software

After playing at that band concert, we saw the tape the next day in school. The playing was good, but my tone was so damn close to SRV it wasn't even funny. It was just my strat straight into the amp, treble pretty high (6-8) bass at around 3, vibrato channel.

What can i do to sound less like SRV, or could it just be that after watching 100's of hours of SRV videos his style just became glued to my hands? I'm in the middle of a Duane Allman phase (learning loads of ABB songs), and that's helping me re-transform my tone and style, but what else can i do? Should I start working on a completely different style, stop listening to my idols for a while, or just play and practice without having the song play in the background (I always learn stuff by ear by playing along with the song, as well as practicing improv, etc.)

Lets see? I play Mainly Strat's into fender amps (Name one and I've played it)My Influance's are Jimi, Buddy Guy and Albert King. And I sound nothing Like SRV. (Unless I'm try'in to) So It's not your gear. Try listening to some Duane Allman etc.

Yeah play your own stuff and the sound will change.

yeah, i see what you guys mean. When we don't play covers and we just jam and improvise, the SRV factor fades quite a bit as I explore other modes and vary my vibrato and bending styles-when i simply 'cut loose', a different style starts to poke its head into my playing.

One thing that is helping alot is using different left hand bending techniques. I started noticing how duane would pre bend, pick, then bring it back to pitch really fast that creates an interesting groaning sound, and i've been incorporating it into my playing.

So i figure now that i'm on break, perhaps i should schedule a motherlode of jams, and play no covers just to see what kind of sound comes out. Maybe I've been woodshedding too much lately, as a result, I was starting to sound like the players i've been listening to, but my goal has simply been to learn alot from every style then use the knowledge to concoct my own.

Fender strat neck pickup on loud clean Fender amp.....that's the SRV tone.
Plus, whatever you let absorb into your mind will influence what you play like.
Sometimes, I puposely avoid listening to a entire styles of music, especially when I'm in writing mode. It's best to listen to only the styles you're trying to present, or just tune everything out completely, and try to be as creative as possible.

great advice, thanks everybody!

It just seems that my ear is improving so whatever i listen to i end up mixing it into my playing. Perhaps i'll load up on some wes montgomery before tomorrow's blues jam to zone in on my own blues style.

If all else fails get a Les Paul and a Marshall.

The curse of finding your sound is that it's very possible to get sick of hearing yourself pretty quickly....

But honestly, I've heard a good number of cats with that same exact rig that sound nothing like SRV. Just keep playing and listening with diversity and it shouldn't be a major problem...

Sometimes you don't find your tone........... it finds you. One day, you won't be worrying about your tone and you will realize that you have your own tone. It usually comes about the same time you develop your own style.

try writing your own songs, or picking a cover and rearranging it

that will help you find your own voice

I kind of had the same sort of thing happen to me. About a year ago I was really into SRV... watching dvds/cds, big strings, neck pickup, shuffling sort of pick style, phrasing alot like him, etc... Now Im using lighter strings, mostly LF SP43 Bridge pickup, a fuzz face (occasionally), and I've listened to alot of different players, straying more into the british blues category though. Nonetheless, the combination of listening to tons of different guys has led me to pick and choose certain elements of each player, while developing my own style. Trying different gear configurations would help too... and of course playing your own stuff.

There is 2 ways that I can think of as a quick fix.

1) Listen to everything you like all day, etc..

or

2) Ignore the stereo and just play what your soul is telling you to play. Because when I play through my head, I get in trouble, when I ignore everything else, my sound/style really come out then.

another trick is to avoid all of the 'blues guitar' cliches- try not bending strings for a bit, or play in 'A' anywhere but the 5th position, and use some major scales. Avoid being 'comfortable' in your playing, and always, always challange yourself. You should always be thinking, and never on automatic.
Listen to great improvisers that are vastly different than what you had been listening to, like John McLaughlin or Allan Holdsworth. If you learn any of their solos, you are guaranteed not to sound like SRV or most guitarists, for that matter.

i'd look at an overdrive pedal.. that'd change the basic voice an dynamics of what you're hearing; it'd remind you of different artists and hopefully move out of SRV territory!

tom

boss metalzone


Originally Posted by Minceranother trick is to avoid all of the 'blues guitar' cliches- try not bending strings for a bit, or play in 'A' anywhere but the 5th position, and use some major scales. Avoid being 'comfortable' in your playing, and always, always challange yourself. You should always be thinking, and never on automatic.
Listen to great improvisers that are vastly different than what you had been listening to, like John McLaughlin or Allan Holdsworth. If you learn any of their solos, you are guaranteed not to sound like SRV or most guitarists, for that matter.

Yeah, i have noticed that when i move into alternate modes and just start to play loose, even then the sound starts to change alot.