What is it with clean tones in videos?

[sergiodeblanc]

I swear, 95% of videos about a piece of gear has a dude who has no f@ckin clue how to play guitar without gobs of distortion.

JFC! Play like, some jangling chords, or like a funk thing, or something besides what sounds like a GD metal intro to an Iron Maiden song. Please!

I get that most guitar dudes play rock s**t and that’s where they kinda live but… dude! Evolve as a musician and… I dunno, learn how to play an R&B song or at least “Good Times” by Chic for your awful YouTube gear channel. I promise you’ll be able to break it out at a party when your drunk friends wanna rap “Rapper’s Delight”.

How TF am I supposed to make a judgment on an amp’s clean channel when all you play is an arpeggio of a C chord? And what’s the point of showing off a “blackface” or “silver face” tone when it’s slathered in modulation, delay, and a digital cathedral reverb?

I mean, c’mon. If this sounds like you, do something about it! Just learn “brown eye girl” or some Kansas or whatever s**t you vaguely remember from when you were a virgin. And if you’re a Millennial or Zillennial… I dunno, learn a Bruno Mars or Duda Lipa or Doja Cat riff or something! Anything! Besides being all “and here’s how my rig sounds clean” and then playing “braaang” and then going back to twenty minutes of chugging in your demonstration video or music clip.


Whatever, rant off. It wasn’t like I was really gonna drive to Bolingbrook to buy an Eleven Rack anyway.

 

[FragileThunder]

This is why I don't watch 95% of videos about any piece of gear

 

[bodia]

I swear, 95% of videos about a piece of gear has a dude who has no f@ckin clue how to play guitar without gobs of distortion.

JFC! Play like, some jangling chords, or like a funk thing, or something besides what sounds like a GD metal intro to an Iron Maiden song. Please!

I get that most guitar dudes play rock s**t and that’s where they kinda live but… dude! Evolve as a musician and… I dunno, learn how to play an R&B song or at least “Good Times” by Chic for your awful YouTube gear channel. I promise you’ll be able to break it out at a party when your drunk friends wanna rap “Rapper’s Delight”.

How TF am I supposed to make a judgment on an amp’s clean channel when all you play is an arpeggio of a C chord? And what’s the point of showing off a “blackface” or “silver face” tone when it’s slathered in modulation, delay, and a digital cathedral reverb?

I mean, c’mon. If this sounds like you, do something about it! Just learn “brown eye girl” or some Kansas or whatever s**t you vaguely remember from when you were a virgin. And if you’re a Millennial or Zillennial… I dunno, learn a Bruno Mars or Duda Lipa or Doja Cat riff or something! Anything! Besides being all “and here’s how my rig sounds clean” and then playing “braaang” and then going back to twenty minutes of chugging in your demonstration video or music clip.


Whatever, rant off. It wasn’t like I was really gonna drive to Bolingbrook to buy an Eleven Rack anyway.

Jeez, the Mrs cut you off from tacos again?

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

And most start off with... "So this is my clean tone..." Really? 'Cos I'm pretty sure I can hear dirt in there. There's clean, and then there's clean.

 

[McMahon67]

Winner!
Best rant of today! Roflmao

 

[archtop]

I was recently considering a Hollowbody II Piezo and it's amazing how many people want to show off a hollowbody guitar with piezo with bad blues, rock and metal riffs. When I was looking for a Super 400 a few years ago I ran into the same thing - folks showing how they can shred an 18" jazz box with a high gain amp!

Excuse me while go I shred some Yngwie on an L5.

 

[Birdsofprey]

I thought Iron Maiden was pretty clean huh.

 

[Frank McNerney]

Don't Sugar Coat it Serge - tell us how you really feel

By the way - I agree

 

[Tony M.]

I also agree.

 

[Rider1260]

You play clean if your good ( ) ( I'm Not that good )
This came out OK I think , still have to have Verb and Delay to hide behind.

https://soundcloud.com/the-pedal-guy%2Fclean-em-blues

 

[Tucson Thump]

I swear, 95% of videos about a piece of gear has a dude who has no f@ckin clue how to play guitar without gobs of distortion.

JFC! Play like, some jangling chords, or like a funk thing, or something besides what sounds like a GD metal intro to an Iron Maiden song. Please!

I get that most guitar dudes play rock s**t and that’s where they kinda live but… dude! Evolve as a musician and… I dunno, learn how to play an R&B song or at least “Good Times” by Chic for your awful YouTube gear channel. I promise you’ll be able to break it out at a party when your drunk friends wanna rap “Rapper’s Delight”.

How TF am I supposed to make a judgment on an amp’s clean channel when all you play is an arpeggio of a C chord? And what’s the point of showing off a “blackface” or “silver face” tone when it’s slathered in modulation, delay, and a digital cathedral reverb?

I mean, c’mon. If this sounds like you, do something about it! Just learn “brown eye girl” or some Kansas or whatever s**t you vaguely remember from when you were a virgin. And if you’re a Millennial or Zillennial… I dunno, learn a Bruno Mars or Duda Lipa or Doja Cat riff or something! Anything! Besides being all “and here’s how my rig sounds clean” and then playing “braaang” and then going back to twenty minutes of chugging in your demonstration video or music clip.


Whatever, rant off. It wasn’t like I was really gonna drive to Bolingbrook to buy an Eleven Rack anyway.

Seconded.

 

[Herr Squid]

Especially out there on the Intarwebz, keep Sturgeon's Law firmly in mind: "90% of everything is crap."

 

[11top]

TF…?

=

 

[Mike J.]

Same thing with bass of which I also play. Lets say there's a bass related product I'm interested in. I check out a video and what does the player do? Nothing but slap style. No finger's, no pick, just slapping away. "Oh thanks. That helps. NOT!"

I'm no gear guru, but the ones that crack me up are where the person demoing something didn't do their homework. I've seen some reviews where people have admitted they don't know the function of a certain feature. There's a few particular guitars that have a blend control and in some reviews they've actually called it the mystery knob and can't tell you what it does!

Hey, if you don't know something that's no crime. But if you're going to review something do some homework first.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Jeez, the Mrs cut you off from tacos again?

She has!

I thought Iron Maiden was pretty clean huh.

It is! And I love Maiden but…

 

[bodia]

She has!


It is! And I love Maiden but…

That blows! I’ll send a care package.

 

[dmatthews]

Agreed.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I don’t watch gear reviews. But I know what you mean, the Anderton videos are good with Danish Pete.

 

[Gnarmageddon]

Make the channel you want to see. YouTube has democratized broadcast media. Anyone with a phone and a 15w light bulb has a seat at the table. Call it "TheUnderdrivenChannel" or "TeenyTinyTonyToneTown". Whatever tickles your Elmo.

Now, much as I want to take umbrage at heavy music being "unevolved", I'm really trying to make this whole "friends come in all shapes, colors, and sizes" mindset stick. I love facescraping guitar tones. And horn-thrower riffs are not necessarily devoid of technique or intelligence - nor are your examples (Van Morrison, Chic) exactly Beethoven. I'd not want this to devolve into 'your mama' jokes, just saying my peace that some of those cats are quite good (and some are not).

I do sympathize with the essence of your sentiment. Having learned audio engineering in the more 'classical' sense - not just working with tape and consoles, but having an appreciation for circuit design, mic selection and technique, etc etc etc - seeing the current state of "audio engineers" online who post endless videos about "pLugZ t0 m4kE uR 8o8z sOoOo PhAAAt" makes me itchy. These idiots couldn't solder a cable. They don't know thing bloody one about the science behind the art. And they are annoyingly self-assured.

Point being - I get where you're coming from, but be nice to metalheads. We're of a sensitive ilk. And I obsess over every note before it ever reaches your ears.

 

[Herr Squid]

It goes the other way too. Not a guitar channel, but there's a guy on Youtube who goes by "Loopop" and his synth demo/reviews are amazeballs. He does his homework.