Distortion
steve25
May 21 2007, 01:02 PM
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Ok i've had this problem for a while now and i can't be the only one. Whenever i put on distortion, particuarly higher gain it just sounds absolutely awful. First of all i'm using an Ibanez RG321MH guitar with a Roland Cube 30 amp. I did have a Spider II 210 but i got rid of it and was recommended a roland cube by people from UG and my guitar instructor so i got one of them. Any other sound is fine i can play stuff that sounds alright but here's the problems i have when i use distortion. Ok, so when i play power chords, not too bad however i find a lot of the time i'll be playing a chord, slide and that slide rings out real badly but i just lifted off when i moved, problem solved but a lot of the time i find the strings almost like scream at me if you like. And sometimes a string will get a really high pitched sound even if i don't strum it! What's up with that? To get rid of it i have to mute all 6 strings with my left hand and try again surely that can't be right. And sometimes, i've been doing experiments here but sometimes i'll leave the guitar alone don't hit any string and gradually this sound will come out of the amp, get louder and as i said before almost scream at me with this high pitched sound how do i get rid of it? Secondly, and probably the most noticeable off bit is the fact that i just cannot play a lead with it. It sounds really awful, too high pitched if i play anywhere near the 12th fret and anywhere else just a really bad sound and i know it's not supposed to sound like that because i listen to loads of metal bands and stuff and it doesn't sound like what the GMC instructors guitars sound like so i'm really confused what could it be and what can i do to fix it? Some of this may not have made sense to some of you so if it doesn't let me know and i'll try and explain it a bit better. Thanks

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The Uncreator
May 21 2007, 02:31 PM
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That noise comin out of your amp is Feedback, you can buy This to solve it, its a noise gate. , its 100 bucks but it takes away the feedback and just like the description says, if your addicted to high gain (Metal Players) this is the product for you.

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This post has been edited by The Uncreator: May 21 2007, 02:31 PM
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steve25
May 21 2007, 02:44 PM
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Thanks for that i'll seriously consider getting one of those just one question about it though, how can you play with an effects pedal and that do you need something else to go with it? Also anyone else know about the other problems i have?

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Nick_GibsonLP
May 21 2007, 05:07 PM
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Are you using the built in distortion (the R-Fier) on the Roland Cube? I have that amp, and I never had that problem when using the built in distortion. But yea, the noise gate will REALLY cut down the feedback, also what cables are you using? If your using cheaper cables they dont deal with feedback well. I would suggest using something along the lines of Monster cables or Crate cables. Also, try not to play near your computer or tv, if you have to, shut them off before use, the static on the cables seem to mess up your sound coming out of the amp.

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steve25
May 21 2007, 05:11 PM
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QUOTE (Nick_GibsonLP @ May 21 2007, 05:07 PM) *
Are you using the built in distortion (the R-Fier) on the Roland Cube? I have that amp, and I never had that problem when using the built in distortion. But yea, the noise gate will REALLY cut down the feedback, also what cables are you using? If your using cheaper cables they dont deal with feedback well. I would suggest using something along the lines of Monster cables or Crate cables. Also, try not to play near your computer or tv, if you have to, shut them off before use, the static on the cables seem to mess up your sound coming out of the amp.


Yeah i am using the built in effect both metal and R-Fier. Well i'll try getting new cables what about the strings would they have anything to do with it?

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Igorrr
May 21 2007, 08:03 PM
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Distortion is a very tricky issue.

First of all check your gain settings. Even when playing high-gain metal most guitar players have the gain between 11 to 1 o'clock and not turned fully up.

Second if you hear a lot of static while not playing the guitar a noise-gate will help you very much.
You can also use a pre-EQ to cut down the frequencies that cause most feedbacks.

You can also dimish the feedback by cutting off the highs with the tone dial on your guitar.

Sometimes it can also be weird things like the springs of my floyd rose tremolo in my universe.
That guitar used to scream A LOT, the solution was to dampen the springs with a sponge.
To test that simply knock on your guitar while connected to your amp with all strings muted (use o sock or something). If it gives back a ringing sound you my have to do that to your springs as well. Testing with distortion can give really nasty feedbacks!

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steve25
May 21 2007, 08:38 PM
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ok thanks, will this noise gate help with the high pitched sounds or anything as i said before it doesn't sound anything like what other peoples distortion sound like it's almost unplayable. Like with the lessons here at GMC Kris uses it but his sounds alright mine doesn't.

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The Uncreator
May 22 2007, 01:45 PM
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The one i mentioned has 3 settings to cutback feedback from the low end, mids, or the high end, so yes it will cut back the high pitched sound to pretty much nothing. Also, about your effects pedal question usually, this should explain it (i think this is what you were asking)


Say you have four pedals, plus the noise gate, the best way to set them up (most of the time) would be something like this.

Guitar---->Distortion---->Delay---->Reverb---->Wah---->Noise Gate---->Amp

If you have the noise gate hooked up last, it will cut any unwanted sounds from the other pedals behind it. sometimes though, you might have to make it first depending on the model.

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MickeM
May 22 2007, 02:29 PM
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Another approach to it, there is no right or wrong with where you put your pedals, it's the final sound that counts and if a Wah sound better put last that's fine.

But, I'd do it differently just judging from the effect type used, not their brand but only judging from the effect type in general and I will explain why I do it differently.

The noice gate I'd put straight after the guitar instead of last in the chain. Put last means that all the pedals before adds a lot of hiss, picks up fluorocent (heh... spelling?) hum and perhaps hum from an adaptor. Meaning the entire chain is a mess. The idea of having it first in the chain would be to quiet any hum or noice from the pickups and feed a clean signal further on for the rest of the pedals to work with.
The noice gate last means you bring in noice from the pickups, feed that noicy signal to the distorion pedal and not only put distortion to the sound of the guitar but also to the hum for the remaining pedals to work with.

There's also another type of noice filter that will cut signal tops and bottoms. That can be placed elsewhere, straight after the dist pedal may be the best place for it. Check what type you have. Noice gate or dynamic filter.

And I'd always put the Wah first, you don't wanna Wah a signal with distortion, delay, reverb etc on it. Unless that gives some special effect you're looking for but for me and in general that comes first.


Amp without loop
Guitar->Wah->Noice Gate->Distortion->Delay->Reverb->Amp


Amp with loop
Guitar->Wah->Noice Gate->Distortion->Amp

loop Delay->Reverb

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This post has been edited by MickeM: May 22 2007, 02:35 PM
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steve25
May 22 2007, 05:10 PM
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Ah ok thanks i just wondered how people would use more than one pedal. Well i don't use Wah should i be using it? i'll try that noise gate out and let you know how it goes i've got a feeling it's a device that will just stop feedback which is godo for me but won't help sound quality which is what i also need big time! I've read loads of reviews on the roland cube and everyone is saying that the distortion that comes with it is great so surely it's not the amp unless they're adding things onto it? I am using the built in distortion as i said no pedals at the moment what so ever it's literally Guitar > amp that's it with the built in effects. I usually only have the gain knob at about 9 o clock and the volume usually is wacked right up on both the guitar and amp. I notice when the volume is turned down low it doesn't sound like distortion at all i nfact it sounds like a clean tone, turn it up and like i said playing rhythm isn't too bad on it but as soon as you start playing lead that's it the worst sound ever i've never been able to get a good distortion sound. I hope i'm making sense here.

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MickeM
May 22 2007, 06:08 PM
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QUOTE (steve25 @ May 22 2007, 06:10 PM) *
Ah ok thanks i just wondered how people would use more than one pedal. Well i don't use Wah should i be using it? i'll try that noise gate out and let you know how it goes i've got a feeling it's a device that will just stop feedback which is godo for me but won't help sound quality which is what i also need big time! I've read loads of reviews on the roland cube and everyone is saying that the distortion that comes with it is great so surely it's not the amp unless they're adding things onto it? I am using the built in distortion as i said no pedals at the moment what so ever it's literally Guitar > amp that's it with the built in effects. I usually only have the gain knob at about 9 o clock and the volume usually is wacked right up on both the guitar and amp. I notice when the volume is turned down low it doesn't sound like distortion at all i nfact it sounds like a clean tone, turn it up and like i said playing rhythm isn't too bad on it but as soon as you start playing lead that's it the worst sound ever i've never been able to get a good distortion sound. I hope i'm making sense here.

Would it be possible for you to record it for us?

When you turn down the colume and get a clean tone, is that the colume on the guitar? That's a common way to clean up or distort your tone.

Could be feedback like the Uncreator says. Try putting the amp in a closet while you're on the other side of the door. Still a bad sound?

If it is, switch places between you and the amp so you stand in the closet. Still a bad sound?

Have you tried a different cord between the amp and the guitar?

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steve25
May 22 2007, 06:15 PM
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Well i'm only using a very basic computer microphone which is probably going to make it sound really bad anyway so not really :/. Both really amp and guitar volume if that's the case then ok fair enough. I know the amp isn't too quality but it just confuses me that the distortion on it is so bad. Does distortion usually sound bad on it's own or does it take other effects to make it good as well? And yeah i'll look into getting some more cables. I've tried playing my guitar in different areas around the house, in my bedroom, down stairs where there's no computers, in my garage where there's quite a few computers and obviously in the garage was probably worst but it's still not much better anywhere else.

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