Is Nirvana magic?

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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by Holy Schnikes »

GardenoftheDead wrote:I'll refrain from talking much about how Cobain didn't use marshall amps, but, the DS-1 running into a really loud stage set up (or in the studio through a loud Fender Twin) sounds a bit different from how most people hear a DS-1: At bedroom volumes through a 15 watt solid-state practice amp.

Oh, also, Kurt's best live tone came in the In Utero era when he started using a Tech 21 Sans Amp. So, I would try that before anything else.

This shit's on point! :thumb:

Kurt made a DS-1 sound way better than usual but still, I don't think his early live tone sounded that great. By the time they recorded and toured behind In Utero, however, he had it all figured out.

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:Hmm...
I wasn't expecting this to be a serious thread.

Me either.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by sylnau »

Nothing to do with Nirvana's tone, but since we where talking about King Buzzo:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRnhN9KmIAQ[/youtube]
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by Ghost Hip »

GardenoftheDead wrote:I'll refrain from talking much about how Cobain didn't use marshall amps, but, the DS-1 running into a really loud stage set up (or in the studio through a loud Fender Twin) sounds a bit different from how most people hear a DS-1: At bedroom volumes through a 15 watt solid-state practice amp.

Oh, also, Kurt's best live tone came in the In Utero era when he started using a Tech 21 Sans Amp. So, I would try that before anything else.


This. And make sure you get the Relic'd Sans Amp so it looks just like Kurt's! :lol:

Also, Butch Vig forcing and sometimes even tricking Kurt into double tracking his guitar through different amps while recording Nevermind.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by Bassboar »

Moustache_Bash wrote:
sylnau wrote:King Buzzo's pedalboard:
Image


lol, what a n00b pedalboard.

The stuff he runs it into would make you wet your pants :thumb: I've never had any beef with the ODB-3, looks like the kind of thing I would use for stacking.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by theavondon »

I've actually been thinking of getting a DS-2 because 400 Blows's insane distortion tone is really just a cranked DS-2.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

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HOLY ACCIDENTAL DOUBLEPOST BATMAN
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by hatshirt »

PumpkinPieces wrote:
GardenoftheDead wrote:I'll refrain from talking much about how Cobain didn't use marshall amps, but, the DS-1 running into a really loud stage set up (or in the studio through a loud Fender Twin) sounds a bit different from how most people hear a DS-1: At bedroom volumes through a 15 watt solid-state practice amp.

Oh, also, Kurt's best live tone came in the In Utero era when he started using a Tech 21 Sans Amp. So, I would try that before anything else.


This. And make sure you get the Relic'd Sans Amp so it looks just like Kurt's! :lol:

Also, Butch Vig forcing and sometimes even tricking Kurt into double tracking his guitar through different amps while recording Nevermind.


besides his ds1, he also used a rat and a big muff on nevermind.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by FuzzHugger »

I'm no Nirvana expert. I prefer to just listen to them now and then than read anything about them.
But there are a lot of other variables to getting that tone...who knows exactly what's true, but the recording process on at least one of their albums included mics being placed all around the room (that's going to get a really different sound than a straight mic'd amp)...then you have EQing, mastering, I've heard stories of Cobain lying/being incorrect about what pedals he used...

While it's true for a lot of guys, I do (respectfully) think that you can't say "his tone is all in his fingers" about someone who's playing mostly powerchords. Maybe it's more accurate to say a lot of it is in his technique, but that includes the way he's fretting, the way he's strumming, what he's playing, what he's playing into...then you still have how it's recorded, how it's mic'd, etc. Sure, you could probably buy the same-ish guitar, same amp, same pedal, and still not sound like Cobain. But you also don't have to be left-handed to sound like Cobain. Know what I'm saying?

I think some guys are on the right track with the cranked amp thing...
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by Legion »

This may be blasphemy on a fuzz forum but I think his sound had as much to do with the beaten up pawn shop guitars and knocked around amps he was using as much as anything else...

That and keep in mind that what most people think and remember as the Nirvana sound is from the recordings....a whole lot of neat production work going on there....a lot of the Butch Vig and Steve Albini sound...
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by devnulljp »

grokostimpy wrote:I'd like to know how Nirvana sounds so amazing and all Kurt needed was a Boss pedal thru a Marshall. I know the REAL magic is always in the fingers, but I've never heard a DS-1 sound like Kurt made it sound. Any ideas or suggestions?
Wasn't it an OD-2? pretty sure I saw a yellow pedal there ... ?
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by grokostimpy »

GardenoftheDead wrote:Oh, also, Kurt's best live tone came in the In Utero era when he started using a Tech 21 Sans Amp. So, I would try that before anything else.

Orly? I did not know that... I'll look into it.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by grokostimpy »

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:Hmm...
I wasn't expecting this to be a serious thread.

Yep. I was drunk when I started this thread... sorry :lol:
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by Fuzzy Fred »

Tom Dalton wrote:I'm no Nirvana expert. I prefer to just listen to them now and then than read anything about them.
But there are a lot of other variables to getting that tone...who knows exactly what's true, but the recording process on at least one of their albums included mics being placed all around the room (that's going to get a really different sound than a straight mic'd amp)...then you have EQing, mastering, I've heard stories of Cobain lying/being incorrect about what pedals he used...

While it's true for a lot of guys, I do (respectfully) think that you can't say "his tone is mostly in his fingers" about someone who's playing mostly powerchords. Maybe it's more accurate to say a lot of it is in his technique, but that includes the way he's fretting, the way he's strumming, what he's playing, what he's playing into...then you still have how it's recorded, how it's mic'd, etc. Sure, you could probably buy the same-ish guitar, same amp, same pedal, and still not sound like Cobain. But you also don't have to be left-handed to sound like Cobain. Know what I'm saying?

I think some guys are on the right track with the cranked amp thing...


i mean, its like bigfoot right? people say they have kurt's toanz, but they don't
So this turned into another devi thread...
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by WeHuntKings »

devnulljp wrote:
grokostimpy wrote:I'd like to know how Nirvana sounds so amazing and all Kurt needed was a Boss pedal thru a Marshall. I know the REAL magic is always in the fingers, but I've never heard a DS-1 sound like Kurt made it sound. Any ideas or suggestions?
Wasn't it an OD-2? pretty sure I saw a yellow pedal there ... ?


yeah, i don't think it was a ds-1, doodz. od-2 and a tech 21 thingy and a small clone. bam.
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Re: Is Nirvana magic?

Post by smile_man »

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:Hmm...
I wasn't expecting this to be a serious thread.


it is?

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