Keith Richards' sound

[lonestarparis]

Thanks Rob Ruce
Just curious: how would you describe Keith's sound if not 'massive' and 'powerful'?

I have done some recording before and on tape it always sounds different. I think even Richards himself proves this point. It's probably the reason why there are so many fx and recordingtechniques around. I'm trying to find helpful tips in this area.
I appreciate your effort.

[ajazzie]

LONESTAR,

Thanks for the site, kinda simple to see why these guys are hard to imitate, look at Vais or EVH rigs, so excessive but if you like the sound, well. I like the Clapton keep it simple stupid setup.

Personally, I go into the frontof my marshall, tele and tube screamer, dunlop wah and thats it.

Back to Keith,

sory I cant help more, he is the sound really, if you or I were to use his gear we still couldnt sound similar. As for monkey man, mmmm... not sure. I have a digital delay handbook that achieves the most radical settings that dont sound anything like delay, chorussing is basically delay anyhow.

I cant really guess cause I am probably far away, from experience I know that these guys stumble onto a sound trick they may use for the studio or occassionally reproduce it live.

The key is they keep it close to thier chest. I would too if it was reversed.

Anyways, I wish you luck,

Glad to help in some way.

AJ

[RussUK]

You are all making one assumption about this, does keith actually play in the studio. Anyone who has worked in pro studios with pro muso's knows that it's often the case that session guys play some or all of the time, there's nothing wrong with this it's a long held practise - although you would need a 10yr old to play the drums and get that o so stylish stones drum feel.

Also it is also often the case that they will set up a number of amps and feed them all and then mix the sound of them, you have to be careful about phasing as well.

Finally and this is important, you need to be able to crank the amps up to stage volume and then you get the realism of the sound. THIS IS ESSENTIAL, DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU YOU CAN DO THIS WITH AMP SIMULATORS OR BOXES THAT SOAK UP THE OUTPUT. Hope you're studio is sound proofed or your neighbours are understanding.

[rgriff]

There's a reason we all make this assumption.......I assure you, Keith does not hire session players to play his parts!!! RR

I would not be too sure about that. Mick Taylor played and wrote a lot of great riffs and songs and the stones screwed him out of the credits.
Maybe the original poster is looking for that Mick Taylor sound, or Ron Wood.

[RussUK]

There's a reason we all make this assumption.......I assure you, Keith does not hire session players to play his parts!!! RR

Short of either being a member of the Stones or in every session they have ever done then I'm not quite sure how you can make that assumption?

It wasn't as you may think an indication of me thinking he couldn't play, just quite a normal practise even with the top bands as has been pointed out above, he has done it. I hope that fact hasn't knocked him off any pedestal you may have had him on!

[mulderg]

I don't care what he does, for me he lives on that pedestal!

[Icabod]

Not to take anything away from Keith, but you'd be surprised at how much guitar Mick Jagger plays.