Tones That Inspire:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

Ambassador of Tone
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Ok, after looking back over my musical life, I can recall the earliest influence for me, as far as guitar tone is concerned, was Leslie West's tone on "Mississippi Queen," which i first heard around 1975.

Hendrix inspired me through his coolness and energy during his performances, but his tone didn't grab me. Blackmore was very dramatic and I liked his stage persona, but in general, I wasn't blown away by his tone.

During the 1975 to 1980 period, I wasn't really "knocked in the dirt" by any particular guitar tone. That changed in 1979 when I first heard Triumph's "Lay It On The Line."

To me, that tone was really the first time I began adjusting the knobs on my 2060 and when I first considered buying pedals to try and shape my own sound.

I've always loved playing rhythm guitar. I find that there are many great lead players and so few, highly proficient rhythm guitarists. So, for me, its the rhythm guitar that really grabs me.

At first, it was just me plugging into my old, orange Marshall 2060 Mercury. I was happy just to have an electric (an 18 fret 1959 Silvertone) and I wasn't really chasing tone.

As I got older, I began to try and engineer my own personal sound/tone and that's what I wanted to share in this thread.

So, Diary of a Madman was released on November 7, 1981, Def Leppard's Pyromania on January 20, 1983, Ratt's Out of the Cellar on March 27, 1984, and Lynch Mob's Wicked Sensation on October 23, 1990.

This timeline spans 9 years and it was these 4 songs that most heavily inspired my own signature tone during this period.

It is also these tones that I still find myself listening too even after all these years.

The general rhythm work in these songs really grabbed me, but it was the palm muted passages (specifically) in Def Leppard's "Foolin" that grabbed me the most.

I wanted to sound like that. I wanted my amp to make that kind of sound.

Here's the isolated tracks that were so important to me during my formative years:

Randy Rhoad's Isolated Guitar

Pete Willis Def Leppard Isolated Guitar

Robbin Crosby Isolated Guitar

George Lynch Isolated Guitar

Rather than trying to adjust my tone for each song, I prefer to adjust each song to suit my tone...

While I do, at times, play clean passages, I am almost totally filthy all the time.

Here's a recent sample of my live rig's miked tone:

Robert Herndon Live Tone Soundbyte

Despite lacking the prowess of my guitar idols, I think my tone does embody little bits of these influences, while still retaining some unique qualities.

I thought this might be a fun thread in which to share influences and discuss how they have shaped our own individual tone.

All the best...
 
Pretty cool. My journey has been the opposite. Got bass & was in an original band the following week way back when. Always focused on making my own sound. If i am playing something & it sounds like somebody else..scratch it goes & turn my amps dials...

Always did have a sound that was ours, which was cool, cause we always were able to play out behind it..even if the other bands were covers. but real quick we gravitated to all original shows.
My fav experience is being in front of an audience & no one knows 1 song ya play & by the end of the set..they headbanging...miss it mucho

Today working on a new song..the DC3..50 Caliber & DSl100 are on.. Gibson Firebird, Hamer Diablo & Gibson SG all tuned to D standard..soon as the right combo hits..its on..record it immediately while the mojo is there. I do not do this until the drums are done & the song is set in Reaper..once it is drums & rhythm ..wont leave it until its done..most of the time i sing the words on the spot as i react to the emotion..i love it..wife has doctor appointment in a few,,then its song time..chomping at the bit cause i got the riff..now need the amp & guitar match !!
 
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My first awareness of "tone" as a specific element of the sound of a guitar was this:


And that's still the absolute definition of Les Paul tone to me. A lot of ZZ Top is that actually,

When I first started chasing a sound of my own this was a huge influence on what I desired to sound like:


And Alex Lifeson's sound had a huge (maybe disproportionate) impact. The solo in La Villa Strangiato (starting at 3:50) is a master-class in subtlety and building tension, then finally bringing the fjooking fjury to close it out:


And I probably don't even have to mention how important Michael Schenker was.

Then when I started high school in 1980 I was exposed to so many styles and sounds that I hadn't heard before, and of course Punk was huge where I lived so that was a big influence around us, that I don't think anything stood out tone-wise really specifically. I Was really only a fan of the first two Def Leppard albums, never got into Dokken or Lynch Mob and really only listened to Ratt when it was on the radio or at a party - that whole movement of pop-metal bands was fine but not something I was able to sink my teeth into but TBH a lot of the chicks whose pants I was trying to get into listened to it so I always had it around and it had to have influenced me on some level.

Was still big into Judas Priest and Maiden, still listened to a ton of Zeppelin/Aerosmith (at least the first 5 records - I quit on them after Draw The Line), loved Ozzy though, along with the revamped Dio-fronted Black Sabbath. Rush was still a constant. and most of the new stuff I was leaning to listening to at the time was more experimental or what we'd Alt Rock/College Rock or even electronic. My band played hard rock though and we were always looking for new material coming out that the audience would know and like but that didn't offend our old-school hard rock/early metal sensibilities sensibilities.
 
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gball said:
My first awareness of "tone" as a specific element of the sound of a guitar was this:


And that's still the absolute definition of Les Paul tone to me. A lot of ZZ Top is that actually,

When I first started chasing a sound of my own this was a huge influence on what I desired to sound like:


And Alex Lifeson's sound had a huge (maybe disproportionate) impact. The solo in La Villa Strangiato (starting at 3:50) is a master-class in subtlety and building tension, then finally bringing the fjooking fjury to close it out:


And I probably don't even have to mention how important Michael Schenker was.

Then when I started high school in 1980 I was exposed to so many styles and sounds that I hadn't heard before, and of course Punk was huge where I lived so that was a big influence around us, that I don't think anything stood out tone-wise really specifically. I Was really only a fan of the first two Def Leppard albums, never got into Dokken or Lynch Mob and really only listened to Ratt when it was on the radio or at a party - that whole movement of pop-metal bands was fine but not something I was able to sink my teeth into but TBH a lot of the chicks whose pants I was trying to get into listened to it so I always had it around and it had to have influenced me on some level.

Was still big into Judas Priest and Maiden, still listened to a ton of Zeppelin/Aerosmith (at least the first 5 records - I quit on them after Draw The Line), loved Ozzy though, along with the revamped Dio-fronted Black Sabbath. Rush was still a constant. and most of the new stuff I was leaning to listening to at the time was more experimental or what we'd Alt Rock/College Rock or even electronic. My band played hard rock though and we were always looking for new material coming out that the audience would know and like but that didn't offend our old-school hard rock/early metal sensibilities sensibilities.
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Very cool backstory!!!@@!!!@@!@!@!!!
 
I'm probably not really qualified to address this topic as I genuinely suck on the guitar and can barely play, and it's probably obvious from my avatar, but the tone that got me interested in playing is that of Brian May.
It started with the first song off Queen's first album...the phaser drenched opening of "Keep Yourself Alive" was just so cool.
Then the mulitguitar parts of "Procession" to begin Queen II.
The first time I heard "Killer Queen", it was like nothing I had ever heard come out of a guitar before.
Then when "A Night at the Opera" was released, of course there was the screaming Bo Rhap solo, but it was really the cello & flute like sounds in in the"Love of my Life" solo that pricked up my ears.
Fast forward a few albums and you have the thick, creamy tone of "Dreamer's Ball" from the Jazz LP.
There are other players whose tone I love too. Billy Gibbons & Joe Walsh especially. I guess I'm more drawn to a full, thick type of tone that these players all have.
Sorry if that's too many examples loaded into one post.
 
gball said:
My first awareness of "tone" as a specific element of the sound of a guitar was this:


And that's still the absolute definition of Les Paul tone to me. A lot of ZZ Top is that actually,

When I first started chasing a sound of my own this was a huge influence on what I desired to sound like:


And Alex Lifeson's sound had a huge (maybe disproportionate) impact. The solo in La Villa Strangiato (starting at 3:50) is a master-class in subtlety and building tension, then finally bringing the fjooking fjury to close it out:


And I probably don't even have to mention how important Michael Schenker was.

Then when I started high school in 1980 I was exposed to so many styles and sounds that I hadn't heard before, and of course Punk was huge where I lived so that was a big influence around us, that I don't think anything stood out tone-wise really specifically. I Was really only a fan of the first two Def Leppard albums, never got into Dokken or Lynch Mob and really only listened to Ratt when it was on the radio or at a party - that whole movement of pop-metal bands was fine but not something I was able to sink my teeth into but TBH a lot of the chicks whose pants I was trying to get into listened to it so I always had it around and it had to have influenced me on some level.

Was still big into Judas Priest and Maiden, still listened to a ton of Zeppelin/Aerosmith (at least the first 5 records - I quit on them after Draw The Line), loved Ozzy though, along with the revamped Dio-fronted Black Sabbath. Rush was still a constant. and most of the new stuff I was leaning to listening to at the time was more experimental or what we'd Alt Rock/College Rock or even electronic. My band played hard rock though and we were always looking for new material coming out that the audience would know and like but that didn't offend our old-school hard rock/early metal sensibilities sensibilities.
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Stellar choices sir.

Hats off, hard to argue early ASmith, ZZ Top, or Rush.
 
Pretty cool subject, sat in car at Hershey medical while wife was at appointment. Tone, was thinking, i chase it..but somehow its tied to emotion for me. Everyday, a new mood or experience & if couldn't pick up a guitar and work it all out..would be a mess.

The dif times in life where the music was put in the background( been doing it for 30+ years) or when people in my life took it from me or made it so i felt guilty being in a band..my life sucked..now i protect it fiercely, cause as life disintegrates in general around me..have something real..maybe the most real thing i can depend on.

Not many understand it..the constant creation of music & the enthusiasm that goes with it. It never gets in the way my responsibilities & run a 24/7 business ., but it can be lonely at times in that tone world...until a band gets to play live. Then it all comes alive. every concert..get so up..like before a sport event or a martial arts spar. That adrenaline kicks in...

my first real awareness was either jailhouse rock by Elvis or Daydream believer by The Monkeys.. would sing with an empty toilet paper roll for a pretend mic..Wanted to be in a band since prob 5 years old..but no, mom packs me off to school with the clarinet when you chose an instrument in 4th grade..why? lol.plz .the guitar !!!

my household was very conservative for my childhood, churches were started out the house & i had to burn my records one year..my fav Black Sabbath, Sabotage album..up in flames... sorta twisted me up..was a good kid still & that made no sense..maybe even started the internal rebellion..
 
Lots of great influences in this thread.
My first guitar tones that struck me in 71-72 where Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore.
Later it was Michael Shenker, Alex Lifeson, Rick Emmit, Gibbons, Tipton, Downning, Gorham, Page,..
I could go on for a bit and still not get them all in, Hendrix, Trower, Mark Farner, Alvin Lee, Uli Roth,..
They have all had a huge hand in how I play (but I am not sure they would appreciate my hack playing) but it is this great big compilation of great guitarist’s that have forever been my foundation .
Thanks
 
Tone first hit me when I tried to play along to Boston's first album with my mom's classical acoustic I was learning on. I ended up buying a Peavey Rage 158 amp and my parents bought me an off brand strat copy. That's when tone really dug it's heels in and I understood completely that there was an entire universe to understand.

I never chased tone in my early years of playing but it really crushed my desire to learn. I would plug in and try to play along to some of my favorite music and my tone was so horrible I quickly gave up trying. Probably why noodling is my guitar playing these days. Sounds great to my ears but once it gets compared to something in my headphones, it's Fran Drescher stepping on a cat.
 
Ghostman said:
Tone first hit me when I tried to play along to Boston's first album with my mom's classical acoustic I was learning on. I ended up buying a Peavey Rage 158 amp and my parents bought me an off brand strat copy. That's when tone really dug it's heels in and I understood completely that there was an entire universe to understand.

I never chased tone in my early years of playing but it really crushed my desire to learn. I would plug in and try to play along to some of my favorite music and my tone was so horrible I quickly gave up trying. Probably why noodling is my guitar playing these days. Sounds great to my ears but once it gets compared to something in my headphones, it's Fran Drescher stepping on a cat.
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You gotta develop your own tone.

Mine is constantly evolving, but I feel like this one of my better tones:

Listen to Fantasy - Aldo Nova Cover - 11-06-2019 Re-Master by Von Herndon on #SoundCloud
soundcloud.app.goo.gl

Fantasy - Aldo Nova Cover - 11-06-2019 Re-Master

Since Hearing This Song for The First Time - In 1982 - I Wanted To Perform A Cover Version Of It. Based On A Drum Track, Laid Down By My Colleague - Session Drummer Extraordinaire Ffej Rednil - This
soundcloud.app.goo.gl soundcloud.app.goo.gl

The solo is played 100% dry with no reverb or delay.
 
I usually tweak until I like what I hear. However, I do have some references that I like to dial in when I'm playing along with the music on my phone. I have a playlist of about 100 songs that I can play along with. That's usually my "practice." I'll sit for about an hour or so and play along. Since I'm a bedroom player, I have some settings that I can dial in some comparable tones.

If I try to play along with some of the songs with my own "tone" it's so far out of whack that it kills the mojo for me. For example, I can't jam along with Joe Bonnamassa with a high-gain chug tone I might like to play by itself.
 
I've always tried to sound like me. But, if there were some major influences to name drop, they would include Paul Kossoff, Alvin Lee, Mick Box, Peter Green, early Jerome Geils (pre- Freeze Frame), and Michael Schenker for Gibson sounds. Rory Gallagher, Robin Trower, and Jimi Hendrix for Strat sounds. Most of those guys were strictly guitar and amp players. Maybe an odd treble booster or wah, but very limited on twisting the tone.
 
Very old resurrected thread I missed first time around.

Inspector #20 said:
Hendrix inspired me through his coolness and energy during his performances, but his tone didn't grab me. Blackmore was very dramatic and I liked his stage persona, but in general, I wasn't blown away by his tone.

During the 1975 to 1980 period, I wasn't really "knocked in the dirt" by any particular guitar tone. That changed in 1979 when I first heard Triumph's "Lay It On The Line."
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Exactly my thoughts. Rik from Triumph being my biggest influence and desire to play. I have to add EVH in there though.

Past that Priest Unleashed and something akin to Badlands first album does it for me.
For me I set it how 8t sounds good to me at the time,

 
Jethro Rocker said:
Very old resurrected thread I missed first time around.


Exactly my thoughts. Rik from Triumph being my biggest influence and desire to play. I have to add EVH in there though.

Past that Priest Unleashed and something akin to Badlands first album does it for me.
For me I set it how 8t sounds good to me at the time,

Click to expand...

Triumph sounded unbelievable for a 3 piece!!!
 
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