Harpsichord sound from a 12-string

#1 · November 22, 2003, 2:52 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on November 22, 2003, 2:52 pm
Posted by: dmcevoy <dmcevoy@...>

Here's another idea: A flanger has a shorter delay time than a chorus, so
try a flanger with the rate in the lower half of its travel, depth less than
half, and very little to no regeneration. (Yeah, I'm weird. I'm a flange
bigot. What can I say?) Then, to make it "squeaky" like HC, use an EQ
pedal to boost the highs some. Keep the bass and mid either flat or cut a
little bit. Don't use a compressor or sustainer. You want those notes real
staccato. Also, keep the reverb low on your amp.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Josh Taylor" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2003 7:14 AM
Subject: Re: [ChristianGuitar] Harpsichord sound

> These are good ideas. I've tried some things here and there.
>
> I used to play my 12-string all the time (every guitar player has to go
> through his 12-string phase), although for fingerpicking I stick to the
> 6-string. Just a little weird to fingerpick 2 strings at a time.
>
> I've recorded my 12-string and added chorus to that for a nice full
> sound. I guess I'm one of those guitar players who has to have tons of
> chorus on everything. Even harpsichord and sometimes piano sounds on the
> synth can use chorus sometimes.
>
> I don't think I've tried the 1 20 ms delay. I've tried something like
> that, but didn't know quite the exact numbers. Didn't know it would be
> so close together. I'll have to do that and add to my chorus.
> Add an ampitheater reverb and I'm all set! 🙂
>
> As for Ray's octave idea, I do have that sound, although it sounds kinda
> synthesized for my taste. Maybe turned down it might blend in a little
> nicer. (On a side note, I used to like to set it an octave higher and
> play really high Malmsteen type violin-like licks, playing harmonic minor
> scales as fast as I can. That's a way to really annoy the heck out of
> your church buddies. hehehe)
>
> Of course these have been done with electric, might sound better with
> acoustic.
>
> Haven't tried the Nashville tuning thing, but it might be fun.
>
> Another thing folkies sometimes do is play with those fingerpicks. Might
> be a little hard for me to get used to, but maybe I should pick some up
> and try it.
>
>
> On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 09:33:17 -0500 Douglas Anderson <[email protected]>
> writes:
>
> > The harpsichord like sound on Hotel California is actually a
> > 12-string
> > guitar. With a 12 string guitar the sounds of the two strings are
> > never
> > played at quite the exact same time, that is there is a very short
> > delay
> > between the sound in each pair of strings. They are also never
> > perfectly
> > in tune with each other. The harpsichord works basically the same
> > way, it
> > has pairs of strings like a 12-string guitar that are plucked. A
> > very
> > short delay and a little detuning describes pretty much how a chorus
> > pedal
> > works. You should be able to get close to that sound by playing
> > your
> > acoustic (heaven forbid!) through a chorus pedal. Also, if you have
> > a
> > delay pedal you can get a similar effect by setting the delay time
> > very
> > short, somewhere around 11-20 ms (adjust to your liking), with only
> > a
> > single regeneration of the sound. You get one echo very shortly
> > after the
> > original note, which would be pretty close to a
> > 12-string/harpsichord type
> > sound. I've done this with my Zoom GFX-8 for my electric guitar,
> > using the
> > acoustic simulator and a very short delay. It actually gives a
> > pretty good
> > Roger Gwinn/The Byrds type sound. A little tweaking it would sound
> > good
> > for Hotel California too (c'mon over and pick it up, I'll let you
> > borrow it
> > - hee hee).
> >
> >
> > Douglas
> > [email protected]
> >
> > Phil 4:13
> >
> > "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
> > - George W. Bush, Sept. 20, 2001
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to
> > <[email protected]>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Josh Taylor
> [email protected] Praise sets the captives free! Acts 16:25,26
> www.geocities.com/strangerjt
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, send ANY message to
<[email protected]>
>
>

Posted by: dmcevoy <dmcevoy@...>

Here's another idea: A flanger has a shorter delay time than a chorus, so
try a flanger with the rate in the lower half of its travel, depth less than
half, and very little to no regeneration. (Yeah, I'm weird. I'm a flange
bigot. What can I say?) Then, to make it "squeaky" like HC, use an EQ
pedal to boost the highs some. Keep the bass and mid either flat or cut a
little bit. Don't use a compressor or sustainer. You want those notes real
staccato. Also, keep the reverb low on your amp.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Josh Taylor" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2003 7:14 AM
Subject: Re: [ChristianGuitar] Harpsichord sound

> These are good ideas. I've tried some things here and there.
>
> I used to play my 12-string all the time (every guitar player has to go
> through his 12-string phase), although for fingerpicking I stick to the
> 6-string. Just a little weird to fingerpick 2 strings at a time.
>
> I've recorded my 12-string and added chorus to that for a nice full
> sound. I guess I'm one of those guitar players who has to have tons of
> chorus on everything. Even harpsichord and sometimes piano sounds on the
> synth can use chorus sometimes.
>
> I don't think I've tried the 1 20 ms delay. I've tried something like
> that, but didn't know quite the exact numbers. Didn't know it would be
> so close together. I'll have to do that and add to my chorus.
> Add an ampitheater reverb and I'm all set! 🙂
>
> As for Ray's octave idea, I do have that sound, although it sounds kinda
> synthesized for my taste. Maybe turned down it might blend in a little
> nicer. (On a side note, I used to like to set it an octave higher and
> play really high Malmsteen type violin-like licks, playing harmonic minor
> scales as fast as I can. That's a way to really annoy the heck out of
> your church buddies. hehehe)
>
> Of course these have been done with electric, might sound better with
> acoustic.
>
> Haven't tried the Nashville tuning thing, but it might be fun.
>
> Another thing folkies sometimes do is play with those fingerpicks. Might
> be a little hard for me to get used to, but maybe I should pick some up
> and try it.
>
>
> On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 09:33:17 -0500 Douglas Anderson <[email protected]>
> writes:
>
> > The harpsichord like sound on Hotel California is actually a
> > 12-string
> > guitar. With a 12 string guitar the sounds of the two strings are
> > never
> > played at quite the exact same time, that is there is a very short
> > delay
> > between the sound in each pair of strings. They are also never
> > perfectly
> > in tune with each other. The harpsichord works basically the same
> > way, it
> > has pairs of strings like a 12-string guitar that are plucked. A
> > very
> > short delay and a little detuning describes pretty much how a chorus
> > pedal
> > works. You should be able to get close to that sound by playing
> > your
> > acoustic (heaven forbid!) through a chorus pedal. Also, if you have
> > a
> > delay pedal you can get a similar effect by setting the delay time
> > very
> > short, somewhere around 11-20 ms (adjust to your liking), with only
> > a
> > single regeneration of the sound. You get one echo very shortly
> > after the
> > original note, which would be pretty close to a
> > 12-string/harpsichord type
> > sound. I've done this with my Zoom GFX-8 for my electric guitar,
> > using the
> > acoustic simulator and a very short delay. It actually gives a
> > pretty good
> > Roger Gwinn/The Byrds type sound. A little tweaking it would sound
> > good
> > for Hotel California too (c'mon over and pick it up, I'll let you
> > borrow it
> > - hee hee).
> >
> >
> > Douglas
> > [email protected]
> >
> > Phil 4:13
> >
> > "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
> > - George W. Bush, Sept. 20, 2001
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to
> > <[email protected]>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Josh Taylor
> [email protected] Praise sets the captives free! Acts 16:25,26
> http://www.geocities.com/strangerjt
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
> Only $14.95/ month - visit http://www.juno.com to sign up today!
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, send ANY message to
<[email protected]>
>
>