Annoying overtones when using overdrive

Robbie Roberts · From: Cheshire, UK

Hi,

Not sure if this has been covered before.

I have a Carter Starter and a late 1990s 3 channel Fender "Twin Amp"

I've been messing about with the overdrive channel for a rock jam tonight and get very intrusive overtones. If I play strings 4+5 together and engage the A pedal, as the string goes up in pitch, a loud lower overtone will go down in pitch at the same time. This makes everything sound like a total mess. This even happens with mild crunch.

Is this normal? Any ideas on a solution? I play clean 99% of the time but it's still bugging me.

Thanks in advance for any help/ explanations,

Robbie

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Those are called difference tones and are generated by the overdrive structure used by "Tube Screamer/ts808" based stomp boxes. It is part of there sound. You can plug into the 2nd input to attenuate the input. But mostly you should do what guitar players do. Do not play 3rds with distortion. If you play major 2nds pulling into 3rds you are going to get those low sounds. Listen to Stevie Ray or most any other rock/blues guitar player. Those low difference tones are there. Because they play mostly 5ths and octaves those low tones are in tune. Pulling a 3rd up makes those low tones move down as you pull. The issue is how you play more than the equipment. Try leaving out the 3rds and 6ths in your chords and play more single note phrases.
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Bob

Robbie Roberts · From: Cheshire, UK

Thanks a lot for your reply Bob. I searched for difference tone and found this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combination_tone

I've not really noticed this when playing 6 string but I've been playing that a lot longer than PSG and probably just sub-consciously stopped playing certain note combinations with distortion and forgot why.

Every little problem, particularly anything to do with tuning, seems incredibly magnified with steel guitar and I'm still getting my head round it all!

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