Downtime and Finding Sonic Spaces

Now that my album is out and I’ve had some time to find objectivity on the past year, I’ve slowed down, recharged, and just started to play. It’s been a much-needed pause to reflect on my journey so far while — almost inadvertently but with real joy — letting ideas for what’s next begin to form. This space between projects has given me the chance to explore, experiment, and reconnect with the simple joy of making music and discovering new sonic spaces to embrace.

One big focus has been working with my amp to find the sound I’m really after. For the album, I recorded directly through a USB interface because I couldn’t afford an amp at the time. This past summer, I finally purchased a Fender Champion 100 modeling amp, and I’m rediscovering what it feels like to create tones in a more hands-on, nearly analog way (the Champion mimics tube amps and sounds remarkably close). I’ve added a Shure SM57 to my setup, plugging it into the USB interface instead of the guitar like I did for the album. To keep the signal at the right level, I use a Whirlwind impedance transformer to convert the microphone’s XLR connection to a 1/4” input for the Focusrite Scarlett Solo.

Here’s a demo of the amp recorded on that setup without any effects or pedals to give you an idea of the base sound I’m working with:

My Current Amp/Pedal Setup

Pedals currently in circulation (left to right):
The signal runs from right to left, the Super Fuzz is first and the RC-1 is the last before the amp.
– Boss RC-1 Loop Station (lets me write progressions, practice melodies over them)
– Behringer DR600 Reverb
– Behringer UC200 Chorus
– Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube OD (I prefer this to the OD300 so far)
– Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion
– Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay
– Behringer CS400 Compressor
– Behringer EQ700 Equalizer (I like to peak the mids and turn on the SF300 for an acid-blues tone)
– Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz

On top of the amp and not in use:
– Boss SY-200 Synthesizer
– Behringer FX600 MultiFX (since I have the delay and chorus pedals, I don’t use this very often)
– Sonicake 5th Dimension (fun tremolo/chorus pedal with some spacey sounds)

Here’s a demo I made using the SY-200 (a B-min arpeggiating riff with some old-school lead synth along-with):

I’ve been focusing on the Behringer pedals because they are fantastic for experimentation: the analog ones are nearly identical to the pedals they’re cloning (often Boss or off-market vintage tones) and the price point is hard to beat — usually $25 – $30 USD. My current always-ons are the Reverb, Vintage Tube, Compressor, EQ, and Super Fuzz, though I’m still finding new combinations and surprises. There is a lot of background hiss/hum/whirr with these pedals, especially the Super Fuzz and EQ, the former causing feedback if the Level is dialed in too high. The two Boss pedals I got because I couldn’t find better options in my budget.

For amp settings, I’ve been leaning toward the ’65 Princeton Dirty and 60s British Dirty (11 and 1 o’clock on the dial, respectively) with treble, mid, and bass at 4.2 or 4.3 each. These settings feel like a good foundation for the tones I’m after—gritty and warm without being too distant. The British Dirty setting can push things a bit further away, but it’s nice for specific moods, especially tubey/echoey Phrygian riffs! Each time I plug in, it feels like I’m uncovering something new, and it’s exciting to think about how this process might shape the next project, without me feeling like I have to force anything.

For now, I’m just enjoying the process and seeing where it leads. If you play, what’s your setup and how did you come by it? Drop me a line!