EMGs and fast picking?

[nilenecrophagist]

I was just watching some videos of Rusty Cooley (who is of course well known for his crazy fast picking.) He has always used EMG pickups in his 7 and 8 string guitars. My question is, do you think that EMGs help with picking in some way? Perhaps because they compress the notes giving you a more even picking sound? And perhaps that’s why he has chosen them.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Some people just dig the tightness. The compression does help for soloing and riffing in general, too.

 

[Flappydoodle]

Yes, it definitely helps

 

[lewis]

The other thing they excel at is fast riffing that goes in and out of tapping sequences.

The taps just pop so much easier and clearer due to the compression. Makes your playing feel alive and always right there on the edge at all times.

I love em

 

[waffles]

Yep. EMG 81 is still the tightest and most articulate pickup for me. Anything you do on the fretboard will pop out for sure including your mistakes which is why it somehow 'forces' you to play better.

 

[efiltsohg]

Yep. EMG 81 is still the tightest and most articulate pickup for me. Anything you do on the fretboard will pop out for sure including your mistakes which is why it somehow 'forces' you to play better.

that's the opposite of what compression does

 

[lewis]

that's the opposite of what compression does

No it isnt lol

Quieter or weaker notes or techniques are pushed forward (so they pop more) and naturally louder and heavier techniques (like chugging and general riffing) is evened out.

Thats exactly why EMG chuggs sound so massive because they are evened out so everything is always consistent and full on at all times - and why quieter stuff like tapping is pushed through amazing and sounds way more prominent.

 

[c7spheres]

I actually have a harder time making sweeps and taps come out with my EMG's than passives because of the noise floor when at cranked volumes. I pickup my passive guitar and it's so easy to make it sound good. Emg's not so much. I'm talking about with lighter touch stuff. I know it's the opposite of what it should be, but my reality is backwards when it comes to this. It's not EMG's fault. It's because I put my pickups to far away from the strings. If you want all the benefits of active pickups get them close to the string, but experimenting with distance in this way will make it sound better for certain things than if they are always just really close to the strings.

 

[efiltsohg]

No it isnt lol

not requiring any dynamics in your playing is the complete inverse of "forces you to play better"

 

[waffles]

If you want all the benefits of active pickups get them close to the string, but experimenting with distance in this way will make it sound better for certain things than if they are always just really close to the strings.

This is true. You really have to raise that 81 in the bridge as much as you can.

 

[waffles]

not requiring any dynamics in your playing is the complete inverse of "forces you to play better"

Uhhh...okay. I have a feeling where this discussion will lead to and it's not exactly the most informative. For your sake, I think it's best if you don't post in this thread beyond this.

 

[c7spheres]

I find my EMG's to be extremely dynamic. I can play really soft or really hard and they respond to them both. I find them less forgiving than passives.

 

[efiltsohg]

For your sake, I think it's best if you don't post in this thread beyond this.

or what, you'll cry more? What kind of shitty post is this

 

[Mike]

not requiring any dynamics in your playing is the complete inverse of "forces you to play better"

Hearing mistakes and as a result being forced to play better is a product of clarity and articulation not dynamics. I'm sure many of the pickup swap whores here can give more examples of compressed and dynamic pickups that have varying levels of clarity, but off the top of my head, an EMG707 is compressed, but muddy and unclear as all hell (an SD Invader is also similar). A DiMarzio Evo is plenty dynamic and every thing you do with that pickup can be heard.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Like do they make your hands faster and more accurate?



No.

All of those "fluid" sounding neck pickups--to me--sound like the opposite of what people describe in a "tight" bridge pickup. That suggests to me, that a large part of "tightness" comes from the player's technique, because people shred their asses off on some of those neck pickups.

 

[waffles]

or what, you'll cry more? What kind of shitty post is this

It's a shitty post in response to an even shittier one.

 

[c7spheres]

Hearing mistakes and as a result being forced to play better is a product of clarity and articulation not dynamics. I'm sure many of the pickup swap whores here can give more examples of compressed and dynamic pickups that have varying levels of clarity, but off the top of my head, an EMG707 is compressed, but muddy and unclear as all hell (an SD Invader is also similar). A DiMarzio Evo is plenty dynamic and every thing you do with that pickup can be heard.

Everyone seems to say this about 707's but I like mine. Maybe I got a good one.

 

[Konfyouzd]

It's a shitty post in response to an even shittier one.

Chill guys... If you're going to argue, argue over something worthy of the distraction...

 

[aesthyrian]

Everyone seems to say this about 707's but I like mine. Maybe I got a good one.

Dude, same here. I do run mine at 18v.. but still, I find it plenty clear and articulate.. fuck, it's almost shrill with how well the mid-range and high-end cuts through. This is also through a 5150 FWIW. Plus, I love the old-school Unearth tone from The Oncoming Storm and that was all 707's I believe.. as they were really the only active choice at the time. Sick tone.

Oddly enough, I find it more articulate than my Evolution 7. Now I'm wondering if my Evo 7 is wired incorrectly..

 

[Alex79]

I was just watching some videos of Rusty Cooley (who is of course well known for his crazy fast picking.) He has always used EMG pickups in his 7 and 8 string guitars. My question is, do you think that EMGs help with picking in some way? Perhaps because they compress the notes giving you a more even picking sound? And perhaps that’s why he has chosen them.

No and no to your questions.

Less bass = quicker power amp response
This can give the impression of faster response of a pickup, but I have done a lot of testing on this myself and come to the conclusion that it is really just the low frequencies that are more demanding on the power amp; hence "tight ceramic" pickups will feel quicker and more responsive.