What is the brown sound feature?

[jjboogie]

Reading some specs on the Stiletto I saw that it mentioned being able to get a brown sound. What exactly does that mean?

 

[trem]

Listen to Van Halen I. That's the brown sound. Gosh, you must be very young to not know what that is, or am I very old? Back then it was the hottest thing since mini skirt.

 

[jjboogie]

Listen to Van Halen I. That's the brown sound. Gosh, you must be very young to not know what that is, or am I very old? Back then it was the hottest thing since mini skirt.

Well I am 35 so maybe I was just ignorant. :wink:

 

[Kapn.K]

I've heard the term for a long time but never knew or gave it much thought. Are you sure it isn't the tone that makes you poo your trousers?
JK!

 

[carlsoti]

Years back, eddie V.H. was doing an interview and part of it was pulled for a "standout caption" type thing. The part of the article was actually in reference to the type of sound they like to get out of Alex's drums, but it has since been referred to in regards of Eddie's early tone.

 

[xarkon]

Eddie used a Variac - a type of device used to control AC voltage - to turn down the AC input voltage to his Marshall. This causes the voltages from the power supply transformer taps to be lower, and hence the input causes clipping somewhat earlier.

(Using a Variac can also be a fast way to destroy your amp. Not recommended if you don't know what you are doing.)

Since a low-voltage condition on AC mains is commonly referred to as a "brownout" - and since those were common in Southern Cal due to high-load conditions - I'm assuming that is where the term "brown" sound came from. I've never heard it in connection with the drums before - interesting.

Dave

 

[boswell]

Eddie said:

But there is a difference between being just loud and having what I call a warm, brown sound -- which is a rich, toney sound.

in this interview www.vhlinks.com/pages/interviews/evh/gp0480.php

 

[jjboogie]

Eddie used a Variac - a type of device used to control AC voltage - to turn down the AC input voltage to his Marshall. This causes the voltages from the power supply transformer taps to be lower, and hence the input causes clipping somewhat earlier.

(Using a Variac can also be a fast way to destroy your amp. Not recommended if you don't know what you are doing.)

Since a low-voltage condition on AC mains is commonly referred to as a "brownout" - and since those were common in Southern Cal due to high-load conditions - I'm assuming that is where the term "brown" sound came from. I've never heard it in connection with the drums before - interesting.

Dave

Ah...an explanation that actually makes sense.

However I would still like to hear someone explain it tonally as well. Just referring to EVH doesn't quite clear it up for me.

 

[Riff Blister]

I seem to remember reading an interview with Eddie or Alex where they did talk about a drum sound that they were looking for. Alex likened it to the sound of beating on a hollow log and called it the brown sound.
When that term got switched to Ed's guitar tone I don't know.
It's one of the classics though 8)

 

[srf399]

Quote:

"However I would still like to hear someone explain it tonally as well. Just referring to EVH doesn't quite clear it up for me."

Like the earlier post suggested...

Get Van Halen 1 and put it in a good stereo and turn it up load... Running with the Devil will be the first song... you'll know what the "Brown Sound" is in a heartbeat what no words will ever describe.

My Stiletto Deuce II gets the brown sound even in the Bold setting with silicon diodes. Mind you the Dimarzio Breeds get that sound with just about anything.

 

[trem]

Mind you the Dimarzio Breeds get that sound with just about anything.

This thing deserves to be more popular than it is.

 

[Chris McKinley]

We really gotta make sure that truly classic guitar tones like the brown sound, Clapton's woman tone, or even Angus & Malcolm Young's crunch don't get forgotten. These sounds, from every generation of rock n' roll, are why all of us are playing in the first place. Few people like everybody's guitar tone, but it's worth at least being familiar with the tones that have had the greatest influence on the sound of the electric guitar.

 

[djw]

Eddie said:

But there is a difference between being just loud and having what I call a warm, brown sound -- which is a rich, toney sound.

in this interview www.vhlinks.com/pages/interviews/evh/gp0480.php

Yup, there was a 1984 or 85 issue of Guitar Player that was dedicated to EVH, compiled of all his interviews with them and pics and tab etc. I had it (may still, somewhere...) and I remember that very quote. Not a drumming thing. The Warm Brown Sound.

 

[jdurso]

We really gotta make sure that truly classic guitar tones like the brown sound, Clapton's woman tone, or even Angus & Malcolm Young's crunch don't get forgotten. These sounds, from every generation of rock n' roll, are why all of us are playing in the first place. Few people like everybody's guitar tone, but it's worth at least being familiar with the tones that have had the greatest influence on the sound of the electric guitar.

should we add kurt cobain to that list? :wink:


:lol:

 

[Chris McKinley]

Sure, to the extent that people want to emulate that sound or feel that it was influential. I would suggest that Kobain's influence had as much to do with the overall presentation of his band (attitude, look, lyrics, song arrangements) than his guitar sound, per se, or than even he himself. Kobain wasn't so much the influence as Nirvana as a whole was.

Still though, if someone were to disagree and feel that the guitar sound of Nirvana specifically was a significant influence, then by all means it should be kept as a familiar reference for what was undoubtedly the most important pop musical movement of the 1990's.

 

[jdurso]

Sure, to the extent that people want to emulate that sound or feel that it was influential. I would suggest that Kobain's influence had as much to do with the overall presentation of his band (attitude, look, lyrics, song arrangements) than his guitar sound, per se, or than even he himself. Kobain wasn't so much the influence as Nirvana as a whole was.

Still though, if someone were to disagree and feel that the guitar sound of Nirvana specifically was a significant influence, then by all means it should be kept as a familiar reference for what was undoubtedly the most important pop musical movement of the 1990's.

i was just yanking your chain.... i remembered you saying in another post that grunge wasn't you thing (ts not mine either for that matter). I just thought it would be funny... maybe not. made me laugh at least.

 

[Chris McKinley]

Oh sure, it was funny, but I thought that in case I were still fighting some credibility issues with certain fanatical grunge fans on the board, I could show that, personal tastes aside, I could still be fair-minded when it comes to objective considerations.

 

[jdurso]

Oh sure, it was funny, but I thought that in case I were still fighting some credibility issues with certain fanatical grunge fans on the board, I could show that, personal tastes aside, I could still be fair-minded when it comes to objective considerations.

its cool... we know you secretly throw on a flannel and riped jeans and listen to Nevermind when your feeling down :lol:

on a more serious note i do like the fact you can see both sides of the fence

 

[carlsoti]

So how do I get that "grunge" sound? Someone told me to not clean or change my strings for at least 6 months to get them really grungy. :lol:

 

[Chris McKinley]

I just hope no one finds that old picture of me sitting out in front of the bus station doorway with long greasy hair, hard-parted in the middle and wearing a tuke, a flannel shirt, some bell-bottom cords and combat boots with a sign saying, "Will Angst For Relevance".