Showing my ignorance here... I've seen VH live since 1977, have all of the records and simply don't know what this means. Little help please? Also, what are some of EVH's music that has brown sound. Thanks in advance.
What is "Brown Sound" I Always Hear Referenced About EVH
Showing my ignorance here... I've seen VH live since 1977, have all of the records and simply don't know what this means. Little help please? Also, what are some of EVH's music that has brown sound. Thanks in advance.
I remember asking this question before and not really getting an answer that I could understand.
Last edited by Sensible Shoes; 04-24-2012 at 03:19 PM.
Oh dear.
It's a fucking term associated with Ed's unique guitar sound.Originally Posted by Sensible Shoes
Anymore stupid questions?
I believe the term "Brown Sound" was coined by Eddie himself, and it was a description of his guitar tone, specifically back in the 6 pack days. Pretty good summary of the whole thing here, how he got it with specific guitar parts, etc.
http://mr5150.vhvault.com/evh-brown-sound.html
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Originally posted by EAT MY ASSHOLE
Sharky sometimes needs things spelled out for him in explicit, specific detail. I used to think it was a lawyer thing, but over time it became more and more evident that he's merely someone's idiot twin.
1. Brown Sound 49 up, 18 down
The Brown Sound is a very low frequency sound that, when produced and heard by human beings, forces the listener(s) to shit their pants relentlessly.
Riot control on campus was forced to subdue the fighting students by emitting the Brown Sound, thus removing all impulse to continue rioting.
It's EVH's guitar sound you can hear particularly on the 6 pack albums, on bootlegs of this time frame and earlier stuff (Club Days).
This is a Marshall 100 watt Plexi Head (12000 Series) amplifier he used with a variac (lowering input voltage).
Cabinet(s) loaded with four 20 Watt Greenback Speakers, as far as I know.
I don't know how long he used this or this sort of amplifier in the Van Hagar years. I know he began to use a Soldano amp in the 80s.
Last edited by Etienne; 04-24-2012 at 03:30 PM.
2. Brown Sound 12 up, 4 down
The signature sound of Eddie Van Halen.
Listen to any early Van Halen album...when you hear a guitar, you'll be hearing the Brown Sound. It's a guitar sound so incredible it'll make you shit your pants.
In EVH's own words he said the brown sound was getting his guitar to sound like Al's snare drum. Al tuned his snare so it sounded like hitting a hollow log. The sound of wood basically, thus, brown.
If you have ever watched the brother's warm up at sound check there is a nice thunk to Al's drums. He has a unique tone and Ed has the same thing going with his guitar.
I think you feel the brown sound more than you hear it. It hits you right in the chest and doesn't fry your ears with high end frequencies. It's go a nice chug to it but still plenty of mids and highs.
Actually a lot of this sound gets absorbed by the audience in a full venue. I always though VH got a better sound in an empty hall. So did Rush by the way.
Last edited by Nitro Express; 04-24-2012 at 03:55 PM.
Everybody should know now what the brown sound is in regards to Ed's tone. Also, it seems like I've read similar quotes to the one below - saying that Ed originally coined the term "brown sound" to refer to the sound of Al's snare drum. Don't know if that's true or not, but it sounds good
"Eddie Van Halen had said that the "Brown sound" was originally used to explain his brother's (drummer, Alex Van Halen) snare drum sound."
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/lesson.php?id=194
American by birth. Southern by the grace of God.
Sorry Nitro - was typing while you were posting. You explained it better than I did
man the brown sounds .. it drove guitarists to the edge of sanity trying to work what shit he was playing through , my old guitar teacher used to accuse him of musical alchemy .
Last edited by vandeleur; 04-24-2012 at 03:58 PM.
fuck your fucking framing
Well, that might explain why Eddie sounded good on the VDIII tour.
Still rather amazed J. Shanks and VH/Roth were able to recapture the Brown Sound as well as they did on ADKOT. It's definitely not exactly the same as the 6-pack days due to the leap in technology, but it's definitely the closest we've heard in nearly 30 years. Ed's tone went from bad to worse with each release after '1984.' Other than issues with compression, the effort to pin down the near-mythical 'Brown Sound' of Van Halen was a huge success by the band for this release. For me, listening to ADKOT is like the musical equivalent of finding the lost Ark of the covenant...
Last edited by Zing!; 04-24-2012 at 06:20 PM. Reason: My sound wasn't brown enough.
My karma just ran over your dogma.
I always say to hear the Brown Sound, listen to the first TWO VH albums.
That is the guitar sound we all talk about when using that term.
Dave quoted the "brown sound" in his book as "girl friendly." eg. women won't cover their ears even when Ed is up in the high registers. Something about being high but also "in command and strong" as you play.
I always thought it came from the fingers (or somewhere inside of Ed) but now feel "brown sound" is just a term used to sell whatever it is that Ed is currently endorsing.
Can we include Fair Warning on that list?
Unchained seems to some it up.
Hey psycho, please get out of my Van Halen T-shirt before you jinx the band and they break up.
The way I describe it or come to understand it is, it is dirty, smudged, messy, pertinacious, assiduous, and diligent,
but not sloppy like the Stones can be.
A sort of Passacaglia,
Here is an example score of a Passacaglia by Bach.
I can see the similarities.
I could not find a score of Eddie’s music. Moreover, most scores written today for mass market are incorrect or open for interpretation (politely put). Therefore you are not going to find a complete score of Eddies, unless Wolfie has became an adept of written musical language AND produces it himself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passacaglia
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I get my fair share of brown sound from my ass on a daily basis.
Such a precise, accurate, pleasant to read and informative post. And for the exact opposite of that, see post #4.
You pegged it pretty much how I've known it to be through the years of Ed's interviews. My personal favorite brown sound can be heard on just about any 1984 live bootleg. Now this is just my choice, but damn, if that guy didn't get the creamiest caramel bluesy tone with that bridge pick-up only Kramer Baretta. Warmth through and through. That's what brown is to me. The '07-'08 tour sound offended my ear. Everything sounded like it started with the letter R. More like a blood red sound. He's onto something good right now, thank the lawd.
never mind
I clicked that and thats' FUCKING hilarious!!
What a fucking asshole you are...
Isn't that the pot calling the kettle brown?
You post asshole replies on a daily basis here......
to me, 'little dreamer' sums it up from 0.00.
Let us not forget that there are several shades of brown:
VH1 = Atomic Brown
VH II = Neutron Brown
Women & Childrens First = Fallout Brown
Fair Warning = Apocalyptic Brown
Diver Down = Californication Brown
1984 = 80's Totally Awesome Brown
ADKOT= Rainbow Brown
" You ever notice when I scream I sound like Mr. Bill on acid" DLR
Well put!
This thread needs a nice salad...
Originally posted by perilouspete
fryingdutchman you pretty much own everyone.....sick comebacks, well put. top class wit.
Ok... since no one took the time to actually explain it in simple terms I'll give it a shot...
In terms of distorted guitar tone it has a warm, earthy growl on the bottom end that sounds more natural than electronically buzzing all over the place like a lot of distorted electric guitar. Technically the low frequencies are very balanced and tight. Similar to the sound produced by a herd of stampeding horses/cattle/buffalo or thunder in the distance, but very tight and focused... not muddy.
The other end of the spectrum is the middle and high frequencies are also more warm sounding but tightly balanced. The highs are crisp but not sharp or harsh sounding... similar to a natural high pitch from song bird. The middle tones are more similar to a cello kinda warm sounding rather than bright like a trumpet.
The key to Ed's sound is he found that warm, earthy balance from a certain guitar type, amplifier and in his hands... Simply it's like a combo of stampeding buffaloes, thunder, a soft string section, song birds and lightning all blended perfectly in a bottle... ie... Brown Sound
PS... Brown is the color you get when you mix up all kinds of different colors of the spectrum.
"If you want to be a monk... you gotta cook a lot of rice...”
Don't forget the key third ingredient after his guitar and amp set up. His mitts! Those hands cuntribute a lot of warmth to his tone.
No Thousand Island salad dressing required.
(ah shit. You did say his hands. Was reading too dang fast)
Last edited by DLR Bridge; 04-25-2012 at 10:19 AM.
Ok, thanks, I understand it now.
the middle tones are like a cello. check, yep got it. thanks
top job, zah!
he key to Ed's sound is he found that warm, earthy balance from a certain guitar type, amplifier and in his hands... Simply it's like a combo of stampeding buffaloes, thunder, a soft string section, song birds and lightning all blended perfectly in a bottle...
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First official owner of ADKOT (Deluxe Version)
EVH suffers from a color .
My tickets in the mail yet?
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