• From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: dull vs bright

With guitar playing in a band, I feel like the more my sound "cuts through" the mix is by raising or lowering the mids.
I know darker duller sound is easier on the ears of people that come, but that tone doesn't always cut through in a band setting - what has to be done for this to happen? Band must quiet down for solos and stuff?
Guitars that are brighter or even hard cut through, of course, but they're harder on the ears... but at least it competes to be heard.

I try not to be bright, but not necessarily dark - and adjust my mids to taste to cut through.

thoughts?

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: dull vs bright

I usually sacrifice some low end cause the bass and drums will make up for it. Just gotta find that spot where the mids aren't TOO much where they get like spikes or daggers and then roll a little top end in or out. You can have the bass knob all the way up or down but it really only affects the sound of the fatter strings so I usually keep it lower so the 5th & 6th strings are more balanced. This is what works for me. I think you just gotta mainly mix with your ears and not your eyes.

When you play at home by yourself it's easy to get a full guitar tone but with a band I let the guitar be the midrange instrument it's supposed to be and let the bass and drums handle the lows. And yes, the band needs to learn to shut the hell up when someone takes a solo or during the vocals. Dynamics are a big part aside from mixing.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: dull vs bright

I agree with that. Also, the louder you go, the more you turn down the bass on a guitar amp EQ. Since I left hard rock, I rarely get by bass above a 6 or 8, and I've turned down my highs quite a bit too while turning up the mids.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Montreal, Canada
  • Registered: 2012-12-10
  • Posts: 44

Re: dull vs bright

I am in the same dilema. Used to love my tone when my band was a 3pieces but now we have keyboards and saxophone added and I find I have to up the treble and mid to cut through the mix and to me it sounds like I'm a fraction away from making people bleed from the ears. Going to have to practice the tones with the band. Good luck!

IamKrisJones's Website

5 Reply by helrazr84 (edited by helrazr84 2013-01-05 15:05:27)

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: dull vs bright

Another thing I can think of would be using a cleaner guitar tone. That would stand out more in the mix, but I don't recall you using a pile of overdrive anyway from your band's tunes you posted a few months ago over in the Other Artist section. So that probably wouldn't apply.

I will say though, I find the mids when pushed up, are the main culprit of the wincing and painful shrieks. I'd put the mid a little before half maybe and bring the treble to noon to start. Don't be afraid to use the treble a little higher than the mid knob too. By keeping your bass low, it prevents it from covering up the midrange, even when your mid knob is lower than where you're currently using it.

I tried the whole keep the treble low and mids high thing (10 & 2 respectively) with the bass up, but it just ends up always being too bright. I have better luck the other way and then roll a tab bit of the high end back off with my guitar's tone knob. Then I have the ability to bring some of the treble back during a lead or when I lower my guitar volume.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: dull vs bright

I can tell you less distortion cuts better then lots of distortion.  I like dull sounds in a trio but I really like having a dark sounding guitarist with a brighter sounding guitarist in the same band.  I tend to go middle of the road.  However I'm still bright.  On my Blues jr I engage the fat switch and turn the mids off completely because of the mods you suggested to me.  But now I use pedals for distortion I set the amp flat eq and let the clean sound really fat while my distortion pedal has 3 settings I can program into it basically 3 different eq's volumes or distortions.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: dull vs bright

too much distortion sounds like mush hmm

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool