Recording - November 2009 - 38

It’s the age-old question, “How do you keep the guitar in the mix without losing the integrity of the tone?” Guitarist Brian Tarquin asks some famous guitarists for answers G U I TA R T O N E By Brian Tarquin IN THE MIX Engineers have been grappling with this problem for had the most robotic distortion, totally devoid of warmth and feelyears—how to have the guitar stand tall in the saddle withing. But, in the context of a song like “Borg Sex”, it was perfect!” out overpowering everything else. For starters, you have to Trial and error consider the genre and how the guitar is being portrayed (e.g., blues tune, pop/rock, or stand-alone guitar instruSo obviously, achieving the right tone in the mix depends on so mental). Then—will you need to eq or compress the tone? many different factors. Trial and error, for one—finding the tone that This brings us to the forefathers who made this all posworked for that particular song. This is a very important point, sible: Seth Lover, who invented the double humbucker because how many of us sit in a music store and get great tone out (hum-cancelling electric stringed instrument pickup), and of a particular device or effect pedal, but find that once it’s brought our dear departed friend Les Paul, who masterminded the back to the studio it just doesn’t work in the mix? Ironically, this can solid-body electric guitar. Without them, the guitar would work in reverse, where you play an effect pedal and think to yournot be the aggressive dynamic beast that it is today, not self, “Where in the world would I ever use this?” Of course, two days to mention the backbone of rock-n-roll as we know it! later when you’re back in the studio you try that particular sound for With that said, I had to pick the brains of Ted Nugent, a quirky idea and voilà, it fits perfectly. Experimentation is the key. Eric Johnson, and Joe Satriani, and ask them how they go I remember speaking with Eric Johnson about various ribbon mics, about achieving their signature tone in the studio. in particular the Beyerdynamic M160. To my amazement he wasn’t Ted Nugent: “Though there are many moments of tonal really familiar with mics—in fact, he left that whole decision in the splendor throughout Love Grenade where my ’59 Les hands of the engineer. His main focus was just getting the source to Pauls join the fray, plus the occasional throttling on those sound great, either through the amp, effects, guitar or the room very special hollow-body PRS masterpieces, it is the comambiance. On the other hand, on Satriani’s CD Engines of Creation the bination of Peavey 6505s and some old pre-CBS Fender Twin amps that ultimately make the sound The forefathers who made this all possible: so wonderful. Regarding my choice to change up guitars and amps off and on during my adventurSeth Lover, who invented the humbucker, ous musical career, it is a direct result of my being a music fan first and foremost, and of my inexand Les Paul, who masterminded the haustible quest for the ultimate guitar tone.” solid-body electric guitar. Eric Johnson: “My typical setup is a BK Butler Tube Driver or an AC Booster through a Marshall JMP Super Lead, and a Dunlop Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face or amps and mics were not in the equation. He explained, “No mics, no an old Ibanez Tube Screamer through a Marshall JTM 45. speakers! We thought it was a cool thing at the time, to make a record I have a couple of different Marshalls with a little different completely ‘in the box’.” It worked—that’s actually one of my favorite circuitry. Some are more Hendrix rhythm, big Fender Satriani albums, because he really showcased his tone and sound sounding, not as gainy with bigger, thicker rhythm tone, throughout while incorporating infectious electronic grooves. overdrive. Then I have some that are more super lead JMP Neal Schon also told me that he did the same process for his solo that have a lot of gain within the amp. I’ll crank that up and release I On U. “It was mostly direct. I used a lot of Roland gear, the get a lot of distortion from the amp. I also have a Fender GP-16 and plug-in Amp Simulators. It was all done in Pro Tools. I did Twin Reverb that has Eminence speakers in it and when a lot of programming on the GP-16. When you do not have access you crank it up it has an interesting type of lead tone.” to a large studio where you can set up a couple of great sounding Joe Satriani: “I would plug my JS1000 guitar into varamps, the GP-16 is a great alternative.” ious pedals, and/or, go into a variety of amp heads, Tools then on to a Palmer speaker simulator. Then on to a few different mic pres—Neve, V72 etc Sometimes we With regards to how you approach recording your guitar would aim for traditional, other times not. Sometimes a parts—you can still tweak it in the mix and make a statement. plug-in would do the trick, or, just all the pedals we Using a eq processor will definitely make the guitar more distinct. found on the floor plugged in and turned up! We had Since I own a studio, I’m a bit spoiled having a Trident desk at my much success with the Moog Moogerfooger pedals, the fingertips with 32 channels of eq. If you do not have access to a Fulltone Ultimate Octave, a Digitech Whammy pedal, desk, plug-ins are your next-best bet and anyone can use them and a preamp called a Hafler Triple Giant. The latter with the right computer setup.RECORDING NOVEMBER 2009

Recording - November 2009

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