tobenschain Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I'm looking for the saddest tone. One that sounds good when playing slowly. Thanks Tom Obenschain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Well this has to be the oddest question I've seen around here in a long time. The Helix can do many things, but it can't displace technique. Tone-wise most sad songs (which are typically ballads of some type) are very clean setups with ;imited effects. What makes them produce a sad or lonely sound is how it's played. A rich hollowbody sound that's finger picked is always a good choice. In country a telecaster on a clean setting with a light tremolo and reverb is pretty common. This is truly one of those cases where the tone is in your fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobenschain Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franz Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 D minor is the saddest key of all 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 like this Depends on which tone you're after. The Acoustic is pretty simple and standard. The lead guitar fills are compressed, edge of breakup kind of stuff which could be any number of amps from Vox, HiWatt, to Litigator or Matchless maybe with Bias dialed down a bit to de-accentuate pick attack with probably some Hall Reverb. The pedal steel is typical pedal steel, but I doubt you're going after that sound...unless you have a pedal steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDaveDaveDave Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I'm looking for the saddest tone. One that sounds good when playing slowly. Thanks Tom Obenschain Like Brothers in Arms maybe? https://youtu.be/k5JkHBC5lDs JTM45 FTW! Of course, Knopfler's touch is the real key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I had an old Crate combo amp that had a pretty sad tone. I don't think I would want to simulate it on my Helix though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniedenov Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I had an old Crate combo amp that had a pretty sad tone. I don't think I would want to simulate it on my Helix though. Same with a Yamaha solid state combo I had in the early '80s. Saddest tone I've ever gotten. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanecgriffo Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 this is the saddest thread ðŸ˜ðŸ˜‚ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I have a feeling Google Translate may have failed the original poster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbieb61 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Pretty sure he was joking around using the "saddest chord" line from the movie "Spinal Tap" It makes sense that if you are going to play a song in the "saddest key" (d minor according to the movie), that you would want to use the saddest tone as well. Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Pretty sure he was joking around using the "saddest chord" line from the movie "Spinal Tap" It makes sense that if you are going to play a song in the "saddest key" (d minor according to the movie), that you would want to use the saddest tone as well. Lol The Nigel-ism wasn't the OP...he went from asking for the "saddest tone" to offering up as a reference the most depressing tune in the world this side of "Dust In The Wind"...though an odd request to be sure, I think he's serious, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheehanje Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 The Nigel-ism wasn't the OP...he went from asking for the "saddest tone" to offering up as a reference the most depressing tune in the world this side of "Dust In The Wind"...though an odd request to be sure, I think he's serious, lol. I think your right, because the tune he linked to is in C Major. If he were joking he would've linked to something in D Minor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Don't know about the saddest tone, but One is the loneliest number, that you'll ever do... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbieb61 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Don't know about the saddest tone, but One is the loneliest number, that you'll ever do... Two can be as bad as one it's the loneliest number since the number one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I think the op is asking about something that is both tone and technique. I hear a good amount of note bending in that song that accents a dreary type of tone. Here's a short clip of part of a recording that I did, trying to capture that type of feeling. I admit my tone is pretty clean, but I used all neck pickup to get a little dreariness in there. It was done using my Katana straight in. A little thunder sound effect, helps the mood, also. https://app.box.com/s/zmaptuejhpee7zcjo4wz2vy00krgkcrw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Lots of delay and reverb. Use the neck pickup. Cut your highs. Play in Dm. And play alone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobenschain Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigGT Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Don't know about the saddest tone, but One is the loneliest number, that you'll ever do... Hmmmm, that's the first time I've seen Aimee Mann quoted here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 "One" is a song written by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose recording reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] in 1969 and number four in Canada. Aimee Mann did a recording of it too, back in 95. Google is yer friend ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradlake Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 "One" is a song written by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose recording reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] in 1969 and number four in Canada. Aimee Mann did a recording of it too, back in 95. Google is yer friend ;) Three Dog Night , while easy to write off as a semi-cheezy late 60's -70's hit machine , were actually awesome live , in their earliest incarnations, and had a great lead guitarist with amazing tone, and they covered many of the greatest songwriters of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradlake Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 And , BTW, Lick My Love Pump......... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H7vk5keNbRc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKenivel Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclement Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Sad tone? Hmmm.. I'm not sure the tone is what makes it sad, but more what you play with it. Here is a ditty I did way back when I was going thru my breakup/divorce. The tone is a pretty awesome lead tone (Vetta II as a matter of fact), but the feeling and playing are sad. https://hearthis.at/christopher-clement-r5/hymn/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigGT Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 "One" is a song written by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose recording reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] in 1969 and number four in Canada. Aimee Mann did a recording of it too, back in 95. Google is yer friend ;) Well you live and learn, I only know the Aimee Mann version and just assumed that she'd written it. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napynap Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I remember showing this song to a loved one the first time. I should have prepped her. That is among the saddest songs ever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Three Dog Night , while easy to write off as a semi-cheezy late 60's -70's hit machine , were actually awesome live , in their earliest incarnations, and had a great lead guitarist with amazing tone, and they covered many of the greatest songwriters of the day. Saw them myself. They did a good show and then they did a "Fifty's" song and things got thrown at them, but they were pro's and finished the song and moved on. I'd have walked off the stage but they didnt, I guess they had more dealings with Asshats than I have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Re:Three Dog Night/60's-70's guitar. Check out these. Some of my faves. Rock & Roll Widow Woman Liar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisvermaak Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I think the op is asking about something that is both tone and technique. I hear a good amount of note bending in that song that accents a dreary type of tone. Here's a short clip of part of a recording that I did, trying to capture that type of feeling. I admit my tone is pretty clean, but I used all neck pickup to get a little dreariness in there. It was done using my Katana straight in. A little thunder sound effect, helps the mood, also. https://app.box.com/s/zmaptuejhpee7zcjo4wz2vy00krgkcrw I just loved that sound. Share the Helix patch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwinV Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Often I read here on the forum that the factory presets are pretty sad ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specracer986 Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I just loved that sound. Share the Helix patch? Thanks. Sorry to say but I used my Katana 100w combo straight in to record that piece. So no Helix patch for that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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