Musicians around the world have expanded their musical creativity by not only inventing new ways to play instruments that have been around for hundreds of years, but by implementing effects to create signature sounds. Musicians like Jimmy Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Trey Anastasio are just a few guitarists who have signature tones that can be recognized not just by the songs being played, but by the tone their signal chain creates.
For instance, the classic tone executed by Jimmy Hendrix is a combination of electronics that resulted in his historic sound. A right handed Fender Stratocaster modified for a left handed player begins the sonic journey. Next Jimmy utilized a wah-wah pedal after hearing Frank Zappa use it at an adjacent venue in New York City one night in 1967. Jimmy continued adding to his effects arsenal picking up an octave doubling pedal, a fuzz pedal, and eventually a leslie simulator pedal before injecting this sound into a Marshall amplifier.
The journey a musician’s sound takes begins with an open mind to sonic exploration. Implementing a new effect takes time and the playing style may change according to the sound being produced. When you visit the “Tone Doctor” at Becker Sound Services, you have an opportunity to sit in a casual environment where an arsenal of effects are at your fingertips. Using the latest technology in effects and tone pedals, we will work together to find your signature sound, hearing in real time the progress being made.