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A couple words I’ve hated on a couple different levels over the years. ‘Touch’, because during the dark Tourniquet-infested days (and if you’re not sure what style of music Tourniquet is, just read their name again), ‘touch’ was used to mean ‘feel’ on guitar. And of course to a neo-drama-metal kid, ‘feel’ is used to describe guitarists who just can’t hack the speed thing. So I hated the word. And then in my next stupid stage, the wanna-be-Mum-feel-is-all-you-need-and-solos-give-me-the-same-feeling-as-the-spandex-that-was-worn-when-they-were-first-played stage (wait…I’m still in that stage), ‘touch’ is just the words used by all the ‘Tone is in the hands’ guys who refuse to buy even a Blues Junior or get decent strings. And ‘responsiveness’, I thought was just a made up word. I mean, it’s a circuit…how can it respond. Then I heard a friend’s ’66 Bandmaster; and then I hated the word ‘responsiveness’ simply because I knew my Crate and Fender PA didn’t have it. Yep. I ran those in stereo. It was beautiful. Except without the beautiful part.
But these two words seem to have more and more meaning in my tonal life (or just, ‘life’) as my journey for tone continues. And they go hand in hand. See, I’m still not into the whole ‘tone is in the hands’ thing. Of course, your sound and tone do originate from your hands, but anyone who ever says the phrase almost always has the unspoken but understood and oh-so-implied tag, ‘…so gear means nothing.’ And I don’t agree with that. Sure, Eric Clapton could sound better than me, even with a 5 watt Fender Frontman, Digitech Bad Monkey, and an out of tune guitar. But sounding ‘better than’ isn’t really the point. The point is to make the best music possible. So with Eric Clapton’s already toneful hands, just imagine how he’d sound through something that responded to them; like say, a ’59 Bassman and a Grosh…that’s in tune. Hands without gear sounds like Itzahk Pearlman playing on a Samash violin. And gear without hands sounds like my youtube videos. ;) You need both. The proper touch, and gear that responds to that touch.
(This is Tourniquet. I can’t make fun of them too much, because I still have a bit of a soft spot for them; they were unfortunately a huge part of my coming of age. Explains a lot, I suppose. Very metal. Except for the one on the far left. Looks like what a little girl would wear to visit Disneyland.)
And as I am learning, that is not the same for any two people. I’ve been going through amps (my current gear kick), and I’ve turned down some great ones because of how they interact with me. I was a/b’ing two amps for like, ever, and I finally realized that they both sounded great……just that one responded to my particular touch in a way that simply felt right to me. And to another guitarist, with different touch, the other amp may have been the keeper. And to still another guitarist, maybe neither amp would work. Of course, if you start to go through 25 amps or so, and none are responding to your touch, well…it may be your touch. hehe But just as a Two Rock won’t make you sound like John Mayer, John Mayer might never sound as good as you through your rig (although that’s like, a huge ‘might’ right there). But you have a touch that is all your own. And for some of us, that’s a bad thing, and we need to practice. Because touch can kill an incredible sounding rig. For instance, when I listen back to recordings of myself, I can tell the times I couldn’t hear myself right, or was self-conscious because of no congregation or audience response, or I’m angry because the band is slipping off the click track…lol Because my tone gets bad. My touch is killing it, as I cease to feel and use the guitar as an extension of my body, and start to hack at it. Suddenly the tone that I’m usually able to lie to myself about and believe it sounds like Johnny Buckland but better, now sounds…well…so bad that even someone who loves themselves as much as I do can’t even lie to themselves over anymore. Or like Good Charlotte. Either one. Touch is essential.
But yet that touch doesn’t mean a thing without a rig that responds well to that touch. And one that responds well to my touch, may not respond well to your touch. Delay is an exception. That doesn’t really apply here, but it is true nonetheless. But your tone needs your touch. Why? Because it is responsive. I just threw out old tubes for the first time ever yesterday. There were about 200 of them. I’ve saved them for years because I couldn’t bear to hurt those that had given their very being for the sake of tone. And if you think that’s crazy, try explaining to yourself how something that sounds so beautiful, could have no feelings. Nope. Couldn’t do it, could ya. Tubes have feelings. And yes, I did have a little moment of silence next to the dumpster when I threw them out. And no, I’m not trying to be funny. There was a moment. And there was silence. And I was thinking about tubes. My point is to touch your tone. Practice that touch, and become one with your rig. It will respond to you; it has feelings. And if it doesn’t respond to you, throw it out and get a new one that does.
Splendid.
Karl.
Guitar for Worship 