Quick tip:

Use inversions for a deeper sound and more tone

How

This principle applies for any chord, check that you're using the right inversion and neck position for that chord. They all sound different and what's more, they sound different on different guitar/amp/speaker combinations.

Need a dropped-D/7-string sound very quickly, play an inversion starting on the A on the 6th string. It will sound deeper than the standard of playing the D major as a barre chord on the 5th fret.

From this:

e-5-

B-7-

Introduction

This is the second article in the Elements of Tone series following on from the first article: Elements of Tone 1: Strings.

In this article, I'll discuss the difference that picks can make to your guitar tone.

Introduction

This is the first article in the Elements of Tone series.

Strings are an underrated component in the search for tone.

I know this isn't about tone, but having a well-tuned guitar is incredibly important. I've played with enough guitarists with out-of-tune guitars and it's scary how many of them couldn't tell. I think a lot of it has to do with placing so many effects in the signal chain that they can't identify the original sound.

I know the tone and feel of the guitars I regularly play and I've noticed a gap. I know what tones I'm looking for and I can't find a production or boutique model guitar with those tones. I don't want to alter the guitars I already have, I'm happy with them as they are and I really don't like the idea of devaluing them with a modification. So I'm left with a few options:

You can spend as much money as you want on guitars and amps, but in the end tone can be found as much in the fingers as in the equipment.

A Quick Exercise

Think of all the guitarists that play the same kit.

Do they sound the same?

Some will, but a few will stand out from the crowd. Other guitarists will want the secrets to their tone or the sustain that they're able to achieve.

You should be changing your guitar strings on a regular basis. How frequent depends on a number of conditions, e.g. how often you play, for how long, whether you sweat onto your strings a lot, etc.

Knowing how to restring is an important trick. Knowing how to restring quickly in the near-dark of a stage is even more important if your audience is waiting.

Watch this video from D'addario and notice how the string is handled at the neck-end.

Other Wah Pedals