Customer Reviews

Getting Great Guitar Sounds: A Non-Technical Approach to Developing, Controlling, and Shaping Your Own Personal Sound

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is well conceived in general scope, with the right audience, right goals, and appropriate mix of effects and amp integration. It is lacking in coverage of some key points within that scope, however. It has only two pages of coverage of capturing that sound via microphones or direct-injection into the mixer.

...What's the purpose of talking about guitar effects in isolation from each other and from the amp? Any moron can dial in individual effects in any guitar store -- meanwhile, we're left without a clue about how to bend amp tone itself through controlling eq and levels at multiple distortion stages from guitar pickups to studio monitors -- which is exactly what this book should, and doesn't, cover. It covers some aspects of "getting great guitar sounds", but is limited as far as "getting great amp and distortion sounds".

At this point, there aren't enough books on getting guitar sounds to be very critical; we have to buy what's available and try to piece together the clues. This book is the most well-conceived book, though there's much room for improvement in content. Recommended, because it has the right goal, though there's ample room for improvement.

This book is a must if you are an active stage musician. I always knew how to operate my equiptment, but never quite understood the theory behind some of the effects. After reading this book, I completely understand what the effects do to the instrument signal. It is much easier to "find" a sound I want to hear.

Also...... Don't ever pay to have your guitar/bass setup ever again. The author describes in "Normal person terms" the different steps to properly setting up a guitar. I used to pay $40 per guitar every 2 months or so....Now I do them myself and they have never sounded better.

I just purchased 2 more of these books for other musician friends! Good Luck -=Eddie=-

This book is 77 pages long and its seven chapters are arranged into three sections;1 the guitar pp 11-34, 2 the effects pp 37-52, and 3 tricks of the trade pp 55-67. There are also two appendices and some additional bits before and after the three sections that help to introduce and round out the book. "Getting Great Guitar Sounds" does a great job of introducing the reader to the various elements that shape a guitarists tone. This book is probably the best value for your dollar and the one that you should start with, but the downside is that due to its short length, there is so much that is either left out or could be expanded on.

In the guitar section, the author discusses the parts that make up a guitar and how they affect its sound. Next, he discusses the electrical components of the guitar, and finally, amps and speakers. The information is very condensed and some statements are not fully exposed e.g., the author mentions capacitors having an affect on sound but does not really communicate what they are, how they work, and how capacitors with different values will affect the guitars sound.

"Getting Great Guitar Sounds" has some of the best definitions and explanations that I have read so far. In the effects section, the author gives a very good introduction to various types of effects and their applications. Some effects are left out like Wah-Wah pedals, but the same publisher, Hal Leonard, has a book devoted to the Wah, "CryBaby Presents the Wah-Wha Book."

In the tricks of the trade section, the author discusses the effects chain, the correct setup for stereo, advanced rigs i.e., multi-effects, and when not to used effects. Additionally the author discusses playing live vs. the studio and also the pros can cons of vintage guitars, amps, and effects.

At the end of the book the author discusses how several artists archive their sound and also what the author personally uses. While other books may also explain how various elements affect your sound, typically in isolation to just the single guitarist, "Getting Great Guitar Sounds" goes even further by explaining how an empty hall vs. one with a full audience or even one that is half full will affect your sound and why you might sound good when playing by yourself, but not when playing with others in a band or vice versa.

The bottom line review on this book is as follows: If you are already playing and performing for several years this book is not for you because there is nothing new that you will learn from it. That being said, there are many things in the book that I learned through trial and error. If I had a book like this when I started out it would have helped me out.

If you are just starting out and you are searching for information that will help guide you on the path to your tone I would recommend it to you.
Therefore, I will be loaning this book out to my begining guitar students as a way for them to start thinking about their tone and a way for them to start asking questions.

This book covers all asspects of guitar sounds from woods, pic-ups, and srtings to effects and stomp boxs. It's pretty clear even for beginners and even gives exapmles of how great rock legends got their tones.

Just plain bad. From uniformative to downright incorrect, this book fails miserably to achieve it's goal. After reading this you will not be able to shape your personal sound beyond knowing the names of the knobs on various effects. I want my money back!