Nashville's War on Guitar Amps: The Battle Between Tube Amps & Modeling Rigs!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Support this channel by shopping at Sweetwater, just click on this link. sweetwater.sjv...
You can help the channel out immensely by using my Amazon link:
amzn.to/3VyDPEt
You can buy me a coffee here: www.buymeacoff...
In this video, I dive into the growing tension between the classic tube amps that have defined live guitar sound for generations and the modern modeling rigs taking over stages today. Nashville is at the epicenter of this battle, with a push to control and limit the use of traditional amps on iconic stages like Lower Broadway.
I explore the changing dynamics of live music, referencing recent articles from guitar legends Eric Johnson and Trey Anastasio. Eric Johnson warns of 'option anxiety,' urging guitarists to return to the simplicity of plugging straight into tube amps. Meanwhile, Trey Anastasio discusses the new sound requirements at Las Vegas' Sphere venue, where tube amps are no longer allowed on stage.
I also share my own experiences fighting against the restrictions imposed by soundmen in Nashville and the city's efforts to control volume levels, even banning amps on one side of Lower Broadway.
Join me as I navigate the future of live guitar performance in a city where 'Nashville Wants Control.
🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on the changing music scene!
I hate how people move into an area because it has a great vibe and the first thing they do is kill it.
It happens.
corporate America
I’m so glad I got 95% of my gigging, and 95% of going to concerts in the days where amps ruled.
I watched the Edge's rig rundown. All his amps were off stage with mics on them. He probably had a big controller on stage or his tech controlled a lot of his effects and stuff.
yeah but he switched to UA pedals for his amp tones for the sphere...
I saw a video from the perspective being on a silent stage and it was strange. Only heard the drums and the rest of the other instruments were barely audible reflections from the back of the large venue. For those not used to having IE devices to monitor the band the performing experience must be an entirely different feeling.
@@maidenthe80sla yeah, I’m not really a fan of having sound pumped directly into my ear canal, and not being able hear what’s going on around me.
Glad I'm old school and seen the bands with amps etc ..
Beautiful amps are just fab ..won't be going to any wierd sort of places to not see how it used to be ..
The days of big rigs are over. I'm glad I lived and played gigs in the '70s and '80s! There was nothing more glorious than having a couple of half-stacks behind you and going to the front edge of the stage and hearing the "kickback" off the back wall LOL You are right about "kids" not knowing the fun and pleasure of harnessing a big rig and controlling your own dynamics! This is one time when being older doesn't suck LOL
We got the memories and the tinitus to prove it....
Tell that to J Mascis 😂
lol
What? Did you say something?
@@citizenGman LOL
Concerts mostly suck. Between the in ears, no stage volume, and shitty engineers that cut ALL of the midrange so you can’t hear anything but kick drum through massive subwoofers. This is supposed to be rock and roll, not rap. I want to actually hear the singer and guitar players. We’ve lost all articulation in exchange for big bass response.
Yeah I miss the midrange….
Glad to hear the same opinion as mine. Good lord I’m so sick of good bands sounding muffled and all you can hear is the subs. Live music went totally backwards
@@murlyn2 Yeah that sub thing is crazy...
I thought it was just me who felt that way. Local venues seem to cut all the mids and you hear mostly kick and bass, even when touring acts come in (such as GnR). I saw AC/DC this year and thought it was the first show I've been to in a while that was mixed perfectly, where you could hear every instrument and vocals in their own right. I was wondering if part of that is the fact that Angus still rocks the wall of Marshalls.
@@megamoose555 Mid range is such an important frequency for Rock
Imagine an AC/DC concert with modeller’s instead cranked Marshall’s! There’s no way
No way
Haven't they been doing that for years already? They even recorded using digital on albums already \m/
@@serpentsbane9166no sir. I don't believe so.
They sound the same these days
Yeah, I can imagine it. I imagine Brian would not have his hearing damaged by years staying in front of Marshall stacks.
Good riddance!
PA systems and in ear monitors are so good this days you only need one miked cabinet.
Most bands, including ACDC have used dummy stacks for 20 years now, and the better ones, like Metallica got rid of the sharade a long time ago and pioneered the cutting edge in PA systems, they sound better than ever live.
Playing hollow bodies thru cranked up tube amps was where it's at. It's alive it's alive...
Man ain’t that the truth
Used to play a gibson es125 tdc through an ampeg v2 half stack that tended to finish the night at half or better. Alive ain’t the half of it.
Brown sugar era Stones rig
@@cubistone Yes! love that tone...
@@badbrad sticky fingers got to be listened from first to last at volume to get what Stones was all about. Rock steady rhythm section. Anvil guitar tone. And howling vocals. Kinda makes hair stand up on your arms. I saw your Keith 101 video. 100% on target.
I’ve noticed that just using my JCM 800 on stage seems to embolden all the “volume/safety” Karens and Darrens to constantly complain about the volume. And this was just the 50w through a 1x12 Mesa cabinet. At one point I was using 2 JCM900 4x12s and a 60 watt Leslie . Like you, I had no problem getting the tone I wanted without blowing the windows out.
I enjoyed your insight and commentary. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Bravo!
I love a JCM 800 yes the Karen’s and Daren’s will have a fit!
@@badbrad They've had a fit over my 35 watt Fender Vibrolux before!...Then you go out front to check the mix and all it is -is drums and saxaphone!...the guitar is sounding like a dude way down the avenue somewhere. I don't know what makes some sound men HATE guitarists so much, but if I weren't a Christian I probably would have hurt a few (BADLY) in my past. I take this stuff seriously and they wreck your whole dynamic on a whim.
@@yournaturalfather yeah they see it and immediately go full Karen. Like a BB gun that looks like an AR15
"Roar of a tube amp". Never played a stack myself but my buddy played both a Marshall and an Ampeg 2x4x12 and they were absolutely glorious. If we can't feel the air pressure everywhere in the bar it's not loud enough. PAs are loud but it's not the same experience at all. Sure modelers are more flexible and reliable, and a lot less weight. And we don't lose a tube/solder joint at the worst moment. But if we're used to playing even a tube combo we miss what a tube amp can do. Really, option paralysis only matters for the inexperienced who haven't found the tones that make them sound the best.
Jimmy your insight is always spot on!! Thank you!
That's an interesting take...if you know what sound you're looking for, it's alot easier to coax that sound out of a piece of gear...and people wonder how a famous guitarist will sound like themself no matter what guitar they use
I just visited Nashville last week. I hadn't been there in a year or so. I used to play downtown Nashville and surrounding areas for 6yrs or so and recently moved back to my home town in 2020 (an hour an a half outside of Nashville). So I go back to see what's changed from time to time. I was still living there when the "Corporate Bars" started opening in downtown Nashville (Jason Aldean's, Luke Bryans, FGL, Deirks Bentley's, Old Red, etc...) This trip, I discovered new bars that had been added like Bon Jovi's, Hank Jr's, Morgan Wallen's, etc...
I immediately noticed the bands playing at the "Corporate Bars" had no amps on stage. I figured out pretty quick what was going on... I get it. The corporate bars have investors/share holders who invest big money into the opening of these bars and they want a guarantee on their return. They want Consistency.. consistent food, drinks and music quality.
I had also noticed the bands in FGL specifically, were seemingly using backing tracks or pitch correction, electronic drums (made to look like acoustic drums). I dont know exactly what's going on, but there is some kind of "funny business" with effects to ensure that "consistency" those shareholders want so badly, is achieved.
My friend and I walked up to the food court mall area up the hill from lower broad to get something to eat.. After we finished eating, we were headed back down to lower broadway and I had a hilltop view of broadway. I noticed all of the original honky tonks (Tootsies, Second Fiddle, Legends Corner) were packed. Even the sidewalks were packed with people on that side.
The right side of the street (Rippy's, Alan Jackson's, Hank Jr's Garth Brooks, Bon Jovi, Luke Bryan, etc..) were not packed. We went into Bon Jovi's and there was barely anyone in there or Garth Brooks bar. (I will say that this has always been the case on broadway... I remember when Nashville Crossroads and The Wheel were on the right side of the street, they usually weren't as packed as the Tootsie's side of the street)
I think the people will choose what they want... and usually what the REAL people want doesn't fit with corporate America. However the general public may prefer something a little more "watered down" and less edgy to the loud live band experience on the Tootsie's side of the street.
In my opinion Corporate America has ruined just about everything in the US. Our food, our music, small business owners livelihoods, etc.. now they have set their sites on ruining downtown Nashville, TN with the "corporate formula".. However looking at the crowds in Nashville on the day I was there anyway, the people are choosing the original honky tonks over the corporate bars (at least for now anyways).
Man I am glad that you noticed that. I had not been down there to do a real tally in a long time. It's encouraging what you speak of. Real Rules.
When The White Trash Cafe shut down that was it for me..🤣🤣🤣
I was thinking about the Whisky a Go Go here in LA.
There are town homes and apartments right next door, but they had adequate sound deadening.
We would go to have our heads blown off because that was part of the impact of the songs.
Standing 10 feet in front of Marshall stacks made you know the music was real.
Im sorry to hear that It sounds like gentrification has hit Nashville.
Money changes everything...
It does indeed.
as a 65 year old bass player...gigging for 40 odd years in coverbands and original stuff......damn, I really understand your talk.....its the same all over the globe, and I am in the Netherlands, love your stuff....carry on brother
So great to have you here all the way from the Netherlands. Thank you so much.
I love to go to Bax Music whenever I am in your country 👍🏼
I’m 70 , and have been playing Bass for 56 years and I’m using a Quad through a powered 12 inch PA Speaker. I love the versatility of the Quad and I love how portable the whole rig is, but, I used a Hiwatt 200 head into 2-2+12 and 2 2+15 Cerwin Vega cabs. I loved the power and punch of the rig, BUT, the weight and size of that rig was nuts. The Quad is super versatile and the speaker is amazing, but I’ve never had the same experience with it. I did what I needed to do, and downsized my rig for obvious reasons. I’m happy with the rig and my back loves me for it 🙂
I had too many pedals. Gigs were crazy with me trying to dance with the pedals.
One day, I cut it back to 3, always on, with a volume pedal. I came from playing straight in for decades... I had to admit, my always-on pedals do make things sound better...
Will I go ampless? No. I'll never play Nashville... I'm old school all the way.... happy to do dive bar gigs
I love dive bars but I think I'm done with em.
I agree, I’ve been playing live for 55 years ( Bass) and have seen things change dramatically in my career. The fact that everyone is using click tracks and pre recorded music to make everything perfect is the reason why everyone sounds the same. Give me a live band, playing without clicks and making mistakes and improvising it’s the best way to go.
@@user-pe4qj5nm8v Boyz.
Oh. You and I could talk for hours... 54 years here.
I did mostly solo acoustic for a living, but did plenty of lead work in bands, played some jobs where I feel lucky to be alive.
What gets my goat these days is tablets. What ever happened to memorizing lyrics? Backing tracks...? So lame, so soul sucking... not to mention computer drums... the ultimate in soul sucking. Hire a damn drummer.
I'm only getting started.
Like you , I’ve heard live bands kick ass with no special equipment, they were spontaneous and organic, same with the bands I played with, no click, no vocal tricks, just our amps and drums. The last live band I saw was The Winery Dogs in NYC and they were great, nothing but the 3 of them, no BS. I think bands would be wise to try doing things differently. I’ve also noticed that bands today, no body pays attention when they play 🤷♂️ my two cents worth 🙂
Great topic! Hell some places you can’t even use a Princeton which is ridiculous. It’s a shame we have all these good tools but can’t use amps. There is nothing like a tube amp. And you are on point. If you know what you are doing you can play at a reasonable volume.
Exactly!
Dude Brad, new fan. You're hitting the nail on the head! I have heard Eric Johnson talk about how he is more obsessed with a clean power outlet, then almost anything else involving his tone.. supposedly he finds that one good outlet, and that's where he plugs in. He said it is usually a bathroom! Lol
Wow yeah finding a good outlet...makes a big difference.
Not having an amp on stage SUCKS in my opinion. The stage sounds weird when you up close, and most in ear situations are never quite right. You are rushed and can never get them dialed in quite right. It’s such a sterile experience in comparison. It’s takes the fun out of playing live, and I always felt like I was working for the sound person when playing Broadway. I honestly don’t miss any of that stuff.
☝️
Good talk! Thank you! Just re-furnished a 1960’s Polytone Mini-Brute 3. It’s 110watts solid state 1x15 combo. Loud! For clean jazz tones it’s a beast! Different frequencies jump out in a good raw way, and you really have to control the dynamics. Sits next to the 30w Marshall tube amp with an old school pedal board. Which is near my buddy’s Fender Tonemaster modeler w/ 1x12 frfr. Just down from the Mesa Boogie Mk5 combo. Love em all, but the Marshall & Mesa with tubes fill the space with that saturated sonic vibe that inspires a better performance, and I’m a drummer. 🎯
Wow great post and interesting to hear a drummers perspective...
So true. It seems more and more venues are going to no amps on stage, especially the casinos. I have 3 classic 50 4-10s, a boogie TC-50 combo and a boogie JP-2C 100 watt head with a harley benton vintage 30 2-12 cab and a 59 reissue bassman. I love the options I have for amps. I don't ever want to sell them but eventually I can see me downsizing and just use my headrush prime. I play country/ southern rock but grew up playing metal. My back doesn't agree, but I love my tube amps. Your spot on as always.
Thank you Keith and nice collection!!!
I got my Marshall 1981 100w 2203 for $400 maybe 25 years ago. It’s 140w now and I don’t leave home without it.
Awesome totally Awesome!
@@badbrad it’s a beast. My old tech turned it to 140w so it would stop blowing fuses. It used to be a squealer but now it has more overhead. She still sounds gorgeous though. Let me know if you have a gig in Orlando and I’ll try to come out
I am a retired Air Force band guitarist. I started playing professionally in 1980. Yes, standing in front of a 100-watt Marshall is awesome. But, tinnitus is not awesome. I played through several amps ( not hard to do when you are 67 years old😊). The best touring amp I ever used was a Pearce G2r. A solid state amp that worked great in every context. It was much easier to get a consistent sound at any location (no tube amp "sweet spot" to deal with). Sorry for being so wordy, but I now use a vintage Princeton Reverb or a Milkman Dairyair on stage (using 6v6 tubes so about 20 watts +/-). I would gladly trade the loud tube amp experience in exchange for losing the tinnitus. Sound is so subjective, and there are so many choices today. Although, I do get the overchoice-overload issue. Great content and good luck to all of you!
Yeah hearing damage is a very real thing but I think alot of my tinnitus is from being next to the crash cymbals all the time....
I have tinitus from racing motocross in my childhood. Fortunately my hearing is still excellent, just with constant ringing. Now i play guitar with headphones off my mixer at a very low volume.
Yeah the 24/7 365 days 30 years of listening a symphony of Crickets in different octaves sucks..
If I knew then what I'm Experiencing now.
I use to cut the tips of Q tips off and stick them in my ears when our band practiced in my bass players isolated garage, Didn't help..
When you go from a 65 Deluxe reverb to a 120 Mk4 Sound City stack with four twelves and your drummer is cracking cymbals, should be a good indicator you're loosing your hearing.
@@bigstick5278 Wow those Sound City amps were so Loud and Clean!
@@badbrad Used a Big box Rat back then to get dirt.. It was a bit much loud and freaking heavy with those Partridge OT's and steel chassis. But it was like God talkin on the cleans like a Hiwatt clean. Traded it in for a JCM 800 4x10 Combo.. My pile is now down to 5 amps. Would like an AC-30 one day.. My 2x12 Heritage Briton comes close with the quad of EL-84's.
Back in the 70's we did not use the term Edge of Breakup, it was Natural Amp. Distortion, We did not use the Term Overdrive til late 70's, it was either Fuzz or Distortion. CAGED system did not exist then at least not under that name, it started in the late 80's, from some Guitar magazine. We did not have electric Tuners til about 77, you had Tuning Forks, or pitch pipes, and the Band Tuned to itself. We also knew how to tune on the Fly, to stay in tune.
It was a different time for sure. The terms have changed but it's kind of the same game, just renamed.
Peterson strobe tuner
@@jimdep3530 That was the jam.
Brad, an algorithm brought me to your channel a couple of months ago and I've been enjoying your videos ever since. You bring a sense of expertise, character, and integrity to your content, without ever being mean spirited or judgemental. Yet you do not forfeit holding the industry and certain artists accountable. I'm sure I am echoing your other followers on here. Keep up the great work.
Man your words mean the world to me. Thank you!
@@badbrad absolutely. I thought about this soon after discovering your channel and I thought it was time to let you know. The video you did on Dan Costa and Ozzy really drove it home for me.
Hey Brad mate, love your channel! used to play 2-3 nights a week back in my 20's (20 years ago!). Even then people were on about stuff like this. Ultimately people are going to kill live (real) music if it keeps going. Thanks for speaking some truth and sharing your real and down to earth thoughts.
Thank you immensely for supporting the message.
modellers and digital for practice at home, tube amps for stage, fuck everything else - The thing is, people have been exposed to sterile sound coming from PA for far too long - we should revert to playing half and full stacks like at Woodstock 69 - point is if you are not close to the stage and not feeling the air from the cabinets - you probably have better things to do at the show, like taking selfies and streaming - not really experiencing that fleeting moment...
Alot of truth there...
I feel like a Vox AC 30 or Fender Tweed with a 12 inch speaker all tube could do a similar thing for most pub/bar shows. I feel like a half stack is more suited to large and outdoor venues. But otherwise I agree with you. Eff quiet stages and PA systems! Down with the volume police
Solid suggestions!
So all the massive bands using Kempers or Fractals are doing it wrong? Metallica, Meshuggah, Maroon 5, Guthrie Govan, Machinehead et al all sound sterile live?
Listening to to much Taylor Swift.🤣
Been watching you for a while now and everything you're saying is exactly the same in New Orleans. I'm a sound engineer on Frenchman Street and I love it when someone just brings their pedal board in without an amp. What I do with the loud amp is i mic it anyway and run it through the monitor for the guitarist so it gives him the ability to hear himself and the rest of the band can hear him therefore allowing him to turn his amp down to a reasonable volume. I wish I could do the same for drummers.
Yeah if the drummer doesn't play to the room...all bets are off.
I like to control everything so I mic everything. Some guitarists are timid and when the solo comes in I want to be able to bring it up in the house. For me it's like mixing a record, live.
I use a J Rockett The Dude v1 pedal...it will take off real easy incredible boost so solo's always stand out...
I was a teenager in the Bay Area during the 70`s and went to Winterland many , many times. That was THE best concert experience for both sound and atmosphere. Just real music.
Man I wish I could have seen a show there....
I'm glad you brought this up. I remember seeing a guy using a Line 6 combo at Tootsies back in 08. I guess at this point, if I play anything, it's going to be my own music with a band at a little alt club, my Dr Z Stang Ray 1x12 combo does great for most gigs. It's only like 18 watts but I've run my Soldano cab loaded with greenbacks with it and it sounded great. Webers are fantastic.
I love the Dr. Z amps for club gigs. To me they are the best bang for the buck.
It’s not just about controlling the volume. It’s about controlling the people we lose a little bit of our freedoms every day.
It seems that way.
@@badbrad ::: It is that way, we need to all wake up from this Politically Correct Coma we have been put under for the last 25 years.
Your on to something baby
@@victornice858 Seems so
It's wrong to me to go see a concert with no amps. It's a totally different experience hearing a real Amp. I lived in the greatest time when we all had real Amps. There is nothing that can compare to being in front of a great player with a great Amp. Just another example of how EVERYTHING is going wrong. It's also quite a thing to learn to play a big Amp. It's different .
It is a different feel and different skill set.
@@MarkTurner-vs7uc I couldn’t agree more. I saw Failure a few years back and there were no amps or monitors onstage and the drummer was surrounded by plexiglass and i assume using triggers as well. The sound and mix were flawlessly perfect and completely devoid of any soul, grit, or humanity. It was everything a rock concert shouldn’t be. It kills me that there’s a generation of kids coming up that will never experience a real rock show and they won’t even know what they are missing. It’s really sad.
EXACTLY! EVERYTHING BACKWARDS THE LAST FOUR YEARS POLITICALLY FOR THE USA! I AM TOTALLY A TUBE AMP DIE HARD!!!!
I played downtown Nashville a lot 15 years ago. I also lived downtown. I don’t miss it. It was a pain then and worse now. Since, I have moved a hour away and I’m getting ready to move out of TN. Nashville isn’t the fun place it used to be.
Man I hear you!
Like Disney world now?
I use to have a close friend Gary that lived there for years was a pedal steel player, every time I went there it was lets just say less charming.
I saw the real traditionalist then the NEO Country digital rockers I didn't like what I was seeing.
Living in the city of Santa Fe, NM for 20 years that was once the town of tradition Hispanic and native culture turned into a tourist trap then into a SH*t hole.
People need to slow down.
Yeah I sound Old.
There was a long era of wretched excess. In the 70s I had a 120W Sunn Model T with two 4x12 cabs, which left a serious notch in my hearing...
Now I use a 20W Fender Champ that weighs less than 10 lbs.
We get older and the amps get smaller
LOUD music is not dangerous...it just scares the snowflakes...lol
Lol
Man you got to live a dream I had when I was young & would still love to do
I always wanted to play on stage but I had take care of my mom and Dad then got married had a family now I'm 53 & health getting worse,my wife passed away 5 years ago my children are grown im alone I had quit playing after my wife passed away but I got a Grandson that loves guitar he has Autism but shows great potential made me want to start back & my Dream I started thinking about again I'd do it for just the experience don't want any money
Well great video my friend
I'm rooting for you. Guide your grandson on his journey and you can both get back into guitar.
Turn him on to tubes and show him that mythical Valve glow. I remember as a kid I would look through those air holes in the back of my Dad's Zenith Mahogany counsel stereo just fixated on those glowing tubes, like a Coleman Lantern mantel glowing bright white and Hissing. I was always asking What and Why.
Unless your playing an arena or stadium, the sound coming off the stage from real amps and drums IS a large part of the sound in the room. Its what created the vibe Ill never play live with an amp modler or in-ear monitors.
Sometime when your on a big gig like that your not given a choice.
@badbrad yes I know. It's unfortunate. That's why I've found a way to make a decent living doing solo gigs lol
It's what sets the groove of the band as well..
A bad session can just suck, but when the planets align it's magic.
It’s cool hearing your experience with loud amps. I’m 32 and have been going to loud punk/rock shows since around age 15. Nobody told me to protect my ears in those early years and I have some tinnitus and a little bit of hearing loss and inconsistency between my ears. Loud amps are cool. I have a couple amps, a 2x12 V30 cab, and also a load box + IR loader. Low stage volume can also be cool. Protecting your ears is important regardless of how the guitar sounds are achieved.
Yes protecting your ears is important. I think I got lucky.
The sad part is the youngsters can't miss what they've never had or heard. Therefore the wonderful tones that we've experienced from our tube amps is going by way of the dinosaur.
I am afraid you’re right.
Ampless PA performances lack the depth of having live amps. It's like listening to a stereo system.
I hear you.
One of the last real gigs I played I was using my Marshal 100w JCM900 and 2 212 cabs, and someone a block over called the cops on us. And that was nearly 20 years ago - I knew where we were heading even then. It kind of makes me sad.
It's not a real party till the cops show up.
@@badbrad I did learn that it’s a misdemeanor if you fail to observe the rule that SPLs can’t be more than 96dB at the property line in a commercial area. Unfortunately it was nearly that loud a block over. Who knew?
@@jwelliott74 LOL
I can't listen to a band where the guitar player is using a modeling amp. I can hear that digital harshness, and it really is grating to my ears. It goes without saying that I can't play one either. They are awful. I've been playing through tube amps for 50 years now. I'm amazed that people can't hear the harshness. I would have such ear fatigue and a headache if I had to gig with one.
Gigging with one is tough
I remember I had to do a casino gig a few years back ,no stage gear.All I had was a pod to go and I brought that and ran direct through the house but for stage I had to listen through a worked JbL monitor that sounded it 2:11 was on its last leg.But every one said it sounded great through the house.My wife video taped us and it was a huge difference between the house and the stage.I can say it has his place.i have 2 1/2 stacks that are Museum pieces now😂
It's tough when the monitors are shot for sure. Hard to play when it doesn't sound good to your ears but at least it sounded good out front.
"You cant use that here?" I guess you're not gonna work tonight.
I hear you.
No more snake cables, sound boards, tube amps etc. I no longer belong in this scene. It is dead to musicians. They too will be replaced by programs and AI .
My teles and Bassman are dinosaurs as I. I’m just gonna pour my own concrete slab and put my hand prints in it….
Love a Tele and a bassman
@@badbradI sure wish I had met you when you first got crashville. We would have made channel 4 news…😂
ha ha...yeah perhaps so...
Brad, you made my day! My first distortion pedal was a Big Muff. I bought it for $30 in 1977. You're right. Back in that day you had a fuzz, a wah, and a phaser. That was pretty much it. Not even a chorus pedal yet. But it was wonderful. My first band in high school, I played a Strat copy through a huge Traynor bass amp. With my Big Muff. And we thought it was frickin awesome!! Thanks for the great video.😀😀
Those traynors were great amps. I bet that sounded awesome!
I'm playing a show in a couple weeks where the backline is a 5150 and a Marshall, both 100w, both with 4x12s, and an SVT bass rig. But of course it's in a small venue, local bar, probably only holds less than 200 people. I guess I should feel lucky being in a small potatoes band that I still get to rock out through loud amps when I play live :D
Wow that is cool!
I'm for amps. A band should sound loud but pleasant as a unit without PA reinforcement. As I turn up a guitar amp tube or not to compete with drums I take away more treble on the dials. The high frequencies is what's fatiguing and harsh. If you combine that with sound reinforcement it's just terrible. That's a sure way to piss off customers and make the typical sound guy tell you he can't deal with your tube amp. Livelyness lives in the mids. Create space for each frequency. If your guitar and vocals have too much bass in the amp or the channel the bass guitar and bass drum won't cut in the mix. Resulting in your typical sound guy pushing faders up instead of correcting with EQ or turning something else down. Most shows are a boomy trebly mess and yes way too loud. You shouldn't have to use ear plugs unless you want to be upfront. The absolute worse is a metal show with over gained tones with all that treble. Just sounds like white noise. Even if they can shred you would never know because it sounds freaking terrible. It all starts with the source or the band along with their gear dialed in properly at an appropriate volume. Mixing and overall volume is another discussion. If you use a ampless set up your kinda at the mercy of the guy running the board. He can easily butcher your beloved tone. Making bad moves on a mixer with the faders, cutting or boosting frequencies they shouldn't. It takes years to have a trained ear for this type of thing. Studying and listening to the old guys can speed that up. Take care of your ears if you want the ability to listen and identify problems as a sound guy. I agree that even as gear has gotten better, the sound at shows is usually poor and too loud. One thing I noticed is when you turn amps up past a certain point it just encourages the drummer to hit even harder. People end up having a volume war with their amps and things spiral out of control quickly. Makes it damn near impossible for the sound guy running the board. That's what caused the people to not like amps. Stop cutting heads off with your amp volume and shitty tones and we wouldn't be having this discussion. If a place is just small as shit than use smaller amps and a drummer that knows how to play a room. You can always play Edrums and that makes a huge difference on what amps will suffice.
Lots of info to dissect there.
i have done pro sound, live and studio, its that nasty 2k thats painful to the audience, i usually cut it on guitar amps and vocals when its loud
hi. i work on live gigs for a backline company. part of the problem is backline rental amps like the twin reverb or the hotrod, both have upper mids that can kill someone .the solution is to swap some parts and upgrade them, the stock speakers and tubes on these amps are horrible .when a band is preforming with my amps i know that i did everything i can to make it sound good and it works. bottom line: stock amps sound too harsh ,modelers sound too soft and get lost in the mix ,the solution is to make the amps sound softer .
Very cool. Never thought of that...
We used attenuators on the amps and ran them through the pa . Not to loud and always got compliments on the way we sounded, this was in the 80’s
The philosopher Jagger said it best... What a drag it is getting old..
Oh yes he did.
At 70 years old I can no longer carry tube amps, speaker cabs and pedalboards along with guitars, and all the rest of the gear needed for a live gig or session work. I have moved on to a Fractal Axe Fx III with a FC-12. I have a roll around rack that houses the Fractal unit and my in-ears monitor system…which is simple and easy to move around and set-up.
That sounds like a killer set up.
@@badbrad Thank you. It works great for me and my back loves it! 🤣
I bet it sounds great!
The last place I saw in Nashville that was still allowing you to blast your 4x12 setup was Bowie's. They closed down this New Year's. I recently saw a new sign above that references Hit Parader (presumably related to the ol metal magazine, since it's the same font), so who knows what'll become of that venue. Hopefully they keep the same attitude and don't turn it into another venue where the sound-guys get to be the noise-Nazi arbiter of taste. It was a larger space and there's no other venue next to it, so there's no reason to tell bands to turn down. Besides, being loud is what draws the crowd. Whether you wanna go all amps or digital, that should be the artist's choice and the venue accommodates. I love both. I gigged with a H&K Grandmeister 40 and it kicked ass, I'm now using my Helix and this thing is ridiculously good....any tone I want and it can be EQed and processed to perfection. Some of my patches are BETTER than what you hear on albums, full confidence in saying that too. Use whatever moves you!
One thing (of many) I can't stand about Nashville's music scene is how much pull the sound guys have here. They get way more say than they should, and are part of what Frank Zappa was talking about in that 80s interview about the "cigar chomping" music exec guy bringing the hippie in the office. They're the killers of what music is really all about...the experimentation, the wild freedom and joy and the "I dunno, let's try it!" attitude. "The Sound-Guy" ™can go F--- off.
Yeah Sound guys can be cool and some not so much. Music and tone has suffered sometimes because of it,.
85% of the time, sound guys are musicians who weren’t good enough to be on stage so they’re trying to get revenge.
They got me...
You can blast your big loud guitar amp but don’t complain when the audience says they couldn’t hear the vocals. Most rooms have a feedback dictated limit to how loud you can try to get the vocals over a too loud guitar ego.
You can blast your big loud guitar amp but don’t complain when the audience says they couldn’t hear the vocals. Most rooms have a feedback dictated limit to how loud you can try to get the vocals over a too loud guitar ego.
John Mayer had 3 tube amps with the Sphere last month, Great sound not to loud, everywhere you went the volume was perfect.
they were on stage and miced?
Watched a video explaining how they were underneath the stage.
@@singersonspeakerphone2421 As I understand it, the Dumbles don't require a lot of volume. Is he still using Dumble amps?
@@TheAcoustic356 not 100% conclusive, but the short 8 minute video called - ‘How John Mayer Is Running His Amps At The Sphere - Dead & Company 2024’ is on the Justin Jeske channel
@@singersonspeakerphone2421 I'll chck that out...
Well who the fuck does Nashville think it is?
Not sure....
I spent my youth learning to play with dynamics, listening to other players and trying to lock in and blend. Now it’s in ear monitors and play to the click, and musicians aren’t peforming together, just plowing through their part to a metronome and there’s no room for inspiration, or mistakes
I like a raw sounding ensemble, making real music, so it’s real drums and amps on stage for me. Maybe it doesn’t need to be so loud though
Man I agree with you...play with dynamics...I won't play a gig with people who don't listen....
Back in the 80s we used amps on stage,but we used attenuators on the amps and sometimes turned them around lol but we had our own PA system and my brother ( Recording Engineer) ran the FOH and we used small monitors for the stage. Every place we played, we were always complimented on the sound quality and the fact that we played at realistic levels.
Have you ever thought of doing something like Tim Aven's channel and start showing behind the scene shots of gigs maybe in smaller venues.? It would be interesting to see that kind of content. Just a thought...
I'm no longer in Nashville and after 30 years there, I'm taking a break from gigs.
Dude, I love your stories. I am sitting next to my 64 (reissue) Deluxe Reverb tube amp with my American tele plugged in. My peddle board has vintage stuff like my small clone, small stone, OCD, and delta pi fuzz. Rock on!
The sound of victory!✌🏼
I've been playing forever and there's nothing like going between Any of my nineteen sixty gibson e b bases directly into my nineteen seventy Marshall Major 200 W.
Witt a modified a bottom that has the high powered red backs and cream backs..
Upgraded playing for that Amp Since I am14 years old and I'm 61 years old now....
I've been up and down racks various solid state hybrid amps...
Nothing beats plugging direct from Your Bass Or Guitar Straight in to the Front of the Air. Nothing in the way not even a tuner....
In the other than the spracked term i've had known choice where no ams allowed....
I had to deal with it but I still managed to get my sound With out of broken back.
That's what expensive getting hit with that sound At your back❤❤❤❤
Rock on Tube amplifiers❤❤
Rock on indeed!
YES INDEED LOL! LINE IN THE SAND! I CAN CARRY A 4 BY 12 IN EACH HAND LOL! LONG LIVE ANALOG EFFECTS GLORY AND TUBE AMPS AND SKILL!!!
Preach
Recently, I’ve been playing straight out my katana 2x12 with minimal amount of reverb and gain almost at break up. And I have to say, it’s gratifying. Im starting to appreciate the differences between my small collection of guitars. Like many of us, I’m drawn to a particular tone and I find that I can get the tone I want with just my amp. Too many pedals just get me lost in dialing for a new tone. Mostly, I just want to hear my guitar as clean as possible. Feel the response and just get lost playing
I've been wanting to check out the new Katanas....that pushed setting has my name on it...
When I go to a concert, I just want the music. Musicians, instruments, amps, mics. Play the music and let us hear the real instruments!
Man I hear you.
I think it is all about physics. A 4x12 does not make any sense in a small club. A modeler can be the solution of choice there and even give you a better sound at low volume instead of a big tube amp being played at a very low volume and not being able to develop what it´s capable of tonewise. On an open air stage you can have a blast playing a traditional tube head over one or even two 4x12 cabs.
Sure a 4-12 makes no sense in a small club...but what about digital fatigue of trying to hear your guitar through a house modeler for 4 sets. By the end of the night your guitar sounds like a squashed digital mess.....
ive seen 4x12's in small clubs and guitar sounded killer.. its not what id bring.. but EJ brings 4x12s in small clubs and makes it work. let the guitarist decide, he knows best for what he is doing.
@@chb8037 well, some do it right some don’t
Absolutely
Great video, a lot of truth behind it. Even though I doubt there will be too many "Spheres" out there for a while, it would not surprise me if cities like Nashville and New Orleans started to volume control. The point about the Sunset Strip in the 80s is spot on too - it probably would have died with or without grunge. I haven't been to LA for 20 years but it is interesting how cities can try to fix something and usually end up making it worse.
Thank you for tuning in.
I didn’t watch this until it was a day old. Very passionate rant. 👌🏻 I am old. I play guitar a lot. I know it’s all nostalgia. I never gigged. I play with some guys for fun. Some of them play out still. My time is in the history books. I had a JCM 2000 Marshals 100 watt amp and a 4x12 cab. I never took it anywhere. It was cool. I just went to my 50 year class reunion. I really liked this video. You weren’t whispering. Even though I have no idea what your experience was like, I am sure I could hang out and talk to you. You are getting close to the retirement zone. I love retirement. I used to think about how irrelevant I was. Now it doesn’t matter. I still play guitar. I am a retired bus driver. It’s all trends.
Thank you so much. I am getting close to retirement but I plan on staying on RUclips and giving the old guy perspective on things. Best to you!
@@badbrad
I love RUclips. It’s the stage I never had. I have fun, so help me God.
@@robertmellang6998 That's awesome!
I’ve been gigging out since the late 1970s I’ve used amps most the time and I have fractal modelers I’ve used also but lately I’ve said hell im tired of this modeler stuff im plugging into my amps and playing as Loud as I can get away with the band sounds a 1000 times better and it’s much more fun so you live once folks turn up and have fun within reason use a baffle to not slave the front row
Wise words...
As an elder millennial whos been out of the gig scene for awhile this all sounds depressing lol. I drummed in a handful of punk/grungy bands in my younger days and most of the places we played I was lucky to get any mics on my kit, or even an attentive sound guy lol. The bands were all half stacks at least, no fancy pedalboards. There was no thought of "crowd safety" when people are jumping into each other. I learned quickly to wear my ear plugs. The sound of loud drums, loud amps and people moving is special.
Ive also done stints as a sound guy and Ive uttered the words "turn down" to a guitar player once lol, he just turned up so cut him out of the pa. I get the low stage volume argument to keep the normy customers able to get their drink orders heard but man, sad to think what I experienced in those bands is becoming a rare experience.
It is becoming more rare….
I have a Boss katana, a DD 8 delay pedal, SG custom Harley Benton and a nice Squire Tele. If you’re a good guitar player, you can do almost anything with that set up for, or under $1000.
I agree!
love listening to your take on things. you rock bro.our city went through the same problem with condos being built next door to nightclubs in the valley brisbane ..... buying a marshall was a serious investment in Australia in the 80s and 90s. still is. i use a fender modeller amp now. thr mustang 2. can get some serious tones out of it. easy enough to transport.
Those are solid amps. Crazy how across the globe everybody is feeling the same pinch. Cheers to you!
You're 100% right that it's about control. The sound people think they're the show and want control from the consol. Which would be fine if the sound person is on board and familiar with the set. And if they can do decent stage sound, too. But if they can't do all that, the player has to control their stage sound and the FoH sound people just have to cope. Which is their fucking job!
Just to have work with them unfortunately....
@@badbrad Yeah, we do. It just grinds my gears and I've been watching it creep up for years. They teach it this way at tech schools, too. All the brand new, glistening wet sound people think it's their job to control the music rather than to serve it.
Yeah. I've worked with some sound guys who are absolute treasures. But other times, you just know they neither know what they're doing, nor care. Then they've got you over a barrel. If you get pissy with them, they can throw their toys out of the pram, or just make you sound shit on purpose.
@@PeterCamberwick I've had some real geniuses. For example, one slider monkey just plonked a mic in front of my amp, pointed roughly at the centre of the baffle. I presume he thought he was miking up a Hotrod or Blues Deluxe with a single 12" so the centre of the baffle would be somewhere near the speaker. But it wasn't a modern Fender amp. It was a tweed Super with 2x10s mounted diagonally, so his mic was pointing at a piece of plywood. I discretely moved it before sound check. When I got back up on stage, it was in the middle of the baffle again! Not only was he a pig ignorant mouth breather, he thought he knew best. I corrected it again.
It's weird to keep hearing or reading people saying they can't use big guitar rigs. After 35 years of gigging I've never been told not to use whatever I brought. Unless a situation absolutely requires a sound guy I never use them. I guess the areas I play haven't become sound nazified. If anything people say to turn the guitar up. Imagine that aye!
Not sure where you are located but a place where you get the choice to not use a soundman, is not an option in Nashville.
Nashville is ‘guitarist hell’ IMO.
I wouldn't say that. There's opportunity.
@@badbrad the successful guitarists in Nashville all seem to be cut from the same tired ‘tele playing-chicken pickin’ cloth… = guitarist hell IMO.
Dude we are about the same age and we share a lot of the same experiences in playing the Strip in Hollywood plus my band owned an after hours club on Santa Monica and Western called the Galaxy Stage, I played in a band called The Dallas Dollz, I just like yourself have owned so many tube amps over the years, I finally gave Fractal Audio a try and I really love my home setup these days! I don’t play gigs anymore so it’s perfect for home and recording
Wow very cool bro! I bet that after hours club was off the chain.
I play into a stripped down Fender Bassman 100. Just channel 1’s volume, treble, bass, and bright switch are the controls. It’s 2-RCA 6L6’s. Unbeatable!
I bet that sounds awesome!
I use my amps when i get to play big stages. But 90% of my gigs are bars who require low/no stage volume. The Quad Cortex may not be a 1:1 replacement for my 5150, but its a really amazing sound for low volume requirements
That is a solid endorsement.....
I bought a Tele yesterday and was testing it through a Marshall stack Shaking the building at 2
That is awesome!!!
Modelling amps are not replacements for real amps. Real amps are better, and are better for playing with a group of people, and on stage I want to hear the other musicians and myself and not try to play to some inear stuff. Also here the clubs the bands use tube amps and from what I have been told by local musicians there are not places that make you play silent as far as clubs go.
Where are you located...
It's mechanical vibrations turned into ELECTRICITY then turned back into vibrations again by a speaker. Is the debate about the electrical bits. Is this how acoustic players felt when the electric guitar was invented.
A bought a brand new 5W tube amp. A month later one of the tubes went. So I sent it back under warranty. I’d never rely on a tube amp from now on, especially for gigs.
Always have a back up
@@badbrad yes, of course. A lightweight Blackstar solid state 100W would be my back-up.
was it point to point wiring? if not it won't last they usually over heat or a solder joint will break.you have to have quality
That’s me, a millennial who only ever played through modelers or really cheap modeling amps as a kid. I have a Kemper that I love and it sounds awesome, but I really want to get a tube amp. My older gen X friends are telling me just to use my Kemper and not bother with a tube amp, but I feel like I’ve missed out on an important experience that they got to go through as a part of their guitar journey.
You definitely have missed a big part of the experience. There’s nothing like having a Marshall half stack behind you at a gig.
They’re telling you not to do it cuz you’ll sell all your modelers once you try it.
Man every guitarist should own one tube amp...what are you looking to get?
@@badbrad I do have a tiny 1 watt Marshall DSL1 that someone gave me, but I don’t feel like it counts. I was looking at the Mesa Mark five 25 or a Badlander 25.
The Badlander seems cool don't rule out the Soldano Slo 30....that is a monster and super versatile...
Nashville is going to kill their own music scene.
I'm afraid you may be right.
Simple alnico passive pickups and a beautiful TUBE AMPLIFIER OF ONES CHOICE AND A FEW PEDALS !!!
Is a killer rig.
@@badbrad THE BEST!! 👍
Went to a dead and company show at the sphere and they had Amps on stage. I do know Mayer also had an isolation cab backstage as well.. But they had quite a few onstage. @badbrad
Thanks for the heads up...
I can get a great recorded sound with 50 watt head an attenuator and Two Notes IR Cabinets. If you haven't checked out the cab sims in Two Notes Torpedo Wall of Sound, man they sound good....!!!! (I am not shilling for them, I just love the sound).
I always wanted one of those....
Trey's Rig Rundown is incredibly impressive. Even more impressive is the fact he uses every bit of it live. What's even more impressive than that is the man's playing! Phish Tweezer in 4K.
I like that he improvs….
"hipster doofus" You nailed it.
Thanks bro!
The sphere is so large, and with sound traveling at the speed it does, you would have massive, terrible sound alignment problems if the signal was to come out of a single source on the stage. Instead, using modeling, the output signal can be "controlled" using amazing technology in order to send the sound to every part of the the venue at the right time without the horrible reverberation/sound synch problems. I can confirm the U2 concert was an amazing experience top to bottom, including the sound. Just impeccable. Kudos to Edge and team (we met Dallas while there!) for mastering the modeling requirement to get us the sound we all expect. I didn't hear any compromises; rather I was able to enjoy the show, never worrying about technical issues.
Glad it sounded good...
Enemy of art is the absence of limitations. The tech isn’t bad, but the musician must have the discipline to impose their own limitations so that something is created that is unique and not derivative. It is not an easy route. Artist doesn’t mean undisciplined.
I hear you!
Musicians can get by with modelers. I get where they come in handy. But just played a show in Chicago. 3 of the bands played with real amps - and the headliner played with all guitars and bass through quad cortexes - it just sounded thinner and slightly weird. Something is lost when all the strings are modeled.
You're probably right.
These suits never go out to enjoy the scene. First it was fire marshalls taking away a majority of the club scale pyro, taking away coach parking, now the city wants to demand lower volume.
This will just push the scene outside the city limits. Suits are ever so slightly gentrifying the downtown little by little as the years go by. Soon those clubs will be razed and turned into office buildings or hotels sadly.
We will see this before our days are over.
But office buildings were struggling to get filled because people work from home…. It’s a mess.
I played at Tootsies in PCB last September. I went in all prepared for either scenario. They wanted my amp cranked!!! According to my friends that I was with who play regularly on Broadway, this is not always the norm. I prefer a tube amp, but I have gone from 100watt amps to a 15watt blues jr. Over the last 20yrs.
Yeah smaller amps do seem to be the norm if they allow an amp.
The Blues Jr. is my desert island amp. So versatile.
they do sound great...
Your really not kidding on "option anxiety" with the Fractal. Took a good couple of months to get decent enough with tailoring my presets to take it out to a gig and get a sound I was comfortable with. Now its a weapon for me but will never fully replace tube amps, just a tool in some of my musical situations.
That is the key...it's a tool.
I played with stacks and half stacks from 76...its over!! I'm.a modeller guy now
👍🏻
The best rig I ever had was both together
Keep up the good work Brad - I love the stories!
Thanks! Will do!
I am putting a band together called The 1969 Project. Rule #1 - no one can use technology past that of 1969. If it didn't exist in 1969 then it can't be used including mixer, amps, PA. This changes it from "noisy band" to "art history project" and it won't allow the Ken's & Karen's to say sh*t. After all, my Laney Supergroup doesn't have a master volume so that is how it works. I'd put it in my rider that any request to adjust volume ends the performance with no refund. Now, that may limit the number of places I can play to my own property but I no longer care.
Finally, I only play amps without a master volume because those are the amps I like. But, I have a 30 watt, 50 watt, 65 watt and 100 watt no master volume amps to choose from. If a modern bar 10,000 watt system can't handle my 30 watt amp all the way then that simply isn't my problem.
I like the way you think.
both amps used in stero ,1 reverb,1 delay. in built effects. 10 inch speakers, amp modeling, great sound.
I bet that sounds great
I bet that sounds great!
It's still primarily amps in alaska. Most clubs are bring your own PA. When we run our own sound we rarely mic amps, we mix ourselves.
Good info! Thanks 🙏
To say the sphere sound system is advanced is an understatement , it can project a different language to a specific seat and none will here the other, from behind the dome screen ! 167 000 drivers involved
. For real..
Wow really?
Definitely not comparable to any normal venue technology. Also supposedly cancels all room reverberance.
Get a Fryette Power Station. You can crank a tube amp for the mojo but really control the volume.
Very good but nearly $1K .....a Boss GE7 in the FX Loop works really well for peanuts....Brian Wampler has a brilliant video on it .
interesting Tip....
@@badbrad ruclips.net/video/hypn6uA6RPs/видео.htmlsi=n5dvqhIKSuvMhxe-
Im seeing more and more cover bands going ampless these days, and the bands that are still using amps - those amps have shrunk quite a bit. Im currently running a Katana Artist MK Ii. I dont gig a whole lot anymore and the Katana is such a fun amp at home. Works damn well at the shows too.
I have been wanting to try the Katana Artist..
love Nashville, but when I went down to Broadway "music row" it was too much, personally don't want to gig with 500 other bands at the same time , but i love that city
Music row is actually where all the labels and studios use to reside.....downtown where the bands play is called Lower Broad.
Dude, I always bring my amp. 😀 Even though it’s a Line 6 Spider Jam… 😂 Don’t judge me! 😅😅😅
IF it works for you....
Brad I must say, your outfit in your avatar looks strikingly like a uniform from Starfleet. circa the latter part of the 24th century! 🖖
live long and prosper...
Man if they could find a way to make the stage rumble while we play modelers that might solve half the problem.
like a gaming chair...
I know I always consult the sphere when it comes to. What kind of rig I’ll be playing? I’ve used both, when I play my amps, guitar players come up and go. Wow that sounds great and I say yeah I know. Thanks.
I hear you!
The Edge has been running a clean stage for 15 years with all the amps under the stage in isolation. The reason he moved to the UAFX pedals is that Dallas Schoo proved to him the Ruby ‘63, Woodrow, etc. gave him the same basic sound he wanted with more consistency and at a lower production logistics cost.
Solid