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previous: Humbucker Re: Additive and subtractive synthesis....and fuzz -- 5/20/2004 7:05 PM

my 2¢ worth

5/20/2004 11:15 PM
RedHouse	my 2¢ worth Here's my 2¢ worth on that, specifically the question on how'd Trower do it. I've been able to successfully nail the "Bridge Of Sighs" sound periodically in this way, it's not all pedal but a combo of amp and pedals: Silicon Fuzzface turned up to around 8 (definately not on 10, we need to hear string fundamentals) -into- Univibe input-1 Univibe input-2 -into- "Bright" channel (High input) of a Marshall 1959SLP (basically bypasses the univibe, but while allowing it to input some signal) then... (and here's the big fig newton) Cable from output of Univibe -into- "Normal" channel (low input) of the same Marshall Listening closely to Bridge Of Sighs I've always noticed you can seem hear two signal paths, and certainly Robin may have split his signal (he says he does that when interviewed). But anyway, when Robin hits the E and E5 (6th string) you can hear a mostly-clean heavily-vibed tone, but when Robin hits the E7/G (or whatever you call the doublestop on the 3rd fret 1st and 2nd strings) then you hear more of a singing/raging distortion. Using the above method I was able to blend the clean lows of the low-E string sounds (through the "normal" channel) with the distorted highs in the bright channel of the Marshall and those around said it was the closest to the real deal they'd heared. Note also that using the Fuzzface's "Volume" control is what really drives the "bright" channel input into that raging distortion, not really the Fuzz control. Note that this only works well when you can crank up your Marshall, if you have volume restrictions at all, this is not the ticket. On the other hand, getting the Hendrix "Machine Gun" sound (which is totally different than Trower) is a bit easier as a serial connection: Fuzzface (Fuzz on 9, Guitar on 6 or 7 for intro) -into- Univibe -into- Marshall One really has to mess with the depth control to get the Machine Gun sound right. Interestingly one can get a hint of Jimi's Univibe settings by carefully lstening to the "Band Of Gypsis" DVD soundtrack (the beginning of Machine gun seems to have been edited on the Album mix). On the DVD film footage of those (3) Fillmore concerts, Jimi stops just after his little schpeal about solders fighting, and bends down and adjusts his univibe, on the DVD you can hear the thing swooshing as he sets it just right, then he starts the song.

5/20/2004 11:15 PM

RedHouse

my 2¢ worth

Here's my 2¢ worth on that, specifically the question on how'd Trower do it.

I've been able to successfully nail the "Bridge Of Sighs" sound periodically in this way, it's not all pedal but a combo of amp and pedals:

Silicon Fuzzface turned up to around 8 (definately not on 10, we need to hear string fundamentals)
-into-
Univibe input-1
Univibe input-2
-into-
"Bright" channel (High input) of a Marshall 1959SLP
(basically bypasses the univibe, but while allowing it to input some signal)

then... (and here's the big fig newton)

Cable from output of Univibe
-into-
"Normal" channel (low input) of the same Marshall

Listening closely to Bridge Of Sighs I've always noticed you can seem hear two signal paths, and certainly Robin may have split his signal (he says he does that when interviewed).

But anyway, when Robin hits the E and E5 (6th string) you can hear a mostly-clean heavily-vibed tone, but when Robin hits the E7/G (or whatever you call the doublestop on the 3rd fret 1st and 2nd strings) then you hear more of a singing/raging distortion.

Using the above method I was able to blend the clean lows of the low-E string sounds (through the "normal" channel) with the distorted highs in the bright channel of the Marshall and those around said it was the closest to the real deal they'd heared.

Note also that using the Fuzzface's "Volume" control is what really drives the "bright" channel input into that raging distortion, not really the Fuzz control.

Note that this only works well when you can crank up your Marshall, if you have volume restrictions at all, this is not the ticket.

On the other hand, getting the Hendrix "Machine Gun" sound (which is totally different than Trower) is a bit easier as a serial connection:

Fuzzface (Fuzz on 9, Guitar on 6 or 7 for intro)
-into-
Univibe
-into-
Marshall

One really has to mess with the depth control to get the Machine Gun sound right.

Interestingly one can get a hint of Jimi's Univibe settings by carefully lstening to the "Band Of Gypsis" DVD soundtrack (the beginning of Machine gun seems to have been edited on the Album mix).

On the DVD film footage of those (3) Fillmore concerts, Jimi stops just after his little schpeal about solders fighting, and bends down and adjusts his univibe, on the DVD you can hear the thing swooshing as he sets it just right, then he starts the song.

Replies:

Steve I do believe you are onto something.... -- 5/21/2004 5:28 PM