Amplification Guitar Lesson
Amplification
Mark provides a detailed overview of amplification. This lesson has some great info for any electric player.
Taught by Mark Brennan in Basic Electric Guitar seriesLength: 33:55Difficulty: 1.0 of 5
Tone Is in Your Hands
Owning nice equipment will definitely help you achieve the guitar sound that you are looking for. However, to a very large extent, tone is in your hands. A great guitarist can make any guitar and amplifier combination sound exceptional. By the same principle, an inexperienced player can make top of the line gear sound like a junk heap.
Demonstration of Versatility
Mark kicks off this lesson with some introduction music. He demonstrates three different guitar tones to illustrate how a single amp and a single guitar can generate a wide range of different sounds. First, Mark demonstrates a crystal clear clean tone. The second tone he demonstrates is a slightly dirty, distorted sound that is ideal for rhythm playing. Finally, Mark demonstrates a high gain sound that is ideal for hard rock, metal, and screaming guitar solos.
Types of Guitar Amplifiers
Guitar amps come in all shapes and sizes. Each type of amp is ideal for a specific setting. Typically, amplifiers are grouped into three categories: practice amps, combos, and heads.
Practice Amps
Practice amps are smaller and feature lower wattage. These amps are ideal for beginners and home practice use. Practice amps typically produce the lowest number of tonal options. Many of them do not feature a distorted sound or any type of reverb. Most practice amps come equipped with a single ten inch speaker. This speaker size is not capable of producing the wide tonal range of a larger, 12 inch speaker.
Combos
As you progress as a guitarist, you may want to trade in your practice amp for a combo. A combo will give you the necessary volume when playing with the full rhythm section of a band. Combos start at around 30 watts and go all the way up to around 100 watts. There are some exceptions that extend beyond this range. Most combos are outfitted with one or two 12 inch speakers. In addition, they typically feature a broader variety of tonal options than practice amps.
Heads
Amp heads do not come with a built-in speaker. They must be plugged in to some sort of external speaker cabinet. Think of a head as the controls on your car stereo. You must have speakers connected to the system in order to hear the sound that you are controlling.
Heads produce the highest volume levels. They also feature the widest array of tonal options. Many modern amps feature four independent channels that each produce a unique tone.
Tube Amps VS Solid State Amps
Solid state amps are usually less expensive than tube amps. This does not necessarily make them inferior. Most players prefer the warm, natural sound produced by a tube amp. However, many players favor the sound of a solid state amplifier. The only way to decide which type of amplifier is best for you is to try out a wide variety of tube and solid state models.
Mark's Amp
Mark plays through a Mesa Boogie Mark IV. This is a professional quality combo amplifier. With three independent channels, the Mark IV is ideal for a wide variety of musical applications. This amp has all the features of a practice amp plus some additional controls. In the following scene, Mark will explain all of the features on his amp. He will focus primarily on the controls that appear on all types of amplifiers. Chapter 2: (11:01) Amp Basics and Controls On / Off Switch
All amps have an on / off switch. Turning the switch on brings electricity into the amplifier from an outside source and enables it to function. Tube amps typically take a minute to warm up before they are fully powered. For best possible tone, leave a tube amp on for several minutes before using it. A better tone is produced once the tubes heat up.
With most solid state amps, you're ready to play as soon as the amp is turned on. Typically, the switch itself or a bulb will light up to indicate that the amplifier is receiving power. However, some amps such as the Marshall Mode 4 have fans that cool the digital electronics. These fans must run and regulate themselves for about a minute or two before the amp can be used.
Half Power Mode
Many amps such as Mark's and the VHT Pitbull feature a half power mode. Turning the on switch in one direction sets the amp to full power. Flipping the switch in the opposite direction sets the amp to half power mode. Half power mode is desirable for lower volume settings. Most 100 watt heads are too powerful for a small club when they are run on full power.
Standby Switch
The standby switch is almost always found right next to the on / off switch on tube amplifiers. When the standby switch is in the off position, the amp is still powered on. However, no sound is produced by the amplifier. The standby saves the life of the tubes by not draining all of their power. Use the standby while heating up a tube amp before recording or a performance. Also, use it during a set break. This will keep you from having to warm up the tubes again.
Master Volume
All amps feature a master volume control. This is sometimes labeled as "master" or "output level." If an amp only has one channel, this control might simply be labeled "volume." When an amp has two channels or more, this knob controls the overall volume output of both channels. The balance in volume between both channels must be set by using each channels' individual volume control.
Footswitches
Amps that have more than one channel almost always come with a footswitch. The footswitch enables you to switch between channels without taking your hands off of the guitar. Many practice amps require that you push a button or flip a switch in order to switch between channels. This is not practical in a live performance situation.
Mark's amp has three channels. These are labeled Rhy 1 (Clean channel), Rhy 2 (slightly dirty), and Lead (high gain). Each channel features progressively more distortion than the last. With his footswitch, Mark is able to jump between each of these channels on the fly.
Another footswitchable control on Mark's amp is the graphic EQ. This button activates the tone settings established by the five band graphic eq found on the front of the amplifier.
Mark's footswitch also enables him to activate the effects loop. Often, guitarists will string effects such as chorus, delay, and reverb together together in the effects loop. When the effects loop button is activated on the footswitch, the effects within the loop are added to the signal chain. Thus, their affect on the overall guitar tone can be heard.
Gain Control
Each channel has a gain control. The gain knob controls the level of distortion that each channel produces. On some amps, the gain also controls the volume level for each individual channel. However, most modern amps feature a separate gain and volume control for each channel.
EQ Controls
Each channel typically has its own EQ controls. This gives you a great range of versatility and options when shaping your tone. However, many single channel and multi-channel amps feature master EQ knobs that control the tone of all channels.
The EQ controls are more commonly referred to as the "tone controls." These knobs control the high, low, and middle frequencies of each channel. "Highs" is a word that refers to the treble frequencies. Be careful not to set this control too high. Your tone should be bright enough to cut through the mix without sounding shrill or tinny. "Low" is another word that describes the bass frequency or bottom end to your tone. Most rock players set the lows relatively high (around 7 or 8) to produce a booming, crunchy tone. The "Mid" control boosts the mid range frequency. Most rock players prefer to set the mids rather low such as around 3 or 4.
Volume Controls
Each channel typically features its own volume control. This allows you to balance the volume level between the different channels. Set the clean channel to the lowest volume. Set the rhythm channel slightly louder. Set the lead / high gain channel to the highest volume yet. Once the volume levels are balanced between each of the channels, adjust the overall output or master volume.
Reverb
This feature is not available on all amps. Reverb produces natural echoing sound of a room with nice acoustics. Reverb can add much needed body and life to a guitar tone. Chapter 3: (08:32) Experiment with Your Guitar and Amp Using the Amp
Turn your power switch on. Let the amp warm up for two minutes if you have a tube amp. Then, turn on the standby switch.
Clean Channel Settings
A. Gain Control
If the gain control is rolled back to three or lower, the tone of the clean channel is crystal clear. However, most rock players prefer to play with a very slight amount of gain even when playing with the clean channel. This simply adds a little more body and edge to the overall sound. When picking more aggressively, the tone will break up just slightly and a real mild distortion becomes audible. Notice the difference in tone as Mark plays with the gain at three and with the gain at ten. There is a change in tone and an increase in volume. Mark typically has the clean gain set at seven for most of the material he plays.
B. Treble
Typically Mark sets the treble at around six or seven. This is pretty common of most rock players.
C. Bass
Most rock players prefer to set the bass pretty high. This is especially true of heavy players. This will give a more booming sound to palm-muted material. However, do not set the bass control so high that your tone conflicts with the bass player in your band.
D. Mids
Most players set the mids relatively low (around three or four). The mids add a distinct "honky" sound to the tone that may or may not be desirable. Eliminating the mids completely takes some body and bigness away from your tone.
Rhythm Channel Settings (Slightly Dirty Sound)
A. Gain Control
When Mark takes the gain control down, the distortion is very subtle. The tone is almost clean. Setting the control at a higher setting provides a nice crunchy ZZ Top-esque tone that is good for rhythm parts and even some lead sounds. An increase in gain usually results in an increase in sustain as well. This is especially true when playing a guitar such as a Les Paul.
Adding Distortion Pedals
Some amps such as the Fender Blues Jr. are not capable of producing high gain sounds. Sometimes a distortion or overdrive pedal can be added to achieve a higher gain level. Think of distortion pedals as the icing on the cake. Do not depend on them to fully generate your distorted sound. A solid distorted tone starts with a good amp. Use distortion pedals to compliment the natural distorted tone of your amplifier. Chapter 4: (08:56) More Experimentation and Wrap-up Lead Channel Settings (High Gain Sound)
The third channel of Mark's Boogie Mark IV is designed for heavy rhythm parts and screaming lead guitar solos. It features a significantly more distorted sound in comparison to the crunchy rhythm channel.
A. Gain Control
Even with the gain set at around one or two, the tone of this channel is similar to the tone that is produced by the rhythm channel with the gain set at ten. However, the sound of the high gain channel has slightly more body. With the gain control set at around 6 or higher, classic, over the top heavy distorted sounds are produced.
Adjusting the Controls on the Guitar for More Options
Rolling the volume knob down will decrease the volume and the overall level of distortion. Guitarists adjust this knob to dial in some in between distortion levels.
The pick attack also controls the level of distortion produced. Watch at 06:15 as Mark demonstrates an arpeggiated chord progression. At first, he picks lightly. The distortion is very subtle. As he continues to pick harder, the distortion becomes more pronounced.
The selector switch is also employed to add variety to the sound. Heavy crunch riffs are typically played with the bridge pickup. A deep jazzy sound is produced by using the neck pickup on the clean channel. The middle and neck pickups are typically only used with the distortion channel when playing single note lines. Otherwise, the sound becomes too muddy and undefined. These pickups are often used with the clean channel to produce a twangier sound.
Final Tips
-Always remember that every amp is different. Setting the lows to seven on a Mesa Boogie Mark IV will not yield the same result on a Marshall JCM. Spend a lot of time turning and tweaking knobs on your amp to find the ideal sound for you. Also, consult the amp's instruction manual for some tonal tips.
-Chances are, your preference in tone will change over the years. Finding the ideal tone is a never ending search for most players.
-The ideal EQ settings for one guitar may not work with another guitar. Consequently, you may need to adjust the amp settings to accommodate a certain guitar.
-Listen to the tones of your favorite players. What do you like about them? Try to imitate these tones as closely as possible with your equipment.
-Remember that tone is in your hands. Even if you have the exact gear as someone else, you are not going to sound exactly like that person. Also, mixing in a recording studio can drastically change the quality of a tone and the way that the tone is perceived. Also, you are probably used to hearing this tone in conjunction with a bass player. This will change your perception of the sound as well.
Supplemental Learning Material
Basic Electric Guitar
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsMark's Phase 1 series will take you through the basics of playing electric guitar.
Lesson 1
Series Intro - Guitar Parts and Tuning
Mark introduces his Phase 1 series and covers some fundamental electric guitar basics.
Length: 30:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Amplification
Mark provides a detailed overview of amplification. This lesson has some great info for any electric player.
Length: 33:55 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Using Tablature and Learning the Fretboard
Before we start rocking, Mark goes over some tools and training necessary to every beginning guitarist.
Length: 12:52 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Right Hand Technique
It's time to get some sound out of your guitar. Mark begins with picking hand technique.
Length: 31:34 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Left Hand Technique
Mark explains proper left hand technique from the ground up.
Length: 10:36 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Natural Notes in the 1st Position
Mark teaches you all of the natural notes played in first position. He uses two classic melodies to supplement this information.
Length: 25:42 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The C major Scale - 1st Position
It's time to learn your first scale - the C major scale in first position. Mark also explains how the major scale is constructed.
Length: 21:31 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Chords in C major - Part 1
Mark covers 7 basic chords in the key of C major.
Length: 35:14 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Chords in C major - Part 2
Mark expands on chords in C major by showing full forms of the chords you learned in Part 1. He also teaches you the chord progression to a familiar tune.
Length: 25:00 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Power Chord Primer
It's time to start making some noise by using power chords and palm muting. Mark gives you the framework to start rocking the 12 bar blues in a basic I-IV-V progression.
Length: 36:43 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Open Position Minor Pentatonic
Take your knowledge of the notes in the first position and start jamming on a simple pentatonic riff.
Length: 14:34 Difficulty: 1.0 FREE
Blues Scale Basics with Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, and Vibrato
Let's build on lesson 11 with an extended discussion of the pentatonic scale. For lesson 12, we'll simply add one note to the pentatonic scale to give us the famous blues scale. We'll also discuss new...
Length: 36:27 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Movable Power Chords
Mark explains how to finger power chords and how they can be moved anywhere on the fretboard. He also shows an exercise that will help you remember the name of each power chord.
Length: 16:28 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Rhythmic Notation Part 1
Mark Brennan explains rhythmic notation, tempos, time signatures, note values, and more in this lesson.
Length: 32:14 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Key Of G Major
Mark explores the key of G major in this lesson. He covers the first position pattern of the scale and explains how it can be harmonized in thirds.
Length: 33:22 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Chords Of G Major
Mark teaches the basic chords of G major as well as some other exercises to get you acquainted with this key.
Length: 34:28 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Key Of D Major
Mark explains the basics of D major.
Length: 25:00 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Chords In D Major
Mark takes you through the chords of D major and explains some new ones that you haven't encountered yet.
Length: 35:00 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
More Movable Power Chords & The Circle Of Fifths
Mark continues his discussion of power chords. This time around, he explains the circle of 5ths and demonstrates some power chord progressions that illustrate this concept.
Length: 33:18 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Movable Minor Pentatonic Scale
Mark teaches the 1st box of the minor pentatonic scale.
Length: 32:31 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
The Minor Blues Scale Transposed To A
Mark explains how you can transpose the pentatonic pattern covered in lesson 20 to the key of A minor. He also shows the "lower extension box" and "home plate box."
Length: 26:09 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Blues Boogie Shuffle
Mark teaches the difference between straight eighth notes and the shuffle feel.
Length: 42:33 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Amplification Part Two
In response to member requests, Mark added another amplification lesson to his growing phase 1 series. In this lesson, he compares 3 classes of amps from entry level models all the way to a Mesa Mark V.
Length: 40:45 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Introduction To Improvisation
In this lesson, Mark teaches some blues licks that can be used when improvising over a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 24:01 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Key Of A Minor
Mark covers the key of A minor.
Length: 29:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Two Movable Major Chord Forms
Mark teaches two movable major chord forms and gives many examples of how to practice playing them.
Length: 26:10 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
I-IV-V Progression Revisited
Mark Brennan shows you how to apply the chord forms learned in lesson 26 to a I-IV-V progression.
Length: 21:52 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Movable Dominant 7th Chord Forms
Mark Brennan continues his teachings on movable chord forms. In this lesson he shows the dominant 7th chords and how to use them in a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 19:49 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Movable Minor And Minor 7th Chord Forms
In this lesson Mark Brennan teaches these minor chord forms and how they are movable up and down the fretboard. He also shows how to apply these chords in standard progressions.
Length: 21:29 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
About Mark Brennan
View Full Biography
Mark Brennan, born August 12th, 1954 in Cleveland, Ohio, began playing guitar at the age of 10. His first influences were from the Ventures and the British Invasion, especially the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Shortly afterwards he was playing in rock bands with his brother on drums, developing his ear by learning songs straight from records. Playing in a band became a passion.
In high school, he grew to love acoustic and classical guitar. He spent time playing acoustic music, influenced by The Eagles, CSN, Dan Folgelberg, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, etc. In the 70's, he headed a very popular Cleveland band, The Brennan-Cosma Band, which played a variety of acoustic and rock music, along with originals. He also took up classicalguitar, and began developing his fingerstyle technique.
Mark is a graduate of Cleveland State University (1980), with a Bachelor of Music in Classical guitar performance. He also studied Music Composition, and took many Music Education classes. After graduation, he began his private teaching career, teaching electric, acoustic, and classical guitar, along with music theory. He taught in various studios and guitar shops throughout his career, and currently has a private practice at his home in
Fairview Park, Ohio.
In the 80's Mark took an affection to Progressive rock. With his band Polyphony, he was influenced by the music of Yes, Genesis, Kansas, ELP, Styx, along with a set of prog rock originals.
Currently, Mark is in the regionally successful Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here. The band performs faithful renderings of the Floyd classics spanning their entire catalog, along with a strong visual stage show. Here, Mark displays his command of the David Gilmour style.
Mark is excited to be part of JamPlay.com's fine roster of teachers. He's looking forward to extending his 35 years of performing and teaching experience to the JamPlay members. His philosophy is about developing a passion for guitar and being the best musician you can be; being true to yourself and developing a personal style, and truly expressing your heart through your music.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Insteand of an AMP would it be OK to use a PC Interface that simulates the AMP?
Hi Mark, I llike your lesson so far. I have not watched it all yet. I am new to electric guitar and no nothing about amps. The Amp I bought is a line 6 Spider Jam 75 watt. It has a lot of presets on it which are a little confusing. Should I just stick to the tone and gain controls for now? The amp also has some effects knobs to add reverb, phaser and echo. I know what reverb does and some of what echo does but I am lost on the other knob that adds chorus flange, phaser delay and tremelo. Could you briefly explane those? Thanks
You should have discussed the ways to hook up sn effects pedal
I have a Fender Mustang I practice amp, solidstate of course, but 24 presets and options to add a peddle to switch between any 2 presets. Nice high end sounds at a cheap price. Comes with software so you can program your own presets. Worth looking at if on a budget and looking for a flexible practice amp.
Mark, any views on the Blackstar 1 Watt practice amp ? It's loud enough for practice and it has a headphone socket. It's a valve amp as well with "emulated ouput" (???).
Mark, any views on the Blackstar 1 Watt practice amp ? It's loud enough for practice and it has a headphone socket. It's a valve amp as well with "emulated ouput" (???).
Many thanks Mark for this great series! I want to ask you about your opinion regarding the combo amp that I am planing to buy. As a beginner I don't want to drain too much money straight away for a very expensive amp so I budget myself up to £200. I was thinking to get either Vox Valvetronix (VT20+ or VT40+ model) or Fender Mustang II. If you were in mine shoes which one would you choose? or if you have any other suggestions I will be happy to consider them as well. It may be helpful to add that I have Epiphany Les Paul 100 guitar. Thanks a lot for your advice and I can't wait to get back to your lessons' series.
First off, you are a great teacher and this site is offering far more help in learning to play my Strat. than the books I have purchased. I have a little Peavey Vypyr 15 watt. It has pre and post gain settings. How do these work? Thanks for your help!
Same question, I have a Peavey amp with Pre and post. It seems like adjusting the gain in pre creates more distortion at a lower volume. Also more noise (hum) when I'm not touching any strings.
I just found my owner's man. Pre-gain = amnt. of distortion (in edit mode parameter contrl. 1 of stompbox or effect) Post-gain = This is the individual preset volume. (In Edit mode, this knob controls the amount of reverb.) Hope this helps. I am still trying to figure out how all of these electronics work, myself. Making a lot of headway, but a long way to go!
I just found my owner's man. Pre-gain = amnt. of distortion (in edit mode parameter contrl. 1 of stompbox or effect) Post-gain = This is the individual preset volume. (In Edit mode, this knob controls the amount of reverb.) Hope this helps. I am still trying to figure out how all of these electronics work, myself. Making a lot of headway, but a long way to go!
Very cool....glad you got the answers. These amps have different names for controls that basically do the same thing. You'll have a gain control that will control the amount of distortion, and then a control to set your overall volume after your gain is set......I always keep my owners manuals LOL
What's your opinion on a line 6 spider IV 15w amp as a first amp?
This amp will work great as a starter amp.....plenty of power for practice and jamming with small groups. I think it has on board effects, which is very cool. You can buy stomp boxes later.
Hello Mark I’m starting your lesson set after finishing a first beginner series. This lesson is at the same time very interesting, and totally surrealistic, a Tom Anderson guitar with a Mesa Boogie Mark IV.. I doubt a lot of beginner have access to this kind of material, it’s a little bit like if to teach car driving a guy was presenting a high end Ferrari You have a dream equipement.. really.. pretty far from my Epiphone/Chinese Laney amp.. (I'm jealous)
Hello Mark I’m starting your lesson set after finishing a first beginner series. This lesson is at the same time very interesting, and totally surrealistic, a Tom Anderson guitar with a Mesa Boogie Mark IV.. I doubt a lot of beginner have access to this kind of material, it’s a little bit like if to teach car driving a guy was presenting a high end Ferrari You have a dream equipement.. really.. pretty far from my Epiphone/Chinese Laney amp.. (I'm jealous)
Hey Mark, great lesson. I'm a complete electric novice, play some basic acoustic. I'm starting out on a garage sale guitar, a Pignose Double-cut (Strat knock-off), and a Behringer Ultraroc GX110 amp. The sound is OK, and there are a confounding number of effects channels I am working my way through, but I can't seem to get any distortion, regardless of the channel I switch to or how I crank the gain. Any suggestions, or should I just get a pedal? Thanks so much!
Hi Mark, I have bought an old Line 6 POD Version 2.0 of a mate (his spare one) does everything work much the same way as to your explanations...? Are there any major differences with this I should consider? I seem to get some cool sounds out of it I just not sure on what exact sounds to use for particular songs. eg Devil Went Down To Georgia 'distortion' sound to replace the fiddle part vs AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long" vs Daddy Cool "Eagle Rock" etc. Only just bought a new guitar about 3 months ago and these are the first 3 songs I have learnt. I mainly just play rhythm guitar on the acoustic but wanting to experiment with midi backings to have more fun on stage.
I joined Jamplay today and the first lesson about the guitar and its various parts was very interesting....I went to the part about the Amplifier, the lesson would not Stream continuosly...it kept buffering and it is very annoying....what can be done to cause this lesson to stream continuous...Need help right away and very enthusiastic about learning to play the electric guitar...Thanks....WH
Really enjoying the explanations and the lessons. Love learning about the amp details etc. Helping heaps.
Hi Mark, I'm picking up (actually starting up again) after years of not playing. I'm using the Line 6 DT-50 as my new amp and apart from all the channels, Bogner tubes, etc. I have a somewhat different setup for the controls. I have a drive-control, that's probably comparable to the gain you mentioned. Then bass, mid, treble and volume. I also have the reverb control, but next to that a presence-control. So what does this control give me extra?
best guitar teacher ever!!!!
Hey I have a Viper or a Pervey I don't realy know wich one it is but I have a whole lot of different sounds on my amp section it's a dial. next to it is effects I understand that but when I press the button the pre gain turns red and so does the low. they're all dials and what was reverb and past gain again? thank you
Hi there. I think you mean you have a Peavey Vypyr. This is a modelling amp. In other words it mimics varios different types of amp. If your lucky enough to own a Sanperea Pedal, you can pre-set your pedals to change using the footswitch, like Mark does in his video.
When the dial turns red that is when it is playing a 'dirty' channnel. Green is for clean.
I didnt understand this lesson well, in my amp i have: Volume, High, MID, LOW, MASTER, REVERB. And I have a bottom CHANNEL SELECT and one of OVER DRIVE. thanks for giving me a little help :)
Thanks Mark, it was very interesting lesson
Thanks Mark, it was very interesting lesson
I have a BM6 amp can I do the same things as in this video?
I have a BM6 amp can I do the same things as in this video?
I use a Line 6 : Spider 4 even though it doesnt have the same switches as yours the buttons work very similar thanks Mark :)
I use a Line 6 : Spider 4 even though it doesnt have the same switches as yours the buttons work very similar thanks Mark :)
I'm sitting here with my Boogie Mk IV and my strat setting the tones where you have them. Sounds great! I have been running this amp with my JCM 2000 on stage, it will be interesting to here how it sounds now! Thanks for the lesson Mark. I love Floyd, Kansas and Styx, would be cool to see you live sometime.
What if you don't have the mid control
Thank you for being thorough about the guitar and amps and the relationships between the two. I too have a Peavy VYPYR and a Crate Acoustic Amp (as you stated very basic). Now that I know the fundamentals I can appreciate the VYPYR's other dials that let me experiment with out buying a boat load of petals/effects. Thank you for the well thought out lessons and adding in the tab n fret board supplements.
Awesome thus far.......you make look and sound so easy!!!! Thanks for the easy to follow instructions
Nice lesson... want to particularly mention I love the harmonic you used at the end of scene 4 (@ 6:38) with the distortion and a bit of whammy bar... sounded great.
Mark, I have just started with you're lessons, I have a Ibanez electric guitar and a G-DEC 30 amp. Is this a good start?? The amp has a lot of fetures I don't know anything about do you have any suggestions where to put my controlles? Thank you for the lessons.
Hey Wanda. I'm sure your gear is fine. Make sure the guitar is set up properly (action, intonation). You may want to have a guitar tech or repair person take a look at it. any local guitar shop of Guitar Center will have someone who can do this. As far as your anp goes, Set the tone controls staightup and go from there. It's a matter of taste: you may need to boost the treble (high frequency) control to add more sparkle. The bass (low frequencies) control will add or cut the low end. Just experiment till it sounds good to you. You may also have an on board effects processor, which will add reverb, echo, and chorus to your sound. Try to have someone you know who is familiar with this feature show you how it works. You can get a lot of great sounds with this. And again, just experiment til you get a sound that you like..good luck, Mark
I play a Peavey VYPYR amp, and it is a huge pain to figure out the effects. Time is my friend ;)
i have the same amp and i hate it. I bought a Slash signature Les Paul and it sounded exactly like Slash's guitar in the store but i cant get close to it with this amp =(
edit* turns out the dealer was playing it on a marshall AFD(appetite for destruction) 100
So, I put my strap on (pulls on my neck) and then here you are--no strap! Is your leg up on a book or stool to raise? Good idea maybe.
Get a stool with a rung on it to bring your leg up more parallel to the floor so the guitar doesn't slide down your leg. Or, sit in a chair lower to the floor to get the same position of your leg. Then, you won't need a strap....Mark
Wow, so many possibilities between the guitar controls and amp controls, it's like a rubix cube !
Hi Mark. My question relates more to troubleshooting your amp. I purchased a used solid state amp (Marshall MG50 DFX) I notice quite a bit of "buzz" coming from the speaker, particularly when I'm in Overdrive mode. Obviously it sounds worse when the gain/volume is up. Now here's the kicker... when my fingers actually touch the strings, the "buzz" is reduced considerably. What exactly is going on here? Does this sound like a normal phenomenon to you? Is this inherent with solid state amps or does it sound like a have a problem with the amp? Btw.. my guitar is a Gibson SG Supreme.
Hey mate i had this problem too and i realized that the jack was the problem. So i bought a better (high quality) jack and the 'buzz disappeared! I think you might try that.
why not just using PC as amplifier , for the beginning stages ? i personally use guitar rig .. but there are plenty free amp software too. As a side note - almost in every guitars store i asked - i heard that i must have (buy..) an amp , and it's a lie. just plug the guitar to PC line-in and play :)
i have a imac and i will be doing the same as it gives me diffrent types of amps
Very useful information in this video.
excellent information!
Mark, your lesson on amplification helped me to understand how to operate my amp better. I have a Fender Frontman 15 G amp, which based on your lesson is a practice amp. The part that helped me a lot was how to control the distortion. I had a question concerning the whammy bar from the first lesson. I have turned my whammy bar all the way in clockwise to where it is snug. How far do you turn the whammy bar in to where it is in the proper position to to raise and lower pitches of notes? Thanks
Hey Delbert....The important consideration for this is how your bridge is set up. If you are playing a strat style the bridge rides on two set screws, and the springs in the recess of the back of the guitar behind the bridge act to counteract the pull of the strings. There is also a claw in this recess that the springs are attatched to. This claw is mounted onto the body with two wood screws. All of this needs to be carfully set up and adjusted. You can vary the number of springs you use, and you can pull the claw back to pull the bridge closer to the to of the guitar. With proper set up the bridge will whammy down, lowering the pitch of the notes, and you can also pull up on the whammy to raise the pitches. If you intend to whammy in both directions, you should have a competent guitar tech set it up this way for you. The bar itself should be screwed in as far as it is comfortable for your right hand. If it is screwed in to much, you might have a problem with "dive bomb" stuff. Let me know how it works out for you...Mark
is the new version up?
It has been filmed.....waiting for it to get posted...stay tuned.
ok this was interesting, but I would have been better able to use it if you have really used the type of amp that most of us are starting out with. this would have been useful when i get to the point of being able to play a cord...lol. can u show us something more to our level like a good old Crate amp?
Your point is duly noted....and i agree with you. i hope to put an add on to this lesson using a more bare bones amp...stay tuned.
I've filmed an updated version of this lesson....should be up soon....Mark B.
Hi Mark! Awesome Lesson. I am a novice, and I am loving the guitar! I have a new Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a little Epiphone 15 watt amp. I really like the guitar so far, so I'll probably just up grade the pickups at some point. When I get better, I'll probably want a new guitar, but for now this is fine. The amp on the other hand is kind of crappy. I don't really have anything to compare it to because it is the only amp I have ever used, and it is ok for in my office where I practice, but what about playing out doors or in a huge room? I'm not ready to bust out 3 grand for a killer amp. I do want a tube amp, in a combo or stack. There is just so much to pick from. The amp you have in the video, do you use that on stage?? Any feedback you have is great. Maybe I should go for a new guitar first like you suggest? I don't know. Thanks
Hey Kurt.....looks like you've got a pretty nice guitar for now. I'd step up to a tube amp. Fender has a nice line of tube amps you should check out. I have a Blues Junior, which is 15 watts, but has great tone. To play in a larger venue you'll need more amp, like a Blues Deluxe or the Hot Rod Deville, these are 40 watts. There are a lot of choices for under a grand. Check out MusiciansFriend.com.......by the way I've filmed an updated version of this lesson, which is more comprehensive. The amp I use in this lesson is a Mesa Boogie Mark IV, which I use on stage.
Mark, I've purchased the Roland Cube 80X as it has input for headphones.Great for silent practise sessions at home with the family around. Have you an opinion on this amp as a beginners amp? Based on your advice ,I'll buy a tube amp once once I've become a competent player.Hopefully in the not too distant future.
nice lesson mark, I just purchased a second hand usa strat and I really didn't know how to make it sound decent. I also purchased a marshal amp on ebay. But it doesn't have tubes. It's o.k I guess for now. But I think I will not want to keep it forever. thank you terry
This question has to do with mesa boogie. Why do they stop making some of their best amps (such as Mark iic+ and Mark iv)? I'm just curious.
Hi Mark, I purchased a Line 6 Spider IV 15. It seems to have 4 channels clean, crunch, metal and insane. I noticed in your lesson that the strat gives alot of range. I have an Epiphone SG. Can I get similiar tones and sounds with this guitar as a strat?
great lesson i have a question where did you buy this amp and how much it pay(d)
I bought my Mesa at a store in Cleveland that no longer exists. It was called Ohio Guitar. It was a great store and teaching studio. Sadly, it was put out of business by a Guitar Center that went up a block away. My Mark IV with the extension cabinet cost about 1800.00, but that was 14 years ago. They don't make this model anymore, but I'm sure if you search aorund (EBay, etc.) you can find one.
Great Great!
No doubt this was confusing and I am glad to say I picked one of the most intricate and difficult instruments to learn! Thanks for the great info Mark - I will first "experiment" a little with my Peavy amp and get back to you with any questions.
Ok, deciding between a Mesa lonestar classis or the new mark V and wanted your opinion. I like the warmth of the lonestar however the V seems to be more versatile. Being that you have the IV do you think I can achieve a blues tone from the V? Decisions, help!
Hi Mark, Thanks for the lesson, most other learning videos I've found focuses mainly on acustic guitars, so this was great. I'm a complete beginner and can't really afford real lessons at the moment (all the saving went into the guitar and accessories :) but JamPlay seems to be a great place for learning until I do. I did have a small rookie accident with my amplifier though, hope somebody might read and learn from my mistake :) I was very much enjoying the amplifier session until my nabour knocked on the door, which proved to be catastrophic. I was standing up wearing a strap and didn't consider putting the guitar down, so as I walked to get the door I managed to pull the amplifier off of the table, resulting in the input jack being knocked into the amplifier, effectively ruining it ;/ Will be getting a new amplifier when the next paycheck comes, and a longer cable, Will probably keep the new one on the floor in the future too :) just in case.
Ouch! There's a lot of great amp stands on the market. Quiklok makes a good one. This is a great way to get your amp off the floor, and you can angle it up, for better pistening proximity.
Thanks for the suggestion Mark, if it can secure the amp so it won't fall over even when accidentally pulling the cable, it will definitely be something I'm gonna look into when getting a new amp. I've also considered another solution, which is getting a Line 6 pocket pod or pocket pod express. It would be great for more quiet practicing with headphones, while still getting the electric guitar sound and I think it would actually also work with my current amp, as only the guitar input jack seems to be broken. The amp has a cd/mp3 mini-jack input, so the idea was to simply use the headphone output from the pocket pod to the mp3 input on the amplifier. Would that work ? I realize that it is not the perfect solution, but for now that would get me both a "working" amp and portable headphone amp for a cheaper cost than just getting a new amplifier altogether.
Sound like a good plan to me. A portable practice amp is great for silent practicing, and they get pretty decent tones for you. Make sure you're working on your tone with you amp so you'll be good to go when jamming with a live rhtthm section.
hey mark...first great lessons...i have a few problems with my amp...i keep hearing a cracking sound and somtetimes a popping sound or a real high pitch sound (sry kinda a hard sound to explain) and i also cant get the distortion to sound right...my amp is a marshall mg series 15 cdr....i also have a behinringer distortion modeler dm100 and i tried to hook that up hopin to get a better sound but they dont sound right either...can you help me out?..am i not setting it up right or is something wrong with my amp?...i just bought it a few months ago so its not that old
i have the same problem so i asked lynchburg music and they say to stop it you have to tough a string and the noise should stop
touch* not tough
Tammy...sounds like you have some nice gear. The crackling sound may be from a bad guitar cable, or you may have a problem with your guitar..maybe a short in your output jack...that's common in less expensive guitars. The squealing may be from the gain set too high on your distortion. Start off with the gain set lower, and gradually increase it til you have the desired amount of crunch. If you're using your Behringer for distortion set the amp gain lower, and use the Behringer's gain for more distortion. A lot of want your looking for takes experimentation. Start clean, and gradually add the distortion til you get the sound you're looking for. I'll assume your guitar is descent....it's hard to get a good overdriven tone with a crappy guitar.....good luck..Mark B.
hey mark...thanks for the tips...i tried it and it still sounds crappy...the cable i got is a vtg audio low noise..the guy at the guitar shop said it was one of the best....the guitar i have i got with a beginners package...it is a trinity river...is that a good guitar or should i get a new one?i thought it was the strings so i put d9's on it cause i was told they were the best strings...my output jack on my guitar is lose so could that be the problem?...i keep tighting it back up but it dont stay tight....could you tell me what a good guitar and amp i should get?...i was thinking about a fender or gibson....i have small hands so i think i need one that is not too big....i would appreciate your opinion...thanks in advanced
Tammy, Beginner packages usually have cheap electronics, as well as other components- That's why they are so cheap. They will wear out much sooner, as yours has a loose input jack connection. If you can afford it, try a fender standard Strat, and a Super Champ XD tube amp. If you want more of a all in one tube amp try a VOX Valvetronix tube amp. Both cost just under $300.00. Also if you start to hear a crackle when changing pick ups, your switch has a little dirt or dust at the contact point(S). Can be cleaned out easily.
Hey Mark. Really liked the amp you use Boogie MK 4. Are tubes the best way to go?
for great tone, absolutely.
Mark, I really enjoyed this lesson. All those buttons and knobs are daunting for a beginning electric guitar player. I think I can see clearly that a person really has to listen up and keep trying to express himself, no matter what level he may play at, just like in trying to communicate any other way. That is really a new thought for me after all these years of playing acoustic ... duh, hello in there! I really appreciate your work.
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hey mark! i just started playing for 2 days ago and i wonder if you have any tips on easy songs to start playing?
try the songs and pentatonic jams in my upcoming lessons.....Aura Lee, Somewhere Over The Rainbow are cool.
Hey Mark, i got a bit confused with the tubes getting warm up part. You said something about the tubes need to be warmt up before they can be used. Why do they need to be warm up first before use? and what happen if i dont?
Tubes are old school electronics.. go figure that back in they day . they got it right. they work much like light bulbs inside.. and to function properly they have to heat up to full hot for the electricity to jump properly through the tubes... solid state is the same concepts but much smaller. and without the vacume tubes.. - and smaller -= instant warmup -- tubes also ahve a shorter shelf life for operation time.. and can burn out like a light bulb.. usually in a much shorter time epriod than solid state. this. is an electronics persepctive.. for gutars.. im a 1 day old owner.. but for electronics. its been my life since 7 years old.
Hey Paul...thanks for fielding that one. Good information..I'm definitely not a electronics wizard!
Hi Mark, question on my practice amp. I has a lot of buzz, even at low levels. Is that buzz a function of the solid state amp, my cord, the guitar or all three?
Check to see if your amp has a polarity reverse switch. If not try a ground lift on the power cable. Try changing the proximity of your guitar to your amp. Try changing your guitar cable...get a good quality one, very important. Also changing your pickup selector on your guitar can help control this, too.
i guess this is where i shouldve asked the questions about my amp...sry about that mark
Nice Lesson Mak!! I really liked it! Thank you.
okay so will there be any lessons on jamplay where i will absolutely need a bigger and better amp than what i have i have now (practice amp First Act MA104)?
You'll need a better amp when you start jamming with other musicians (especially a drummer), and when your looking for better tone.....Tubes! What you have is great to get started in your practice room.
Hey Mark, I'm really digging the lessons. I'm a beginner and I already feel like I'm way ahead of the game, haha. I have a question that pertains to effects of a specific song. I'm currently working on the lead guitar to "Where You Get Love" by Matthew Sweet (it seems like a simple song to play) and I'm not sure what effects are being utilized. I'm using a Line 6 Spider III (15 watt model) amp and I'd like to get as close as possible to the sound of the song without switching amps. I kind of get the feeling it's just one big wall of distortion masking a clean tone, but I rather have a pro's answer. Thanks in advance!
Hey Ryan...I'll check out the song and get back to ya..Mark B.
Hi, I 'm french and sorry for my english, can you recommended me a book about amp and the differents settings, in fact I am a beginner and I realise it is very important to have the good song when you play guitar, blues, jazz, hard, an so on ... I don't mind if it is in english ;-) thanks
Fast question for you Mark. I just have a no name practice amp which works fine for now. The chord going to the amp from the guitar causes allot of feed back. I know I need to replace the chord. The shielding in it must be broken or something. Can you recommend a good chord?
Monster Cables are great...they have a lifetime guarantee, too. Also Planet Wave cables are cool. You can customize them to any length.
By the way. The amp model is irrelevant. All amps work essentially the same.
This was a great instructional lesson. This is the first anyone has ever explained how amps work and its capabilites. I have a line 6 spider 3 combo and have been able to get some pretty cool tones now that I got this lesson down pat. Thanks Mark!
Hi Mark can u please find a practice amp to show us how to setup a smaller less complicated amp??
Hey Juan...sorry i had to use my Mesa for this lesson. My amp has all the controls a smaller amp has, but with three channels. A more basic amp has one channel, which means you set up one tone on it. Most practice amps i see have an overdrive, or distortion feature, which activates with a push button. The amp will have a gain control which will sweep from "clean", or no distortion, to overdrive depending how much you sweep it. Then you have an overall volume control to set your volume after you set your gain control. The amp will have a set of equalization control to set your tone...which I explain and demonstrate in the lesson. These amps might come with extra features, like a spring reverb...which you set to get a room ambience sound. Some have a headphone out for private practicing, and some even come with onboard effects...which is cool. They're pretty simple to set up...the key is experimentation....hope this helps...Mark B.
The Fender G-DEC is a great practice amp. I'd reccomend oit to all beginners.
Hi Mark, another great lesson hitting exactly what I wanted to know. I have a Roland solid-state SuperCube-60, a gift from a great friend. It has two jacks, on labeled Normal linked to Gain II and the other labeled Drive linked to both Gain I and II. So that sounds like two channels, but do I need some sort of stomp to switch between them? Also it has Stack Pre Out/Main In. Are these for effects? How do they work? OK, lots of questions, hoping for more material. Inquiring minds want to know! Peace out, Brian
I got my amp as a gift, no manual. I was able to find the amp manual on-line for free, and it answered a lot of questions! Now for some experimenting!
What basic equipment do you recommend for MIDI/computer work? I'm thinking ahead that later I could use my computer to add in the drums, ect. for my guitar playing to further the hobby as an alternative to finding a band. I looked and saw mostly $300+ software programs that do this.
Hi Mark, Great lesson, I am just beginning on jamplay and have been through just about everyone's first lesson in phase one and you were the only one whom covered this subject. You said to tune your eq to taste. Is there one pickup combination that is better than the other to do this I have a squire strat, so the 5 selector switch applies. Don't know if you need another subject to teach on but if you are willing to accept an Idea, stomp boxes is somthing I would like to see covered. Thanks, look forward to further teachings. marcos
Hi Marcos...love the picture with you and your child! Try starting with you switch in the middle position (middle pick up activated). If you get the EQ on your amp set to the sound you like, then all the selector positions should sound good. We have talked about doing a series on stomp boxes, which I'd love to do...so stay tuned...Mark B.
Best Instructor I've seen on this site. I'm disappointed there aren't more lessons by you already loaded. You're an outstanding teacher. A pleasure to listen to....you should have your own site. I'd join.
Thanks Benjamin....I'll keep adding to my lesson series as much as my schedule, and Jamplay's schedule allows....glad you enjoy it. I sure do! Talk to ya soon Mark B.
Looks like a real nice amp with a lot of great features that I've been looking for. I did some research on your Model and see they are out of production. What Mesa amp replaced your model? I have been looking at Marshalls lately with simular features but many of the reviews I've been reading are not so favorable. Seems like there quality has slipped lately. Do you have any sugestions on higher end amps I may concider? Thanks...
Hi Bruce...sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I have one suggestion. Check out the Marshall JVM 410. It has four channels. Powered by 4 EL34 tubes it puts out 100 watts. thsi thing looks like a monster...it's pretty expensive, though.list for 2,500...I have a friend who has one he wants to sell...it's too much amp for him.
Hi Mark, I'm just setting out on the guitar so bought a fairly cheap. your lesson is great and has explained a lot, but my amp has a para mid setting as well as treble, mid and bass controls - can you tell me what this does please? Thanks
Hey Ian....that sounds like a parametric midrange control...that gives you more control over the midrange eq. That control will vary the center frequency of the midrange. In other words, your can change the range of the midrange you need to cut or boost. Thsi gives you more tonal possibilities and more control over your midrange. But, as I say, experiment with it and set it to taste.
Mark: what the best way to avoid feedback?
Hey Sylvia....you control feedback by the proximity to your amp. If it's something your trying to avoid, you're probably to close to your amp or your playing too loud. Try backing off the amount of distortion you're using, too.
Thankyou Mark, I have a Marshall Jvm 410 amp way to much for my needs to many channels and controls ( for a Beginner) Your lesson was great. Very easy to follow lesson i feel i understand my amp much better now Thankyou
Mark, All the knobs on your amp look like the volume and tone controls on my cheap strat copy!
Mark when will thier be you next lesson? So a far your a great help. Easy to fallow and listen to and a reason to stay with Jamplay. ...Thanks from a Stratocaster owner.