What would you consider your biggest tonal realisation that has made an impact on the way you dial in gear?

[nightlight]

For me, it's been that less gain is more. I used to really dial in way too much gain on my amps and what it did was make my guitar tones sound tiny on recordings. Just too much mush and buzz in there to get any clarity in the tone.

The day I started backing off the gain I started seeing a lot of improvement in my tones.

Another thing that came out of that approach was that I no longer felt satisfied dialling in an amp and then throwing a mic on. I think when recording, it has to be a happy medium between the two. You actually have to listen to that tone through a mic to pick up things like chewy mids or glassy highs or excessive gain.

If you just dial in by ear, without factoring in the mic, you can't really tell what the recorded tone will be like, because your ears can't pick up those little details about how the miced up tone is going to sound.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

For me, it's been that less gain is more. I used to really dial in way too much gain on my amps and what it did was make my guitar tones sound tiny on recordings. Just too much mush and buzz in there to get any clarity in the tone.

The day I started backing off the gain I started seeing a lot of improvement in my tones.

Another thing that came out of that approach was that I no longer felt satisfied dialling in an amp and then throwing a mic on. I think when recording, it has to be a happy medium between the two. You actually have to listen to that tone through a mic to pick up things like chewy mids or glassy highs or excessive gain.

If you just dial in by ear, without factoring in the mic, you can't really tell what the recorded tone will be like, because your ears can't pick up those little details about how the miced up tone is going to sound.

All excellent points and I agree. Less gain is more especially when recording and layering. Also the speaker/cabinet/mic combo have as much or more effect on recorded tones as the amp used does assuming 2 amps capable of similar gain levels.

 

[70 Mach 1]

I play clean to semi clean 90% of the time.
I dial it in with guitars and amps midway and tweak amp as necessary and let it roll with an light pedal like an RC booster or FD2
solo time just goose up the axe.

 

[Rackman]

Two related things:
1) Don't worry about what the guitar sounds like solo. If you're playing with a band, dial with the band or at least a backing track. You'll pick very different settings.
2) The tones I like recorded are MUCH brighter than how I was dialing. When I realized how much highs were added either via very bright rigs (e.g. Appetite for Destruction) or in post (e.g. VHI) I totally changed my approach.

 

[Geo]

Different guitars are for different tones. Don't try to make one guitar do everything.

Also learn to use the volume knob on the guitar. Use a good pot that doesn't sound muddy on one or two.

 

[DanTravis62]

1. Noobs play with a mountain of gain and a tiny bit of volume; - pros record with a tiny bit of gain and a ton of volume
2. All of your favorite tones have way, way more high end than you think they do
3. Noobs focus everything on their left hand technique, pros focus on their right hand technique
4. All high gain tones need to be AT LEAST doubled, and in most cases quad or sextuple tracked
5. People who say "X speaker is the best and sounds EXACTLY LIKE THIS" are full of shit - all speakers are HIGHLY variable.
6. You need at the very least, 2 57s, a 421, a 121, and a SM7B to be ready to record any guitar sound.
7. The less gain there is in the sound, the more "the room" needs to show up in the recording.
8. Your headstock tuner makes you look like a dork

 

[Rottweiler]

For me, it's been that less gain is more. I used to really dial in way too much gain on my amps and what it did was make my guitar tones sound tiny on recordings. Just too much mush and buzz in there to get any clarity in the tone.

The day I started backing off the gain I started seeing a lot of improvement in my tones.

Another thing that came out of that approach was that I no longer felt satisfied dialling in an amp and then throwing a mic on. I think when recording, it has to be a happy medium between the two. You actually have to listen to that tone through a mic to pick up things like chewy mids or glassy highs or excessive gain.

If you just dial in by ear, without factoring in the mic, you can't really tell what the recorded tone will be like, because your ears can't pick up those little details about how the miced up tone is going to sound.

Agreed and for me, lower output pickups have great clarity. I can hear every note in the chord.
I will also say that changing speakers has a huge impact for me. Their overall tone, but also how they react to the amp and pickup combination.

 

[DanTravis62]

Agreed and for me, lower output pickups have great clarity. I can hear every note in the chord.
I will also say that changing speakers has a huge impact for me. Their overall tone, but also how they react to the amp and pickup combination.

I totally understand high output pickups if you are playing an unmodded JMP or plexi or vintage style amp, and you're boosting or trying to goose it into the high gain range

The thing is, though, its fucking 2026 man.

people swear by these super high output pickups with super high gain amps and they end up sounding like that one jackass on youtube

Edit: THIS jackass



He's playing with so much fucking gain that its basically a fuzz tone, or one of those danelectro plastic black pedals

If you have an ultra modern high gainer, WHY would you need super high output pickups?? It seriously makes no sense to me. High output pickups have serious drawbacks despite their benefits. As you said, you get much more clarity from lower/medium output humbuckers. Super high output stuff rolls off high end and gives you a cocked wah effect.

There's no universe in which this makes ANY sense unless for some reason you're running your Dimarzio slug into a diezel VH4 with the gain on literally zero, which... why even have a VH4 then???

 

[Rackman]

If you have an ultra modern high gainer, WHY would you need super high output pickups??

Not gonna defend that video, but I will say that with a standard stage wireless rig (I use QLX-D) the level is whatever you want. So my amp input level using say PRS \m/ Metal pickups is not functionally different than using Alnico II Pros. And they both sound good, and aren't over-gained unless I set the knob on the amp stupid. The fundamental difference between pickups ends up being the frequency response, and maybe some subtle dynamics effects but honestly pickups really shouldn't have those.

I will also say that often times the split coil sounds from hotter pickups are better. My PRS \m/ pickups probably do a better SRV than the Alnico IIs do.

I really think we've reached the point where for stage rigs pickup output doesn't matter. Actually I usually run my wireless in the studio as well if feasible because I know what it does and what my levels will be.

 

[japetus]

I like Fender on Fender violence, and I am just not into super washed out high gain stuff, or big chorus/reverb/delay rack tones.

 

[DanTravis62]

Not gonna defend that video, but I will say that with a standard stage wireless rig (I use QLX-D) the level is whatever you want. So my amp input level using say PRS \m/ Metal pickups is not functionally different than using Alnico II Pros. And they both sound good, and aren't over-gained unless I set the knob on the amp stupid. The fundamental difference between pickups ends up being the frequency response, and maybe some subtle dynamics effects but honestly pickups really shouldn't have those.

I will also say that often times the split coil sounds from hotter pickups are better. My PRS \m/ pickups probably do a better SRV than the Alnico IIs do.

I really think we've reached the point where for stage rigs pickup output doesn't matter. Actually I usually run my wireless in the studio as well if feasible because I know what it does and what my levels will be.

That's obviously a different situation because you can manually control the level

You know exactly what i'm talking about lol

There's a reason so many modern high gain tones have that ear-grating "cocked wah" type sound

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

Find a useable sound and go with it. Your bedroom sound is most likely not gonna fly with a band. Keep it really simple and easy to attain.

 

[Rackman]

That's obviously a different situation because you can manually control the level

You know exactly what i'm talking about lol

There's a reason so many modern high gain tones have that ear-grating "cocked wah" type sound

It is the situation that defines a high percentage of live performance though.

Also, in most amps the clipping really isn't in that first pre-gain knob stage. So hot pickups you can just dial down the gain and nothing funny happens. Which is not to say that people always do that, but you can.

 

[DanTravis62]

It is the situation that defines a high percentage of live performance though.

Also, in most amps the clipping really isn't in that first pre-gain knob stage. So hot pickups you can just dial down the gain and nothing funny happens. Which is not to say that people always do that, but you can.

So then, if that's the case, what is the benefit of them?

 

[Rackman]

So then, if that's the case, what is the benefit of them?

You like how they sound? I like both my PRS \m/ and EMG 57/66TW sets even though I make no use of their high output.

 

[Findthetone1]

All good points. I'll second the less gain is more lesson. Especially when recording. The band I was playing for in the 90s were throwing down some quick demo tracks in our practice room and for shits and giggles I used the Vintage (Orange?) on my Mesa DR and was amazed at how good it sounded on the 4 track.
My second revelation was an EQ in the loop of an amp.

 

[DanTravis62]

You like how they sound? I like both my PRS \m/ and EMG 57/66TW sets even though I make no use of their high output.

the prs metal are medium output, btw, that's not a super high output pickup - IIRC they are like 15k on the bridge - the emgs are a little hot, but not even close to the pickups that i'm talking about

Have you ever played one of the super high output ceramics that people use for metal? Or are you calling the prs metal pickups "high output"?

I'm talking about the X2N and Slug from dimarzio, the Guitarmory patriot thats like 26k, stuff like that. Are you familiar with what a pickup that hot does to the signal?

 

[hellzington]

1. Live and studio are completely different worlds. Your live tone will kill you in the studio. Build two separate presets and never confuse them.

2. Always record a clean or edge-of-breakup track alongside your high gain takes. Blending them in the mix adds clarity -- and paradoxically, more aggression and dynamic range.

3. Compress high gain guitars as little as possible. Use 1:1 or 1.5:1 ratios. Run compressors for color, not control.

4. The recording captures the performance. The tone can be tweaked later. The performance cannot.

5. Learn how compressors actually work. Not approximately. Actually. It changes everything.

6. Learn sidechain mixing and basic mastering early. Most people discover these too late. They make everything sound better immediately.

7. In the studio, clarity is king. Less gain, cleaner picking technique, quieter noise floor. The faster and more aggressive you play, the more critical this becomes.

8. Guitars are a midrange instrument. Everything below 80Hz and above 10kHz gets cut anyway. Stop worrying about the extremes.

9. Record some scooped, wide-sounding takes alongside your main tones. You will thank yourself later when you need width in the mix.

10. When it sounds good, stop and export. You can tweak forever. Don't. Just export it and move on to your next mix.

 

[hellzington]

Different guitars are for different tones. Don't try to make one guitar do everything.

Also learn to use the volume knob on the guitar. Use a good pot that doesn't sound muddy on one or two.

This is such a great point. To make your recorded tone instantly better, bring your volume knob down to 7-8. Do it as you're playing along to the track. You will instantly hear a difference. Your guitar will almost "jump out" of the mix.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

I find that cabs make the biggest difference. I agree with Dan that less gain is more. I’m definitely not into high gain pickups. Gotta make sure you have mids. My biggest problem is that my ears are toast from too many years of loud amps.