What is Worship Guitar Tone? A discussion of the sounds we hear on Sundays

Рет қаралды 10,908

Күн бұрын

In this video, Brian and Bradford discuss what exactly makes up 'worship guitar tone'.
Download our guitar presets for most major modeling platforms here: worshiptutorials.com
NOTE: There aren't any audio samples in this video - it is simply a discussion. We will be uploading content that supports this video with examples on how to dial in every part of the signal chain, including amps, drives, modulation, delays, and reverbs.
Table of contents:
00:00 - Welcome
00:31 - We hear this a lot - Worship guitar is boring, and it all sounds the same
03:00 - We set up the amp tone first - how we do it
06:35 - What types of amps are typically used for worship tones
08:27 - Why is the AC30 type amp used more?
10:33 - Putting wet effects into a high gain amp doesn't work that well
12:29 - Next ingredient - Compression
16:07 - Overdrive/Distortion
28:25 - Octave and pitch effects
30:36 - Modulation - Chorus, Tremolo, Vibrato, etc
32:59 - Delay/Reverb
33:44 - Delays
41:19 - Reverb
46:57 - Wet FX in front of the amp(s) or after?
51:30 - Whole purpose of this video
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Download Pads and instantly elevate your worship sets: www.worshiptutorials.com/pads/
View our Helix Patches: worshiptutorials.com/helix/
Join our Facebook group for worship leaders and worship team members: / 297108460822183
Join our Facebook P&W Gear group: / 2113165795376666
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Our vision is that every church in the world would experience worship that is both excellent and authentic. We are here to help you make that happen.
CURRENT GEAR - stuff we use in (and to make) videos
Cameras:
Sony FX3: amzn.to/3TEa80p
Sony a74: amzn.to/3fWONBd
Acoustic Guitars:
McPherson Acoustics (Camrielle, Carbon Fiber Sable): mcphersonguitars.com
Martin D-35 // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Martin 000-28 // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Taylor 414ce // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
LR Baggs Anthem Pickup (in both) // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Capos:
G7th Performance Capos:
Amp modelers we make presets for:
Line 6 Helix // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Line 6 HX Stomp // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Kemper // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
Fractal Axe-FX III, FM3, FM9 // www.fractalaudio.com
Quad Cortex: www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
Recording Interface:
Universal Audio Apollo // www.zzounds.com/a--3980936/it...
In-Ear Monitors:
Ultimate Ears: myinears.com
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Web: www.worshiptutorials.com
Facebook: / worshiptutorials
Instagram: / worshiptutorials
Twitter: / wrshptutorials

Пікірлер: 93

@bmitchellmusic 6 күн бұрын

First! We wanna break all this stuff done further. Let us know what other questions you may have!

@felixortiz9330 6 күн бұрын

I would pay to see and HEAR all of this information/theory put in action…meaning amp, guitar and effects at hand and go thru these SAME topics but with elements….it would be like a master class approach

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

We will be uploading exactly what you’re describing soon. This was sort of a primer

@felixortiz9330 6 күн бұрын

@@worshiptutorials perfect!!

@felixortiz9330 6 күн бұрын

@@worshiptutorials to me the hardest part it’s balancing the tone so that you can use both neck and bridge pickup…so hard

@ronaldweasley5346 6 күн бұрын

I’d love to be able to create my own preset on my FM9 and have the sounds that are most important.

@danielsurratt6296 6 күн бұрын

It would be interesting as a follow up to this conversation to hear some well known worship riffs but played with the “wrong” tones (blues, classic rock, metal, etc). Might be fun and shed light on why the typical worship tones work so well for the genre.

@mingusnovember6445 3 күн бұрын

That’s my point I think. Tone doesn’t matter to some guy far away with one string on a guitar who is just praising the Lord for his heart.

@bryanedwardrupert 6 күн бұрын

My gosh, been using your Revv D25 preset pack on my QC for the past few weeks and it just absolutely sings through my ESP Eclipse with EMG 81 active pickups - totally my favorite go to preset. For ambient and volume swell moments I’ve been running all the effects in the package (both overdrives, tremolo, delays and added reverse delay, and adjusted reverb to almost maximum decay) and the results are so ethereal and almost hypnotic, especially when you add a wah pedal to the concoction 😆

@nolanreimer1193 6 күн бұрын

I didn’t think there was another guy using active pickups for worship!! I’ve got fishman moderns in an Epiphone Les Paul 7-string and it sounds killer through literally everything

@bryanedwardrupert 6 күн бұрын

@@nolanreimer1193 that’s awesome - they really add something special and distinctive. And it’s fun to bring something unconventional to worship!

@nolanreimer1193 6 күн бұрын

@@bryanedwardrupert it’s true. I haven’t had the luxury of making my own board yet, so I just play the passive setting on the pickups, but there really isn’t much of a difference. But man the split coil on the neck pickup is beautiful

@wesley7376 4 күн бұрын

I've played my Jim Root Tele in church before. I play a hss dk24 with a floyd frequently. Both pair well with my hx stomp running a plexi on each side with the gain relatively low and an mxr micro amp always on. That same amo setting with my sss strat gives me the Miraculum tone almost perfectly. I don't use the cliche ambient reverbs. I only have a 2ish second 30% wet plate. I don't have tempo synced delays either. 99% of the time I have a 650ms delay on the left and a 380ms delay on the right that's fairly clear, medium-low mix, 5 or so repeats, love the dd500. Then I usually put a 100% 18ms delay on one side only in the stomp. Sounds huge and atmospheric, sounds "churchy", but it's a little unique. It serves the songs great

@bryanedwardrupert 4 күн бұрын

@@wesley7376 the best way I can describe the ambient tone I’ve been getting lately through EMG active pickups is if you listen to the intro guitar droning Wes Borland produced in Boiler by Limp Bizkit 🔥

@markbrown7534 Күн бұрын

I enjoy watching this channel but just had some thoughts so wanted to share them here. As a Brit living in Africa, an observation that I have made is that when many of us (including myself) speak about ‘worship music’ we find ourselves referencing on the whole, music that is produced out of the USA and maybe Australia. There is a whole world full of worshippers from many different countries, cultures, languages, musical styles and sounds. For example, in our church in South Africa, we can have a set that includes songs from Bethel, Hillsong, and Worship Central, but also local songs in isiXhosa, Zulu, or Afrikaans for example with their own sound as well as language. I get that channels like this one can only speak to what they know, but it would be great to have some more balanced discussion. This could include what worship music looks like in South America, Europe, or Africa for example. Isn’t there a large Spanish-speaking contingent in many US cities for example? Another example is that worship music that has come from Britain has a different sound and the guitar sounds and parts do not follow what is being copied in many of the songs that are coming out of the big name churches and worship leaders in the US. Another thought is that many churches that do not have the resource that some of these bigger churches have so are unable to pull off these parts. Would be great to have a series on using songs in different contexts.

@paoloelicano 5 күн бұрын

I've always procrastinated learning how to shape my tone. Thank you for this video, this really motivates me to do it and gives me a good things to start with. God bless you guys!

@markjones3176 6 күн бұрын

Thank you for doing this. This is great information. Love the Channel!!!

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

Thanks Mark!

@delroygibb7808 6 күн бұрын

Very thankful for all you do. 🙏

@ruvchbrevth 5 күн бұрын

Thank you guys for sharing this 🖤

@ErinWible 5 күн бұрын

A guitar, a UA Lion, delay, reverb and a volume knob (or my JHS Rat pedal into my Fender Amp) 🙂😁 Love the videos and the thought you put into everything you talk about. Keep up the great work.

@BrianLeverett 2 күн бұрын

I appreciate you guys so much for this discussion! It could have been two hours long and I’d still want more. Keep up the great content!

@meloche1syndrome 2 күн бұрын

6:08 set to the middle (for Gibson style), tone and volume full. Get the tone you want, and then modulate the presention on the guitar side. Move the pots around to bring the warmth back. But, since it's balanced on both pickups, you'll get the tone you want on solo pickups

@christianparr3351 6 күн бұрын

I find it hard to believe you guys don't have a OCD overdrive. That's like a must have classic

@MattLawrence3 6 күн бұрын

Case Study - Aspen Overdrive!!! Such a great pedal!

@mtguitar5150 6 күн бұрын

Delays, reverb, mod, that is all child's play. The hard part with tone, is nailing...the actual tone. Been at it for years, still buying IR's, trying to find something I love. I'd like to see some in depth EQ instructions, how to get rid of "bad" parts of tone, etc. 32:20, that is basically my effects MO. Make it pleasing to the audience, only musicians are out there crying about 80s Chorus, I think laypeople still love it. When it comes to verb,delay, I go big I find most of it gets eaten in the mix

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

We’ve got that content coming. Dialing in amps (following along as we dial them in) is next up

@mtguitar5150 6 күн бұрын

@@worshiptutorials what about a "fix my tone" series, where players can send you guys a short sample and discuss the tone, fix it, etc.

@kerrytyk111 6 күн бұрын

@@mtguitar5150”Fix My Tone”. Welcome to the Fix My stone podcast… I think that’d be a big thing

@fistwood 6 күн бұрын

@@mtguitar5150 Such a good idea!! Cmon Brian Bradford make it come true

@jeremymcghee6477 6 күн бұрын

Hi guys, Absolutely love your channel and all the guitar tech info you put out. I play guitar for my church and went from a helix floor back to regular pedals mainly because there is nothing like individual guitar pedals . I am having a little trouble getting my board dialed in though. I’m playing through my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III. Anyway I’m going from my guitar into a tuner pedal to a crybaby, into my Boss overdrive sd-1 to my joyo California into my mooer boost into my joyo tremelo into my stryman cloudburst and into my Boss DD-3 and into my input for not my amp. Any tips to get the best sound out of all of those pedals. I’m working on adjusting the levels and tones currently.

@marais888 6 күн бұрын

I received a compliment Sunday from a non-musician who said, hey you rose above "vanilla" today

@sosborniv 6 күн бұрын

In the same vein as using predelay, I find that using the High cut on the ambient effects really helps the notes stay crisp in the midst of big delay and verbs. Let the initial attack be mids and highs, while the ambience is low mids and lows. It gives you separation, and as long as you’re not stepping on the bass line, all is well.

@borntoworship777 6 күн бұрын

Just want to say a quick thank for the free presets for Quad Cortex. I use them all the time at church. THANK YOU

@worshiptutorials 3 күн бұрын

Awesome! Thanks for checking them out! Enjoy!

@williamwright6666 3 күн бұрын

Good stuff! Thank you. Could you cover the difference between treble vs presence and bass vs depth in future content?

@worshiptutorials 3 күн бұрын

Presence is typically just an even higher frequency arbitrarily chosen by the designer of the product. Depth is typically deeper too. Same idea. But it could also be something entirely different depending on the product.

@meloche1syndrome 2 күн бұрын

Pretty close to how i set mine up too (worship leader and music director acoustic only for 17 years, moved and started playing bass at a different church and am now being tapped for every position.) I use a valeton gp200 (huge recommendation) and I'm setting up multiple patches for different songs, but, also for my different electrics and i use whichever guitar sounds better with the set that week, and then dial in the tone and reverb settings per song too

@eddysel10 6 күн бұрын

Great video. I was just thinking about the fact that there should be e next more in detail and practical video (for each section), and you guys talk about it at the end of the video. Pls based the video on both real pedals and also the digital world, like the Fractal.

@rockychieng88 4 күн бұрын

The only reason why most of the players uses AC30, you can't deny The Edge of U2 influences are there. Try using Hiwatt amps, you can get a lot of clean headroom.

@dandanramsay1769 5 күн бұрын

Suggestion! for a fun video, could you fellas try a challenge!! each man will hand the other a handful of budget pedals along with a random amp and the game is to use what's provided to reach a worship tone!! then compare each other's end sound as you play along with a worship song of choice! Think it'd be funny and interesting how you'd set yourself up! Loving the content keep it up!

@benjaminkoskinen5835 6 күн бұрын

Just get DD-7 & RV-5 and there you got all the tone capability you will ever need. And yes, DD-7 can ping pong in your ears. Look at the manual setting it up. Also you can get both together under 200 bucks.

@user-wk4bv1fn4p 6 күн бұрын

What is the best way to even out all my master volumes on presets in in the Helix without effecting tone?

@dominicgraham5310 2 күн бұрын

I appreciate these videos and have learnt a lot from you guys, thanks! I was looking into a Tonex One pedal and then started thinking about the morality of all the amp modelling and captures that get used. Here are some thoughts, which hopefully will be helpful. I'd be interested for anyone's responses. If I copied a band's CD and then started selling my copies, that would be illegal and immoral. If I take an amp, copy the sound of it into an algorithm and then sell it, wouldn't that also be morally wrong? In both cases I'm taking something that someone has crafted, am copying it, and then selling it and making profit. I'm depriving the original creator of business for their original product. Basically, I'm stealing specific sounds. Now, arguments I've read against this are of the kind - that if we start thinking like this then anyone who plays a guitar on a record would need to pay the guitar company for using that sound, etc. But I think the logic fails here. Guitars and amps are made expressly for the purpose of musicians using their sounds to create and make music. The makers sell the guitars and amps so those sounds can be utilised; they are part of the chain of making music. This is different to copying the exact sound of a guitar/amp/pedal electronically and then replacing the original, and making profit instead of the original creators. I think there's a lot for Christians to be thinking about here. Which pedals should we buy... when most pedals are versions of previous pedals? Is it ok to buy an overdrive pedal, because the basic idea of overdrive has become so widespread, and the circuitry is no one's intellectual property? If you'd bought an early, cheaper tubescreamer which copied the Ibanez one, would that have been morally wrong? There are lots of questions about all this, about who owns ideas, creative inventions, and how we should respect makers - who themselves are adapting older circuits. I think these are issues Christians should be thinking through, in our efforts for all our music to glorify God. (The morality of how we engage with the secular guitar/amp/pedal/capture and pre-set developments would make for some really good, challenging, and helpful videos I think.) God bless, and glad to hear any thoughts.

@jbbourbon178 18 сағат бұрын

Funny thing is, one of the best worship services I ever played in my delay pedal wasn’t working right so I turned it off. I instantly played more bluesy since I couldn’t hide behind delay. It is more about the playing and not about the gear.

@worshiptutorials 17 сағат бұрын

Sure. And we talk about that. But there is still a tone and approach associated with playing worship guitar and people have questions about that and we are just wanting to help with that :)

@jbbourbon178 17 сағат бұрын

@@worshiptutorials y’all are great. No worries here.

@Joe-vc2cc 6 күн бұрын

Can you guys put this on apple podcasts so i can hear in the car?

@1975cdub 6 күн бұрын

I have a question. I have a Skyflite (that I was inspired to buy because of WT) and If I use a lead sound on the P-90 bridge pickup I end up with uncontrollable humming feedback after notes start to die out. I've never seen you guys have this issue so any tips on what I might be doing wrong? Maybe I have my pickups too high? All the info I se on P90s says to have them pretty close to the strings to get them sounding their best which I do. Is it just a problem that you get with a P90 through a modeler?

@sunardieyu 5 күн бұрын

How do you guys high-cut or low-cut your reverbs when playing lead or rhythm electric guitar?

@andrewmarsh3094 2 күн бұрын

It has taken me almost 30 years to find my tone. Pulling from all kinds of genres and artists. I didn't really have to change a lot for worship perhaps more drive in places more levels for ambient effects where appropriate. If someone wants to sound the record cool. Want to play note for note awesome. For me tone has to be close and the signature licks or hooks should be there maybe with some personal additions. Just my personal thoughts

@Dannyvm27 5 күн бұрын

Are you guys gonna review the PRS SE NF3?

@matthewseel5961 6 күн бұрын

I like these guys, however I've found that sometimes people add in so many effects that your guitar starts to sound like not a guitar and more like an autotune singing voice. Everybody has their preference, but I prefer my guitar to sound like a guitar.

@Timbo1969 6 күн бұрын

Have you guys done anything with a Valeton GP200? I’m using one and just wing it. But would like some tips etc

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

We don’t have any of the Valeton modelers.

@20weststudio 6 күн бұрын

What do you use to monitor your tone to set it up? I found using my in-ears vs. headphones vs. FRFR cab can sound very different. Hopefully we can get close enough to not have to tweak a lot at the venue.

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

I have a set of Barefoot 01 monitors here in the studio - that's what I listen through when dialing things in. They are high end studio monitors with a pretty flat EQ curve. We've made content on this before, but it's nearly impossible to know exactly what your rig is going to sound like in a live venue, because there are way too many variables that are out of your control (and that you cannot replicate). Everything from the acoustics of the room itself to the PA speakers, the amplifier running the speakers, the EQ curve that gets applied to those speakers, the sound board, etc. And then there is the human element, like someone changing the EQ of the PA speakers (and often changing it incorrectly), the person running sound and what they're doing to your channel, etc. The best you can do is to find something that is fairly flat and consistent and use that to dial in your sounds, and then work with the sound people at your church or venue to get things sounding good in the live environment. Often you'll need to make changes live compared to your home listening setup. Here is some more on this topic: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/js9yibh3p9SWdYk.html

@matthewneedham2125 5 күн бұрын

Iv thought the same a lot cause if it not “feeling it” you will screw up your sound trying to make it better so I like making it sound right in the in ears so you are happy and comfortable with how you will hear yourself and then test your tone on different speakers/set ups to make smaller adjustments to get it balanced out right

@lewisbeeman 6 күн бұрын

Maybe we can start with talking to the completely volunteer sound board operator that doesn’t know how to mix the guitar into the mix

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

Ha that’s a totally different conversation. But yes. Also we’ve made content on that subject before.

@guitarplayerpatty 6 күн бұрын

I mean this with kind intentions but My favorite comment musicians make “worship music is so easy”. What that means to me is your gonna wing it on a Sunday with dad rock tone.

@tylergorham7301 6 күн бұрын

Totally on the same page with the gain staging approach discussed here. I like sending a low gain Klon sound into a mid gain Bluesbreaker style (Tallon Electric Dual Drive)... That gives me low + medium gain sounds when separate, then a glorious louder, more overdriven sound when combined. I like that the low gain adds compression and drive to the medium gain, rather than just making the mid gain drive louder. My wife would like to thank anyone that read this for sparing her having to hear me explain gain staging once again. 😆

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

😂😂 my wife is in the same boat!

@tylergorham7301 6 күн бұрын

@@worshiptutorials God bless them! There is absolutely no difference in me explaining why I like a particular tone than my 5 year old son explaining his LEGOs.

@StevenAlwine 6 күн бұрын

I go the opposite way and run a Bluesbreaker (a Walrus Audio Ages) into a Klon-style pedal (a Keeley Oxblood) because I like the extra high-end crispiness the Klon layers on top. The the BB is for punch, and the Klon is for hair. And yes, this channel scratches the "I wanna talk about my tone" itch like nothing else!

@tylergorham7301 6 күн бұрын

@@StevenAlwine I sat to play minutes after posting this and realized I also totally love the Klon pretty gained up into a light Bluesbreaker, so I'm with you on that approach, too! Ha!! The hairier Klon sound was killer!

@tylergorham7301 6 күн бұрын

Ope. I misread your reply but ya... I was playing around it's all great!

@awash-mg8ce 6 күн бұрын

I play my guitar using Line6 Tone Studio UX1 with Line6 Pod Farm 2.5 on my computer give me a tone structure that I can replicate in Pod Farm 2.5 on my computer

@pedromorenoo_ 6 күн бұрын

WT should create a podcast...

@worshiptutorials 6 күн бұрын

Thanks! This sort of is a podcast: kzfaq.info/sun/PLFoWUPj5_W1Br-K-_FP1djkYPk9eI6eTs

@pedromorenoo_ 6 күн бұрын

@@worshiptutorials live podcast?

@matthewneedham2125 5 күн бұрын

So what I’m hearing is don’t sound like John Mayer for worship and you’ll be OK? Lololololol this is funny 😆

@MathewTip 5 күн бұрын

A bit of dirt, lots of reverb & a lot of delay ….

@SimonHovlundMusic 6 күн бұрын

There should not be such a thing as ”worhip guitar tone”.

@SolaChristus Күн бұрын

Succinctly and perfectly said…thank goodness I’m not the only one who realizes this.

@Roddo731 5 күн бұрын

I’m sorry that worship guitar tone is terrible…. i’m a lover of Jesus worshiper of Jesus love playing on the worship team, but I refuse to have to have the “worship guitar tone.” Way too much washy reverb

@Trymyblicky 4 күн бұрын

You have to dial it in. It also helps the parts sound like the parts

@emmanuelibus 6 күн бұрын

Worship teams are pretty much glorified cover bands. There's no shame in that. We're pretty much x-copying each other, hance to commonality in pedals and tones. If it helps, why not.

@mingusnovember6445 3 күн бұрын

Bad. The simple answer is “bad tone.” It’s poor sound pumped from a fully stocked pedal board into a PA. I don’t understand the fascination with masking your natural tone. Additionally, electric guitar is just filler noise for bad music in worship songs. Some guy makes a major riff and they keep trying to be innovative but they can’t because of the ole I, V, vi, IV:|| ad nauseam.

@worshiptutorials 3 күн бұрын

You are free to do as you please. We chose to be informative and helpful here. The point of worship music isn’t to be “look at how cool my parts are” anyways. If that’s what you seek in worship you can write your own but even still - that’s not the point.

@mingusnovember6445 3 күн бұрын

That’s just like my opinion, man. It’s KZfaq. Sorry if that put you all off. I just don’t think it matters if it doesn’t matter.

@911elijah 13 сағат бұрын

Worship guitar tone sucks

@johngunckel5629 5 күн бұрын

I didn't listen to 4 seconds of this. Worship isn't how you play your guitar or what pedals you use. It's what you do in your everyday life. Worship is being Christlike

@worshiptutorials 5 күн бұрын

We 100% agree. However, this discussion is not about what worship is. It’s about the guitar tones that we hear on most worship albums that are being released these days. It’s a pretty important distinction 🤷🏻‍♂️ Do you often make comments about content that you don’t watch or listen to?

@bmitchellmusic 5 күн бұрын

The irony of your comment is that we addressed that.