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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Same Tone - Different Day?
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 5 2012, 05:03 PM
Well, I just happened to remember a very peculiar phenomena which I have encountered during the years 
Imagine that you rehearse something and you leave your tone just as it is in the same room, with the same guitar. The basic idea is that everything stays unchanged. The next day, you pick it up and suddenly, it doesn't sound the same anymore.
At first it felt a bit awkward, but then I have realized that it's all in the way we perceive the sound - some days we are more tired and other days we are very energized and had a good rest, so I guess it all goes down to that - does it?
Have you guys ever experienced such a feeling? What did you do to get back in shape and feel as comfy as the previous day?
Cosmin
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Nov 5 2012, 05:27 PM
yes, I suffer this all the time!! but I blame to my amp and tubes! 
Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 5 2012, 08:01 PM
Yes I do notice this too.. some days the tone is just right but other days it feel more 'dead'. I think it has a lot to do with our mindset and how much emotional content we put through our fingers
Posted by: mroberts70 Nov 5 2012, 08:22 PM
I'm glad you said that. I always thought it was my imagination. I'll play something that I think sounds good, and the next day I just flip the switch on everything with all settings untouched and I completely hate what I was playing the day before. Odd how that happens.
Posted by: Bossie Nov 6 2012, 03:23 AM
same here ....tweaking my amp/EQ and finding a great rythm sound.Then you think to yourself you got a great sound ..
Till the next day it really wasn't so great at all... 
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 6 2012, 03:49 AM
Yup! It's why I quit using TUBE AMPS!! Tube Amps are WONDERFUL but they are living/breathing/changing beast and can actually sound different on any given day. Meaning requiring different settings to get the same tone resulting in
"Endless Tone Chasing" ARrghghghghgh!!!!
One of the reasons I got so in to guitar modeling/software is that once I find a sound I love, it's always there at the push of a button. But I still get misty when I see a MESA on full rip.
Todd
Well, I just happened to remember a very peculiar phenomena which I have encountered during the years Imagine that you rehearse something and you leave your tone just as it is in the same room, with the same guitar. The basic idea is that everything stays unchanged. The next day, you pick it up and suddenly, it doesn't sound the same anymore. At first it felt a bit awkward, but then I have realized that it's all in the way we perceive the sound - some days we are more tired and other days we are very energized and had a good rest, so I guess it all goes down to that - does it?
Have you guys ever experienced such a feeling? What did you do to get back in shape and feel as comfy as the previous day?
Cosmin
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 6 2012, 09:28 AM
Well, in my opinion I think it's pretty easy to get a good tone out of a good tube amp, rather than endlessly tweaking parameters on a digital one, so even if I know that I'll be encountering this problem a lot of times from now on 
I still stick to tube amps
But man... there are some days when you wonder if you can really play the guitar
Posted by: Dieterle Nov 6 2012, 09:42 AM
But man... there are some days when you wonder if you can really play the guitar
[/quote]
hahaha this happens to me everyday 
but yes i agree there are moments every thing goes just easy on fretboard
but then the other day same idea -- horrible .
For me a good help when i go out for a walk into nature to get some inspiration and calmness .
My daughter is a teenager and i have to walk a lot 
Dieter
Posted by: Slavenko Erazer Nov 6 2012, 10:31 AM
Yeah, it's a crazy thing.
I have only one BAD tube in my amp and it acts the same
Maybe it's about latency in power consumption or such things, anyway i blame all on her!!
Anyway i still like real amps a lot,and it would be boring if everything would just remain the same every day...
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 6 2012, 01:58 PM
I hear ya I still love the sound of a fine Tube Amp. But as a tweaker, and techy guy, I"m really comfy with creating presets, working with plugins etc. I have a great fondness and appreciation of the tradition and quality of great tube Amps like the Mesa and Engle, I just don't have the budget for purchase or patience for sound drift it would take to justify owning one.
I recently bought a line 6 Vetta Head, which is basically a modeller stuffed in a head and I've been loving that. But I doubt it would make a purist very happy at all. But to each his own!
I still stick to tube amps But man... there are some days when you wonder if you can really play the guitar
Posted by: Max Sokolov Nov 6 2012, 02:18 PM
Yeees - the same thing with me.
We were discussing this problem with one of my students, he said, that this happens because of unstable power and he solved it by buying voltage rectifier..
I don't have one, but who knows..))
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 6 2012, 02:33 PM
Interesting Max! Very interesting
Todd - indeed, to each his own I feel beaten down when having to endlessly tweak something just to get something good out of it and it feels like the whole joy of playing is taken away somehow.. well that's what happens for me..
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 7 2012, 08:16 AM
Because I don't have my big amp at home, each time I get to the rehearsal room it feels a bit awkward until I 'bond' with the tone again, but after 1 song, maybe 2, everything falls into place.
Anyway, I plan on buying this little Line6 gimmick for home - the Guitar Port that is, as I am very satisfied with the tones it can produce - I posted those patches some months ago, if you guys want to try them I guess it is a bit more aggressive than the AMT and I would like to experiment with it a bit and see what I can get. BUT JUST FOR HOME
Posted by: Bossie Nov 8 2012, 01:20 AM
Guess that's why you find a power conditioner in lot's of racks ...they work as voltage regulators but that's all i know about it 
Posted by: Michael AC Nov 8 2012, 02:23 AM
i notice this more if I play maybe too long in a confined area with it too loud...(if it can be)...I think the sensors in the ear lean over and deaden a little...after some rest they pop back up.
Can be frustrating.
Posted by: Alex Feather Nov 8 2012, 01:46 PM
Man it happens to me all the time! It is so weird! I have the same tone set on my pedalboard and the amp and it sounds different sometimes! I think it has to do with your inner feeling? Cause your mood is changing same as the feel of the tone! I just got use to it!
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 8 2012, 02:57 PM
Can be frustrating.
Oh man... after rehearsing with Voodoo, I literally need some time to recover even with ear plugs on - my drummer is an animal and his cymbals are usually contributing a lot!
Posted by: waynedcoville Nov 12 2012, 11:55 AM
yup. I hate that. I usually end up re-tweaking the knobs. its seems for me, finding 'the tone' has been an eternal struggle. and being that I play 6-string bass doesn't help - trying to get the B so its not too muddy and the C so its not to crispy. my latest attempt (which i think may have worked) was to buy a really good set of strings. I used to just use whatever I happened to find, but recently I got a set of Fedora strings (my wallet said ouch) which seem very stable in sound and feel across all 6 strings
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 14 2012, 12:54 AM
Well, you can save all the presets you make in OVERLOUD for example, so with ZERO tweaking, you can call up a tone you love Which is just awesome. My VETTA let's you do this as well which is very handy. The MESA TRIAXIS preamp will do this as well. But a standard head, not to much. Your back to twisting knobs to make it happy on any given day. For me the lack of recall on standard amps in all but crazy these days. But hey, it's a big world with enough option/gear for everyone!
Todd
Todd - indeed, to each his own
I feel beaten down when having to endlessly tweak something just to get something good out of it and it feels like the whole joy of playing is taken away somehow.. well that's what happens for me..Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 14 2012, 07:56 AM
Which is just awesome. My VETTA let's you do this as well which is very handy. The MESA TRIAXIS preamp will do this as well. But a standard head, not to much. Your back to twisting knobs to make it happy on any given day. For me the lack of recall on standard amps in all but crazy these days. But hey, it's a big world with enough option/gear for everyone!Todd
True indeed Todd, but
BUT You only turn 3-4 knobs so it's still good I know I'm a little paranoid and actually a bit scared of technologically advanced things just because of the sheer amount of time that i need to invest in making them work..
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 15 2012, 02:43 AM
BUT You only turn 3-4 knobs so it's still good I know I'm a little paranoid and actually a bit scared of technologically advanced things just because of the sheer amount of time that i need to invest in making them work..
I hear ya! The learning curve can be steep indeed. I"ve probably lost quite a bit of writing/playing time to mousing and clicking on plugins at this point. I do sorta wish I had some of that time back!
Todd
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Nov 15 2012, 08:40 AM
Well, after we finish the release and gigs planned after, I will take sometime in December to refresh my knowledge and gear stuff in what regards recording
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 15 2012, 06:53 PM
I'd be happy to offer any tips/tricks to try to save you some of the initial time suck/pain which is always lame! You can download free version of the top plugins so grab em when you can Most are limited somehow but will give you the general idea.
Amplitude 3
Amplitue Metal
Overloud TH1/TH2
Guitar Rig 5
are my current favs so I"ve set up threads here @ GMC with SPIFF presets for each and every plugin in my personal forum! They all do run a bit towards crazy/gain/lead but there is some variety Either way, having some decent presets is critical as most of the time (IMHO) many factory presets are dissapointing. I've spent countless hours making my own and it's great to be able to call them up at will!
Todd
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