I spent several hours last night thinking about what I consider good tone and how best to articulate those thoughts. Then I contacted a friend whose judgment I value highly. Then I read all the comments that had subsequently followed my statement to Bobbe Seymour. My goal was to define good tone in a manner that everyone could accept. After more consideration I have to admit that there is no single definitive description of good tone but rather, many shades of perception, and these perceptions are as arguable and debatable as politics and religion.

My professional experiences with people who weren’t fans of our instrument, but who liked my sound and playing always told me I didn’t sound whiney, high-pitched and nasally. This was their preconceived bias toward the steel guitar and they had a consistency of using these same terms. So I suppose what they were referring to is the fact that I play with a somewhat mellow tone, in the mid-range of the strings and with a melodic pattern.

Beyond this simple paradigm I am unable to provide any more insight into the nature of tone than some of the really interesting thoughts I’ve read on this thread today. In truth and honesty I can only state what I like as good tone and in that sense, as much as I dislike the word, I guess it is subjective.

This then takes us back to where we started, with many impressions but as always with no absolute conclusions. Because we are all different human beings with diverse backgrounds, experiences and environments, it’s inevitable that “tone” will have different connotations to each individual. Ultimately, we only know what we like. Even the top professionals will not agree on whose tone is the best, but that among the top players a wide diversity is acceptable and indeed desirable. Different tone is part of the personality that separates individual players and this is a good thing.

In the final analysis, tone is that elusive element we all strive for, the full expression of our personality. The perception is in the ears of the listener.

Buddy Emmons- p/p Emmons
Lloyd Green-Sho-Bud
Johnny Sibert-Fender
Jerry Byrd-Rickenbacker

As for my own tone: I, like Jerry Byrd have aquired a title: Rick Collins - "Disaster of Touch and Tone"

First is "tone". This is (as a couple hundred amplifier makers have helped verify) basically the amount of bass, middle, or treble that a sound has (that's why they call them "tone controls").

Second is the "timbre", or musical quality bestowed by overtones. It's the overtones that make a sax sound different than an oboe, and that make a Sho~Bud sound different than an Emmons. This overtone structure is a quality of the instrument itself, and can't be changed much after the thing's built.

The third characteristic of a players "sound" is the "technique", or "style" as some people call it. This is ability, bar placement (intonation), vibrato, volume pedal control, note choice, and picking technique. These specific characteristics carry over to just about any guitar or amp a player uses. That's why Buddy always sounds like Buddy, and Lloyd always sounds like Lloyd, etc..

We really get caught up in this "tone" thing, and I chose these 3 sound qualities (tone, timbre, and technique) to help me decide exactly what is coming into play when I listen to a steelplayer. As to the purpose of this discourse, I'm just trying to prevent the novice from thinking that "If I use his equipment or settings, I'll get his sound."

It actually goes much farther than what you're using, and you need only to listen to a "master" when he uses different guitars, pickups, pedals, and amps to realize that the most important factor is between the seat and the steel!

Rant complete.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 05 March 2002 at 09:25 AM.]

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In the final analysis, tone is that elusive element we all strive for, the full expression of our personality. The perception is in the ears of the listener.

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I see nothing in that statement that contradicts his original comment, in that both focus on something that really has little to do with the sound of different guitars, styles of music, etc. Sure, we all like different things, and can even have the interesting experience of having our likes and dislikes drastically altered. It seems to me that in the way Mr. Green chooses to define the most important aspect of tone, in both quotes, he may be pointing toward something that is more or less beyond all the varying forms which may come to express it. I think the second quote expands on the first, rather than contradicts it. I realize I'm biting off a huge chunk, presuming to interpret what Mr. Green has very generously offered us, so please forgive me any distortions of his thought.

I have to say one thing that occurs to me when this type of discussion comes up. Some assume that just because our perceptions of things appear to be inside ourselves, that this disqualifies the possibility of any "universals" of value that we all share. I'll just say that if the answer to this question is so obvious,then the highly intelligent and gifted people that have given us our traditions of philosophy have been wasting their time debating this question of "universals" since the time of Plato. Maybe our experience isn't based on a reality that is as shallow and obvious as we often think it is.

When I first read Mr. Green’s statement I thought, “Well, I agree, and respectfully disagree”. GREAT tone is in the ears of both the player, and the listener. For example, if I were playing one night and I thought my tone was outstanding; another player might come along and think, “Gee B., your tone really sucks tonight!” Who is right? Well, neither, and both! MY tone was great because it was what I wanted to hear from my equipment, my hands and my brain that night. It probably “sucked” to the other player because it was not what he thought “tone” should be. Therefore, it is in fact somewhat “subjective”. I think he pointed that out in a later post! Good for him.

I will totally agree with Lloyd Green when he says, “Tone requires intelligence, thoughtfulness and maturity.” Truer words have probably never been spoken.

Bobby Lee asked the question, “Can anybody really DEFINE tone?” The answer is, sure! But only one person, and that person is yourself…and you can only define it FOR yourself. “Tone” to your ears is probably something different than what MY ears will hear.

I would respectfully submit, that we should all find a guitar that feels right under our hands (who cares what brand?!), develop our technique, and remember as Lloyd Green said, “Tone requires intelligence, thoughtfulness and maturity.” Unfortunately, this does not come overnight, as it requires many years of practice, tweaking of this that and the other, etc. Get a good amp (Again, who cares what brand?!), and some effects that you can learn how to use…then mess with them for a while. If you chose not to use “effects”, that is fine as well because it will still become part of YOUR tone. At some point in time you will have GREAT tone!

Of course, some other player may come along some night and say, “ Gee B., your tone really sucked tonight…BUT it wasn’t your equipment! (By the way, that was an old Jerry Blanton line but I have always loved it)

Just kidding, it's not over yet, is it?

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 05 March 2002 at 08:10 PM.]

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The "Master of Acceptable Tone"
www.jimcohen.com

This post started out with so many vague comments that I wasn't really sure what we were talking about here. But after reading more comments and giving it a little thought, this is my take.

From my experience, aside from instrument,amp,settings,etc. I think the most important factor in getting good tone is in good right hand technique. Specifically, the way the strings are "plucked" (pick angle, attack and palm positition).

I thank all of those who, from time to time, agree with my opinions. I also thank those who disagree, for without them...this would be an informative but boring place. My goal is never to try to change someone else's opinion, for that is a formidible challenge for even the best of debaters. Rather, my desire is to just make people think on their own. I feel that too many times, people blindly take the advice of others (especially if those "others" possess much notoriety) without formulating their own opinions based on their own research. While it may be good to occasionally do "such and such", or "think this way" because "so and so" says it's best, we actually grow very little that way. I think that personal experience is sometimes better (though slower, and more costly) than experience gained merely by adopting someone else's opinion or methods, whoever that person may be.

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IMHO Tone is what happens when your playing abilities reach a level that allows your soul to come through in your playing.

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Rick

[This message was edited by Rick Collins on 06 March 2002 at 04:00 PM.]

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Allen Harry
Mullen D-10, 8 & 6
Nashville 1000

What other non-subjective measurements of good tone can we come up with here?

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What other non-subjective measurements of good tone can we come up with here?

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Things are much better now when it comes to equipment and studios. If you want vintage there is plenty available and if your needs go beyond that there are plenty of options.

As far as tone goes I feel that the most important thing is to develope ones own voice and find whatever sound that works to comunicate that voice.

Bob

[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 07 March 2002 at 09:27 AM.]