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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 21, 2013 9:28:27 GMT
I've been learning some Shads numbers since the summer and thought I'd to use the video recorder on my iPhone to capture my attempts. Naturally the sound quality is ropey given the setup (just resting the iPhone on my printer and using the built in mic!) but I just wanted to post the Youtube link and invite anyone to have a listen if they have time to kill! I'd love to hear any pointers/tips/advice etc on sound, playing techniques etc. I've joined the Southwest Shadows Club which is a fantastic group of people and I'm loving every minute of my new hobby! Thanks, Neil. www.youtube.com/user/cheezechaser/videos |
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Post by shadowtonio on Oct 21, 2013 10:11:32 GMT
:)hello Neil, I was looking at the fr. City and shinding, good playing, of course the sound can be better, for these 2 tracks use the middle pick up. For shinding, the solo part requiers the hammer-on technics. keep on tracking and all the best, tonio  |
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 21, 2013 10:19:40 GMT
Thanks Tonio - I'm off to try them with the middle pup now!
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Post by rosemary on Oct 21, 2013 10:21:25 GMT
Hi Neil
I listened to Cavatina, Shindig and Apache and thought your playing was great with excellent technique and you get a good sound too.
Best wishes
Rosemary
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Post by grip on Oct 21, 2013 10:22:49 GMT
Hi Neil, Welcome to the site. Nice to see one of the "pre silver top" players finding, playing and enjoying the Shadows music  . I guess you've been playing the guitar somewhat longer than "since the Summer", and it's good to see that performing in front of the camera doesn't affect your playing. I watched all of your video's and they're all well practised and played to a reasonably good standard with good touches. I thought you did particularly well with the middle 8 in shindig. I'd like to hear what you sound like through a more conventional recording method, the phone is OK, but it really didn't do you justice. Kind regards, Chris |
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Post by Stu's Dad on Oct 21, 2013 13:47:03 GMT
Hi Neil,
Well played on all of them, you can certainly handle a guitar and pick the tunes up quickly.
It may be just the microphone on the iPhone, but I suspect you can probably get better tones out of your amp. I've got the same guitar as you, and a Vox AD50vt, and the amp drives me mad sometimes. The right tone for one number doesn't seem to be right for another. I can usually get it nearly right on two different amp settings. AC15 with treble and bass backed right off and middle around half way, or Boutique OD with the gain set just below 9 o'clock, treble, middle and bass all around the middle (juggle them yourself depending on what strings you use, room acoustics etc).
Don't be afraid to experiment with it, you might find something I haven't yet.
Nice to see a bit of youth on the site.
Keep on twanging,
Len
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Post by GuitarPhil on Oct 21, 2013 13:48:27 GMT
Excellent playing Neil. I'd guess you've been playing the guitar a bit longer than the summer!
It's great to see a younger person take up playing this wonderful music we all love so much.
Phil.
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 21, 2013 16:22:08 GMT
Tonio - Tried the middle pup on Frightened City and it really has nade a world of difference, especially on the high parts. Doesn't sound quite right with Shindig yet but I'll have a play with the amp settings. Many thanks for the suggestion, much appreciated.
Rosemary - Many thanks for the compliments, great to see how a love for the same music connects people from opposite sides of the globe. Just FYI it's cold wet and windy here - I expect you're writing from the beach! Say Hi to Hank for me ;D
Chris - Pre-Silver Top, I like that ;D I've been playing guitar casually since I was 13 (I'm now 37) but only strumming chords on an acoustic. Save for learning te odd intro riff this is my first real foray into the electric lead guitar arena. I'm not a fan of seeing myself on camera hence why I kept my eyes on the guitar and tried to forget it was there! I'm trying to get over nerves while playing at the Southwest Shadows Club, hoping that will just get better the more I play. I have bought an Alesis MicLink lead to connect a mic to the USB of my PC but haven't tried it yet. Need to wait for a day to myself when the wife and kids are out to try some proper recording - I don't really know what I'm doing though!
Len - I know what you mean about the amp settings, I've set a preset for each of the numbers I know but one more number and I'll have run out of presets! I've been using the AC30 TB model. The AC15 just sounds terribly weak/thin but the Boutique OD I've not even thought of trying so will definitely give that a go. I know the Shads songs mainly from the 1989 recordings (At their very best album) so that is the sound I guess I am trying to achieve. To be honest I don't really know what to do with amp controls in order to achieve a tone I'm hearing on the CD. For instance, there is a definite quacky twang on the middle 8 of Frightened City on the 1989 recording but I've no idea where the sound comes from or what settings to play with to achieve it! Oh and it's been a long time since I've been considered a 'youth' but it is very much appreciated!
Phil - more age related flattery - any more of this and I'll start wearing a backwards baseball cap in my videos!
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Post by Stu's Dad on Oct 21, 2013 16:59:24 GMT
Neil,
If you're using a Zoom G2 with EFTP then put the amp bypass on and don't bother with pre sets - just use the tone controls manually. The AC15 shouldn't sound thin, and, if you're using the AC30TB, there's a mine of information out there about how Hank got his tones on that amp. Charlie knows all about it, just put a question to him in the Tech Info board at the top, he's very helpful.
Regards,
Len
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 21, 2013 18:07:58 GMT
Hi Len, I think that is what I am doing? I choose the amp and then hit the manual button and then manually adjust the gain, vol, treb, mid, bass and reverb  |
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Post by Stu's Dad on Oct 21, 2013 21:13:59 GMT
Neil,
Are you turning the bypass switch on? If not, the tone settings are already built in, but if you do turn bypass on, you're in total control of the tone. I think the manual button is for control of the effects, and the reverb is already set with EFTP. It's best to leave the amp effects alone.
I sometimes wish I had an amp with just volume and tone!
Good luck,
Len
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Post by shadowtonio on Oct 22, 2013 7:09:35 GMT
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 22, 2013 8:29:52 GMT
I checked last night and I am definitely bypassing all presets. The reverb is part of the tone controls and all other effects are bypassed.
Tonio - Ill try those settings, they are quite different from the settings I've been using. As a rule of thumb most of my settings have had about 75% middle, no more than 25% Bass and between 25% and 75% treble depending on the number I am playing. Last night however I kept backing off the treble and it really improved the higher parts; removing the 'icepick' sound but the lower strings seemed to lose a bit of the nice twang as a result.
The gain is always 25% or less - any thoughts on this?
I notice you have full 100% volume - what effect does this have?
I think I may have also been using a little too much reverb so will try backing that off too.
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 22, 2013 8:31:51 GMT
Of course, all of this is with the standard CV pups (which I think are pretty good) - it will be interesting to see what happens when I pick up my Tex Mex strat that I've just had fitted with Ironstone Golds and try that out. No doubt I'll have to start from scratch again!!!
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Post by Stu's Dad on Oct 22, 2013 9:09:59 GMT
Neil,
I've just looked at the tone settings on Tonio's link (can't say I fancy all that treble) and I've realised that your amp is slightly different from mine - I don't have reverb along the top, so I think that's why I was talking at cross purposes yesterday.
I'll be interested to hear something with your Tex Mex, I've got one and I've been thinking about Ironstone Golds for it.
All the best,
Len
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Post by shadowtonio on Oct 22, 2013 10:27:27 GMT
Hello neil, I dont have a valvetronics myself, years ago i had the vt100. do you have a friend who owns a magic stomp you could make a test then with the MS, overall the sound of the MS is better. cheers, tonio |
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 22, 2013 10:46:20 GMT
The control panels do seem to differ slightly between the models and the ranges.
I was mightily impressed with the quality of the '96 TexMex when I got it - seemed every bit as well built as an MIA. The pickups however just weren't any good for the Shads stuff. Heard really good things about the ironstones so thought I'd give them a go, especially at the price. I'll let you know what I think in a week or so when I get the guitar back. The chap who has fitted them for me is a fellow Shads player and is impressed especially at the price.
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Post by cheesechaser on Oct 22, 2013 10:50:32 GMT
Hi Tonio,
The SouthWest Shadows Club I am a member of has a Magicstomp and it's what I use when I play there. It is connected to a proper AC30 and always sounds amazing. I agree, it would be good to try the MS at home - might just have to put an MS at the top of my xmas list!
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. I guess you've been playing the guitar somewhat longer than "since the Summer", and it's good to see that performing in front of the camera doesn't affect your playing. 
