It's fairly obvious that a guitar player with a crappy amp is probably going to sound crappy! The reason why they may sound inferior may have quite a bit to do with their amp, but I think it goes deeper than that. In fact, it explains why a band with crappy gear will probably sound terrible.

Have They Ever Paid Attention To Tone?

It occurred to me yesterday that a guitar player who happily plays a piece of shit amp that sounds like dog vomit can not blame the amp for the tone. So who's to blame? The guitar player is to blame. In fact, the fact that the guitar player simply doesn't care about his tone is the overwhelming reason why he/she sounds so terrible.

I remember when I was learning guitar back in 1996. Somewhere in there I got into metal. I remember palm muting a low E for hours straight. Why? Because I was learning how to hold the guitar to get the sounds I was looking for. There are certain places to put your wrist on the bridge, certain pressues to apply, certain angles you strike the pick with, etc that make enormous differences in tone. Now, tone specific palm muting is second nature to me. I can get a huge, mean, and resonant palm mute, or just as easily I can get a thin, weak sounding palm muted when called for, without thinking about it. I spent hour after hour after hour learning to use my hands and fingers to make a great guitar sound. I worried about technique and really tried to squeeze out every last drop of tone that I could out of my guitar.

The fact is, a piece of junk amplifier simply wasn't good enough for me. It had very little to do with my pocketbook. It was just my nature. I was so interested in sounding like a badass that I HAD to get an amazing sounding amplifier. I was being held back by my beginner amp. I needed something with obviously more tone.

There Is A Reason Why You Play A Piece Of Crap

If you know you could sound better with different equipment, but still insist on recording with the same old crap, I don't want to record you!! Go somewhere else!! Why? Because it's clear that you don't give a shit about tone. You will expect some engineer to make you sound like a rock guitar god, but the problem lies almost exclusively in your hands.

Tone Is For Drummers Too

Actually, this whole “tone” thing is a bigger deal for drummers than anyone else. A drummer who just hits round things is an idiot and I don't want to work with them either. Again, they'll expect some engineer to “make” the sound. (I CAN make the sound. It's called midi sequencing. It means the drummer is fired). If I'm recording a band, however, the point is to capture the tone the drummer is sending my way.

If a drummer is content with a drum set that he doesn't like, it's fairly clear that his tone isn't all that high of a priority. The drummer will just hit the drums in some random fashion. However, a drummer that takes his tone very seriously is going to see how hard he should be hitting each individual drum. There is a certain way he should be hitting every drum to make it sound best. A great sounding drummer knows this.

It's amazing! In the same room, I've dealt with drummers who I could get great sounds with just the overheads. Then again, I've had drummers who were so terrible at balancing their kit, that there was more hihat than snare in the snare mic. These drummers are clueless bafoons (at least when it comes to drumming) and have no business in a recording studio. They will never sound good with their “don't give a shit” attitude and will simply waste everyone's time. If you have a friend who doesn't care about his drum tone, you may consider getting rid of that friend. Ha ha! Seriously, If I had a friend who played drums that poorly, I'd kick him out of the band.

I've Noticed That Most Bass Players Sound Terrible

I've noticed, overwhelmingly that I've never had all that much luck with bass tones. I didn't really break the bass tone thing down until I started tracking a lot with the band I've been producing. I got really serious about bass sounds. I didn't just want some muddy mess that did nothing but murk up everything. I wanted a bass sound (on most songs) that was clear. I wanted to hear the notes. While I want some low end, I wanted clarity more than anything. I was going from something a little closer to the Guns N Roses bass sound.

With a few notable exceptions, 99% of the bass sounds I've recorded have been murky, muddy, and dull. There has been no definition in the bass tone. It's just sort of been a boring sound that is THERE but doesn't have much to offer. Why?

I got to thinking about this whole bass tone idea. Most bass players that I've had to deal with do not play bass for the love of the instrument. Most of them play bass because they just want to be in a band. Maybe they have a buddy who plays guitar and to be a part of it, they pick up a bass and join the band the next week. There is nothing wrong with starting this way. However, if you still play bass because you want to be a part of something, not because you love the instrument, I suggest you join the Red Cross or something.

If you call yourself a bass player, put some serious time and thought into your tone. Learn to play like a man (even if you are woman). Take the instrument seriously.

Conclusion

People that are happy with crappy instruments usually have tone problems that extend way past their gear. Their disregard for sound in the room in some ways defeats the entire purpose for playing an instrument. There is nothing wrong with playing an instrument as something to do for fun. But on that same token, if you are just messing around for fun, don't waste my time or any other recording engineer who has dedicated his life to making you sound the best that he/she can.

In some ways, as a musician, all you are is your tone. Your tone is “you” or at least your expression through the instrument. If you leave out this part, you've sort of missed the entire boat.

?