Effects question: how to make a single guitar sound like two

[Belbel]

All

Can anyone tell me what type of effect will make a single guitar sound like two? My objective is to get some riffs to sound like two guitars are playing rather than just one. An example of the sound I am looking for is some of the lead on Free Bird (Lynyrd Skynyrd), where it sounds like two guitars are playing. (Maybe it is two guitars and I am just dumb, but thats another issue).

Help appreciated

 

[Scream_ed]

I read in a mag that Paul Gilbert uses an electric drill to make it sound like three guitars playing in unison! Haha...

If not, well, in recording, you can do double tracking, or as many as you like. But if you are talking about achieving that effect live, maybe a well dialled delay with an extreme chorus might help. You'll need to experiment.

 

[relinquish69]

not an expert at this but I think that all you need is 2 outputs to 2 different amps. some pedals do have both stereo and mono output ( Boss CE-3 or DD-3 in mind ), thats why its possible to play through 2 amps.

 

[gsonique]

Best results using two amps with a single guitar goin through an ABY pedal.... or you can use a Boss PS type pedal- dual pitch shift - stereo out !!

 

[draven0707]

there's a thingy called Harmonizer.. it's available on ME50.. can try that too

 

[Phil]

How bout Brian May's method of using 2 delays?

I don't know if that's what you're after though, just my 2cents.

 

[relinquish69]

there's a thingy called Harmonizer.. it's available on ME50.. can try that too

oh that reminds me! you can try the Boss HR-2. either that or you can follow goose's recommendation of using a Boss PS pedal ( I think it was PS-5 )

both pedals dont come cheap though. all around the price of $200.

 

[snuffleupagus]

Re: Effects question: how to make a single guitar sound like

Belbel

dude, if I'm not wrong, Allen Collins(Lyn Skyn) did an additional take on the solo, and it was added onto the track(overdub), thats why theres the illusion of having 2 guitar playing at the same time.The 2nd take was slightly off-timed compared to the initial take and in the end he probably forgot what he was doing at the ending part previously that is why it sounds like there are so many guitarists playing.The solo is around 5 mins long.

Great solo with a lot of feel by the way

 

[gsonique]

PS3

 

[ShredCow]

Take a delay with stereo out, digital delay would be good, then drop the delay time to like 20ms or something really short, up the delay level, then run main signal out to 1 amp, delayed signal out to amp number 2.

Or you can use a very light chorus into 1 amp. Chorus before overdrive for that kind of effect.

 

[napalm]

zoom pedals has this "doubling" effect. dunno if it has similar version on a single box though

 

[gsonique]

its more fun recording....what i did was layering multiple guitar tracks with slight variations = monster tone ...if you listen to NIN you will get the idea !!

 

[ShredCow]

Oh yeah, thats the idea...

layer with different sounds...

 

[Belbel]

Thanks all. Lots of ideas to experiment with.

(on the Allen Collins point, I recall reading somewhere recently that they had an effect to get that sound - I will look it up. Of course with three guitarists they can do all sorts of great soloing and playing in unison etc etc. There is a simlar sound in You got that right from Street Survivors)

 

[draven0707]

if you can get a guitarist to play in unison with you, the word "power" is an understatement.. check out Megadeth, "Ashes in my mouth" or issit your mouth.. also some of x japan's work..

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

to get indulgence and wanna have 3 guitars sounding with just one instrument playing at one time, perhaps can try this

get 2 mini mixer(1 input/4 ouput type where the input and output can be reverse, like this type), 1 amp, 2 octave pedal(inclusive of + and - octave)

Guitar -----> 1st Mini mixer, and from the output of this 1st mini mixer as follow:

1) One output from 1st mini mixer into the first octave pedal set to -1 or -2 octave and going into the 1st input of the 2nd mixer

2) Another output from the 1st mini mixer out straight to the 2nd input of the 2nd mixer

3) Third output from 1st mini mixer to 2nd octave pedal set to +1, +2 octave, and then to the 3rd input of the 2nd mixer

Once all 3 done, the final output then goes to the amp

and the sound projected will have 3 layer at one time, original signal, down octave of original signal and lastly, up octave of orignal signal.

But then, to summarize all the top, the electro harmonix HOG will do all of that and more in one box.

and if still want more, use the above and add in another blender pedal from gsonique, i think there will be more than enough sound happening at any time, just by playing one instrument at a time. Its really really fun in doing all those... imho

 

[Belbel]

Thanks! Can you tell me who carries the HOG in Singapore?

 

[soulrock]

All u need is zoom effect i guess..
and try to listen alot like one guitarist band like creed,audislace n muse..effects realli play apart..

 

[edder]

Thanks! Can you tell me who carries the HOG in Singapore?

Pre-order only.

 

[embryo]

1stly, the cheap and easy way is to use a chorus pedal. However it can sometimes smear the sound where you'll lose immediacy in the impact of the sound. Some like it and some don't. I like to use it when it calls for it.

2nd way is to use pitch shifters where you can pan hard left and right for the slightly detuned guitars with very short delay leaving the the natural guitar in the center field. This is a great sound without the modulation artifacts of a chorus effect.

3rd way a fav of mine as Shred Moo said earlier and I'll elaborate further is the technique of using 2 amps with a simple stereo digital delay. Imagine hearing both amps set together at equal volume and tone fed from the stereo outputs of the delay. You should be getting a " tick, tick" sound if you picked any string percussively. Now the idea of getting a nice stereo spread giving the impression of 2 guitarist playing together is to adjust the delay for anywhere from 5msecs to 60msecs. If you pick a string percussively you'll get the playback to change from tick, tick to click, click or plick, plick. hehehe I noe this sounds kinda farny in description . Adjust the delay leveland time carefully with minimum feedback (for starters set the echo for 1 repeat) and Anything more will start to sound like slap back 50's rock n roll echoes. On the DD3 set the extreme right knob fully anti clockwise.

The crazee super stereo wide Randy Rhoads/ Zakk Wylde sound sometimes gives the aural illusion of a ring modulator but really it's just a very tasteful use of the delay creating that stereo spread and the mics of opposite speaker cabs capturing the bleed from oppositie amps.

I highly recommend thess techniques especially for rock bands that use alot of power chords and and chunky riffs but with one guitarist. Go ahead why not try it with 2 guitarists!? Heh.