How to sustain a note

[rowdy382]

Hi fellow softies,
I am relatively new to electric guitar. Can someone advise me on what sound pedals are required to achieve a long sustain note. For example the likes of Santana or the late Gary Moore?

Thanks alot

 

[Holispirit]

You could use a compressor pedal. It can help to lengthen your sustain

 

[rowdy382]

Thank you . .. Holispirit.

 

[CaboWabo]

I believe delay+comp would be correct haha

 

[killabunny]

you could use a fuzz like the electroharmonix big muff, but you'll have to tweak it a little here and there to make it sound nice. and of course, a good vibrato technique will significantly enhance your sustain.

 

[valentinik_15]

Use the neck pickup, play loud, push up your drive on the amp or pedal. Use your volume knob to clean up the sound then roll up the volume when you need those lead sustains. Like they say, there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Likui]

what kind of bridge, what kind of wood you use what kind of pickup all will contribute to sustain, also see where u stand, u know how to use feedback?? lol sustain your notes forever

 

[J.custom]

For that Gary Moore/Santana kind of tone, you need a distortion, preferably mid-gain. I would recommend Seekz Stomper's Punch Tone, perfect for your application. Set your amp to a clean tone that you like, then tweak the pedal according to that. Of course technique as well as many other variables are important as well, eg a good vibrato will help with sustaining the note, wood density, pickup output level etc.

 

[subversion]

the EHX Deep Freeze pedal can do an artificial sustain by employing its LATCH mode; once activated, it'll let that not ring through endlessly. you can even play over it.

 

[vernplum]

Depending on how long you want your note to last, you could consider working on your vibrato technique. This makes notes last longer.

 

[CyanideJunkie]

If you're aiming for Gary Moore or Santana, go a step further and check out Peter Green as well. Both of them are huge fans of his, just listen to 'Supernatural' to hear "supernatural sustain"!

 

[fluid]

if you wan spend money you go for compressor. If don't want spend money learn vibrato. lol
I uses vibrato usually not cos i wanna save money but cos vibrato will sound nicer.... to me

 

[dudelove]

Since you mentioned Gary Moore and Santana, there is a certain technique for this. A comment below stated Peter Green's Supernatural. That's a perfect example of endless sustain.

It's something that is very hard or nearly impossible to emulate in your bedroom. How these guys get such sustain is through feedback. Musical controlled feedback, not the kind where some guy is using way way too much gain and then squeeky piercing sounds start coming out.

The technique is to have your amp at a very very loud volume, and also a certain amount of gain. There is a certain spot called the sweet spot where the guitar has to be, (some musicians like Neil Young mark that spot on stage when they play) and if you hold a note, it will feedback into endless sustain, it could go on literally forever. The type I love is when the feedback moves into the higher octaves. Sometimes when you watch videos of guitarist you see them turn around and face their guitars to the amps, they are trying to achieve that sort of controlled feedback. This is pretty much the old school method.

Today you can create artificial endless sustain. Stuff like the EHX Freeze, the E-bow, Fernandes sustainer. A lot of cool stuff really. This is a much better route since the old school method is pretty impractical.

Anyway a compressor isn't what you need for added sustain. People who buy compressors because they want more sustain don't know what a compressor is for and they think gear is a shortcut to improving technique.

 

[MHD]

What i use is a Sustainiac Stealth Pro in one of my guitar. Haha! Infinite sustain!

Back to your question, for me, i would say a compressor pedal. Like the Boss CS-3.

 

[metalfreak]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB6zw6RSZzU

 

[EngelFaeuste]

fret string, pick string, wait.

 

[liquid]

haha bro, for me, my distortion pedal will do the works of sustaining a particular note due to my drive. And also like other seniors had said, vibrato works and it sounds nice !

Cheers

 

[MadWerewolfBoy]

you could consider working on your vibrato technique.

This, plus where you stand relative to the amp's speaker.

note that most guitars have a resonant frequency. you'll realise that sustaining notes close to the resonant frequency of your guitar is easier than notes far from it.

for sustaining notes, vibrato is the mojo! haha, compressors and all are useful if you're lazy to do vibrato for sustains and / or you can't crank your amp loud enough for feedback to occur

 

[NooDles]

Or u could do away with the pedals and use the money to install a sustainer =)