Improving Pedal Steel Sound without an amp (mixer only)

Del Hillier · From: British Columbia, Canada

Hi,

I am exploring ways to improve my pedal steel sound a little bit SO before spending time and money on renting different pedals and equipment I thought I'd ask around here first!

I have a solo project where I sing and play a pedal steel guitar, along with a handful of other instruments and 'devices'. When I perform, I plug my instruments into a Mackie 12 channel mixer and add a little bit of reverb from the mixer into everything I play (including my pedal steel channel). My mixer then gets connected to the venue's mixer.

My pedal steel connects to my volume pedal, then to a Boss DD7 Digital Delay, then into a Boss Looper pedal, and finally into my mixer. After my last couple of performances, I have had an increasing desire to alter (or, 'soften') my steel guitar's sound a bit - so I started to try to find a way to use my DD7 to make the pedal steel sound feel more 'warm' - I tend to use the 'modulation' effect on the DD7 with some success (I really like how the modulation effect creates a bit of a lo-fi feeling) although, I am also finding that I cannot create enough of that 'warm' presence to my pedal steel sound that I am searching for...

My pedal steel is a 2010 Carter S-10 with an Alumnitone pickup. My sense is the the Alumnitone offers a bit of a brighter sound than other pickups...

I guess my question is this - how can I alter the 'sound' or 'warmth' or 'tone' or 'character' or 'feeling' of my pedal steel to make it sound less 'bright and harsh'. I have experimented a lot with my current set up (trust me, I have messed around with everything) so I am wondering if there might be some sort of 'magic box' (like a pedal or something similar that I can plug in) that could lend well to helping me alter my pedal steel sound. Keep in mind that I don't use or own one of those nice pedal steel amplifiers.

Any thoughts or experiences would be really helpful! If you use something you like for your own sound, even if you don't think it would help me - I would definitely do some research on it!

Thanks in advance!

Del

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

There's a ton of ways to do this of course including cutting the midrange EQ. I've had the best luck with the ToneX Pedal which is easy to use, has great reverb, useful models and powerful EQ options with a minimum of messing around and learning.

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/ToneX%20Pedal/ToneX%20Pedal.html

Hall reverb will also smooth out the sound. Here's a sound from my Excel Robostar played through the ToneX Pedal, with the plate reverb adjusted to sound like a hall reverb, recorded in mono:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Sound%20Sample%2012.mp3

Steve Sycamore · From: Sweden

Hi Del,

That might be a very common problem. To approach this with a "Think Tank" mindset, I think there are 4 primary signal processing modifications to the sound that should help:

1. Tube amp response
2. Temporal dispersion (delay and reverb effects)
3. Speaker response
4. Dynamic manipulation (Compressors, transient characteristics modifiers)

It's good to remember that tone filters produce their effects by delaying the signal for short periods of time (0 to 2ms) and then combining the delayed and non-delayed signals to produce some sort of EQ changes. They also can change the feel of your sound so experimentation can produce useful results.

Tube amp response is generally non-linear and especially when combined with interesting speaker response, can radically change the sound and feel of a track.

For delay effects to profoundly affect the feel of your track, you might find that multiple delay lines are best. There are pedals or boxes with "early reflection" algorithms and those will be most helpful in fundamentally changing or enhancing the sound and feel of your track. The very best devices here model real life locations and can be unbelievably convincing in portraying how your track would sound in different rooms, halls, chambers, etc.,

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Tech 21 Q-Strip EQ and Preamp Pedal has two parametric EQs.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QStrip--tech-21-q-strip-eq-and-preamp-pedal

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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I agree that some sort of EQ needs to be added. But my first question is...who's running the mixer? If it's not you or a band member, then he may be running more (and like more) treble than you do. If that's the case, then everything you do to soften your sound will be negated by what he does to compensate for that. That said, what most people hear that they associate with "warm" is less highs and more low mids, so a graphic or parametric EQ box may help.

I happen to be of the opinion that tube equipment amplified by a solid state PA amplifier will give you, more or less, a solid state sound. That is, unless you're using the tubes for their overdrive or distortion characteristics.

Andrew Frost · From: Toronto, Ontario

...some kind of simple preamp or buffer that lets you have one more step of tone control when/if needed would prob suffice.

I use a TC Electronics clean boost called a 'Spark Drive' after the VP.
4 knobs - leve/l gain/ treble/ bass.

That Q strip looks useful.

A tech 21 Paradriver could also work. Thing is though, the less filtering and eq manipulation the better I think.

A Goodrich Matchbox is simple and useful - tone/ gain

You might want to check out Brad Sarno's products as well
They are designed for steel and are highly regarded.

Sounds like an interesting project you're doing...

Brian Lee · From: Washington, USA

Have you worked with the EQ section of your Mackie mixer that’s feeding the house PA? ( in addition to checking the house PA as Donny H suggested).Tweaking the EQ on your Mackie to roll off some highs and broaden / boost a little low mids would be easy to try since you already have that EQ in the mixer. The other thing to check out within your current set up is the gain staging along the chain from steel thru volume pedal, effect pedals, Mackie mixer channel input, Mackie mixer main output, house mixer channel input, house mixer main output. If a gain stage is cranked up to offset other stages that are set low you could be adding distortion/ harshness from the cranked stage, and not get very good signal to noise etc from the low gain stage. Probably already have done this stuff, but thought to mention possible $0 options. Pretty cool approach you’ve put together!
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52 Fender Dual 8, 2022 Jackson Pro V, '67 ZB 12 string, other guitars, amps. Harmonica player too.

Fred · From: Amesbury, MA

Get a Freeloader from Brad Sarno. I have a Carter 12 with an Alumitone and the Freeloader adds a lot of tonal control without muddying up the signal.

Jonathan Mitguard · From: San Rafael, California, USA

I use an FYD octal preamp direct sometimes and it works well. Also any of Sarno Music Solutions preamps would work well I suspect.
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Mullen and Williams SU12, Owens Square neck dobro. Amps evolving Princeton II reverb w/ eminence Double T 12"

Samuel Phillippe · From: Douglas Michigan, USA

[quote="Greg Cutshaw"]There's a ton of ways to do this of course including cutting the midrange EQ.

Thanks Greg for that tip.....after all the trials and errors of trying to get the tone I was wanting I never thought to cut the mid range on my equalizer and amp.....sounds great. Thanks again for this tip.

Sam

Del Hillier · From: British Columbia, Canada

WOW! Thank you everyone for all your inputs (no pun intended)! I am very appreciative of this information.

Steve, I really appreciated the 'zoomed out' approach. I think with so much going on a work (life is hectic) your response is something I've been mulling over a lot - a sort of mental exercise that I am going to continue to do... Right now I am more looking to just play around and plug stuff in and see how it works. However, I am thankfull and continue to think about your perspective and how it applies to narrowing down the essences of the sound's origins.

Brian, I have worked with the eq section of my Mackie mixer however because I control 'everything' through my own mixer all the instruments get adjusted when I play with this mixer... I might try one of the separate EQ's that everyone is talking about on here - however before that I am going to go back to my mixer and play with some of the suggestions you provided - Thank you for the information (and yes, I would like to not spend TOO much money Smile

Thank you everyone for your gear tips. A few months ago I actually when to a music store and inquired about pre-amps, as my thought at the time was that you could alter the tone or sound a bit of the instrument. The sales person told me that preamps only provide 'boost' and for me not to look into them. However, now I see that they can do much more - so thanks so much for the tips and your own perspectives!

Del

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