August 02, 2017
In the constant quest for perfect tone, musicians often forget the simple things. It’s always fun to upgrade to a better guitar amp, put more pedals into your chain, or buy a new axe, but let’s face it- the cost of all that adds up! If you’re a working musician, the next level of tone isn’t always within easy reach. In the meantime, as you’re adjusting your amp’s EQ settings or pondering what mods you can make to your guitar, try to tweak what’s right there in front of you- your guitar’s onboard tone controls!
July 28, 2017
Let’s face it- a certain degree of loudness is par for the course at a rock and roll show. But louder is not always better. While nothing compares to standing in front of a cranked half stack and letting it rip, the fact of the matter is that most of the time, a band that is too loud onstage often sounds worse than one that makes a conscientious effort to monitor their stage volume! It sounds counterintuitive, but bringing your stage volume down can improve your live show for a variety of reasons.
July 12, 2017
In a perfect world, sound engineers at every venue would ask bassists whether they prefer to go DI or have their cab miked up. While many sound engineers do take player preference into account, the fact of the matter is that for small local shows where five bands are on the bill, many engineers understandably stick with one method for all the bands to make the in-between set transitions as smooth and fast as possible.
June 08, 2017
Overdrive is absolutely essential for many genres of music, especially rock, blues, and metal. Imagine Metallica, Nirvana, or SRV without an overdriven guitar sound- it just wouldn’t sound right! While distortion and overdrive are undoubtedly among the most popular guitar effects ever, they are also one of the hardest to get right. Many guitarists spend their entire lives chasing the tone they have in their head.
June 07, 2017
Carvin Audio offers a free impedance calculator application that calculates the total impedance of all cabinets in your load. So if you want to double check your math or just don’t want to do math, this handy app is a lifesaver!
May 16, 2017
If you're laying down bass or guitar tracks in the studio and the engineer asks you to go direct, you may be slightly concerned, especially if you're a guitarist. Playing through a DI is a very common practice for bassists, but guitarists generally prefer to mic up an amp to get their sound and might be a little apprehensive about using a DI. For some, a DIed guitar and/or bass track may sound dull, sterile, and flat, even when using a high quality DI unit.
May 11, 2017
Some of the awesome adjectives bassists use to describe their ideal tone- for instance, “grindy,” “punchy” “clanky”- can be attributed to a single knob present on many of today’s bass amps. While the big picture of overall tone depends on a myriad of different factors, from the amp and cab to the bass itself, and of course the player’s technique, the often-overlooked high mids knob can be just what you need to dial your tone into its sweet spot.
May 09, 2017
It goes without saying that there’s nothing quite like an all-tube guitar amp cranked up to its sweet spot. In fact, many tone aficionados will tell you that this setup is the only way to go if you’re serious about your guitar tone. However, weight and portability are often a factor with all-tube amps (with the exception of smaller, more compact designs like the V3M). And if you’re in a position where you’re downsizing your transportation to save on gas or just do not want to lug a heavy amp to the gig, you may find yourself wondering if there’s something else that can come close to the sound of an all-tube amp. And while nothing will sound exactly like it, there are a few options that may prove to be worthy substitutes.
April 25, 2017
Aside from drummers, bassists generally have the most weight to carry at load-in. Bassists stand out among the rest of the band with their huge, heavy bass cabinets that often take two people to move and have a huge onstage footprint. Of course, smaller combos do just fine at smaller venues, but there are still some bassists who prefer the headroom of a “big rig” in nearly any gigging situation. These players, contrary to popular belief, are not necessarily egocentric showoffs who like to have the biggest rig onstage and the loudest instrument in the mix- in fact, there are many reasons why a big rig can help support the overall sound of the band.
April 11, 2017
Sometimes we learn to do something without understanding why it is important. For example, these days most players with tube amps know that we have to get our power tubes biased when we replace them. But the reasons why always seem just a bit mysterious because the related folklore among musicians clouds the issue. You could play a tube amp all your life without knowing or caring about the reasons, especially if you have a great tech to maintain it. Still, having a grasp of the general concept can give you more options in fine-tuning your amp's performance. It could also provide just enough information to get through a tube failure in a pinch.
April 04, 2017
We've discussed how to get a killer overdriven bass sound at length in previous articles, but what about all the bassists out there who want a clean sound? Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you! For some serious pocket grooving, stripped down, low volume acoustic gigs, or certain styles of music, such a clean tone is indispensable. Whether you're a bassist who likes to play with overdrive looking to clean up your act or a clean bassist who wants to make your sound even cleaner, this article will help you dial in your rig.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more…
Contact Us 858-751-4884
support@carvinaudio.com
NoFraud Frequently Asked Questions
"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all of the earth; make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp and the voice of the psalm." - Psalm 98:4-5
© 2024 Carvin Audio.
Carvin Corp.
POS and Ecommerce by Shopify