Re: Woodshedding effects

[funharp@xxxxxx]

Hello Robb, Winslow and all,
 
Robb Bingham writes:
 
> >Again, nothing wrong with a little ~delay~ and a
> >little reverb and a little simulated amp- - -it?s
> >just not something you can practice in the woodshed.

I think that you not only can practice it, but that you must practice
it. (Maybe not if you just want to add a little bit to let the sound not
be so dry).
Therefore I agree with 

Winslow Yerxa:
> So in a very real sense, yes, you can and should
> woodshed any post-acoustic effects you want to use
> while playing. 

going a step further: If you are looking for effects in order to make
your sound more interesting for some musical styles, it takes a lot of
work to find the appropriate effects-settings and it also takes a lot of
practice time to become familiar with these sounds.  This is nothing
that you can add after recording IMO, because then you can't change what
you have recorded.
I'd like to underline Winslow's conclusion:

> They're not just after-effects; they
> become a part of your playing.

and I want to say: if they do not become part of your playing, then the
effects will add more confusion to your playing instead of an
enrichment.

playing with effects means that they also influence your playing, you
must be aware of it, this means you must play live with them to be able
to interact with them and to be able to control the effects instead of
to become a slave of the effects. this also means that you will be
forced to use some different playing techniques than you are used to,
this also means that you will be forced to a very precise and proper
intonation if you want that the effects work correctly and so on...

for instance: if you want to work with a wah-pedal, then it will take a
long time until you are used to it. And if you are recording with a
wah-pedal , and your amp is placed in another room so you cannot hear
what you are doing with the pedal, the results will be absolutely
unsatisfying if not to say it will sound terrible. Before you'd like to
record it you will have to spent lots of hours for practicing it... 

all in all: playing with effects can open new horizons for your playing,
if you are seriously working with it, and this is only possible, when
you are practicing a lot with it. It can make you a better player...

Most of my practice time I do play accoustically. Once or twice a week I
am using "all" my gear during the band's rehearsal. But there are times
when it's necessary to be alone with myself and all my equipment to try
and to improve my playing with some effects...because I want to...

Otto
living in Bremen, "Old Europe"

PS: I am curious what Richard Hunter thinks about this subject