Any suggestions for more SUSTAIN please?

  • This kind of fast attack vs long sustain may be a bit tricky to obtain , I don't see any better way than using an ebow on a long delay preset. But you'll have to master it , it not easy as you have to learn the reaction of the ebow regarding the distance between the strings, pickups and the bow itself. On top of that you'll have to tap the fast notes with left hand as you're holding the ebow.
    This will be the most musical approach if you're into bow & violin attacks, but it's really rewarding as a whole new way of using your guitar.


    here is a good example : he does not sustain notes often, but it's clearly the most easy thing to do with the bow ( you can sustain forever easily). tapping and getting a good articulation & tone is much more difficult.


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    I agree about the long delay as a good solution but I think it might be achievable with a hefty amount of ducking (as @paults suggested) to automate the process rather than needing to ride the level.

  • Fripp didn’t use an elbow in that video. There was guitar attack, but with long sustain.


    That kind of tone and sustain can be achieved with a Les Paul (or similar) neck pickup, with the tone control turned down, connected to a fuzzbox (Muff or similar) connected to a Wah (turned on, but with the pedal set in position), using a vintage-style amp Profile. He was likely playing his amp loud enough for the guitar to resonate with the sound from the speaker.


    So, my suggestion would be a KPA Rig with Muff, Soft Shaper, Wah in the Stomps.

  • I posted a Rig a few years ago that has reduced attack, and plenty of sustain. It could be edited to get the attack back.


    The soundclip shows it can be used to play phrases like in the Fripp video. It is available in RE/RM, and is called “Vowelcellodoosynth”.


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  • I achieve long sustain with distortion delay etc then I try to clean it , a way to sound a bit like Fripp is to cut the highs on the guitar tone (what Clapton and other's call the WOMAN TONE) I am closer but it,s hard to balance. I wont use ebow (I once tried and its not for me) I want freedom on my instrument....I am sure there is a balance where I can get a reasonable long sustain and be able to play articulations like a violin (not to sound like a violin... ) but to articulate fast notes and long sustained notes at ease naturally... like a bird fly in the sky slowly then he makes a loop a fast figure then plane... again slowly (Hope it doesnt sound strange as english is my second langage) . In a way Gilmour play like that, it doesn't sound agressive but hes got a super sustain tone and great bend too

  • His melody starts at 1:30. :thumbup:

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  • Kick it old school: use a 12” speaker, not just studio monitors, and sit close to it with guitar facing the speaker. It just has to be loud enough to get natural feedback from the speaker stimulating the strings. A semi hollow body guitar works best but not necessary.


    I keep a little speaker cab next to me when recording direct from the Kemper and just dial up the volume to it as needed for more sustain. It’s amazing how much more alive the guitar will feel with even a little amount of natural feedback and stimulation.

    These profiles go to 11!

  • Kick it old school: use a 12” speaker, not just studio monitors, and sit close to it with guitar facing the speaker. It just has to be loud enough to get natural feedback from the speaker stimulating the strings. A semi hollow body guitar works best but not necessary.


    I keep a little speaker cab next to me when recording direct from the Kemper and just dial up the volume to it as needed for more sustain. It’s amazing how much more alive the guitar will feel with even a little amount of natural feedback and stimulation.

    Do you control it in real time with an EXP pedal linked to the monito volume or something similar?

  • No, it’s just set at a moderate level, nothing extreme required. When the speaker is a few feet away it doesn’t take much. Use this in combination with compression, delay and other tips mentioned. I do use an expression pedal for volume but usually just for swells.


    The good thing is that it will work with a distorted or truly clean tone. You can lean away from it and lean in when wanting more sustain but I don’t have it very loud so it’s not out of control by any means. I do turn the Cab off on the monitor out since it’s a speaker and leave it on for the main stereo outs.


    You can easily get that Fripp sound by running a fuzz into an overdrive pedal. I always used a Rat into a super Overdrive but any almost two pedals will work.

    These profiles go to 11!

  • I assume that if you use the Del + Rev balance setting of the reverb at 100% so that only the wet part of the delay gets reverberated and a 100% reverb mix rate or even better, morph controlled so you increase it for sustain, you can achieve something interesting.

  • You can easily get that Fripp sound by running a fuzz into an overdrive pedal. I always used a Rat into a super Overdrive but any almost two pedals will work.

    True... great point, then its a question of tone. I try to make it sounds more mellow with eq , cutting the hi on guitar and delay reverb. But of course the quality of the guitar and the pick ups matters a lot and your fingers of course (vibrato etc) What I like about Kemper is that I can dig very deep finding the right tones for the right song but when I find it I press STORE and thats it !!! Before that with pedals, I had a hard time personally to store my sounds... and it was hard for me to switch from one song to another fastly ... So with the Kemper I will spend a lot of hours fine tuning a rig but when it,s over I press STORE and I know it wont be lost !!! I love my Kemper guys best equipement I ever had

  • I think there is a difference in what people want here - Dave Gilmour/Gary Moore type sustain, vs a more ethereal sustain..


    On Parisienne walkways, Gary Moore uses microphonic to help/hold them notes as per @Guavadude which is really cool.


    On the other hand for the more delay/reverb washier stuff, an ebow on sustainer ( which is less intrusive) are also great fun.


    Of course there's loads in between as well :)

  • I assume that if you use the Del + Rev balance setting of the reverb at 100% so that only the wet part of the delay gets reverberated and a 100% reverb mix rate or even better, morph controlled so you increase it for sustain, you can achieve something interesting.

    Great idea thanks I will try it out
    :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: G Force

  • Fripp didn’t use an elbow in that video. There was guitar attack, but with long sustain.


    That kind of tone and sustain can be achieved with a Les Paul (or similar) neck pickup, with the tone control turned down, connected to a fuzzbox (Muff or similar) connected to a Wah (turned on, but with the pedal set in position), using a vintage-style amp Profile. He was likely playing his amp loud enough for the guitar to resonate with the sound from the speaker.


    So, my suggestion would be a KPA Rig with Muff, Soft Shaper, Wah in the Stomps.

    He is a sustainiac user though. That guitar could have a similar circuit.

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  • How do you actually PLAY your vibrato? You can increase sustain, without much modulation by playing vibrato like a violin player would. All three fingers on the string, moving from neck to bridge and bridge to neck. More sustain than an 'up and down and up' vibrato. Cheers, Greg

    PRS Custom 22's - Fender Strats - Diezel VH4 - Carol Ann OD2 - Toneking Imperial MK2 - Colin the Kemper - CLR Neo ii.

  • three fingers on the string, moving from neck to bridge and bridge to neck. More sustain than an 'up and down and up' vibrato. Cheers, Greg

    Horizontal vibrato? no I never tried that to compare if the sustain is longer...
    I will
    thanks
    I spend years to develop an up and down vibrato
    Thanks again

  • I've spent years horizontal! :) I will make a youtube vid for you to see the different things you can do with it...semi tone bends - without bending the string etc...it does sustain more and its always good to have different tools in the box mate!!

    PRS Custom 22's - Fender Strats - Diezel VH4 - Carol Ann OD2 - Toneking Imperial MK2 - Colin the Kemper - CLR Neo ii.

  • Circular vibrato, once you get it, almost creates max sustain. Both are shown on Tube ......

    You gotta have the right guns when you enter the town of tone. And please, shoot ALL fanboys you come across!

  • Circular vibrato, once you get it, almost creates max sustain. Both are shown on Tube ......

    Circular vibrato? thats news to me ...
    Thanks I'll make a search on you tube
    With all the advices we got here the interest is ''sustained'' and it will be the best post about sustain on this forum ;)

  • During my gig on Friday, I found that perfect sweet spot where you get feedback on the note you are playing ( rather than random squealing), and got some great sustained long notes...most satisfying!