Question and Answer

Pat, I was wondering if you use any compression effects with your Ibanez sound at all. I know there is a sort of popping sound with each pick played, and I'm thinking that is more of a result of the flatwound strings you use- but I thought I'd just check and see just the same. Love the music! Dave

hi dave,

no, i have never used any compression in my rig. it seems to be a kind of mythology that i do, dating back to an add that roland ran in the 80's where the claimed to be able to recreate my sound using a bunch of their pedals and the first thing in the chain was a compressor - which i thought was pretty funny since i never had used one. there have been some occasions in a recording studio where a very small amount of compression has been used to get the guitar to sit in the track in a certain way against the drums - but this is rare. the way i hold the pick and the way i play dynamically causes the sound that you hear to sound that way. also, i have been using roundwound strings for the past few months - and there is no real difference in this respect to the dynamic aspect of the sound. it think it is all in the touch.