When I play through my gear I always hear it different to when someone else plays through it.

K

Kipple

New member
When I play through my gear I always hear it different to when someone else lays through it. I have heard the " Tone is in the fingers" argument but I don't think that's whats going on. My gear always seems to sound a bit brighter with less gain when I am playing then as soon as I pass my guitar to my friend to play I hear it differently.
Am I losing my marbles? Does anyone else experience this.
It seems to happen regardless of what gear I am using.
 
Kipple said:
When I play through my gear I always hear it different to when someone else lays through it. I have heard the " Tone is in the fingers" argument but I don't think that's whats going on. My gear always seems to sound a bit brighter with less gain when I am playing then as soon as I pass my guitar to my friend to play I hear it differently.
Am I losing my marbles? Does anyone else experience this.
It seems to happen regardless of what gear I am using.
Click to expand...
He may be strumming harder. Or softer. Is guitar the same? Might be pickup output.
 
Tone is in the fingers also means tone is in the picking hand. Where he picks, closer to the bridge or neck, how hard/soft, which part of the pick, which pick angle... There are numerous things that have an effect on tone. All those things give a character to a player. Everyone is different.
 
Could be you're standing in a different spot relative to the cab?

Might be unrelated, but I've started making quick SM57 recording and man, sometimes it sounds good in the room but garbage into the mic. But if I get it sounded fine into the mic, it sounds fine in the room.

So maybe try dialing in the rig while your friend plays to get a sound you like and then try playing through it?
 
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CrystalSky said:
He may be strumming harder. Or softer. Is guitar the same? Might be pickup output.
Click to expand...
I play guitar with the other guy quite regularly and we both have the same experience with this issue and when trying to replicate the effect so it's the same each we use same guitar amp etc even play in same spot and keept it simple by just playing a simple chord same sort of playing attack etc..
I just wondered if others had experienced the same thing. I'm starting to think it's just the way it is.
 
cardinal said:
Could be you're standing in a different spot relative to the cab?

Might be unrelated, but I've started making quick SM57 recording and man, sometimes it sounds good in the room but garbage into the mic. But if I get it sounded fine into the mic, it sounds fine in the room.

So maybe try dialing in the rig while your friend plays to get a sound you like and then try playing through it?
Click to expand...
What you describe with your recording experience sounds exactly like what I hear but the difference being i am not recording it.

I will try your suggestion, I suppose it's similar to being my own sound guy.
The other thing I noticed with it is it's far less a discrecency between the sounds the louder I play
 
soundchaser said:
Tone is in the fingers also means tone is in the picking hand. Where he picks, closer to the bridge or neck, how hard/soft, which part of the pick, which pick angle... There are numerous things that have an effect on tone. All those things give a character to a player. Everyone is different.
Click to expand...
I get that those things can have an impact but I don't think it's that. but to be honest I don't actually know what it is, I was hoping someone else out there would have had a similar experience.
 
Kipple said:
Hope this doesen't sound rude but I'm not sure what the point is you are making. what does EVH have to do with this.
Click to expand...

It's all good. 🤟
My point is that tone is individual to the technique/gear of every player. I've had many the same experiences with different heads playing my gear.
 
Kipple said:
What you describe with your recording experience sounds exactly like what I hear but the difference being i am not recording it.

I will try your suggestion, I suppose it's similar to being my own sound guy.
The other thing I noticed with it is it's far less a discrecency between the sounds the louder I play
Click to expand...
Yeah. I was able to mic my sound pretty well a few years ago, but i had to dial the amp a certain way to make it sound more balanced on recording. I stopped doing it because i like to play my amp in a way that sounds good while i am playing. I just sacrifice the recording tone now.
 
But to speak of OP, I had a rig talk member over once, and he played rock. I lean a little more metal. It was night and day listening to him play through my rig. Very cool.
 
Smash said:
Yeah. I was able to mic my sound pretty well a few years ago, but i had to dial the amp a certain way to make it sound more balanced on recording. I stopped doing it because i like to play my amp in a way that sounds good while i am playing. I just sacrifice the recording tone now.
Click to expand...
Yup, I totally get that, Thanks
 
Smash said:
But to speak of OP, I had a rig talk member over once, and he played rock. I lean a little more metal. It was night and day listening to him play through my rig. Very cool.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks. Sounds like it's not uncommon then
 
Not uncommon at all. Same gear, same settings, different techniques. Something as simple as how 2 different players palm mute or if one flat picks vrs the other using more of the edge of the pick. Someone who tickles the strings certainly has different tone than someone that's digging in and banging them. Technique is definitely part of your tone.
 
Kipple said:
I play guitar with the other guy quite regularly and we both have the same experience with this issue and when trying to replicate the effect so it's the same each we use same guitar amp etc even play in same spot and keept it simple by just playing a simple chord same sort of playing attack etc..
I just wondered if others had experienced the same thing. I'm starting to think it's just the way it is.
Click to expand...
Either strumming power, your position relative to where you stand when you play yourself or simply psychoaccoustics.

There is a joking phraseologism in russian that basically says: even a dick looks bigger in someone else’s hand 😂
 
Yeah, it's a pick attack thing. I always hated hearing John Petrucci play because his pick attack is so sharp and bright. Some people just have a heavy hand and get that sound.
 
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