How to Achieve a particular patch/sound/effect

7VWHplayer

I was listening to Vai's CD "The Ultra Zone" recently, and was intrigued with the sound he gets on the song "The Blood and Tears". While it seems to be close to his signature sound, it seems a bit more full if you will. I'm leading worship on August 6th and would like to create a similar sound. How is this achieved?
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Ebo is my daddy!

ebo

Are you talking about the very beginning of the song? If you are he is using a harmonizer or more likely, he is using his Whammy Pedal to do that.

7VWHplayer

I know the part to which you are referring, and no. The place I am talking about is when he first settles into the melody, just after the first spoken lyric is ended. I believe the drums kick it at the point I'm referring to. It somehow seems richer than his normal tone..... (edit) I'd also like to admit that I'm a retard, and meant to cite the song "Windows to the Soul"
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Ebo is my daddy!

ebo

Well Steve uses a minimal amount of signal processing. Typically just some reverb, some EQ, but basically right into his amp. I cant say with any certainty how he attained that sound, but I am sure he used his neck pickup there. He has a near perfect tone in my opinion and I can only hope to fine that at some point in my guitar playing career. Cool

7VWHplayer

ebo

In the next year or so I am hoping to move to a rack system instead of just relying on my GX3 pedal. I have that Crate Blue Voodoo, but its just NOT a good tone for me. Of course the tubes are 12 years old, so I was thinking of getting some Mesa tubes for it and having it biased for those tubes. That would be HOT!

Andy

ebo

I agree 100%, digital modeling just doesnt cut it. There is just something beautiful about the organic sound of an amp and a guitar. It cant be beat

Andy

I believe their has to be some information out there somewhere if you want that infamous Vai tone. I prefer to create my own although Vai has a VERY nice tone.

Guitar + Organics = AWESOME! LOL Razz

ebo

Yeah, it is important to create your own sound, no matter how you do it...but if you ask the greats, its that love connection between their guitar and that amp that really makes it. Its also how you play the guitar. I have played amps that sound like CRAP and then the next guy after me takes me to school and the amp sounds AWESOME. There is a lot to be said about how you play that effects the tone.

Andy

Couldn't agree with you more. New players tend to try and get the best equipment (if they have money) and make them selfs sound better. It is probably best to practice on something cheap...even better...try soloing clean no distortion and keep the notes articulate and no slop...this is challenging, especially when you are pushing your skills to their limits. Personally I do not have much room to talk here but I have enough experience to know that much. Wink

ebo

Yeah unfortunately I learned a lot of things the wrong way too. Distortion hides LOTS of mistakes, so I had to go back and re-learn some things. If you cant play something clean at 60bpm, than you certainly cant at 90bpm. It takes patience and discipline.

7VWHplayer

It has been said by many of the greats that the tone really starts in the musicians fingers.
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Ebo is my daddy!

ebo

Yes it has. I am sure if you put Vai on a $100 Harmony guitar from JCPenny and plugged it into a 10watt Crate it would sound pretty nice.