This is probably a weird question for a company that sells gear to ask, but is tone really in the gear you use, or is tone in the fingers? We know what we’re getting into simply by asking this. But I think there is some air to clear.

There’s a great story of a time Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) had the opportunity to play through Eddie Van Halen’s rig. As a lifelong VH fan, he was excited to experience the brown sound for himself. But it didn’t go as planned. After slamming out his first chords, he realized he still sounded like Jerry Cantrell. Even the most famous guitar rig in rock ‘n’ roll couldn’t change that.

Remember, always be yourself. Unless you can be Hendrix… then always be Hendrix.

So tone is in the fingers then, right? Not so fast. Imagine if Cantrell had plugged into jazz legend George Benson’s archtop-based rig. Probably wouldn’t have had the same result. Therefore, I’m here to argue that tone isn’t in the hands or the gear. It’s in the head, the ears, and the heart. Everything else is just a means to an end. Let me explain.

Chasing Tone

Tone chasing is one of the most fun and frustrating parts of being a guitarist. At times, the sound emanating from our amplifiers offers a transcendent experience that lifts our playing to new levels. Other times, that same exact tone can leave us uninspired, angry, and not sure why we picked up guitar in the first place. So we endeavor on, searching for the missing link that brings tonal nirvana every time we plug in.

But what is tonal nirvana? Is it the latest pedal, a vintage amp, or even perfecting a new technique? No, it’s not. Tonal nirvana is when the tone that lives in your heart and between your ears comes into perfect harmony with the sound emerging from your speaker. Everything in between those two points is just the means to an end.

While your touch and your gear aren’t the driving factor behind your tone, they are the tools you use to create it. Let’s dig in to how they fit into the great tonal puzzle.

The Gear

Gear is important! Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Think about it. You wouldn’t pick a Roland JC-120 to play raging doom metal or a Peavey 6505 for a Cure tribute band. Whether it’s the cerebral learnings of jazz, the sonic washes of experimental music, or the pulverizing gain of metal that float your boat, it’s safe to say that you’ll choose your gear based on your tonal and musical preferences. It’s the sounds that move your heart that immediately inform sonic goals. And choosing your gear is the first step in realizing those goals. Think of it as the foundation that everything else is built on.

Think gear doesn’t matter? This might change your mind:

The Fingers

Just as important as the gear are your fingers — or more accurately — your technique and touch. And that all starts with, you guessed it, the sound in your head. Hand any player an instrument that sounds too warm to them, and they’ll instinctively dig in and begin playing closer to the bridge in an attempt to wring every bit of high-end detail from the strings as possible. And they’ll often do it unconsciously.

How hard do you hit the strings? Where on the string do you pick? Do you use a pick or fingers? It’s the minute technique choices you make that really define your sound. These are the building blocks that you place on your gear foundation that really make you you. And as I’ve previously stated, it all starts with the sound in your head and heart.

A great example of how the tone is in the player:

So the answer to, “Is tone in the gear or the fingers?” is — yes. Both the gear you choose and the totally unique way that you interact with your instrument are simply outcomes of the music you love, the way you feel, and what your preconceived idea of perfect tone is.

It’s with this in mind that my best tonal advice is to follow the sound in your head and heart. It will tell you the techniques to practice, how to approach your instrument, and what gear you need to add to your Sweetwater.com cart.

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