Wall of Sound

LPSGME · 10-30-2009, 02:51 AM

I inadvertently pressed the headstock of my ES against the sheet rocked wall next to where I was sitting while playing - and the guitar's sound came alive [noticeably louder and more vibrant].

Not only did the increased sound seem to emanate from the wall, but the guitar as well.

So I tried leaning the headstock up against the wood surround of an upholstered chair and it also to seemed to increased the guitars sound although not quite as much.

It's an interesting effect. I thought 'how odd it was that I never noticed it before'. But then I don't think I ever played a guitar while the headstock was pressing up against a wall.

diceman · 10-30-2009, 02:58 AM

Strange. I just pressed my R8's headstock against my desk and it did the same thing!

xsouldriverx · 10-30-2009, 03:02 AM

my guess is that its ancoring the guitars mass and preventing it from vibrating. this would allow the strings to vibrate by themselves and get picked up more clearly and with less outside vibration.
note: this is a guess and is probably wrong. i hope someone can come in and explain this a bit.

J076 · 10-30-2009, 03:18 AM

Its just working like an acoustic guitar - vibrations are being picked up by wall/desk/whatever and are amplified more significantly because of the size of the object the guitar is touching. Interior doors are great for this effect, as they are usually hollow.

RichCI · 10-30-2009, 06:03 AM

Anybody ever take a freakin' science class? Like J076 said, it's just transference of energy from a source (guitar) to another object by physically connecting the two objects. It'll work with anything that is capable of vibrating and transferring sound waves; try a tuning fork or a vibrator for a more dramatic effect or, better yet, hold your guitars against your heads, hit a power chord and feel it vibrate your skulls.

LPSGME · 10-30-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichCI

Anybody ever take a freakin' science class? Like J076 said, it's just transference of energy from a source (guitar) to another object by physically connecting the two objects. It'll work with anything that is capable of vibrating and transferring sound waves; try a tuning fork or a vibrator for a more dramatic effect or, better yet, hold your guitars against your heads, hit a power chord and feel it vibrate your skulls.

No doubt the added object allows the vibrational energy to better couple to the air, although I was surprised how well it did that by way of a tiny tip of the headstock touching a wall.

But other point, as I think someone else noticed, is that it seems to make the guitar's body resonate louder. Is that illusion or more psyance?

***b-squared*** · 10-30-2009, 12:03 PM

Try hitting a power chord, and then press the headstock against a 4x12 cab...gorgeous feedback.

Read about that in Guitar magazine in the 80s...from the guitar player for Blue Oyster Cult...

BB

RichCI · 10-30-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPSGME

No doubt the added object allows the vibrational energy to better couple to the air, although I was surprised how well it did that by way of a tiny tip of the headstock touching a wall.

It doesn't take all that much. Think back to when you were a kid; perhaps you took a couple of empty soup cans and connected them together with a long piece of string. Then, you and a friend each took a can, pulled the string taunt and talked into the cans to make your own "telephone."

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPSGME

But other point, as I think someone else noticed, is that it seems to make the guitar's body resonate louder. Is that illusion or more psyance?

It should make the body vibrate more as, in essence, you're increasing the overall mass of the body by pressing it against another object. This is why some guitar players prefer a fatter neck - they're a little tougher to play but you get more overall mass.

AXE · 10-31-2009, 10:55 AM

....

st.bede · 10-31-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-squared

Try hitting a power chord, and then press the headstock against a 4x12 cab...gorgeous feedback.

Read about that in Guitar magazine in the 80s...from the guitar player for Blue Oyster Cult...

BB

thank you, that is an interesting idea...

xsouldriverx · 10-31-2009, 08:37 PM

i would think the big objects like a desk would have so much mass that it would deaden the vibrations of a guitar headstock. i guess i was wrong.

will c · 11-04-2009, 02:01 AM

By anchoring the headstock against a wall, desk, or your skull

you are reducing the damping effect that exists when the neck isn't anchored. This will increase sustain and possibly amplitude. That's probably why it's louder on the guitar end.

MrRhoads · 11-04-2009, 02:35 AM

Hmm, does this means we will have a bunch of guitars for sale soon in the members section with marks and scratches on the headstock?

Atomic · 11-04-2009, 02:42 AM

i bolted a 4-12 cab to one of the walls in my house once. does that count?

lukemacauley · 11-04-2009, 02:46 AM

It's because sound travels faster through a solid than in a gas...

RichCI · 11-04-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrRhoads

Hmm, does this means we will have a bunch of guitars for sale soon in the members section with marks and scratches on the headstock?

No, it means retarded crap like this.

YouTube - Dude rocks out on a monster sized Flying V guitar.

MrRhoads · 11-05-2009, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichCI

No, it means retarded crap like this.

YouTube - Dude rocks out on a monster sized Flying V guitar.

wtf

Deftone · 11-05-2009, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-squared

Read about that in Guitar magazine in the 80s...from the guitar player for Blue Oyster Cult...

BB

Buck Dharma? (Donald Roeser) That guy is an awesome guitarist. Huge influence on me. Godzilla was the first song I ever learned how to play.

Buck Dharma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Soft White Underbelly used to come to my hometown Palo Alto, CA and play the Keystone in the late 70's when I was a kid. I'd ride my skateboard there and loiter outside, just so I could hear them play.

5er driver · 11-06-2009, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichCI

Anybody ever take a freakin' science class?.....try a tuning fork.....

I was thinking the same thing. I recall a piano tuner who would strike the tuning fork and hold the base of it on the piano for amplification while tuning the strings.

LPSGME · 11-06-2009, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5er driver

I was thinking the same thing. I recall a piano tuner who would strike the tuning fork and hold the base of it on the piano for amplification while tuning the strings.

Humm.... I was thinking... Anybody ever take a reading comprehension class?

I was not so much questioning the guitar's sound emanating from the wall but that it 'seemed' like the guitar itself became more resonant - and I wasn't sure if it was an audio illusion or not.

10-30-2009, 02:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
LPSGME Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 153 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Wall of Sound I inadvertently pressed the headstock of my ES against the sheet rocked wall next to where I was sitting while playing - and the guitar's sound came alive [noticeably louder and more vibrant]. Not only did the increased sound seem to emanate from the wall, but the guitar as well. So I tried leaning the headstock up against the wood surround of an upholstered chair and it also to seemed to increased the guitars sound although not quite as much. It's an interesting effect. I thought 'how odd it was that I never noticed it before'. But then I don't think I ever played a guitar while the headstock was pressing up against a wall. __________________ 60's Vintage: Les Paul SG Custom; SG Standard; Gretsch Nashville; Deluxe Reverb; Emmons Pedal Steel

10-30-2009, 02:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,308 Thanks: 307 Thanked 90 Times in 32 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound Strange. I just pressed my R8's headstock against my desk and it did the same thing! __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

10-30-2009, 03:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
xsouldriverx Disciple-of-RobotOverlord Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NY Posts: 2,111 Thanks: 36 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound my guess is that its ancoring the guitars mass and preventing it from vibrating. this would allow the strings to vibrate by themselves and get picked up more clearly and with less outside vibration. note: this is a guess and is probably wrong. i hope someone can come in and explain this a bit. __________________ 2005 Ibanez H.R. Giger Iceman VHT Deliverance 60

10-30-2009, 03:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
J076 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: british columbia, canada Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Wall of Sound Its just working like an acoustic guitar - vibrations are being picked up by wall/desk/whatever and are amplified more significantly because of the size of the object the guitar is touching. Interior doors are great for this effect, as they are usually hollow.

10-30-2009, 06:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
RichCI Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 268 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound Anybody ever take a freakin' science class? Like J076 said, it's just transference of energy from a source (guitar) to another object by physically connecting the two objects. It'll work with anything that is capable of vibrating and transferring sound waves; try a tuning fork or a vibrator for a more dramatic effect or, better yet, hold your guitars against your heads, hit a power chord and feel it vibrate your skulls. __________________ My Home Page & Guitar Gear "If beer and women aren't the answer, then you're asking the wrong questions." - Anonymous Last edited by RichCI; 10-30-2009 at 06:35 AM.

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10-30-2009, 12:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
*b-squared* 'MLP Mid-West' Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: About 15 minutes from the LOU...(STL) Posts: 12,157 Thanks: 270 Thanked 187 Times in 28 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound Try hitting a power chord, and then press the headstock against a 4x12 cab...gorgeous feedback. Read about that in Guitar magazine in the 80s...from the guitar player for Blue Oyster Cult... BB __________________ I use: WB Custom Pickups--6707 VTP/VTPH, 5707 Prototypes, Habaneros, Firewaters DeTemple 'Sweet Spot' Pickups (Strat) RS Guitarworks Electronics Jonesy's Caps

10-31-2009, 10:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
AXE V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Core Club Asswipe. Posts: 9,894 Thanks: 597 Thanked 231 Times in 67 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound .... __________________

10-31-2009, 08:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
xsouldriverx Disciple-of-RobotOverlord Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NY Posts: 2,111 Thanks: 36 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound i would think the big objects like a desk would have so much mass that it would deaden the vibrations of a guitar headstock. i guess i was wrong. __________________ 2005 Ibanez H.R. Giger Iceman VHT Deliverance 60

11-04-2009, 02:01 AM	#12 (permalink)
will c Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 104 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound By anchoring the headstock against a wall, desk, or your skull you are reducing the damping effect that exists when the neck isn't anchored. This will increase sustain and possibly amplitude. That's probably why it's louder on the guitar end.

11-04-2009, 02:35 AM	#13 (permalink)
MrRhoads Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SWE Posts: 1,247 Thanks: 57 Thanked 26 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound Hmm, does this means we will have a bunch of guitars for sale soon in the members section with marks and scratches on the headstock? __________________ 2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded Tobaco burst 50's neck with RS Guitarworks Gear Strings; Gibson or Ernie Ball 010-046 mostly AMP; Peavey Windsor Studio Pedal; MXR GT-OD www.eurotubes.com - Best customer service ever www.gitarrdelar.se - Best place in Sweden to get RS Guitarworks gear Me + My Gear = Rock´n´Roll

11-04-2009, 02:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
Atomic Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N'orlins :D Posts: 1,257 Thanks: 38 Thanked 19 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound i bolted a 4-12 cab to one of the walls in my house once. does that count? __________________ -Joe Join My Forum!!!! Multi-For Sale Thread! Urgent! click here! My band Atomic Pilot on: YouTube atomicpilot.com Myspace Twitter My Music Thread VM Worn Cherry Refin MIM Tele Refin

11-04-2009, 02:46 AM	#15 (permalink)
lukemacauley Street Fighting Man Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 209 Thanks: 19 Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Wall of Sound It's because sound travels faster through a solid than in a gas... __________________ "If I was suddenly stuck alone, I could stop myself going mad as long as I had a guitar." Keith Richards. Epiphone Les Paul '56 Goldtop Reissue (Currently Upgrading) Takamine EG523-SC Black

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