I have a thing for low-wattage tube combos and I rarely have the urge to play acoustic guitar . There is no doubt that I use the distortion and compression from the aforementioned amps as a crutch in my playing . If you have the same kind of amp preferences or always play dirty or with a compressor , you are equally guilty . There ’ s nothing wrong with playing like this , but if you ever have to switch to acoustic or play through a higher headroom or ( God forbid ) a solid-state amp , you are going to be in for a rude awakening . To stay on your toes and vary your technique ,
I recommend spending a few hours a month playing acoustic or running direct into a PA . It will force you to pay closer attention to your pick attack , your vibrato , and even your note choice .
Not unlike compression and distortion , reverb is common security blanket for the electric guitarist . There ’ s nothing like a good wash of reverb to hide sloppy playing and make you sound better than you are . But that same spatial goodness can hide intricate playing and make your carefully crafted guitar parts fade into the
CLEAN-UP YOUR ACT
I have a thing for low-wattage tube combos and I rarely have the urge to play acoustic guitar . There is no doubt that I use the distortion and compression from the aforementioned amps as a crutch in my playing . If you have the same kind of amp preferences or always play dirty or with a compressor , you are equally guilty . There ’ s nothing wrong with playing like this , but if you ever have to switch to acoustic or play through a higher headroom or ( God forbid ) a solid-state amp , you are going to be in for a rude awakening . To stay on your toes and vary your technique ,
I recommend spending a few hours a month playing acoustic or running direct into a PA . It will force you to pay closer attention to your pick attack , your vibrato , and even your note choice .
DON ’ T BE A SPACE CADET
Not unlike compression and distortion , reverb is common security blanket for the electric guitarist . There ’ s nothing like a good wash of reverb to hide sloppy playing and make you sound better than you are . But that same spatial goodness can hide intricate playing and make your carefully crafted guitar parts fade into the
36 TONE TALK // 6 Ways To Step Up Your Guitar Game in 2017