How I use fuzz (a tutorial) with video... (D*A*M Sola MKII)

[John Lyons]

Dan
A lot of cameras have a limiter that limits the level in order to
capture load and soft sounds. So while your are playing (loud sound) the
camera mic is limiting/compressing the audio. Then when you stop the
camera mic lets up on the compression and soft sounds become easier to hear.
It's limiting the dynamic range...
The good thing is that when you are playing the level is fine and when you are talking the level
is fine. BUT the background noise is brought up when you are talking.
How do you fix it? SHOUT!
It's going to be hard to fix post production. This is why folks either wear a lapel or use a close
mic for speaking and a mic in the room or on the cab for guitar. This way both are heard clearly.
Short of turning or being able to turn off the limiter.
One way you can get around it is to narrate post production. But then you still have the level
issue between playing and "silence".

[imguitardan]

I ought to just get a real video camera. I've been dragging my feet for a while to do it.

BTW: I checked the digital camera that I used and there are no real "sound" options.
Either way, I'm proud of the content (i.e. the methodology) which I think I explained rather well (as long as people aren't too distracted by the background noise).

[John Lyons]

Either way, I'm proud of the content (i.e. the methodology) which I think
I explained rather well (as long as people aren't too distracted by the background noise).

Yes, of course. I enjoyed it.

[kelvinator60]

I tend to be an A player which would explain why the MKII and Fuzz Face circuits have not worked for me in the past. I generally use fuzz in a garage rock or Ventures style context so I lean towards a brighter fuzz like a Fuzzrite, MK1, Vox TB, MKIV type of thing which I find work well for option A. The Vox or 1966 can kind of do it all as it is bright enough for stomp and go and it will clean up when backing the volume down.

Good demos sir!!

[Laundromat]

Cool stuffs!

I'd still advice people not to leave pedals on top of the amp, especially if they're packing germanium. Those little buggers are sensitive to temperature changes and heat can bring the worst out of them, especially on a MKII. Instead of open goodness you get icky strangulation.

[Philip]

Weak pickups changes things.

[imguitardan]

Weak pickups changes things.

To what are you referring Philip?

[Philip]

With weak pickups there are less, make that virtually no issues using a MKII, a D*A*M atleast, with a band, the stomp and go approach works a treat.

[imguitardan]

Respectfully Philip, I've never known that to be the case but I'm sure a big part of fuzz is what amp it's going in to.

I had a friend who tried to "stomp and go" with an AC125 D*A*M MKII (with an early 70's Tele into an 18 watt Marshall) and it didn't cut it for him. However, if his "base" tone was with the gtr vol. down a hair, there'd have been less compression and more cut (i.e. Option B).

I do agree that pickups with less output will also compress less (certainly less than my P-90 guitars) but I still think they do compress at full tilt with fuzz. I do have a 50s Tele and a Strat do I'm familiar with the differences (I just prefer P-90s).

I will say also that your clips sound great and not super compressed with the fuzz on. I always wondered if you recorded with the gtr vol on full or back just a bit. Since you haven't said, I assumed they were full bore. If that's the case and they don't compress, I'm going to go and bury all my Strat and Tele pups into the body so they can react similarly (though I don't have them very high currently).

[Philip]

Respectfully Philip, I've never known that to be the case

This doesn't surprise me.