Many tone-minded musicians spend a significant amount of time in the rehearsal studio turning knobs on their amps and pedals, figuring out how to get a better sound for the next gig. However, what often happens is that a rig that is perfectly dialed in in the studio sounds completely different at a show. This can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have a soundcheck or have limited time to set up your sound. Each gig is a different beast with its own set of variables.
It’s a given that there are always differences in room acoustics that affect your sound and that these have to be compensated for via equalization, gain, and even playing technique adjustments. As such, it helps to have a general starting point for your tone that you can adjust as necessary. There are a few simple things to keep in mind to minimize the amount of knob turning you have to do on the gig.