Electric guitar in Symbolism

What do members think of an electric guitar in impressionistic music?

I don't mean the regular fuzz or distortion or even 'clean' but with "effects" closer to what seems to be called "modulation" these days, inevitably including delay and reverberation. And I wasn't thinking of the genre called "atmospheric". So there'd be the guitar with a standard orchestra, quite reliant on effects.

I've vaguely started a composition (my playing is far from competent!) but am designing various stomp box effects...some may exist readymade but I haven't found them! Also home-made saves a fortune against readymades. It may be possible to incorporate other sounds, such as pink noise passing through a filter (akin to a long waah-waaahhh!). A few ideas present themselves. 

The idea may not work but it'll be a couple of months until I find out. 

Have any others explored such things?

Looks like not.

The electronics are nothing difficult these days - more like Lego - join functional chips (ICs) up in a line. Just watch out for the voltages.

On 10/9/2022 at 2:48 PM, Quinn said:

inevitably including delay and reverberation. And I wasn't thinking of the genre called "atmospheric". So there'd be the guitar with a standard orchestra, quite reliant on effects.

On 10/9/2022 at 2:48 PM, Quinn said:

I've vaguely started a composition (my playing is far from competent!) but am designing various stomp box effects...some may exist readymade but I haven't found them! Also home-made saves a fortune against readymades. It may be possible to incorporate other sounds, such as pink noise passing through a filter (akin to a long waah-waaahhh!). A few ideas present themselves. 

Hey Quinn,

For some reason just noticed this. Did you ever dive deep into this? Was there anything you were able to develop? Did you ever write an electric guitar piece?

I think delays and reverb are part of the "tone" for a lead line, I wouldn't consider them modulations. If you ever wrote anything, I'm very interested in checking it out. 

13 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Hey Quinn,

For some reason just noticed this. Did you ever dive deep into this? Was there anything you were able to develop? Did you ever write an electric guitar piece?

I think delays and reverb are part of the "tone" for a lead line, I wouldn't consider them modulations. If you ever wrote anything, I'm very interested in checking it out. 

Hello there, and thanks for the response and interest. 

Still developing. Some effects are available as readymade pedals (a huge expense for what they are) or kits (a lot less pricey) but they don't cover everything. I'm ok with putting kits together and will assemble this lot in a single enclosure to connect with patch leads.

What's not available are things like a delay line where the repeats/echoes are isolated from the initial note so each can be processed separately. Also an envelope follower controlling a VC Amplifier and maybe a filter. A compressor that doesn't sound noisy at the end of its note and to which I can attach a little noise-gate circuit. . A few other ideas. I spent time looking around for schematics to modify - no point in reinventing stuff and am getting there. 

Reverb and Delay are usually found under the modulation category if given a choice of categories perhaps because chorusers and flangers use delay or phase techniques.. 

I try out (ordinary) guitar compositions on a Schecter (like the one I posted a while back). I'll be using it to compose with these effects. The approach is to use the guitar as a sound source and trigger so I hope it expands the sound the instrument can produce without going cliché so to speak.

It's going to take time, though. There's always a hundred things to do in a day. 

1. Effects Palette:

   • Consider using a variety of effects beyond standard distortion or fuzz. Modulation effects like chorus, phaser, and flanger can create ethereal textures. Delay and reverb can add a sense of space and atmosphere.

2. Ambient Guitar Techniques:

   • Explore ambient guitar techniques, such as volume swells, harmonics, and extended techniques like bowing or tapping. These techniques can contribute to the dreamy and otherworldly qualities often associated with impressionistic music.

3. Custom Stomp Box Effects:

   • Designing your own stomp box effects can indeed be a rewarding endeavor. It allows you to tailor the sound to your specific vision. Experiment with different combinations of effects to achieve the desired sonic palette.

4. Hybrid Sounds:

   • Integrate non-guitar sounds like pink noise or filtered sounds to add layers and complexity to your compositions. This can contribute to the overall textural richness of the music.

5. Notable Examples:

   • Check out works by composers like Pat Metheny, who often blends jazz guitar with orchestral elements and effects. His album "Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories)" with Charlie Haden is a good example.
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