RThompson on Jools show 24/10

Subject: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 01:34 PM

Anyone else wondering what happened to RT's guitar sound on the show last night ?

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 03:52 PM

I'm not impressed with the show's production values.
Bring back The Old Grey Whistle Test, I say...for all us who are now "old greys" ourselves.

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 04:16 PM

Unfortunate... RT was, I think, using his usual set of pedals etc, but for a start the guitar wasn't in tune :-(

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 06:39 PM

His guitar was out of tune.

But, with regard to sound, not RT's fault. When you're on the telly, you're at the mercy of their sound department. Same with radio. My band played in a theatre last year where the performance was broadcast on BBC local radio - the sound in the theatre was excellent, but the radio sound was....crap.

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 07:43 PM

However.... saw him at the Cadogan Hall on Monday, the sound and his tuning were spot on! Great performance. I also greatly enjoyed the support act, Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker.
Richard

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 03:13 AM

We have seen RT twice this year at Gawsworth Hall (an open air event) and Warwick Arts Centre. On both occasions the sound and tuning have been excellent. RT was simply wonderful....never seems to age!

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Mr Red
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 04:08 AM

Saw him at Warwick Folk Festival a couple of years ago. He had the audience eating out of his hand.

Maybe he chose that tuning. When you have truly arrived there are choices you can make for given effects. I didn't find the song inspiring, but maybe the listener has to understand the difference between what I don't like, and what is an expert at work.

As one lass told me of her husband with his new toy - the banjo. Sometimes they fall in love with the instrument. The same of a newly written song.

Did you persevere till Hiromi's piano playing? Not my kind of interest, but ya cain't fault the skill. Some odd key changes for one note! Or was it a bum note? Don't ask me, I am not a musician, I am a drummer!

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 07:24 AM

On a live show, Richard would make sure his guitar was in tune, no doubt whatsoever about that, it's all under his personal control, and the live concert medium is conducive to the artist ensuring such things. He would take the time, before beginning a song, to get his tuning spot-on. But on a TV show, things are under the control of others - it's perfectly conceivable that the opportunity to check tuning and correct it wouldn't have presented itself and, as a consummate professional performer on a rapid-fire show, he would have no option but to grit his teeth and get on with the song.

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 07:48 AM

Just watched it again. I'm not sure his guitar was out of tune - I noticed that, as the opening shot panned from JH to JT, he appeared to be tweaking a tuner-key. He also had a Snark on the headstock, so he certainly had the means to do a last-few-seconds tuning check. I have a suspicion it was the FX he used that gave that 'out of tune' warbling sound, along with the fact that he was in a low tuning which can play havoc with pitch, esp. on the 6th string. Not sure what FX he was using, could have been maybe Tremolo or Chorus, or both?

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 04:14 PM

Nothing wrong with his guitar sound, it was either a Vibrato pedal or a Chorus pedal with the processed sound only which would give that warbling sound. A circuit diaagram can be seen here:
https://buildyourownclone.com/products/analogvibrato

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 04:19 PM

Buddy Miller uses the same effect!

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 04:23 PM

Thanks Bonz, thought it was something of that sort. I occasionally use a Chorus which can give that kind of 'wobbly' out-of-tune effect if I use extreme settings.

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 06:05 PM

Haven't seen it yet, but my guess would be similar to Bonz..
or maybe a real proper old Leslie Speaker cab..
be great to see one of those on the telly again..

[mind you, Leslie emulations abound these days in software or FX boxes...]

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Oct 17 - 10:27 AM

It must have been some sort of FX as the full show - which was on last night - had 'Meet on the Ledge' and 'Devonside' which both sounded fine to me.

Subject: RE: RThompson on Jools show 24/10
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Oct 17 - 11:28 AM

Chorus and Tremolo, methinks.