What is "Brown Sound" I Always Hear Referenced About EVH

[LittleTexas]

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.

[Jagermeister]

[Sensible Shoes]

I remember asking this question before and not really getting an answer that I could understand.

[Von Halen]

IN remember asking this question before and not really getting an answer that I could understand.

It's a fucking term associated with Ed's unique guitar sound.

Anymore stupid questions?

[FORD]

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

[Sensible Shoes]

It's a fucking term associated with Ed's unique guitar sound.

Anymore stupid questions?

No but thanks so much.

[Guitar Shark]

Let me Google that for you

[Jagermeister]

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.

[Etienne]

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.

[Jagermeister]

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.

[Nitro Express]

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.

[DONNIEP]

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

[DONNIEP]

Sorry Nitro - was typing while you were posting. You explained it better than I did

[vandeleur]

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 .

[FORD]

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.

Well, that might explain why Eddie sounded good on the VDIII tour.