I would really like 2 know what that distortion sound is, Have u ever seen the LOVESEXY concert when he plays that guitar that distortion, i cant find it anyware. i know he plays with boss efects and i have tried so many of them, still cant find that distortion, Some1 please help me

guitar tone is like a science. You can replicate all the equipment used in something you heard but tweaking all the knobs to find it is another story.

Good luck!

could be a distortion from the amp. could be a mix of 2 disortions. could be a mix of several effects.

I could be wrong, but without at least the same pick ups and same amp, we have a long way in trying to duplicate sounds. I have had the same problem for a long time with European guitar sounds. Difficult to replicate. Wasn't he using that semi-hard to find Mesa amp back then?

i have the hohner guitar, it sounds the same as princes when its on clean, but not that distortion.

babar141 said:

Boss Turbo Distortion - he uses two of them. And the boss octave pedal also.

What part of the Lovesexy concert are you talking about anyway? Or is there only only part of the concert that he uses distortion? Or is there a part in there that is famously known as 'The Distortion Segment' because it features some strange unobtainable sound? Actually, where do I get this concert because I wanna see it and check what all the fuss is about!? I hear it's s'pose to be good.

Taureau said:

Probably the best.
A few days before my first prince concert: http://www.prince.org/msg...sg_1414373

A musician buddy gave me his copy of the Livesexy show. That's the one that got me hooked.

Prince is RAW.
Although lovesexy, the album never did a whole lot for me, (musically) I can see now why so many people love this period so much after watching the concert. The songs take on a whole new life with a real band. I always felt the album sounded "rushed" or underproduced. Cool, but expected more of a band feel like Sign of the times.

If you haven't seen this show. Go Get IT.
NOW
run
go on.
what are you still doing here?

seriously. it will change you!
I felt it was that deep, anyway. Obviously, because I'm here right?

yamomma said:

I remember seeing it in HMV all the time a few years back (together with the Undertaker), but never got round to getting them...CAN YOU BELIEVE I OWN A COPY OF 3 FRIKKIN' CHAINS 'O GOLD INSTEAD!?!

babar141 said:

I haven't seen that video, but if you can name an example of another song, say from SOTT's video or a studio cut, I might be able to give you some thoughts. I've been trying to ape his tone for years.

ThreadBare said:

Yes this distortion can b hear in SoTT video...

Ah, Prince's "Woman Tone"/Brian May sound. I've loved it since 1984, and I've never been able to replicate that sound, but I've been able to get close to it.

Prince uses EMG pickups in the Cloud guitar (at least he did during SOTT), so it doesn't hurt to start out with pickups that can come close to an EMG, overdriven sound. Or EMGs themselves, if that's an option. Prince also seems to love maple-necked guitars. It might not hurt to try to add that to your mix of factors, again if you can deal with the cost.

I've read a number of guitar magazine articles on P's setup, and they always mention the his reliance on Boss pedals and Zoom processors. They also stress that Prince's sound is HEAVILY processed. Who knows what he was using during SOTT?

My lo-tech, 1990s attempts to replicate that round sound usually involved dialing my "saturated/overdrive/distortion" channel all the way up, maxing out on the middle frequencies while cutting back on the highs. Next, I tended to play either with a neck or humbucker pickup. (I used a Jackson knockoff with an s-s-h pickup configuration). My Strat with Kinman stacked humbuckers also works pretty in this setup. I'd select the neck pickup and get "close" to that sound.

It's almost the same as Santana's sound, but I always felt Prince's was more "transparent" or glassier. That's why I don't lose the highs altogether. Sometimes, Santana's tone sounds muffled. I'd normally achieve a decent approximation through my Crate or Fender RAD (useless, except for recording) amps. Solid state works better. Prince's sound isn't exactly vintage.

When I wanted to push the tone a bit more, I'd add a DOD Super American Distortion (with the distortion down, but the gain and tone up -- again, boosting the mids). Boss predals probably will get you closer. I just like the DOD because it's good at maintaining articulation.

A lot of times, I'm speaking in the past tense because I kinda moved away from that to a more natural sound. These days, I'm more interested in a Clapton/SRV kind of feel. So, I'm using a stock Mexican strat with a Fender tube amp. When the situation calls for that overdriven sound, a few clicks of a pedal and I'm there. It's not as saturated as I could get with my Crate, but the trade-off is negligible to me. I'm probably the only one who cares.

I don't think you have to replicate P's technical tone to a T, in order to sound like him. I found a lot of Prince's tone comes from his phrasing and vibrato. He gives vibrato to most of his notes or he does a lot of ghost/implied notes that contribute to that saturated tone of his. A mid-boosted, round tone complements his playing in a way that really shines in SOTT's film.

I'd appreciate if someone else could provide some answers. I'm sure there's an easier way.

the sound im tryin to replicate without success is the "pillow talk" sound predominant on the undertaker amongst others...sounds like donald duck talking underwater!! any ideas??

daf1999 said:

Hi Daf!

You need to get yourself a Digitech Whammy pedal. Prince used this a lot around that time and still uses it now. They take a little practice, just like a Wah pedal but before long you'll be cracking out some familiar sounds.

Combine this with a Colorsound Wah, a Boss BF-2 Flanger (superceded by the BF-3 but still available), a DD-5 delay, an OD-3 Overdrive, an MT-2 Metalzone and an OC-2 Octaver and you have the basis of Prince's sound.

The BF-2 Flanger is used to get that 'ending' sound Prince uses on lots of live songs.

Add a maple bodied guitar with EMG pickups and a truck-load of talent and you are on your way!

Check my site for an 'Effects' page coming soon...

i was listening to pink cashmair and i heard that distortion sound again in his guitar solo, check it out! wat could it b?

The active EMG pickups definitely have a LOT to do with it, check out the sound samples at the EMG site. Then add Turbo distortion and delay and you're in the ballpark, which is as close as we'll ever get I s'pose.

hectim said:

Thanks 4 the reply, i went to that site but no soud examples:( have u got any sound examples

Did you go to http://www.emginc.com/ ???
When you slect a pick-up, there's sound samples with it....

babar141 said:

Every guitar player has something unique to their sound, and that comes from their fingers. It's not something that you can imitate.

hectim said:

Ok Thanks hectim it works:)

hi everybody!!!!don't forget that prince use wah a lot not as wah effect but also as an eq combine that with distortion and delay then u have it!!!

take a look at my guitar pics on http://perso.wanadoo.fr/c...ngel1/html

see u soon.....leon

sorry the link is http://perso.wanadoo.fr/c...angel1.htm

see u soon .leon

leon said:

very nice pics:)