We have been talking about the benefits of buying in-store vs. buying online. The previous article was on the topic of the experience, and how a local music shop offers you an experience that you can't get online. You can read it here if you've haven't already.
Today's conversation revolves around the topic of the sound.
Today's conversation revolves around the topic of the sound.
Sound is subjective. That means what sounds great to one person, doesn't ring the bell for someone else. It's something that make us unique as people. Someone will love the sound of a Strat plugged into a lightly driven tube amp, while another will love and prefer the sound of a dropped tuned Ibanez RG with gobs of gain engaged. It would be a pretty bland existence if we all sounded the same right?
It's one thing to read or watch the plethora of highly compressed video clips of new gear reviews through your iPhone earbuds, your tiny laptop or smartphone speakers, or your desktop speakers. But it's a completely different thing to actually play and listen to that guitar, amp or pedal you've seen online in the real world. There is nothing like sitting in a room with a great Strat plugged into a tube amp where you can actually hear and review the guitar and its tone with YOUR own ears.
You can sit on a drum kit and play it listening to the differing tones of maple vs. birch shells. You can come in and hear the sizzle and the decay of the cymbals you're considering to buy. The same can be said in hearing and discerning the sonic differences and subtleties of a solid top mahogany acoustic guitar vs a solid top spruce model. There is no comparison in the sound of physical air being moved and a highly compressed video clip.
It's one thing to read or watch the plethora of highly compressed video clips of new gear reviews through your iPhone earbuds, your tiny laptop or smartphone speakers, or your desktop speakers. But it's a completely different thing to actually play and listen to that guitar, amp or pedal you've seen online in the real world. There is nothing like sitting in a room with a great Strat plugged into a tube amp where you can actually hear and review the guitar and its tone with YOUR own ears.
You can sit on a drum kit and play it listening to the differing tones of maple vs. birch shells. You can come in and hear the sizzle and the decay of the cymbals you're considering to buy. The same can be said in hearing and discerning the sonic differences and subtleties of a solid top mahogany acoustic guitar vs a solid top spruce model. There is no comparison in the sound of physical air being moved and a highly compressed video clip.
Not only do you get to hear it properly, but you get to feel it too. You can feel the body of the guitar resonating against your body. You get to feel the profile of the neck. You get to feel the actual frequency response of the amp and the sensation of the air being moved in the room. You experience the 'thwack' of that snare drum, the 'doof' of that kick drum or the sizzle of those hi-hats. You get to test that pedal you've been checking out, with your OWN guitar, in a place where you can turn it up and get a real playing and sonic experience of the gear you've been considering buying.
No matter how good the video production might be in the review sites you watch, it's no substitute for YOU testing it out with YOUR hands and YOUR ears to discover its sound in the real world.
Your local music shop provides the benefit of hearing the real sound of the gear you've been checking out on-line. You'll be better informed and better equipped to part with your hard earned in order to translate the sound you hear in your head because you've heard what it really sounds like when YOU play it.
Until next time, keep on picking!
Your local music shop provides the benefit of hearing the real sound of the gear you've been checking out on-line. You'll be better informed and better equipped to part with your hard earned in order to translate the sound you hear in your head because you've heard what it really sounds like when YOU play it.
Until next time, keep on picking!
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