Music rigs

[Akarynth† 0]

So what sorta rigs are people around here running and why did they choose to go with those choices?

 

E.g. for myself I'm primarily running with an Ibanez Darkstone guitar because of its versatility with its pole piece construction pickups that include a coiltap for changing from humbucker to single coil pickup sounds so it's good for putting on a nice hard sound on the humbuckers or a clean elegant sound on the single coils... Plus the Darkstone is a beautiful looking guitar and looks great on stage... I like to use Earnie Ball strings since they're used by so many musicians - just started trying a .56 gauge on the 6th string because I want to try getting a more thicker sound out of my guitar... I used to be using Boss multi-fx pedals, but most recently have been using software in the form of Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6, which has a better sound quality than my previous Boss pedals, but I'm kinda over emulated sounds nowadays, the only way to go is dedicated hardware if you want true sound quality, so I'm gonna be buying some more dedicated distortions like zvex fuzz and such while getting a new Line 6 POD multi-fx for my secondary sounds such as tremolo, phaser, etc as well as for line splitting... And I run a Peavey envoy 50w amplifier which has some really nice tone, but I want to get probably a Marshall amp for their legendary sound...

 

Hoping to be able to spend many more moneyz on much more equipment soon enough.. here's to hoping for a custom built Manson guitar....... *drool*

[JosiahtheTiger† 1]

i get whatever works. I don't know about too much on companies. 

 

My guitar is a cheap used alvarez, but it's one of the best guitars i've ever played. the action is buttery, the sound is full and the body is nice and large, which is great for percussion. the guitar is sooooo durable, i've literally beaten the crap out of it. i kicked it super hard at its side, fallen off a longboard while playing it, i bump it everywhere and take such crappy care of it. there are a couple cracks... but it's nothing to worry about. it is my beater guitar. And i love my guitar becuase of how it puts up with me. i use elixir 11's and my choice string. they are great for what i play: they emphasize very well. 

 

when i get an expensive guitar, it won't be about what company it's from. it will be how it drums. the first thing i do when i go guitar shopping is tap the "snare hits" on the side of the guitar, if that's good, i then check the action by simpling tapping random frets, note that this is before i actually take the guitar off the wall and wear it hehe. 

 

i got no amp or anything. i'm gonna hopefully get pickups inside the guitar, but guitar mic's will also do the job. 

 

I'm literally saving up for a studio, so that i can finally get the material i've had out, but also published, since i desire to become a successful independent artist. I'm getting a new computer, not sure what yet, just something that will last and is good for sounds... saving up for the highest fl studio pack x.x or maybe the 2nd most expensive since it's 600 bucks cheaper.... heh... i gotta get some mic's, but don't know what yet. and i'm getting a keyboard eventally, something with weighted keys and a mono-key option. i might get mixing toys eventally, but for now, i just need to record and produce: breakcore and newjazz is what my sanity is asking for.

 

But yeah. i'm pretty basic when it comes to knowing exactly what i got. i don't care, i let the performance label itself

[Akarynth† 0]

Alvarez... Not a name I've heard before, but I see you're an acoustic person then! And aiming to be totally solo? No band / drummer or such?

 

Acoustic I'd be aiming for Taylor, they're usually such a high quality sound and hence used by some of the best.. But no idea what they're like in percussion lol, I don't think I tend to see people testing their guitars as drums.

 

I'm also looking at putting together my own little studio next year to do plenty of recording, I'm looking at getting everything from steinberg and line 6 recording equipment to bass, drums, piano, hopefully the whole lot so I can really do some full on recordings and put together some demo's, and advertise my work where ever and how ever much I can... already been coming up with all these marketing strategies and such...

 

But most of all, such fun and the reward of making something...

 

Also, what were you doing on a longboard playing guitar lol (I don't actually know what a longboard is... lol)

[EunnoHeywood† 0]

Alrighty, thought I'd join in.

Currently running with three guitars: a Schecter Hellraiser Extreme(In the satin black variety with Floyd-Rose trem, and Emg 81/89R), an Ibanez Rg of the mid/low range of the RG's(all stock), finally a B.C. Rich Warbeast Trace (fantastic guitar for the $400 pricerange. Very low action, and sounds good with distortion, and come on, It's a Warbeast! Of course you're gonna be using distortion!).

 

Amp choice is an older Peavey Vypyr 30, far better than the newer VIP Vypyrs I think.
Get's great sounds for the $250 price range, from extreme death metal gain saturated tones, to pretty decent cleans.

I run mostly D'addario and Cleartone strings: 12-56 in E standard, 13-60 for drop C, and 13-65 for B standard. 

Probably pretty obvious that what I play is stuff from Iron Maiden, all the way to things such as As they sleep or Amon Amarth.

And I'm juuust saying if y'all ain't tried V-picks yet for playing guitar, you're missing out!
I regularly use 4.10mm picks and I honestly can't go back anymore. Thinnest I can use is 2.5mm.

Weeeeelllll, that wraps that up.

Edited September 24, 2015 by EunnoHeywood

[Akarynth† 0]

Ha as soon as I read the name 'schecter' I knew you'd be a metal guitarist lol. Ever got a chance to try out a mega boogie amp? They're usually the metal heads dream come true lol.

 

So what sort of distortion units do you use? Or do you just use preamp?

 

But v-picks... first time I've actually heard of them, what makes them good? I usually use dunlop tortex picks of about .73mm to 1mm... though I really can't figure out what size is best for tremolo picking

[EunnoHeywood† 0]

Ha as soon as I read the name 'schecter' I knew you'd be a metal guitarist lol. Ever got a chance to try out a mega boogie amp? They're usually the metal heads dream come true lol.

 

So what sort of distortion units do you use? Or do you just use preamp?

 

But v-picks... first time I've actually heard of them, what makes them good? I usually use dunlop tortex picks of about .73mm to 1mm... though I really can't figure out what size is best for tremolo picking

 

I've never gotten to play one, though I drool over their dual/triple rectifiers.

 

The vypyr has some decent distortion, I use the 6505 modeling preset and it has enough gain in it for anyone. I can send some audio files of it sometime if you'd like.

 

And the V-Picks, I love them for a few reasons. 

1) Thickness, they make .8mm all the way to 5mm and above! I like the 4.10mm personally.

2) Beveled edges! Beveled edge pics like this make tremelo picking super easy compared to others. I've tried using non-beveled tortex sharps and ultex picks and the just sound to scratchy to me without the bevel.

3) Point! Most standard picks aren't very sharp, and for my style they make some great picks, they also make rounded and in between picks.

4) Durability! My V-Pick "snake" has lasted me since february. Sure they're expensive for picks, but they last way longer. My snake as shown in the picture is starting to get a bit rounded from using one edge too often.

5) When playing clean and crunchy tones, thick picks really do fatten up the tone.

Edited September 25, 2015 by EunnoHeywood

[JosiahtheTiger† 1]

Alvarez... Not a name I've heard before, but I see you're an acoustic person then! And aiming to be totally solo? No band / drummer or such?

 

Acoustic I'd be aiming for Taylor, they're usually such a high quality sound and hence used by some of the best.. But no idea what they're like in percussion lol, I don't think I tend to see people testing their guitars as drums.

 

I'm also looking at putting together my own little studio next year to do plenty of recording, I'm looking at getting everything from steinberg and line 6 recording equipment to bass, drums, piano, hopefully the whole lot so I can really do some full on recordings and put together some demo's, and advertise my work where ever and how ever much I can... already been coming up with all these marketing strategies and such...

 

But most of all, such fun and the reward of making something...

 

Also, what were you doing on a longboard playing guitar lol (I don't actually know what a longboard is... lol)

yeah man. totally solo. i was in 2 bands at their birth before i got my job. i had to quit them both. i honestly have so much on my musical mind that i don't have time to play in bands. i want to make a living off of art that is intimately meaningful to me more than playing basic rock at bars... though i am a total punkrocker when it comes to the stage hehehehehe. My first band was like nirvana laced with queens of the stoneage, and my other band, Rust, was like Tool if tool kinda sucked. But i'm ot and don't care. and yes i'm acoustic. i play a little electric and a little picked, but i'm all ambient finger picking and percussive. i also play drums myself though: got a gretch-3 tombs, 2 floor tombs, two rides, a couple expensive sabian axx and xs symbols, and then mostly cheap ones, including china's and stuff. a couple of my set's pieces are still at Rust's house and i think they may have been sold... >.> >.> because when i msg people on fb about it, i get no response... well... oh well!!! i'm gonna miss my dw 7000 double chanied petals. but hoenstly, i'm probably gonna sell the set to save p for the studio anyways. i could probably trade it in and get a keyboard or something ^.^

 

I can't wait for my studio. idk what to get first... the speakers, the computer, the blehhhhH! And saving up is hard! but i am managing hehehe. 

 

I was longboarding just to be goofy with my friends... (and i also love atmosphere, and gliding through the air while playing guitar is niceX3 )

[Akarynth† 0]

And the V-Picks, I love them for a few reasons. 

 

Hm I wonder... I used a roughly .5x mm pick not long ago and it felt so easy to rapidly pick a string(s), but I do like a thick sound, hence why I went from using hybrid strings with a .52 6th to a .56.

 

 

yeah man. totally solo. i was in 2 bands at their birth before i got my job. i had to quit them both. i honestly have so much on my musical mind that i don't have time to play in bands. i want to make a living off of art that is intimately meaningful to me more than playing basic rock at bars... though i am a total punkrocker when it comes to the stage hehehehehe. My first band was like nirvana laced with queens of the stoneage, and my other band, Rust, was like Tool if tool kinda sucked. But i'm ot and don't care. and yes i'm acoustic. i play a little electric and a little picked, but i'm all ambient finger picking and percussive. i also play drums myself though: got a gretch-3 tombs, 2 floor tombs, two rides, a couple expensive sabian axx and xs symbols, and then mostly cheap ones, including china's and stuff. a couple of my set's pieces are still at Rust's house and i think they may have been sold... >.> >.> because when i msg people on fb about it, i get no response... well... oh well!!! i'm gonna miss my dw 7000 double chanied petals. but hoenstly, i'm probably gonna sell the set to save p for the studio anyways. i could probably trade it in and get a keyboard or something ^.^

 

Sorta funny, I've only ever been doing solo but I would love to try out a band since I hate how hard it is to decide on things without anyone else to give input, and I'm relatively indecisive... I'll be sitting there going through about a dozen different tones on my guitar wracking my brain with what one to use... let alone what I put together in a song...

 

Oh well it seems quite a few of us creative around here and motivated toward making a career of it... Maybe if it should be part of God's plan that we are each successful, then maybe we'll end up seeing eachother some day somewhere like the Ichthus festival - that would be cool, the dream, just gotta keep working hard...

[Joshua Reynard† 0]

Hmm... I see lots of guitars on here... *Wonders if he should walk out of the thread as a keyboardist.*

Naw. I'm posting in here.

What I've got right now is an Alesis QX49 MIDI controller connected to a laptop running Sonar Home Studio 7. On there, I have several VST softsynths run through VST effects. As for hardware, I've got two Korg Monotrons (the original and a Monotron Duo), a Gakken SX-150 Mark II, a Boss DR-550 drum machine, and an E-mu Proteus 1 (http://www.vintagesynth.com/emu/proteus.php), not to mention two or three cheap preset keyboards. I also have a few guitar pedals - a Digitech DF-7 Distortion Factory, a Digitech Bass Chorus, and an Ibanez EC-30 Elephant Compressor - and a Gemini seven-band equalizer made for stereo setups. And I also have a Casio Privia digital piano (which doubles as a MIDI controller) and an electric bass that I built myself.

Many of these things were purchased second-hand and/or on sale. The only things that weren't either used or on sale were the laptop, the Casio, the MIDI controller, and the original Monotron.

I also have two acoustic pianos (neither of which are in tune), a few toy flutes, a hand drum, a harmonica, and a couple of tape decks (which will eventually used for getting that "analog tape sound" by recording master tracks onto cassette tape and recording them back into the computer).

[JosiahtheTiger† 1]

Hm I wonder... I used a roughly .5x mm pick not long ago and it felt so easy to rapidly pick a string(s), but I do like a thick sound, hence why I went from using hybrid strings with a .52 6th to a .56.

 

 

 

Sorta funny, I've only ever been doing solo but I would love to try out a band since I hate how hard it is to decide on things without anyone else to give input, and I'm relatively indecisive... I'll be sitting there going through about a dozen different tones on my guitar wracking my brain with what one to use... let alone what I put together in a song...

 

 

 

i know the feelz. Bands help but honestly, it's so much better to be alone if you can create all ur music by yourself. Or else you'll probably end up with more shallow material, just as good, but maybe not as meaningful to you. At least for me it was like this. THen again, i'm all about being expressive as an artist XP deep, should i say.

Hmm... I see lots of guitars on here... *Wonders if he should walk out of the thread as a keyboardist.*

Naw. I'm posting in here.

What I've got right now is an Alesis QX49 MIDI controller connected to a laptop running Sonar Home Studio 7. On there, I have several VST softsynths run through VST effects. As for hardware, I've got two Korg Monotrons (the original and a Monotron Duo), a Gakken SX-150 Mark II, a Boss DR-550 drum machine, and an E-mu Proteus 1 (http://www.vintagesynth.com/emu/proteus.php), not to mention two or three cheap preset keyboards. I also have a few guitar pedals - a Digitech DF-7 Distortion Factory, a Digitech Bass Chorus, and an Ibanez EC-30 Elephant Compressor - and a Gemini seven-band equalizer made for stereo setups. And I also have a Casio Privia digital piano (which doubles as a MIDI controller) and an electric bass that I built myself.

Many of these things were purchased second-hand and/or on sale. The only things that weren't either used or on sale were the laptop, the Casio, the MIDI controller, and the original Monotron.

I also have two acoustic pianos (neither of which are in tune), a few toy flutes, a hand drum, a harmonica, and a couple of tape decks (which will eventually used for getting that "analog tape sound" by recording master tracks onto cassette tape and recording them back into the computer).

heck yeah dude! i might have to look at some stuff eventually, you know, producing and maybe mixing eventually. i'm also a key boardest and play piano every day. i'm probably better at piano than i am guitar, but that's like comparing apples to oranges.