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Calling all blueshounds

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12/6/1999 2:14 AM

Calling all blueshounds

I bought a copy of Stevie Ray Vaughn live at Carnegie Hall and can't stop playing it. I've always been a raving shredder (eg Vai, Vai and also Vai) so you can understand my surprise.

Can someone enlighten me as to how he got that dirty sound without sounding dirty. It kinda sounds like two separate rigs.

I heard once that he used 13-58 strings on a Strat? Thats gotta hurt!

On quieter tracks like "Lenny" it sounds like a different guitar, more brittle when he cranks for the solos.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

AustinC

12/6/1999 5:48 PM
Dodge	You're not wrong about the tone, that recording of Dirty Pool has one of the best guitar sounds I ever heard!

12/6/1999 7:39 PM

I believe SRV was known for using multiple amps at one time. He ran some Fenders or Dumbles up loud to get his distorted tone, and a big clean amp like a Marshall Major for his clean tone. I've heard a lot of different accounts of what he used for specific amps, but the seperate clean and dirty amps seems to crop up pretty often. In addition for real distorted stuff, I beleive I heard he added a fuzzface.

-Chris

12/6/1999 7:56 PM
Dave James	Yup, I've also heard he used 13's...but he also tuned down a half-step which eases the string tension a bit. Kinda like using 11's. Later, DJ

12/6/1999 11:51 PM
Blues Lyne	According to the interviews that I've read about SRV his strings were the same gages as a set of GHS 11's except with a 13 and 58 for the E's. Blues

12/7/1999 12:45 AM
AustinC	Thanks guys, much appreciated. I noticed the tuning (down a step) when I was playing along to Cold Shot. I've heard that one of his favourite amps was a Vibroverb, I'll have to check out the schem. Any truth in the single 15" speaker myth? seeya AustinC

12/7/1999 2:54 AM

Austin,
Congratulations on recognizing "tone" and "feeling". Steve Vai IS a great player, but he's stuck in the middle of tone when he does things. LOT'S of effects. He has a LOT going on. That's the difference between a LOT of notes run together just for the purpose of being able to do it, and someone who knows how to make his guitar sing when his voice isn't...in other words......soul, and feeling...the guitar is speaking CLEARLY, to you. It IS a part of the lyrics. Steve Vai is a GREAT technical afficianado, Stevie Ray had the feel...just like B.B., and Albert, and Buddy, and numerous others whose tones and styles are unique. But more than that, they knew when NOT to play a note. To get a tone, and emotion, and hold it out JUST a little longer than you would otherwise expect, or even stop... and THEN inject some hot licks. That takes a real appreciation of what music is all about.Music IS emotion.
Now, I'm not knocking Steve Vai, or Satriani, or any of the other shredders. God knows,(and everyone who knows me) that these guys are great guitar players and can run circles around MY playing with one arm tied behind their back, and their eyes closed. I CAN say, I have seen more people moved by watching a GOOD blues player play, than watching a shredder, or synth band, or most any other music you can think of. Other music can be be a lot of fun, and that's OK, too. (I like ALL kinds...metal, big band,50's,60's,70's,80's,,even SOME country),and one can learn a great deal from all of it. If you REALLY want to learn how to arrange a song...big band has some extemely valuable lessons. It will show melody, counter-melody, rhythm, and harmony.
Now that I have ranted out of control long enough, let me say one more thing.
Whatever music YOU feel is right to play, and whatever influence's YOU use to achieve that goal....as long as you are happy doing what you do...it's the right music for you to play.
Keep jammin' and be happy,
Brad(Did I really do this tirade?)

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