy but it really works!

[@MrKhen77]

Well I'm glad i read the comments, i just found out i was not yet subscribed.. thanks!

[@drownthepoor]

As a video editor the most striking thing about that rendition to me was the color grading work. Absolutely striking colors, and I assume they were processed to look that way. But the reality is that sometimes the light/camera in that specific place/time can just be captured by that photon sensor & converted into billions of 1's & 0's perfectly. Sometimes it didn't even look that good in real life, but the camera saw it in a more beautiful way. But often it's done later with hours of work sitting in front of a screen.

[@rwenoch]

Then later in the video, he's discussing the post-production/editing of Star Wars with Kori before she stops writing back 😢

[@artemisdarkslayer]

Gave me chills when I realized what I was hearing.

[@johnabram3981]

I love how you politely, methodically, scientifically and patiently bust guitar-related myths in such a thorough manner. Excellent work, many thanks!

[@knoopx]

there's so much bullshit and brainwashed people in every indrustry... i just don't trust anything anymore and go straight into the rabbit hole everytime i'm dissatisfied with something... xD

[@RickMcCargar]

Ever hear SRV live in a club? Not monitors..his amps...pumping...live..pointed at the crowd.

[@Marta1Buck]

Most people don't, does that make you feel better? ​@@RickMcCargar

[@Zachary-dr1mu]

@@RickMcCargaryou’re asking this question in 2024… when most of the audience of this video won’t have been alive to experience that. That aside, I object to relevance. What… exactly are you trying to prove here? A niche example of a tone you heard that was “in the room”? Great! Good for you, that’s not what the point was. In 99% of cases, and especially if it’s on one of your favourite albums, you won’t hear an “in the room” tone, it’s a close mic’d cab. And at most live shows, there isn’t an “in the room” tone, it’s a close mic’d cab. The tone “in the room” in almost every case is irrelevant because even if it’s good, no one besides you will get to appreciate it.

[@jardeshna]

This topic is the manifestations of "I don't need sleep, I need answers" and I love every second of it. I admire the amount of work you put into this.

[@gratefulpipeandcigar3239]

Answers are superior to sleep. Ha ha ha

[@Bozie8823]

That fact based ear science master stroke of a mic drop on your "KZbin compression" friend at 7:18 - 8:50 👌👨‍🍳...chef's kiss...RIP your friend

[@blubear35]

Jim, I have been an Electrical Engineer for 40+ years and a guitar player for 50 years. All I can tell you is that you are asking all the right questions which makes you one smart person. Thank you for putting in all this hard work in your pursuit of answers. It is paying off... 👍👍

[@leathernluv]

I have long believed that if you ask a better question, you get a better answer.

[@ryanh7167]

I've always wondered why people who obsess over guitar tone don't just take their samples and make a magnitude response graph with different variables. That'd clear it up nice and quickly whether or not that recording had any meaningful difference and actually would place it in a specific band too (subject to quantization effects and filtering to keep Nyquist's ghost happy and potentially compression and all the DSP qualifiers to keep the other engineers happy).

[@ryanh7167]

@Guitarzen this is a bit of an odd thing to object to because I'm sure you know that those line outs are using cab simulation via impulse responses. Those impulse responses are created via mic'ing the cabinet through a wide frequency response sweep.

[@bobbrossify]

What does you being an electrical engineer have anything to do with it? I’m a software engineer, I’ve been an electrical engineer in my life, I have degrees in physics and electrical engineering with minors in computer science and mathematics if we’re just here to brag about ourselves.

[@ryanh7167]

@@bobbrossify you understand that frequency domain analysis tools like impulse responses came from electrical engineering and electrical communication systems/control systems right? It's not just bragging about a random degree, electrical engineering in the world of signal processing is directly *the* engineering field that is the most relevant to the concept of acoustic/electric frequency responses and the processing of those signals.

[@ukphonebook]

I think one of the biggest influences on how I hear guitar tone is my mood. When I feel good inside, what I hear from my guitar sounds good. When I'm stressed out or unhappy, things sound different to me...not always bad, but different. As always, brilliant, thought provoking stuff from Jim.

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

It’s funny what you said about mood I have a bunch of mates I get together with in an outfit I have dubbed _The 5 Man Drinking Band_ While It’s a casual hobby thing for them, they write some great tunes….that will never go anywhere…but it’s fun The other guitarist will screw around trying to get his sound from his Les Paul, Marshall amp and a selection of pedals. Never happy. I’ll let him go for a bit, then I say, hang on a minute. Let me try something. He hands me his guitar, I’ll turn off all the pedals, dime the guitar pots, go to the amp and get the breakup happening at an appropriate volume. Balance the tone controls on the amp to tame the Marshall nasty edge from the GT12/75s, then go and balance the overdrives on the board for single note work. Add a little bit of amp spring for the sparkle, then I let rip and play some chunky chords, clean it up and let it jangle, pull some thick neck pickup lead, flick it over to the bridge, hit the wah, and milk it for all the “tone” I can. Then hand the guitar back to him. He always thanks me, and points out the two obvious things…He says _“It’s all in the hands. You seem to have the knack of getting good tone out of anything, and yeah, my amp sounds better because you played through it”_ I’m not anything special on guitar, I just play each note with commitment….and I have 50 years of fiddling with electronics, since I was a kid, so I understand what’s going on between the strings and the speaker cones.

[@metriffs]

Totally agreed. So much psychology behind it.

[@BigDaddyWes]

It's almost like art is subjective or something. Crazy.

[@jakelipp]

Great video. Live sound engineer here. I would argue that during a live performance the volume of the amp DOES matter. And this is especially true of small room. The reason is, if an amp is too loud on stage, the mix engineer will turn the volume DOWN in the PA. This will then make your guitar sound SMALLER in the mix. It's counter-intuitive. But sometimes you gotta turn your amp down if you want to sound bigger and with better tone!

[@GlennJimenez]

So how loud should it be really??? Do we usually set them too loud?

[@enifyako]

@@GlennJimenez In my experience, I could say yes, but it's really a much more complex subject. What Jake is talking about is stage volume vs. PA balance, in which case the level of the amp and proximity to the audience can significantly impact how much level in the PA it takes to balance, which then affects **where** and what **tone** people will hear from you. This tends to be much less a problem on big stages, or where the amps can be separated from the stage (and then the musicians rely on monitoring solutions to hear the tone the amp and mics create), BUT on small stages and indeed in smaller rooms, if the amp is loud enough to compete with wedges or front fills, it will significantly impact the engineer's decisions regarding balance, and leave the things the audiences hears to chance (where the amp is, where it faces, its direct tonal characteristics, **how many people are in front of a particular listener,** etc.), rather than a well-tuned and neutral PA delivering a consistent tone. The other side of this, and what makes it complex, is that a lot of amps, particularly ones guitarists Really Into Amp Tone really like to use, get the **tone** the performer wants at a level that inherently is too loud to balance in smaller rooms. For that very reason I tend to advocate for guitarists in smaller circuits or even on intermediate stages to use smaller amps, combos, power soaks, or--heaven forbid!--*modelers* in order to sound their best and be happy with stage level, and also maintain their hearing a bit longer. Most people just don't seem to want to do that, but every time I mix someone that brings modelers or small combos seems to be blown away by how clear the stage is to hear, and how many compliments they get for their sound that night. Generally the opposite is true for people that run the amps too loud, but at the same time I can usually easily hear that the amps are set up to get a specific tone that way, and turning them down will just ruin the tone, while the tone itself is too loud before hitting a mic, and I will not be able to deliver anything consistent to the audience at that level. So yes, I would say a ton of people set their amps too loud on stage, and I would advocate people not do that, but the moment it starts to affect the intended result from the amp/tone, there's not a lot you can do besides re-evaluate what equipment you're using and whether it's actually suitable for the venues you're playing in.

[@MartinMCade]

@@enifyako I downsized my bass rig years ago to just a pedalboard with a tuner, a compressor, and a Tech 21 modeler. If I trusted the PA and the sound engineer, that was all it took. Sometimes I had to bring a power amp and speakers for larger outdoor gigs. I love the sound of a good guitar amp, and I probably always will, but once it gets mixed with a band, a lot of the nuance is going to be lost anyway. I'd rather have enough stage volume to hear myself, and let other band members hear what they need - through monitors or my amp - and let the engineer make it sound good for the audience. (I suspect that a lot of classic guitar tones sound good because they are equalized to not conflict with other sounds, so the recording as a whole sounds good, not just the guitar.)

[@shaft9000]

Trouble is, _the FOH's job is ~not~ to tell anyone in the band how loud to play._ The job exists _solely_ in order to help any sound-source that is *not loud enough to project to the back of the venue*.... _to be heard in the back of the venue._ :) If the band doesn't care about balance or leakage in mics then THAT is the 'fate' they've chosen for that gig. If they take suggestions - then hey, good for you both. Live and learn. This isn't rocket science or diplomacy, it's just live sound ffs.

[@antonioantonioantonio]

a good tone is a tone that works well in context and fits the band, sometimes it seems like guitarists like guitar more than music.

[@csabadanyiko6096]

I hear you hundred percent. I was guilty of chasing guitar tones from records on my amp and pedal settings for years. And I just recently started recording my own stuff with just a cheap audio interface, and boy only a few month of experience changed my overall attitude towards guitar tone completely. The biggest problem with trying to reproduce the tone of a record is that the tone there not only comes from the guitar but the bass also (and every other instrument). And of course multiple tracks of recorded guitars blend into one huge cohesive sound. If you manage to somehow recreate a sound that resembles that specific record, that will never sound good, not only in a recorded mix, but also just in a band rehearsal environment. When you add lots of bass to your tone, because you think that is coming from the guitar on the record your sound will compete for the same frequencies where the bass should live even in tiny rehearsal rooms and will sound like shit.

[@benjaminparker_]

The amount of work that must go into making these videos from idea stage to upload stage is astounding to think about. This is like a mini documentary. So entertaining. Well done and thanks to you Jim!

[@Petrvsco]

The amount of work Jim put in making and DOCUMENTING his work so carefully is worth a graduate degree in music. The editing of the videos and the straightforward way of delivering his ideas (without hesitation or fillers) is a masterclass of communication. These videos are top quality from any angle. Pure genius.

[@Twongo]

As an audio engineer I've been trying to explain this to guitarists for years. Some, are really hesitant to listen. (Hmmm... there may be a pattern here.) If you aren't touring with your own stage, mics, engineers, or if you're playing in different sized venues - then your tone is most likely different to most of the audience every night. Decades ago I was advocating for doghouses to go to mix. Some of the guitarists I worked with chose to unplug their cabinets and use the doghouse sound to their wedges so they could play into the tone. Nowadays so many modelers are so good and modern P.A.s can achieved outstanding fidelity in a variety of rooms that one can almost guarantee the same tone every night for the performer, the band mates, the monitor engineer, and the audience. You are going to different towns for the sole purpose of letting people judge for themselves if they like your style. Why take a chance in misrepresenting your art form?

[@mcpribs]

This is why I switched to the stomp a few years ago, and haven’t looked back. My vintage amps sit in the basement. Largely unplayed.

[@Eric-dd8bk]

Thank you. Amp snobs are just brain dead and ignorant They think their 2 thousand dollar amp is so good and that's what they audiences hear but it's almost never the case. Their tone that their audiences hear is ganna be different from place to another, from a sound guy to another, from a microphone to another, and so on. That's why I love modelers, Helix for me, because I have all the control over what my audience hears as long as I go direct into the FHO and tell the sound guy to not tweak my signal unless it's too harsh or too doll. \

[@Twongo]

@@Eric-dd8bk "Amp snobs are just brain dead and ignorant" I couldn't disagree more. Many amp snobs can hear things in instrument tones that the rest of us might never learn to hear. Not only that, but those same people know exactly how to get what's good and remove the bad from those instruments and amps. If you think about it, darn near all of the modelling industry is focused around recreating those same tones. The question is pick off points, and what goes to whom. "Helix for me, because I have all the control over what my audience hears" - What are ya! An amp snob? (Just hacking on ya! ;p )

[@Eric-dd8bk]

@@Twongo I don't think you know what I mean by amp snobs. I don't mean anyone and everyone who uses real tube amps. I mean the guys that think digital modlers suck because they don't sound anything like the real amp alone in a room and they insult modeler users. Plus, modelers aren't mimicing tube amp alone in a room tone. They are modeling miked up amp tone, which do not sound anything like an amp alone in a room in the first place, so yes it's safe to say that they are ignorant of this basic fact thus brain dead.

[@sword-and-shield]

Why? well one may choose to change it across different shows purposely, because one may have many "tones" they like. Leaving the crowd knowing the next show, or the one they didn't see might have been a different "art form" just maybe part of the artist's game plan.

[@ToneDeth.]

You're the hero the guitar community didn't want, but the hero we so desperately need.

[@ichbrauchmehrkaffee5785]

You mean "He's not the hero we deserve, but the one we need" ? XD

[@ToneDeth.]

@@ichbrauchmehrkaffee5785 yes thank you. You know the one with the thing!! The thing! That one!

[@Drinksfromtap]

Great video and loved the subtle Star Wars in the background you put in :)

[@BigDaddyWes]

Few minutes into this and I'm fully convinced that Jim is well on his way from graduated from a guitar player to an audio engineer.

[@BigDaddyWes]

Can confirm. He's an audio engineer with a guitar in his hands, not a guitar player.

[@oooomz7578]

That's why his videos are so refreshing! If all tone chasing guitarists thought more like audio engineers, most of the tone pseudoscience and baseless claims all over KZbin and the forums would disappear instantly and that side of guitar discussion would sound a lot less mystical and crazy

[@jamesedwards4590]

@@oooomz7578as evidenced by comments on videos like these, and all around social media, you have to remember that most audio engineers don’t know much more than you or I regarding what sounds subjectively good to different people in different places and at different times. While they probably know quite a bit more about how to replicate that sound consistently, and how to get it to translate ontorecorded media, actually achieving “tone”, literally anyone can do it. This video and many others he’s done prove it over and over. I’ve seen guys with degrees from full sail and years in the industry playing live, when you hear their signal isolated, it sounds like crap. And conversely, I’ve run across people who never really played in a full band, setting, or never did so professionally, and they have beautiful tone.

[@RelicOnMaui]

@@BigDaddyWes Those, I stay way from, unless they only capture what I'm putting out, instead of the other way around. Who's recording WHAT? I'm not there so an engineer can record HIS art, unless... we are at least on the same page - age old conflict, artist vs producer? BUT, in any field there are those with more experience at what you're attempting to do, important to listen to

[@kungstu22]

It's amazing. I have spent 30 years and untold dollars chasing tone IN THE ROOM. It goes to show how vital it is to work with a great engineer and producer who can hear what the artist is "going for" and get that into an audience's ears. And the diff between recorded and live? It's like a whole different language. Please keep making these videos. They are, as Uncle Larry would say, "nutritious."

[@castleanthrax1833]

You comment reminds me of Keith Richards and Chuck Berry getting into a heated argument, when Keith changed Chuck's amp settings. Chuck wouldn't listen to the recording engineer, that the sound he was getting (on the recording) was not the best. Keith tried to tell Chuck that this was being recorded, so listen to the engineer, but as far as Chuck was concerned, the sound he was hearing (in the room) was great and "don't touch my fn amp without my permission" (rightly so too). I think Chuck smacked Keith in the mouth over this too.

[@castleanthrax1833]

You comment reminds me of Keith Richards and Chuck Berry getting into a heated argument, when Keith changed Chuck's amp settings. Chuck wouldn't listen to the recording engineer, that the sound he was getting (on the recording) was not the best. Keith tried to tell Chuck that this was being recorded, so listen to the engineer, but as far as Chuck was concerned, the sound he was hearing (in the room) was great and "don't touch my fn amp without my permission" (rightly so too). I think Chuck smacked Keith in the mouth over this too.

[@castleanthrax1833]

You comment reminds me of Keith Richards and Chuck Berry getting into a heated argument, when Keith changed Chuck's amp settings. Chuck wouldn't listen to the recording engineer, that the sound he was getting (on the recording) was not the best. Keith tried to tell Chuck that this was being recorded, so listen to the engineer, but as far as Chuck was concerned, the sound he was hearing (in the room) was great and "don't touch my fn amp without my permission" (rightly so too). I think Chuck smacked Keith in the mouth over this too.

[@kungstu22]

@@castleanthrax1833 Was that in Hail Hail Rock n Roll? I kinda remember that, or something like that.

[@castleanthrax1833]

@@kungstu22 Yes it was. I couldn't remember the name of it, but you are absolutely correct.

[@bendubose9887]

This video is amazing. It’s like hearing someone else tell you the thing that you already know in a way that you finally listen. Less down chasing, more practicing.

[@brentstewart59]

You're doing something right. I like your approach to these things. Logical and BS free

[@LordofDiamondsMetal]

"My favorite guitar tones aren't objects I've read about, they're sounds I've heard." Jim, man, this might be my favorite video you've done yet. 1) I wanna show appreciation for your different perspective as a country musician, because most guitar tone and gear people on KZbin are metal and rock-oriented. 2) You're saying what I've been thinking for a while: there's so much that goes into a guitar tone chain that even with all the right equipment, you still might not get to where you want to be. But there's no magic to it: recorded sounds are tangible, real-world things and can be re-created. "Feel" is irrelevant because it's either placebo or not felt by the listener because they're not the one playing. You just gotta know what matters. When I record my own stuff, I hear a sound in the room and I try to match what I hear coming out of the recording with what I heard in the room. But, like you said, our memory can be unreliable, and by the time we've made adjustments to our setup, we've lost our mental frame of reference. So if it sounds good on the recording, that's what matters because that's what everyone else will hear. Thanks so much for making these videos and putting all this research and knowledge out there as a public service. Also, good job with the country Star Wars music in the background.

[@docmcbungas3303]

I'm an audio engineer and while i agree with most of what you said, i do believe the "in the room" sound matters, because it is the first building block of the eventual sound if you do decide to record it. It is the sketch before the paint. Further i dont think ive ever had more of an impactful experience with music than playing by myself or with a band, and feeling the sound in that room. But yes half the magic you hear in music is in the production.

[@paulw.3967]

One of the things that's interesting about the sound "in the room" is that a lot of amp cabs have "terrible" comb fltering in the high frequencies, due to multiple identical drivers horizontally arrayed, and floor bounce due to the cab sitting on the floor, with the reflected souind off the floor in front of the cabinet interfering with the direct sound from the driver(s). By hi-fi speaker standards those things are pretty terrible (they're the reasons most hi fi speakers have only one driver for each frequency band, and only the woofer or subwoofer is near the floor). This makes me wonder if guitarists actually LIKE "terrible" speaker design, where comb filtering adds desirable spatial "complexity" to the high frequencies of the sound "in the room," etc. As far as what goes on recordings, though, close miking of one driver usually minimizes these effects; the mic being close to one driver reduces interference effects from other drivers at the higher frequencies where the comb filtering matters most. (At low frequencies, with wavelengths longer than the spacing between speakers, multiple drivers and their reflections off the floor presumably behave more like one big driver.)

[@jimhoman4415]

@@paulw.3967 So you can ONLY get "good" sounds from a guitar with one speaker? You're being too black and white about it. SRV used multiple amps with multiple numbers of speakers, He seemed to do OK. No one is playing in an anechoic chamber. Have you ever played guitar or any instrument in a completely dead room? IT sounds terrible and is not rewarding to play in. Is a 4x12 cabinet ideal for a hifi listening experience, no but it's not meant to be. People who like 4x12 cabinets like them because they like the results of the "flaws".

[@user-fb2jb3gz1d]

People confuse "in the room sound" with "your setup". Everyone has a sound, and that's the sound "in the room". You take the time to get a sound you like and once you are ok with it........that's the sound you take to practice, to the gig, to the studio and in your bedroom

[@user-fb2jb3gz1d]

People confuse "in the room sound" with "your setup". Everyone has a sound, and that's the sound "in the room". You take the time to get a sound you like and once you are ok with it........that's the sound you take to practice, to the gig, to the studio and in your bedroom

[@ntm112294]

Record the same chain in different rooms and see if you can tell the difference

[@MartinMillerGuitar]

Doing the lords work. Thank you, man!

[@alexandertheguitarist]

I did a big research topic for uni last year on 60s recording and production techniques. It completely changed the way I judged guitar tone. There are so many variables that it’s practically impossible to recreate the sound you hear in a recording. But so much of what we do when chasing tone ignores the fact that once a signal has been captured, it can be completely transformed. I think a large majority of the sounds we hear come from what happens in production, from the outboard processors the signal goes through, to the desk used. There is so much there that I never used to experiment with when chasing that perfect tone.

[@scottashe984]

It's not impossible. It's easy if you use what's been available in the last 10 years.

[@plugnplaybaby]

This man is one of the greatest gifs to guitar-based music ever. Dude is just making tons of much needed paradigm shifts

[@stutty1400]

Even after the sound is recorded there are still many things that "influence" the sound including, the equipment being used to play the recording back, the room you are listening in, your hearing quality and of course your appraisal of the given tone. One tone can only be "better" than another when in direct comparison. Like you said Jim, your memory for tone is a very unreliable source. I am enjoying your journey to discover what a "good" tone is. Thank you Jim.

[@thecrazything95]

Not to mention every other instrument affects how the guitar sounds in relation to them.

[@kane6529]

@@thecrazything95 yep sometimes isolated guitar or bass sounds like booty cheeks on it’s own but great in a mix

[@TakeHit0]

I always thought the room sound comes from the cabinet

[@stutty1400]

@@TakeHit0 more from the reflections of the structure, the furniture etc. within the room and of course the people in the room. The reverb of a room will differ hugely with the amount of people in it.

[@castleanthrax1833]

​@@TakeHit0 I don't think there is any literal "sound in the room", because it will change depending upon where your ears are "in the room". It also changes if you move something (or someone) in the room.

[@taphead]

I am in awe of how this kind of combines all of your previous "did the work" videos and really gets to the holistic nature of how our experience of the music we hear actually comes about. Absolutely wonderful stuff, and I'm sure I'll be coming back to this one again and again. Keep doing the work, we're all the better for it.

[@216trixie]

Except this was not done in a room. There were no walls floor or ceiling to reflect the sound.

[@thanksaanderton]

Jim has done more for the understanding of guitar tone than anyone else ever as far as I’m concerned. I was recording a guitar part the other day and the in the room sound had to be terrible so it sounded good on the recording, the mic was boosting the bass and cutting the treble quite a lot and so I had to compensate by changing the amp settings dramatically.

[@MovieMomentsReviewFilm]

i have the same experience bro, my amp setup for recording is really ridiculous for example i have to set the middle at 2, and treble 3, bass 8 .. it sound terrible when i heard it in front of the amp, but sounds good after mic capture it . maybe it's my bad micing technique or my crappy mic preamp 🙁

[@klontjespap]

@@MovieMomentsReviewFilm are you micing the center of the speaker? generally the more you move to the outside of the woofer ring, it gets bassier, for highs you want them dead center very minute adjustments in height can make a world of difference if you're close micing too of course gain matters too, giving it less gain will make it more tinny. when you have your amp on the floor you miss out on a lot of the highs of the room sound when compared to when you have it a bit up higher, so that can change perception between room and miced a a lot too

[@hedekbass]

Exactly. And then add to the equation how your instrument "sits in the mix." Once you add drums, bass or whatever, the best tone/setting for your guitar may be yet another one entirely than the recorded one you thought sounded best. Listening to isolated tracks from my favorite recordings is always such an eye... or ear opener how underwhelming the bass or guitar sound on their own.

[@dezmodium]

I don't know if you realize this but you are becoming THE prominent voice on guitar tone. Like, THE guy. And it is totally deserved. You do the work to figure it out from the ground up and I appreciate it. Thank you for the work you've done into this subject. Guitar tone has been a mystical art for a long time. But we live in an age where it can be algorithmically modeled and reproduced and understanding why we want what we want and what we really want are questions other people aren't asking let alone answering. You help each of us ask these questions and find and answer for ourselves and how yo get there.

[@ramiolsen]

Couldn't agree more, this guy's a living legend!

[@castleanthrax1833]

Yeah, I kind of agree with you, but at the end of the day this "tone quest" is ultimately a search for something that only exists in our heads. Since we all like different things, and all hear different things (even if listening to the same thing) I can't help but think "this all makes for great KZbin videos, but doesn't actually accomplish anything". ✌️

[@paulw.3967]

@@castleanthrax1833 It accomplishes a lot, debunking specific myths that a lot of guitarists actually believe, which cost them thousands of dollars chasing tone in utterly ineffective ways.

[@castleanthrax1833]

@@paulw.3967 Maybe yes, maybe no. His results are certainly valid, but most are inconclusive. All they prove, is that in the circumstances he used, and using the parameters in the video, he achieved "x" results. I wouldn't say he actually debunks anything. Because there are so many variables involved, all he can actually say is "this is what I achieved, using the equipment I have".

[@Old-Skull.]

Mystical art ?

[@Bushradical]

WOW! As a fellow KZbinr I know what a TON of work looks like and you definitely put the work into this video. Don't get comfy at 127k subs....you wont be very long enough to say so. Subbed

[@JDWH]

“It ain’t rocket science” man he nailed it. Sometimes we over think it. Very thorough and informative video Thanks!

[@Jbuginas]

Thank you for this series, Jim!

[@loudspeaker003]

imma need a full version of that binary sunset cover that happened in the beginning. That shit was beautiful.

[@Grunttamer]

I kept thinking "man this country bit sounds a lot like star wars" lol. I feel so vindicated.

[@oneminutefixed5003]

The on point explanations and subtle humor in these videos are phenomenal, thank you for focusing on the truth and what matters rather than beating around the bush with tone woods and such

[@tpete096]

Most modern guitar tones were also EQ'd and compressed by a skilled engineer with good ears, also the pre-amp and board you're mixing through make a huge difference. Also, the track was then mastered by a skilled mastering engineer (so more EQ and compression). Mic choice also makes a massive difference and although most people just use a 57, a lot of skilled engineers will blend together multiple mics. So if you want to get good at guitar tone you have to train your ears and get good at engineering.

[@tpete096]

Also... mic placement

[@molochsorcery4357]

@@tpete096 And I think guitarists often forget their sound comes out of their cabinet speakers which really affects the overall end result of tone. My Monoprice 15 watt amp sounds killer with the new Celestion I installed VS the factory speaker.

[@philfrank5601]

This is why guitarists, unless they were EVH (and they weren't), had zero clue and zero interest in the recording process and what it meant for their recorded sound. Or, they had amazing engineers who took care of that aspect, leaving them to play and live the rock star life. Either way, the first thing is to get the tone first, in the real world.

[@RossTheSoundGuy]

When Jim gets around to pre amps we’ll see unless your saturating them their influence on the sound is a very small percentage.

[@paulmdevenney]

many "great guitar tones" also sound pretty terrible isolated (part of that same EQing process). Its how they sound in the mix/ensemble that is important

[@bwvideo0905]

The stuff this young man does is genius, pure genius. An R&D master. You start building amps/cabinets etc., I'm buying. Subbed and donated! Keep up the great work and keep on pickin'!

[@billribas]

you are to music what Moneyball was to Baseball

[@TheMorningDew367]

This is so spot on

[@limpneckmike]

You could not have phrased this better

[@KyleBevis-u7j]

This comment wins 🥇

[@Tony-Jabroni]

Moneyball ruined baseball

[@KyleBevis-u7j]

@@Tony-Jabroni 😂

[@nikkikay4188]

Jim, dude, you're unbelievable. I'm just a dude in a middle of Russia, and every video you do is a meticulous research on a very specific topic that builds up to a puzzle of my job as a guitar technician. Thanks for all the work, and all the vibes. Much respect, Nikita

[@ФонФон-й7о]

Какой город?

[@kyletiley2352]

This video completely changed my whole perspective of my skill level, I did the same as you, spent years almost decades, buying gear chasing the tone I wanted but never getting it and eventually becoming discouraged, giving up, and selling all but 2 guitars and one Marshall tube amp. You've inspired me to pick up playing again and to look into getting some recording equipment to see what I've been missing all these years. A true heartfelt thank you for making this video!

[@Shawneverette]

This video was absolutly amazing. Thanks for this!!!!!!!!!

[@Mr_Wilson_1967]

Finally. The secret has been let out. We go direct. All instruments including digital drums. In ear monitors. This is what we call live music! I've been running sound this way for 10 years.

[@SleepingLionsProductions]

​@@6079smithw-ce1xdI think OP was joking. Also, with no PA, how do you hear the singer? Lol

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Who needs to hear the singer?

[@dzl8596]

The first tone that blew me away was Peter Frampton using the voice box on his live album. The second was the lead guitar on the Boston album.

[@ivorytower5847]

Tom Scholz's Rockman amp sounds pretty damn close to the album.

[@herecomesaregular8418]

@@ivorytower5847 Maybe with a little less beef, but yeah he more or less managed get that absolutely cranked Plexi sound into a little box. But I also think Tom Sholz is the perfect example of what this dude's video is about, because if there was anyone who knew studio magic it was Tom. I was actually thinking specifically about that Boston self-titled debut while watching this, because that tone was also the moment "kid me" fell in love with the guitar...cue years of fruitlessly searching for it until I learned the dual lesson of "it's the player themselves" plus "it ain't just his gear, it's everything else going on in that studio, starting with the mics and mic placement".

[@TheWayneReport]

Nailed it Jim! Great video….as always

[@jamesgardner2101]

Frank Zappa - Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. When I was 9 or 10, I read an interview in a guitar magazine about Jeff Beck, and how you could tell it was him from hearing one note. I got an idea what Beck should sound like (I was actually listening to a lot of Yardbirds at the time, LOL). Years later I heard what I had imagined what Jeff Beck should sound like, and it was Frank.

[@VladTen1350]

I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your informative videos, Jim. Your ability to clarify complex topics and present them in a clear, concise manner is truly remarkable. I have learned so much from watching your videos, and I feel more confident in my understanding of these subjects as a result.

[@nucklechutz9933]

Discovering how you actually sound when properly mic'd is kind of a benchmark experience as a guitarist. Jim you're 100% right, if you don't know how you sound when mic'd and mixed, you don't know how you sound.

[@davidscanlan]

This was as much about guitar tone as the philosophy of music itself. Thank you for bringing us on the journey!!

[@jacekuhler369]

Wow, just WOW. Literally been chasing that tone for 35 years and never once did I ever think about any of this. Playing live, I always thought my tone came from my amp, the louder the better. Have always hesitated to mic cuz I never thought I could feel it that way. What a whole new thought pattern. Much appreciated 🤘🤘

[@stultzies]

THIS!!! This is why when I hear someone say "what was it like in the room" I pretty much ignore them. The sound in the room is what can get you inspired and can get you into the right mood/vibe/etc, but every sound you hear in a song has been put through who knows what outboard gear and then mixed, EQ'd, compressed, etc, until they finally hit the sound that you've listened to.

[@jtd3421]

This is one of the best KZbin videos I’ve ever seen. Well done sir.

[@jaredlowry3547]

Funnily enough, one of my favorite guitar tones came from a local band at a small venue where the amps weren’t mic’ed. Shoegaze goodness through a Fender Jaguar and two stereo Princetons. That tone still haunts me.

[@rickbiessman6084]

Dude, even though I wasn’t there I can 100% relate. Hearing something in person is just a totally different experience than hearing something on a stereo system.

[@padywac1970]

You were standing in a sweet spot.

[@haydenquakenbush8626]

@@robwhitesays only if you want %20 of the crowd (if you're lucky) to hear everyone in the band in the mix as desired.

[@noszfeuhlwurdin7715]

Yes, the recorded tone might be the only thing that matters in recordings, but not all music is recorded or played in venues where the amps are mic'ed. I've seen a doom metal band with 6 blazing 70s half stacks without microphones. I understand that that in-the-room sound can't be recorded to sound exactly like I heard it, but it was awesome to behold. Also, our rehearsals and most shows we play (blues/pub rock) are without mic'ed amps. I wish I could get a better approximation of that sound at home with amps sims and headphones.

[@josuastangl7140]

@@noszfeuhlwurdin7715 Unfortunately, amp sims can, like any recording, only be modelled through microphones and preamps. Therefore it is impossible to closely replicate an "amp in the room" sound digitally. Another factor is also simply the volume that makes you feel the lower frequencies in your stomach, which you can't replicate with headphones.

[@thomasbuckland6279]

I worked in studios where we would close mic and then put a room mic about 8’ away and blend them. The distance can be mathematically placed to change the tone with the phase cancellation for the frequency relative to that distance. SRV used an awesome set up with a mic picking up the gtr reflection off a sheet of glass tilted at an angle out in front of the gtr. I love what you do here.

[@ElDami]

What Jim is doing is incredibly important for us, casual guitarists. Thank you very much: I'm visiting your PayPal of course

[@axeman2638]

you are like the mythbusters of the music world, awesome content, keep it up. Luke's theme from star wars on the pedal steel ( or is it lap steel ) is a really nice touch also.

[@LucasMastropasqua]

It took me years to realize I was looking for a tone to come from an amp to fill my desire for a recorded and engineered sound and nobody really ever stopped me to say anything mostly because I think a lot of us didn’t know either at one point or another. Also one of the most important things I’ve learned after playing for 35 years and chasing tone for most of it, is that I’m most of the reason I sometimes hate my sound and also sometimes love it. Our ears change day to day, our mental state changes day to day, and with that, our perception of sound changes also!

[@mattnieri1202]

Love your homage to the Luke Skywalker binary sunset scene. Gets me right here ❤ but also kinda funny because of the context 😅

[@billymurphy3]

Jim Twangwalker

[@rockumk]

I had to go back and hear it again to make sure it wasn't my imagination. 😆

[@mattnieri1202]

​@@rockumk me too 😆

[@TheDilligan]

This guy doesn't release videos all the time, but when he does, it is top tier content.

[@swingAE86]

Stay curious my friends

[@thauser777]

This is in part why I switched to modeling amps. I practice with headphones in order to hear what tone gets sent to the board via direct out. When live I basically think of the amp speaker as a monitor. This cuts out so many variables. Modeling amps have made such strides recently too. I have a Fender GTX100 and love it. My old tube amps sit at home gathering dust. Oh, the other reasons are that they are light and super simple to set up. I can easily carry all my gear with one trip.

[@ediththeband]

Great video Jim! I am an emo/math rock guitar player in a band and do pedal demos online. Even though we are so far apart in genre I found this topic to be insanely interesting and you did such an amazing job making your case. I have always wondered about the so-called "synergy" with your amp and guitar. I like how you labelled it "psychological" because it is true, if my guitar sounds a certain way it will affect my playing. Anyways, thanks for the content!

[@ivanwildboy]

I'm following your research from the first day and I love it. You are a real professional man not only for the guitar tone but for the perfect direction also. Thanks a lot, superb quality

[@Thekarateadult]

I've spent my life chasing tones. Can replicate most of the best I've ever heard. In a room, outside, wherever. But, it's taken 30 years of research and trial and error. You've streamlined it into a vast powerful vault of knowledge left open. Bravo.

[@RonnieLimestone]

7:45 to 8:25 was gold man. I loved the way the guitar in the background accented the frenzy of the nomenclature, getting wonky as it went along. Also the video editing was superb.

[@hanovergreen4091]

You Sir, are a genius. Your entire series is fantastic. Your sight gags and references and memes are spot on. Your production and editing are killing it. Your grasp of reality, and your place in that reality, well founded logically. It is a genuine pleasure to see a new video from you pop up in the feed. Thank You very much for all the work that has gone into producing this series. You have done ALL of us a great service we can't repay, other than with gratitude. Highest Regards for you and Best Wishes for your future!

[@Bushprowler]

Get a room.

[@DeffoZappo]

Ukraine is going to lose 😢

[@hanovergreen4091]

@@DeffoZappo You are Russian FSB/GRU Disinformation. Disregard this troll.

[@WayneMemphisMojo]

FINALLY, someone with influence is saying what I've told other guitarist for many years. Thank you.

[@tristanfletcher]

This is the most laborious breakdown of tone I've ever seen. Bloody brilliant! When I'm playing a solid-body electric guitar with or without an amp, my fingers feel like they approach the notes with a different fidelity. You've broken down this topic down so well that it's helping me to understand things that I've always been curious about. Thank you so much.

[@agirotto1]

Man, just found your channel and your videos are so fun and instructive. I've been down the GAS rabbit hole myself, chasing my own tail trying to find THE TONE, and one thing it took me long enough to realise was how little we actually know about our favorite guitar tones. LOL. It might sound weird but listening to isolated guitar tracks on KZbin just took so much prejudice out of the game for me. In the end, when your mixing your own stuff, you find out that it all comes down to how it works in the context of a song. The fullest and warmest guitar song ever will most definitely sound like a** in a mix. LOL. Thx!

[@wombat6]

I'm still amazed by the sheer dedication. Please never stop making videos like this.

[@DrJeebles]

Jim, you are becoming the Socrates of the guitar world. I love the logic you apply to "the tone debate." Well done again, sir.

[@garytardiff7484]

Thanks so much for all your hard work, Jim! I've been playing electric guitar for over 50 years and saying all the same things you're saying but next to no one ever listened! THANK YOU!

[@rickbiessman6084]

Some very good points here. When I used tube amps, I felt like you did when you used tube amps. After moving to modelling and in-ears, "good tone days" and "bad tone days" are a thing of the past. My tone can still mature over time. Better actually, because I have a much better understanding of what my tone does in the context of my band. That said, I personally need a bit of room sound to feel comfortable, which is why I blend in stereo ambience reverb on every tone, for better or worse. On most modellers, processing power isn’t strong enough for IRs with an actual reverb tail. Once that becomes available, things might in theory shift, because for the first time in history, things like Jimmy Page’s room miced tone will become available even in a live setting. But with all that amplified guitar history behind us, we are all very well accustomed to deep rooted conventions. So I doubt we’re on the brink of a guitar tone revolution.

[@AstralTales]

I cannot thank you enough for these videos. I've been playing guitar since my early teens and I have been recording myself and others over 20 years... I am glad that someone confirms with actual experiments what I have been suspecting since I started in the audio engineering world. People would be impressed about how much psychology involves this field... It's so crazy that you can even "hear" how a compressor/EQ/verb/whatever affects an audio track even if you are moving the knobs of another track by mistake... Thanks for these videos and keep up the great work!

[@mjhicksjr]

Addressing the psychological impact of the sound in the room i think is really important just like you said about confidence but also the way the gear you use inspires you to play. Of the gear I own my favorite pieces arent the ones that neccesarily sound the best but are the ones that make me want to play guitar. I also think you could say that the common thread of all influential guitar sounds is that they inspire both the original player and the listener.

[@HeyItsJake_]

Excellent as always Jim! You are truly at the forefront of demistifying many of these misconceptions and I can confidently say your work is greatly appreciated by myself and many others. Keep up the great work!

Your channel is amazing Jim

[@Markleford]

Coincidentally, the writing and editing "tone" of your videos makes them all the more enjoyable. Another masterpiece! 👍

[@odallard]

I thought I was a gear head, but after 7:45, it’s like that scene from the Matrix where Neo is talking to the Architect.

[@DustinHaggerty-lj1ix]

Hell yeah, man! Groundbreaking discoveries going on here. Thanks for doing the work. I know after watching all of your tone videos, I feel more like I can relax about gear and just use my ears and play music.

[@vettera76]

I think above all else, you have proved that while there are some general foundations to recording "that desired sound" - in the end, music production is a wide open, no rules world. From a $50 to $50k guitar - tone can be what the listener makes of it. From 3614 Jackson Highway in Muscle Shoals to ProTools in your bedroom - you never know where that perfect tone may come from. Great video!

[@joelecho]

I appreciate you acknowledging feedback as part of the sound in the room. I play a semi hollow guitar, and the transient isn't changed by having an amp in the room, but on a long sustained note, you can feel the guitar vibrate a bit in your hands when the feedback loop starts to kick in. Can come from a monitor, too, doesn't have to be an amp. And there are many tones or songs where I wouldn't feel the difference, for certain leads that sustain via feedback loop does make a real difference in how the guitar sustains.

[@ethankriegel5957]

I grew up with a dad who plays acoustic and learning about guitar tone from that perspective. Recently I decided to start learning the guitar on an electric and researching different effects pedals and deciding what songs I enjoyed the sound of. The variety and nuance in amps and pedals seemed often unnecessary to me. I didn't know about YT compression (not sure that it matters) and maybe that is why the difference between some pedals sounds minimal. But, more importantly, thank you for explaining how everything is leveled to the artist, engineer, and producers preference. If just aim to get a sound that suits my budget and taste that will be enough.

[@gelderlandproduction]

Absolutely brilliant way to explain this definitively. Well done!

[@andrewnewbould6067]

Absolutely love this whole series of videos on guitar tone and the many myths you have busted. There is nothing wrong with people playing whatever makes them happy (affordable or expensive guitars / amps / pedals / whatever) but it also highlights the level are marketing BS people have been fed for decades. Play what inspires you to play and have fun. Awesome work Jim.

[@Pokey7317]

These videos you make are SICK. I cant imagine how much time and effort goes into these. Takes a special kinda person to do what your doing mate. Keep going...

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

You can think they are SICK I thought it was a healthy presentation of direct experience .. not sure why you think it's ill. Weird.

[@6noswad981]

@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 hilarious.

[@Satchafunkilus]

Thanks for a microscopic inner ear view of what we guitarists take for granted each time we play a sound. I also never took the time (simply because I don't have it) to delve deep into what creates our individual tone to which we are ultimately never satisfied with as we area all the same soul searching tone searchers at the end of the day. When we pick up the guitar there are limitless variables of THE perfect tone we come to know as 'our' sound to which some label with colors, brown sound etc. This tone sculpturing labels us as artists because at the end of the day we sculpture our tone which is an indefinite attempt to describe inner sound that resonates deep within our soul, such a personal trait in the world of sound we call music.

[@bubuguaiguai]

Amazing how your videos help busting myths! Psychoacoustics (study of sound perception and audiology) is nothing new. I hope this wonderful work of yours help us guitarists find more joy in what we do through playing, rather than GAS-ing or trying to rely on the equipment too much. Keep on, Jim! ❤

[@MadScientistGuitarLab]

I recall reading about how loud music causes the brain to misfire in a way that some recreational drugs can do. Chasing that sound in the room could be addictive, so to speak.

[@brettmarlar4154]

First of all, great job on Luke's theme! That sounds awesome withe bender!! The only time a room mic would be useful is if the cabinet is in an isolated room from any other sound source. It would also need to be a fairly "live" room at that otherwise it'll only sound muffled. The best way to get a guitar "room mic" sound would be to re-amp the performance though the same cabinet, with only the mic of choice in the room. If you try to get the room mic at the same time as the close mic, you'll get distinct phasing issues.

[@RelicOnMaui]

Yes the practice of deadening room ambience with "acoustic" tiling of many variations, deadens subtleties you may want to keep, instead of RE-injecting effects. Black box, or mic'ed in a shower stall? Hmmmm. Perhaps one can CONTROL a dozen parameters, but which sounds like you're "there"? The thing I consider is that most "effects units" are trying to EMULATE real world sounds/ambience. More control but it sounds "simulated", to my ear

[@WatchingMamut]

Isn't super easy to phase correct in post?

[@brettmarlar4154]

@@WatchingMamut "Super easy"? I wouldn't say that. Sure, you can fix it, somewhat, in post. But why add all the extra work? Get it right at the source, and if you think it needs real life room ambiance re-amp a D.I. of the performance through the same rig and only mic the room. This gives the same result with no phase issues.

[@DavisDodds]

This is pure genius. I love what you’ve done with these videos.

[@officialWWM]

Interesting. I think this is the reason I love playing through my amp modeller. It’s like playing with a “recorded” guitar tone. It’s also very consistent. It sounds the same every night in every venue…

[@RolandSpecialSauce]

Recommendation on a great amp modeler?

[@officialWWM]

@@RolandSpecialSauce I don’t think you can go past the new Headrush Prime. It’s a monster! I have the original Headrush pedalboard and it’s fantastic but I’ll be upgrading to the new one as soon as it’s available.

[@philby8]

Love your storytelling and the precision of your video production

[@caseygroves3046]

This is awesome man. I'm really sorry that you love country but I'm genuinely happy that you made this video.

[@venahtmusic]

Sylvia Massy has a gigantic collection of microphones and is always picking out different ones for different sounds when recording bands. I think this just confirms she's been onto what makes great tone for a while, haha.

[@JARelva_]

I've been playing music for 34 years. Everything from guitar to horns to vocals and you're absolutely right. Anyone who is paying more attention to the amps sound vs every other element and listening to what's coming from the headphones, studio monitors and standard stereo speakers is playing a cat and mouse game. Furthermore, it's important to remember that the tones you enjoy are subjective to your taste and that's why it's called "music creation".

[@shreddz]

Also, every recorded guitar tone you hear also depends on the entire mix of every other instrument! Mixes as the name implies are a balance of all parts and are shaped by one another to sound cohesive. The low end you like could be more what size kick drum that drummer chose then what week of what year the ts808 was made.

[@iggysixx]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your logical / 'scientific method' approach to guitar sound. Like.. I only started teaching myself ("learning") to play guitar a few years ago. Without knowing how to read notes, without a background in music theory. I do not have a guitar amp, I do not have expensive guitars. I use an iPad or Macbook Pro with a selection of virtual guitar amps, through a 'studio quality' audio input (D.I...?) After 30 years of hearing guitar players around me talk about the next expensive piece of equipment they'd need to accomplish "guitar sound X", I've found that your logical approach to what matters in guitar sound is much more effective. My guitars (and bass guitar) are cheap, old, and fiddly.. But I get a massive tight sound out of 'em. Thanks for all the information. When I finally have some money to spare, I'll be sure to hit up your PayPal account accordingly Cheers from Amsterdam

[@stuartp8658]

I've always thought about how the guitar (and other instruments) tones are generally heard in the context of a song, and my understanding is that good mixers/producers/master-ers(?) will eq/adjust the instrument so that it sits where they want it in the mix and with regards to the other instruments. So when you try to get the "tone" you hear with just your instrument by itself, it was not necessarily how they recorded it. (I hope this make some sort of sense).

[@GuitardedAndBroke]

You constantly impress me with each new video. The level of thought you put into the tone discussion is unmatched by most. Also your dry, sarcastic humor is the icing on the cake. I truly live for your content!

[@claudiasolomon1123]

I grew up with grunge, punk rock, genres that heavily focus on raw live recordings but I prefer V-amps. The moment I discovered the world of digital amps I felt a wave of relief❤ its SO convenient, & fun because I'm not only a musician I'm a computer software nerd. This invention was made for us 🤓

[@Navelol]

I think I figured this out very early on when I started tracking my guitar playing. I almost favored DI due to its crisp and accurate sounds. I later started crafting the tones I wanted using nothing but the guitar DI and some headphones. An important realization I made is that if it sounds good to you, then it probably sounds good to others. Don’t overthink it too much and focus on what YOU want to make.

[@lukesmusic317]

Man if you upload that binary sunset cover to spotify I'd be listening daily. So good. And as always super useful content to demystify guitar tones!

[@mbsa76]

All the videos you done regarding tone should be a put together in documentary on Netflix... great stuff...

[@What_If_We_Tried]

100% agree!

[@Moises505130]

HELL YEAH!! Guitarist doing ACTUAL science. Real life audio/acoustic science done correctly is the only thing that will cut through the bs and set the record straight. Much appreciation to you and your efforts Jim!