How to get a real " bluesy " tone

[bluepowder]

Exactly, it's what we die for!

Anyway, it's pretty disconcerting when I see people going on and on about how the blues is about the feel and tone doesn't mean naught. When the threadstarter stated very specifically that he's looking for tips on acquring a bluesy 'tone'. Getting a bit too caught up and didactic, aren't we?

Not Really...I've seen a lot of guys playing through crappy gear like a multieffects into a solid state amp sound fantastic and guys playing ultra cool boutique gear sound like crap....tone is more about your command over the instrument than the gear you play...after all the gear can only amplify what you already play....SRV will sound like SRV through just about everything..he might sound better through certain gear....

OP should know that what he might be searching for is simply understanding what sort of technique and command over the instrument he needs for the blues....there are many many people who go on the quest for the right tone without realizing how much of the tone comes from technique, picking, dynamics, fretting technique etc....roland amps are quite capable of producing decent tones....an example would be...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foGTVCaN4t8

very playable tones

i think basic tips like keeping the gain low are really enough...

 

[pianomankris]

Exactly, it's what we die for!

Anyway, it's pretty disconcerting when I see people going on and on about how the blues is about the feel and tone doesn't mean naught. When the threadstarter stated very specifically that he's looking for tips on acquring a bluesy 'tone'. Getting a bit too caught up and didactic, aren't we?

No, not really.

'Tone' would have to be defined first in order to accurately answer the thread poster's question. Or at least what he thinks 'tone' means. And most people don't know what this word actually means. Other terms are often misused for the word 'tone'.

Being didactic would be talking about (for example) predominant use of the b5 as a falling acciaccatura to the 4th degree when soloing over the i chord.

Which is a big aspect of the blues.

Depends what is meant by 'tone'. That needs to be established first.

 

[theunknown]

im very much happy with a les paul, using low output neck pickup with a cranked tube amp. SWEET

 

[Phil]

I've been trying to get a blues tone with my Les Paul Custom together with my Roland cube 20x .. Can't seem to get a real nice blues tone .. Any ideas guys ? Any recommendations ?

I think his first post, with him listing out his gear, established his definition of 'tone' pretty clearly.

I agree that the general term of 'tone' covers a lot of ground; gear being one aspect, and of course, one's playing style and command over his equipment.

It is nice and well and generous to give the threadstarter more options and to widen his view of thing, I respect that and appreciate that very much, but concurrently, we should also keep in mind his original question and try to help him out in that direction as much as possible.

Well, it's just my 2cents' worth.

 

[Boonster]

Well, lets say if one is able to play well, with a nice tone coming from the amp too, that would be really nice wouldn't it ? It is true that if SRV plays with any gear or whatsoever, he'll sound good and all .. But it'll just be an added bonus if you also get a nice tone coming from your amp eh ? Personally, after playing around with the amp settings and all, if i achieve a tone that i somewhat like, i'll want to leave my guitar in my hands for a longer period of time and i'll benefit from that ! Wouldn't that be great? But thats just me la ... I'm not saying that your " feel " and all isn't important .. But its just that .. When you play and you actually get a really good tone coming from the amp(with feel and all) you'll get that .. satisfactory feeling .. I'm sure you guys know what i mean ..

 

[the_insomniac]

There's lots of different ways.. but you can get a classic blues tone like this:

1) get a decent amp,
2) run the guitar straight into it, and
3) turn it up until its just breaking up (but not to the point where its overdriving like crazy).

Basically if its a small 5W tube amp like the valve jr, the guideline is to turn it up until JUST SLIGHTLY BEFORE your neighbour complains.

And then, work on that vibrato ... it takes years of work..

 

[fgl]

When you play and you actually get a really good tone coming from the amp(with feel and all) you'll get that .. satisfactory feeling .. I'm sure you guys know what i mean ..

more than you'd ever know bro ...

 

[Breen]

do a search for Seasick Steve, vids where he plays over at Jools Holland. He's a bro that has really lived a stereotypical blues life, just that he's white. And he plays a real semi broken guitar with 2 strings or something tru a battered Roland Cube. And he sounds freaking awesome. I know I wont sound at all near him if I played his exact set up.

Get to know your instrument and work with your equipment. Everything's there sometimes and we just don't know it. Keep Gasing for more and more.....

And one more thing. It's all in the fingers, but the fingers move from your soul. Not asking you to be a hobo or anything, but if a rich white boy (Joe Bonamassa), silly middle class Englishmen (Beck, Paige, Richards...), South east Asian HDB dwellers (Ublues) or even virtuosic Swedes (urm, Malmsteen) can play the blues with such feel, surely it's all in you waiting to flow out.