Jim's Circle of Blues - #5 - Blues in C# (from Allthumbs)

Jim · #1 August 13th, 2006

OK - after recording this yesterday afternoon and then being without an internet connection until now (I was setting up a new laptop and it somehow scrogged my entire wireless connectivity and I spent all last night and this morning getting it back) here is the fifth installment in the Circle of Blues - C# - which was made for me by Marty (Allthumbs)

and which was really fun to play over. Thanks Marty!!

Oh, I also got my SM57 mic Friday and was thinking of using that to record from my small amp, but I didn't get the 1/4" to 1/8" (mini) adapter so I couldn't plug it into my PC -- duh!!

Take 2!

Jim

CanuckTodd · #2 August 13th, 2006

Some really soulful playing Jim! I'd say that Marty / Jim collaboration is a keeper!

Jim · #3 August 13th, 2006

Thanks so much Todd!

Wait until you hear what I've "done" over Marty's F# backing!!!

Jim

joe_strummer · #4 August 13th, 2006

Really nice playing Jim, very soulful as Todd said. awesome tone as always

Jim · #5 August 13th, 2006

Thanks Joe!

It ain't the blues if it ain't got soul...

I really appreciate your listening and your kind words!

Jim

737blues · #6 August 13th, 2006

Like this one Jim. Nice.

Jim · #7 August 13th, 2006

Thanks 737!!

I really appreciate it!

Jim

allthumbs · #8 August 13th, 2006

Some sweet spots in there Jim. As an experiment , turn up your bass to around 10, mids around two and treble around three on your amp. See if that warms up your tone a bit. Your tone reminds me of my radiator. Very bright till I tried that setting.

Jim · #9 August 14th, 2006

Thanks Marty!

Radiator?? Anyway, I have limited tone control beyond the guitar now cause I have just a Marshall micro-stack (1 tone control/1 gain control/1 volume/On/Off on it) and my crossroads pedal also has 1 tone control/1 volume/1 gain on it. And the tone controls on my Strat are the Clapton sig. controls - the top tone knob is TBX and the bottom tone knob is Mid-boost (overdrive) - so they take some translation to get what you're suggesting!

The most straight-forward thing to adjust the tone on is my Les Paul, which I didn't use for this recording, but I could use it and adjust the bass and treble as you suggest if that might help.

Nothing I do is simple, it seems...

Jim

OldG · #10 August 14th, 2006

Have you tried going into the line in using the crossroads pedal and skipping the microstack?

I reckon you'll get a better tonal range as you're not limited by the small speaker/amp in the chain... If it sounds a bit flat this way you can soon add compression/reverb and EQ it until happy.

Just a thought to open up your possibilities

Jim · #11 August 14th, 2006

Thanks OldG!

Yup! In fact, lately I've been recording with the guitar signal going through my wah, then into the crossroads, then into my RP80 and from that into the LineIn of my PC and using Audacity to record. The wah is usually OFF unless I'm specifically using the wah effect. So, the tone is coming from the guitar, crossroads and/or RP80. Sometimes just use one of those, sometimes both in my never-ending search for nice, warm, full, blusey tones. It's been a frustrating search, let me tell you!

Hey, what about the tone - just the tone - on the Jim Goes Nuts F# one? Is that getting closer, or further from the Holy Grail?

Jim

OldG · #12 August 14th, 2006

The 'Jim goes nuts' tone is nicer imo, both sound a little 'tizzy' for want of a better description, as if the levels are a tad high leading to saturation - great in a valve amp but not so good for your recording chain.
You could try lowering the guitar volume/recording level to regain your dynamics...

and to give some punch add compression...

to give a feeling of space and ambience a subtle delay should help.

then maybe slightly compress the finished mix to add that ' certain something'

I also find that sitting the guitar off centre in the stereo mix with bass and drums around the centre gives character, especially if you're working with another guitar (or parts of the same) you can pan to the otherside.

All the above work for my setup (with varying degrees of success

)

allthumbs · #13 August 14th, 2006

I have taken my rigg back to basics. Just my axe into the amp with no pedals. Pedals tend to suck some of the tone out of the chain. I use an atenuator so I can overdrive my amp without blowing my ears off. To get a warm organic tone, you need to play through a tube amp or a top of the line digital amp. Your trying to make lemonade by squeezing turnips at this point. The Epi valve combo for 100 bucks would help this problem.

Jim · #14 August 14th, 2006

Quote:

Your trying to make lemonade by squeezing turnips at this point.

Yeah, my grandmother's family recipe for lemonade! Doesn't it taste good to you??

Quote:

The Epi valve combo for 100 bucks would help this problem.

I'll take a look at that. Main problem is lack of space and neighbors on every side meaning "TURN IT DOWN!!!" (lather, rinse, repeat) since I live in a condo that used to be garden apartments and don't have a separate room or space for playing (just squeeze in on the side of the bed...). What I need to be able to do for recording is a direct input from the guitar into the PC - through anything in-between that can help the tone. I did get a Shure SM57 mic Friday, but there's no room for an amp that much larger than what I have.

That's what I'm stuck with and what I'm looking for. All suggestions welcome!

Jim

OldG · #15 August 14th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

To get a warm organic tone, you need to play through a tube amp or a top of the line digital amp. Your trying to make lemonade by squeezing turnips at this point.

I will respectfully disagree with that... with some care and practice you should be able to get good tone without using an amp, granted amps may sound better initially but you still gotta manipulate the post recorded tone to get the best - and then you gotta work around hiss,background noise etc.

As an example from another thread this is my lowly Squier Affinity recorded through a Phonic mm 1002 mixer (cheap) into Acid Pro 6 using Amplitube as a realtime VST effect (my Boss - ME50 pedal works just as well).
Ok, the playing leaves alot to be desired , but the tone is pretty good...
www.guitarforbeginners.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2384&d=1155546357

I'm not looking to be arkward here, I just wish to suggest exploring the gear you have before buying more equipment as a lot can be done with careful monitoring and post production.

Regards
Mick