Werchter 1981 HD VIDEO - CLEAR STEREO!!!

[dmg]

Uhh what is this? Mark’s tone is so unusually awful. The ending solo is kinda meh and sounds like he’s playing pizzicato violin.. honestly one of the worst ToL’s Ive heard

Now that I've Googled "pizzicato violin" I absolutely agree!   

[benlitmaath]

Ingo wrote an article about this and what may have caused the thin guitar tone

https://www.mk-guitar.com/2015/09/14/strange-guitar-sound-on-the-werchter-1981-recording-did-mark-mix-direct-out-and-microphone/

[Rolo]

Uhh what is this? Mark’s tone is so unusually awful. The ending solo is kinda meh and sounds like he’s playing pizzicato violin.. honestly one of the worst ToL’s Ive heard

I am almost certain that Mark's 80/81's tone that we hear came directly from the desk.
I mean, probably those Music Man amps came with a 'direct output' to connect directly on the desk and this "pure" signal went to the PA and, because of that, the tone is so thin and sustainless.

There is one bootleg. I think is Oslo 81 or 82 that the recorder have been placed near to the amp speakers. Because this concert have one of the "best" tones from that tour.

[JF]

another thing is that, like Ingo explained, Mark used super extra light strings at this time

[dustyvalentino]

Uhh what is this? Mark’s tone is so unusually awful. The ending solo is kinda meh and sounds like he’s playing pizzicato violin.. honestly one of the worst ToL’s Ive heard

I am almost certain that Mark's 80/81's tone that we hear came directly from the desk.
I mean, probably those Music Man amps came with a 'direct output' to connect directly on the desk and this "pure" signal went to the PA and, because of that, the tone is so thin and sustainless.

There is one bootleg. I think is Oslo 81 or 82 that the recorder have been placed near to the amp speakers. Because this concert have one of the "best" tones from that tour.

Direct outputs sounded crappy in those days. Now you can get nice amp simulation very cheaply but they just didn't have that tech then.

[Pottel]

One curiosity...

Who is making this noise at 6:44 and 6:49? I always thought that he was Mark, but after seeing this new HD video, Mark is not making any noise, he is very concentrated on the guitar.

exactly what i was thinking!

[wayaman]

One curiosity...

Who is making this noise at 6:44 and 6:49? I always thought that he was Mark, but after seeing this new HD video, Mark is not making any noise, he is very concentrated on the guitar.

exactly what i was thinking!

I always thought it was someone from the audience too close to a mic...

[hunter v2.0]

Uhh what is this? Mark’s tone is so unusually awful. The ending solo is kinda meh and sounds like he’s playing pizzicato violin.. honestly one of the worst ToL’s Ive heard

I am almost certain that Mark's 80/81's tone that we hear came directly from the desk.
I mean, probably those Music Man amps came with a 'direct output' to connect directly on the desk and this "pure" signal went to the PA and, because of that, the tone is so thin and sustainless.

There is one bootleg. I think is Oslo 81 or 82 that the recorder have been placed near to the amp speakers. Because this concert have one of the "best" tones from that tour.

Direct outputs sounded crappy in those days. Now you can get nice amp simulation very cheaply but they just didn't have that tech then.

The wireless systems too for guitar also didn't help. Mark's live sound in the 80s wasn't fantastic, that's for sure.

[Brunno Nunes]

One curiosity...


Who is making this noise at 6:44 and 6:49? I always thought that he was Mark, but after seeing this new HD video, Mark is not making any noise, he is very concentrated on the guitar.

exactly what i was thinking!

I've always wanted to know too, for me it's someone on some monitor where the recording was being transmitted, maybe via FM radio, by some mistake, it leaked. But what the hell is that buzzing sound, it sounds like a strange moan.😅

[Rolo]

another thing is that, like Ingo explained, Mark used super extra light strings at this time

The myth that light strings didn't produces good tone borned when SRV became famous and his 0.13/0.62 set of strings became "standard" for great tone.

Hendrix used 0.08 and the same applies to Yngwie, that uses 0.08 strings tuned down a half-step and has HUGE tone.
Heavy strings produces more overtones than light strings, with can be confuded as great tone.

[CookieMonster]

I don't think Yngwie is a good example, as his tone always sound sharp and shrill to me. But indeed lighter strings has no effect on fullness of tone, other players famously using 8's are Brian May and Jimmy Page for example. No one would say of those their tone didn't sound big or full!

[kempston_joystick]

Billy Gibbons sounds great, he uses 7's!

Highly doubtful Mark was playing straight into the desk. I've had a few MusicMan amps including an HD130, they're quite "unforgiving." Almost Hi-Fi sounding (solid state preamps) compared to your typical Fender. Also, they don't have a direct out.

He probably needed more onstage volume, and used whatever loud/clean amps were available at the time.

[Pottel]

here is Billy G. doing some fine blues...
https://youtube.com/shorts/KTYc6G1BZGM?si=t4JuPLUuPi744SNC]https://youtube.com/shorts/KTYc6G1BZGM?si=t4JuPLUuPi744SNC]https://youtube.com/shorts/KTYc6G1BZGM?si=t4JuPLUuPi744SNC

[Rolo]

Billy Gibbons sounds great, he uses 7's!

Highly doubtful Mark was playing straight into the desk. I've had a few MusicMan amps including an HD130, they're quite "unforgiving." Almost Hi-Fi sounding (solid state preamps) compared to your typical Fender. Also, they don't have a direct out.

He probably needed more onstage volume, and used whatever loud/clean amps were available at the time.

Far as I know, Mark's Music Man HD120 are tube amps. Same as Clapton used on Just One Night (1979)

[dustyvalentino]

Billy Gibbons sounds great, he uses 7's!

Highly doubtful Mark was playing straight into the desk. I've had a few MusicMan amps including an HD130, they're quite "unforgiving." Almost Hi-Fi sounding (solid state preamps) compared to your typical Fender. Also, they don't have a direct out.

He probably needed more onstage volume, and used whatever loud/clean amps were available at the time.

Far as I know, Mark's Music Man HD120 are tube amps. Same as Clapton used on Just One Night (1979)

I'm in no way an expert but I believe the first statement was correct, solid state pre amp, then tube/valve output stage.

Wasn't necessarily a new idea to have hybrids, the Fender Concert from circa 1965 used in the early DS days had a solid state rectifier for example.