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Guitar Players---what do you use to mimic Prince's sound? Guitar Players---what do you use to mimic Prince's sound?
I have a USA Hamer Centaura (humbucker in bridge /single coil /single coil) with FR locking tremelo, a Fender 4x10 Bassman amp, and various effects. I cant seem to get that sound Prince has. Any suggestions? Many Christmas' ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way. | |
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This question is posed about once a month on this board - but since the search feature ain't working right now, I'll try to give you the usual details, that I can remember.
Boss Turbo Distorion 2 Boss Delay and Flange A solid state crystal clear amp like the Roland Jazz JC-120. Also, 5-inch heels, 4-inch fingers, skin tight clothing, lots of jewelry, a black lace mask over one eye, an abusive father and a serious self-confidence issue for being only 4'11". If you can round all those things up, you'll be well on your way to sounding just like Prince. Here's some links to some of those earlier "how do I get that Prince sound?" posts. http://www.prince.org/msg/15/85738 http://www.prince.org/msg/15/63090 and, of course, my FAVORITE discussion of his tone, http://www.prince.org/msg/15/64896 By the way, I tend to rant and rave like a spoiled smartass. Who am I kidding, I AM a smartass. [This message was edited Tue Jun 29 20:10:10 2004 by otan] The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
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don't need Prince's sound
i found my own i suggest u find urs  [This message was edited Wed Jun 30 1:38:46 2004 by Luv4oneanotha] | |
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Luv4oneanotha said: don't need Prince's sound
i found my own i suggest u find urs
[This message was edited Wed Jun 30 1:38:46 2004 by Luv4oneanotha] CO-SIGN | |
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Slave2daGroove said: Luv4oneanotha said: don't need Prince's sound
i found my own i suggest u find urs
[This message was edited Wed Jun 30 1:38:46 2004 by Luv4oneanotha] CO-SIGN well now, you know me, I'm the first one to start screaming about not copying a dude's tone, but, at the same time, it doesn't hurt to LEARN the masters and then develop your own sound. Like in Art School - where you go to museums to paint/draw the work of the masters, so you can understand how they captured light, lines, etc. So, in this case, go, find out what his signal path is, what strings he uses, etc, and THEN, move on. if only I could do that myself. but no, the Stevie/Jimi tone is my holy grail. I will find it one day and never let go. Or, continue to drink. So many options... The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
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otan said: Slave2daGroove said: CO-SIGN well now, you know me, I'm the first one to start screaming about not copying a dude's tone, but, at the same time, it doesn't hurt to LEARN the masters and then develop your own sound. Like in Art School - where you go to museums to paint/draw the work of the masters, so you can understand how they captured light, lines, etc. So, in this case, go, find out what his signal path is, what strings he uses, etc, and THEN, move on. if only I could do that myself. but no, the Stevie/Jimi tone is my holy grail. I will find it one day and never let go. Or, continue to drink. So many options... Yeah, my favorite sound is real similar to Stevie's. His is probably my alltime favorite. Prince's is pretty unique I think. I appreciate your help otan! To the other replies: Thanks for nothing. Many Christmas' ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way. | |
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ekalb101 said: To the other replies: Thanks for nothing.
AWWW, don't be like that, you'll figure out P's tone in no time! 
whatever you do don't try to look like him 
Post some music around here when you get something together  | |
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Luv4oneanotha said: don't need Prince's sound
i found my own i suggest u find urs
[This message was edited Wed Jun 30 1:38:46 2004 by Luv4oneanotha] Dude your web site is down. The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
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"That's why I don't like to talk about gear. People will go out and buy that stuff thinking it's going to make them sound like me, and that's not where it's at. Go get your own stuff and come up with your own sounds. If you need a path to follow, a good place to start is by listening to Ike Turner-he was as tight as they come-or James Brown, who is all about rhythm. Put any colors you've learned from Joni Mitchell on top of that, and then you've got something!"
(taken from the recent Prince interview in GuitarPlayer magazine). For the helluv it, here's what was listed as the current stage rig. GUITARS: '70s Hohner, Custom Schecter (Cloud & Habibe), Ibanez George Benson, Fender Strat AMP: Mesa/Boogie Heartbreaker CABS: Mesa/Boogie Recto 2x12 loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s RACK: Digital Music MX-8, Roland GP-16, Zoom 9030, Rane ME30, Behringer Denoiser, Furman PL-8, Furman PL-Pro, Furman AR-117 STOMPBOXES: Boss DS-2 Turbo Overdrive, Boss VB-2 Vibrato, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, Boss FL-2 Flanger, Boss OC-2 Octave, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Dunlop CryBaby wah, Dunlop Rotovibe. Bottom line. Any player with a distinctive sound...the majority of it comes from the hands. tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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theAudience said: "That's why I don't like to talk about gear. People will go out and buy that stuff thinking it's going to make them sound like me, and that's not where it's at. Go get your own stuff and come up with your own sounds. If you need a path to follow, a good place to start is by listening to Ike Turner-he was as tight as they come-or James Brown, who is all about rhythm. Put any colors you've learned from Joni Mitchell on top of that, and then you've got something!"
(taken from the recent Prince interview in GuitarPlayer magazine). For the helluv it, here's what was listed as the current stage rig. GUITARS: '70s Hohner, Custom Schecter (Cloud & Habibe), Ibanez George Benson, Fender Strat AMP: Mesa/Boogie Heartbreaker CABS: Mesa/Boogie Recto 2x12 loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s RACK: Digital Music MX-8, Roland GP-16, Zoom 9030, Rane ME30, Behringer Denoiser, Furman PL-8, Furman PL-Pro, Furman AR-117 STOMPBOXES: Boss DS-2 Turbo Overdrive, Boss VB-2 Vibrato, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, Boss FL-2 Flanger, Boss OC-2 Octave, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Dunlop CryBaby wah, Dunlop Rotovibe. Bottom line. Any player with a distinctive sound...the majority of it comes from the hands. tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm yeah, but he's probably just listing that stuff so you'll run out and buy it. I'm betting that he plays a ukelele run thru a PC in the studio. Yeah yeah. That's the ticket. The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
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otan said: yeah, but he's probably just listing that stuff so you'll run out and buy it. I'm betting that he plays a ukelele run thru a PC in the studio. Yeah yeah. That's the ticket.
Aah yes, the uke through the PC with mondo plugins scam. 
Hmmm, I do have a Heartbreaker though. 
(purchased way before I even knew he used one) It's voiced a lot differently than their traditional Mark X/Recto amps. tA Tribal Disorder
http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm "Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all." | |
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otan said: This question is posed about once a month on this board - but since the search feature ain't working right now, I'll try to give you the usual details, that I can remember.
Boss Turbo Distorion 2 Boss Delay and Flange A solid state crystal clear amp like the Roland Jazz JC-120. Also, 5-inch heels, 4-inch fingers, skin tight clothing, lots of jewelry, a black lace mask over one eye, an abusive father and a serious self-confidence issue for being only 4'11". If you can round all those things up, you'll be well on your way to sounding just like Prince. Here's some links to some of those earlier "how do I get that Prince sound?" posts. http://www.prince.org/msg/15/85738 http://www.prince.org/msg/15/63090 and, of course, my FAVORITE discussion of his tone, http://www.prince.org/msg/15/64896 By the way, I tend to rant and rave like a spoiled smartass. Who am I kidding, I AM a smartass. [This message was edited Tue Jun 29 20:10:10 2004 by otan] Man u kill me lol !!!  | |
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otan said: This question is posed about once a month on this board - but since the search feature ain't working right now, I'll try to give you the usual details, that I can remember.
Boss Turbo Distorion 2 Boss Delay and Flange A solid state crystal clear amp like the Roland Jazz JC-120. Also, 5-inch heels, 4-inch fingers, skin tight clothing, lots of jewelry, a black lace mask over one eye, an abusive father and a serious self-confidence issue for being only 4'11". If you can round all those things up, you'll be well on your way to sounding just like Prince. Here's some links to some of those earlier "how do I get that Prince sound?" posts. http://www.prince.org/msg/15/85738 http://www.prince.org/msg/15/63090 and, of course, my FAVORITE discussion of his tone, http://www.prince.org/msg/15/64896 that's the secret
/peace Manki By the way, I tend to rant and rave like a spoiled smartass. Who am I kidding, I AM a smartass. [This message was edited Tue Jun 29 20:10:10 2004 by otan] | |
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Much as I love Prince's music, I have never been that into his tone.
I like the sound of his guitar circa '84 and before the most. I suppose that's his most conventional sound. His later guitar sound often seems thin and not too clear (other than the funky rhythm stuff), but it is his own sound at this point, it's not hendrix's or santana's. So I agree that it's worth knowing as a reference point--something to build off of. Listing the equipment isn't enough, though. We need to find out the settings. Check this song out at:
http://www.soundclick.com...tmusic.htm | |
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I find that THE way to get that prince feel is to set you delay to one or two slow repeats. That really gives it that SOTT/Lovesexy sound.
BTW, I''d like to add that imitating someone else and failing at it is a great way to develop your own style. | |
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hectim said: I find that THE way to get that prince feel is to set you delay to one or two slow repeats. That really gives it that SOTT/Lovesexy sound.
BTW, I''d like to add that imitating someone else and failing at it is a great way to develop your own style. Very good point Hectim. At best, you'll discover some other tone that you like a lot more. The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
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hectim said: I find that THE way to get that prince feel is to set you delay to one or two slow repeats. That really gives it that SOTT/Lovesexy sound.
BTW, I''d like to add that imitating someone else and failing at it is a great way to develop your own style. Yes--"I Could Never Take the Place ..." (during the instrumental part) and "Temptation" both use that delay technique. Tempation seems to use one repeat at the same volume as the original. Something you don't hear too often. Check this song out at:
http://www.soundclick.com...tmusic.htm | |
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Seems to me that even if you have the same equipment as some one, there's almost infinite permutations involved, such as settings of the gear, and the physical way in which your body "plays" the guitar.So you're gonna make your own tones anyhow. Otan's discription of Princes 'look', has a lot to do with it; there's no way i'm wearing those goofy big cuffs , which probably are Prince's biggest apparatus sound wise ~PClinuxOS~  I've been here longer than I care to remember, ... I drop in from time to time, ...  | |
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