A Little Holiday Jam With PS20 Ltd.

[László]

Having finished off the pedalboard a week or so ago, and because it was kind of drizzly today, I thought I'd do a little original tone demo jam with the 20th Anniversary of Private Stock Ltd., the Northern Lights guitar I've posted about previously.

Starts on neck pickup, then a bridge pickup track is added. Amp is HXDA. I used some pedals, too. And some other instruments. Took only a few hours soup to nuts, and probably sounds like it!

Edit: I couldn't stand the two clams in the track that stuck out, so I punched fixes in. It's better now. Whew!

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/pedaland-2

 

[jxe]

i was waiting for it to get christmasy.

 

[Shizzrock]

That's some great tone and playing!

 

[László]

i was waiting for it to get christmasy.

Memorial Day weekend thing. Close enough!

 

[László]

That's some great tone and playing!

Thanks! I think the tone worked out, but all I hear are the timing inaccuracies and the clams!

 

[Tucson Thump]

Who needs to jam with friends when you can do it all? Adding the vocals tomorrow?

 

[dmatthews]

Pics or it's an Esteban!
Cool recording, and nicely done sir!

 

[Shizzrock]

Thanks! I think the tone worked out, but all I hear are the timing inaccuracies and the clams!

I didn't hear any! What pedal was that rotovibe sound?

 

[László]

Pics or it's an Esteban!
Cool recording, and nicely done sir!

Here’s a pic of the recording setup. Audix i5 mic on the HXDA, Rode NTR ribbon mic as a room mic. Both channels in the mix. Mics into UA Apollo using Unison version of the old 70s Helios console preamp with the preamp gain set just high enough to get some character from the emulation. Pedals are the Pettyjohn Pettydrive 2 set for unity gain (and drive only when I dig in very hard, which I didn’t do), into Pettyjohn Filter EQ, into H9 ducked delay, into H9 plate reverb, into HXDA (no effects loop).

Then mix with the rest of the junk in the track. Print. Done.

I should have re-cut the first Am>Cm/Eb chord change trill, [EDIT: I punched in the fix] but by the time I realized I’d screwed up badly, it was time for dinner and I had to stop. Such is life.

“You should have cut one of the tracks with the DG30, Les.”

“Yup. Too lazy. But good idea. Your turn.”

It was nice to have a little guitar fun this afternoon. What else can I tell you?

 

[László]

Wait, I know what else I can tell you.

I’ve managed to pick microphones I think compliment each amp. The HXDA has prominent mids, so I use an Audix i5 as a close dynamic mic because it has a smoother frequency response than an SM57. The DG30 has a very vocal tone, so I’ve chosen a Sennheiser 945 that’s really more of a vocal mic, but sounds great with it. The Mesa has scooped mids, so I use an SM57 to smooth that out.

The Rode NTR has become my favorite ribbon mic, taking the place of the Royer 121 for a lot of things. It has a bit more high end accuracy. I still do like the Royer, though.

As you can see, I really like the sound of a tube amp, through a speaker cab, in a real room. I’ll use impulse responses and load boxes when I must, but my preference here is pretty strongly held.

 

[László]

I didn't hear any! What pedal was that rotovibe sound?

Doh! I forgot to mention that in my earlier post!

The solo is played through a Suhr Alexa chorus pedal, set to a slow speed and low intensity. The rest of the bridge pickup track has a Suhr Jackrabbit tremolo pedal.

There’s also bass, a drum track I programmed and effected, and a Rhodes.

 

[Shizzrock]

Wow, your dedication shows, the sound is really well done. That's an art by itself.

 

[László]

Wow, your dedication shows, the sound is really well done. That's an art by itself.

You are a gentleman and a scholar for saying so, and I very much appreciate it!

The weird thing is that as much as I’ve learned about recording guitars over the years, the more I realize that I have yet to learn!

It’s really a shame that life’s so short, isn’t it?

 

[László]

Who needs to jam with friends when you can do it all? Adding the vocals tomorrow?

Ha! I can’t write a lyric to save my life, nor can I sing! I’ll leave that to you. Go for it!

 

[toothace]

I like it Les! Wish I could accomplish that much in an afternoon and sound that good!

 

[dkilpatrick]

I love listening to your recordings Les,
Nicely done!

 

[jxe]

what did you have for dinner tho?

 

[László]

what did you have for dinner tho?

Humble Pie?

 

[Tonart]

Very cool riff!! Can’t conjures some badass character with a cigar, getting out of his car!

 

[László]

Very cool riff!! Can’t conjures some badass character with a cigar, getting out of his car!

That would be me...well, except for the badass part and the cigar bit.