Tommy Young - Steel Guitar Mod - Sound Clips - Listen!

[Greg Cutshaw]

Here's the two sound clips Tommy sent me. I did convert the .cda files to .wma files to make them downloadable. The conversion process did not affect the sound... the .wma files sound identical to the .cda files. If someone needs it, I can convert the .cda files to Windows Media Lossless but the file sizes will be huge to download.

First song below is the finished product, second song is before the guitar was touched.

Same guitar, same amp, same settings on both takes, same pickups.

After Mod

Before Mod


Greg

[Tommy Young]

Greg i personally want to thank you for helping me post these sound clips as this might help some that don't know what brassy sounds like, at least now they know what we are talking about thanks a million TOMMY PS.my phone #662-328-9511 or u can e-mail me at tyoung52@wildblue.net

[Andy Sandoval]

There's quite a difference in tone to my ears. What's involved in this modification?

[Stan Paxton]

Greg-Tommy, It seems to sweeten it up to my tired ears (I have lost a lot of the high frequency hearing ability) ....

[Larry Lorows]

I agree with Andy on this one. What's involved? Larry

[Lem Smith]

Quite a difference in sound to me too. Just curious, but who was the player? Sounded good.

[Per Berner]

Nothing in the "before" track to indicate any need for modification, sounds just fine to my ears.

The "after" track steel sounds slightly warmer, but that's to be expected since there's much less treble on that track (just compare the rhythm guitar sounds). That could account for the perceived difference.

Without identical recording setup and EQ, there's no way to tell how the mod sounds.

[Chuck Hall]

Are you gonna tell us what you did?
Are ya are ya are ya?
Or are you going to keep us in the dark. lol Was the mod something physical or just an adjustment of eq?

After the mod sounded much better to me as well.

[Charlie McDonald]

The mod is still a mystery, but even this uneducated player can hear the difference in a couple of bars.
I could listen to the modded guitar longer--something about the clarity of the notes the un-modded guitar doesn't have. Sweet.

[Terry Sneed]

I like the before mod clip just fine, maybe even a little better, untill the high notes come in. There's a lot less screachy sound on the high notes in the after mod clip. To me that's the biggist difference in the two sound clips.
BTW- That's one of my favorite songs to play. "Surely The Presence Of The Lord Is In This Place". Very well done!

Terry

[Kevin Hatton]

The guitar sounds much better BEFORE the mod. It sounds muddier after. Better string separation before.

[James Quackenbush]

Before the mod, there are parts where the player seem's to be "digging in " more to make the highs more distorted/brash sounding , but before that , very clear and pronounced ... The mod smooth's things out a bit , at the cost of clarity .... I think that "muddy" may be a little on the strong side, but surely darker than the non modded version ... A comparison to my ears sounds like the the non modded version was played using a BL 710, and the modded version is played with the BL 910 .... I prefer the majority of the non modded versions tone ... The modded is not bad, just a little lifeless to me ...Then again , I like a brighter sounding steel ...Jim

[Stephen Gambrell]

I can't tell enough difference to know if a "mod" has been done or the player's right hand moved toward the bridge. I think this "mod," as vaguely as it has been described, and as much as it has been discussed, and as UNDEFINED as it remains, is best left to the player. If he/she has it done, and likes it, fine. And if you like the way your guitar sounds now, then leave it alone, and play it.

[Bobby Boggs]

I thought the steel sounded better in the mod track.But so did the rhythm guitar.

Without identical recording setup and EQ, there's no way to tell how the mod sounds.

[Tony Prior]

They both sound good to me, the bright one sounds like the Presence is turned way up on the amp..I like bright..Greg, great playing on both cuts...


the only MODS I make are trying to modifying the BAD notes into GOOD notes

[Brian Herder]

My 2 cents- Bobby B and Per point out that the overall sound on the two tracks is different, and I have to agree. Without identical backing tracks (at least) and recording setups, it's hard to make a real judgement. Now with that said, the modded version has a "prettier" sort of hi-fi sound, and the un-modded version has more of a "vintage" tone with personality.. I'll choose personality over pretty.

[Greg Cutshaw]

I have no skin in this game and am just the messenger. Tommy sent me a CD with the songs on it and I simply posted them on my web site so everyone could access it.

Also the playing in the clips is not mine but I do intend to learn the song, record it my self, and post it in the tab section. Great arrangement and playing for sure!


Greg

[Brint Hannay]

It is a beautiful tune, and very nicely played indeed! Who is the player?

The overall sound quality does seem a bit different, less bright, and the sound level a little lower, on the After Mod clip.

The player's touch seems different, as well, but of course that's only natural--everyone's playing adjusts itself instinctively to the strengths and weaknesses of the instrument and amplifier/effects they're using. And who knows if the player was trying consciously or unconsciously to emphasize aspects of the sound in each clip for the purposes of the comparison.

I agree that the After Mod clip sounds "warmer" and "prettier", in a "smooth" kind of way, but at the expense of clarity and character. I prefer the Before Mod clip. If one found the highs in that sound excessive, one could simply turn down the treble a bit on the amp (or the tone control, if the guitar had one). You can always take 'em out, but you can't add 'em if they're not there.

[Donny Hinson]

Per, you've got good ears! I noticed the same thing, and when I boosted the "after" track 6db @ 1k, and 12 db @ 3k, both tracks sounded pretty much identical. Small changes (like I'm hearing here in these examples) can very often be done (by an experienced player) with EQ, or with playing technique. Some players may like and need the "mod", and others might find it totally unnecessary. As long as you eventually get that "magic sound" so many of you are looking for, it doesn't much matter how you get it.

But...I have to add this...

Most players here seem to give freely of any knowledge they have that will help their fellow players, so when someone decides to capitalize on their knowledge, it tends not to add to it's (or their) credibility. I don't mean to offend anyone, but it's my nature to say what I think.

[b0b]

The "After Mod" track reminds me a lot of the sound that Herby Wallace gets in concert. It sounds like it has a different overall EQ from the "Before Mod" track. There's more high end on everything in the "Before Mod" track.

[Tommy Young]

Bob i hate that u think i and several others that did this project are not truthful as u put it but the only plp that knew that this was gonna be put on here was the engineer at the television station the steelguitarist and myself and i wasn't even there and it was ripped from 2 different cd's that were made by the engineer and he says that the steel was the same on it, could be your extra large speakers on your computer that is helping u to hear it your way THE STEEL GUITAR WAS SET THE SAME BOTH TIMES, the rest of the instruments were not set same as before, the players did not know at the time that we were doing a test hope this helps with your analysis

[Curt Langston]

I did not hear the difference...................

I know that I should, but they sound the same.

Sorry.

No offense meant.

[Calvin Walley]

i listened to it twice , and to me the notes sound cleaner before the mod

[b0b]

THE STEEL GUITAR WAS SET THE SAME BOTH TIMES, the rest of the instruments were not set same as before, the players did not know at the time that we were doing a test hope this helps with your analysis

That would explain why everything sounds different, not just the steel guitar. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Tommy Young]

Curt if u got some headphones there is a place on your computer most of them anyway have a headphone out and u can hear the clips very much better than thru these small computer speakers TOMMY

PS: mine sounds a lot better and clearer on them