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I am not a guitar player or use fx pedals etc but I am interested to find out how the guitar sound from pulp fiction is achieved. Is it a certain type of guitar fx combo etc or certain type of effect.

A example is on here at around 0:40seconds. Note there is profanity at the start so do not click if offended by strong language

Dick Dale - thick strings, Fender spring reverb and attack those strings...

DaveyG wrote: ↑

14 Dec 2023

Dick Dale - thick strings, Fender spring reverb and attack those strings...

Great just read up on him. Thank you

As a non guitar player is this something that is possible to recreate using software or is that unlikely.

I have some ni guitar stuff I have never used so any particular guitar types I should look out for (I really am clueless on anything guitar based). Have various spring reverb vst that may work too.

I think it would be hard to synthesize that sound but if you were to try I would start with an electric guitar sample. Have a one note arpeggitor set to 16ths. Put it through an amp sim to get the vintage tone , add spring verb, and modulate some parameter somewhere in 16th steps so each note had a slightly different timbre. If the sample isn’t rocking out you could try a Karplus-strong patch in Europa or one of the new fangled physical modelling synths. Might get you in the ball park.

Oh and set the sampler or whatever to be mononphonic

Jackjackdaw wrote: ↑

14 Dec 2023

I think it would be hard to synthesize that sound but if you were to try I would start with an electric guitar sample. Have a one note arpeggitor set to 16ths. Put it through an amp sim to get the vintage tone , add spring verb, and modulate some parameter somewhere in 16th steps so each note had a slightly different timbre. If the sample isn’t rocking out you could try a Karplus-strong patch in Europa or one of the new fangled physical modelling synths. Might get you in the ball park.

Oh and set the sampler or whatever to be mononphonic

Thanks, no idea if I will manage it but I will certainly try

Jackjackdaw wrote: ↑

14 Dec 2023

I think it would be hard to synthesize that sound but if you were to try I would start with an electric guitar sample. Have a one note arpeggitor set to 16ths. Put it through an amp sim to get the vintage tone , add spring verb, and modulate some parameter somewhere in 16th steps so each note had a slightly different timbre. If the sample isn’t rocking out you could try a Karplus-strong patch in Europa or one of the new fangled physical modelling synths. Might get you in the ball park.

Oh and set the sampler or whatever to be mononphonic

I wouldn’t have the 16ths with just random modulation. I’d think about the instrument and the fact that the guitar pick is going to be alternating up and down strokes (no way to play those as all down strokes!). So there should be some variation, sure. But there should also be some difference between up and down strokes. I’d start with a tempo synced LFO on 1/8 notes modulating filter or maybe even slightly modulating pitch.

But beyond that it will begin to sound very mechanical if that’s all you do, as there are so many little variables with the original. So after setting everything up I’d probably write the notes to track and do some subtle randomization to the timing. It also sounds like it’s being played hard, with aggressive attitude. To me that would mean using the highest velocity samples available for the guitar since there will be some pitch bend and other qualities that aid the illusion it’s being played hard!

Just wondering...
That way of playing is typical mandolin technique.
I don't know if it possible to find on the web but...
it would be artful searching a good midi file with a song that use a mandolin, for example "o sole mio" and learning from it.

zumBeispiel wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2023

Just wondering...
That way of playing is typical mandolin technique.
I don't know if it possible to find on the web but...
it would be artful searching a good midi file with a song that use a mandolin, for example "o sole mio" and learning from it.

Thanks, I had a similar idea and have the MIDI for the pulp fiction music. I plan to try and use the MIDI as my basis whilst trying to achieve the tone. If I achieve it I can then use the sound, technique with my own composition. I may fail but sure I will have fun trying.

Popey wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2023

Thanks, I had a similar idea and have the MIDI for the pulp fiction music. I plan to try and use the MIDI as my basis whilst trying to achieve the tone. If I achieve it I can then use the sound, technique with my own composition. I may fail but sure I will have fun trying.

zumBeispiel wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2023

Just wondering...
That way of playing is typical mandolin technique.
I don't know if it possible to find on the web but...
it would be artful searching a good midi file with a song that use a mandolin, for example "o sole mio" and learning from it.

Had some memory that Re-Tron had a mandolin tape. Loaded it up and Link Wray came through from the ether.

That reminds me of a Korg M1 patch that has a sample of some string instrument being tremolo picked. You could probably find a guitar sample of tremolo picking that would make for a less robotic starting point than a single note pluck. The M1 patch does speed up and slow down up and down the keys though, you would need to time stretch it if you wanted consistent 16ths.

Misirlou. Good luck creating this tone digitally. I mean, you could find a guitar sample playing surf style cross pick, but the problem is the spring reverb IMHO. They get better every year, but digital spring verb just won't sound that alive or, well, springy. You might get close enough with something like PSP Springbox, or some IR's of a Fender tank. Nothing beats the real thing...yet.