Believe it or not, great bedroom and studio guitar tones don’t always translate to great live guitar tones.

But there is an overlooked resource that can help you dial in your live tones…the sound guy.

Lots of guitarists avoid talking to sound guys…you know, those jerks who always tell you to turn your amp down. But here’s the thing – you are completely at their mercy come show time. And they know the good, the bad, and the ugly of your guitar tone better than you do.

So why not ask them about it?

Next time you play live, go talk to the sound guy about your tone. Ask him to let you see your channel on the mixing console. Ask him about how he mixed your sound (specifically ask about EQ).

Ask if there were any problems that made mixing your guitar a challenge. Ask him what he considers great guitar tone. Ask him how you could improve your live guitar tone.

Chances are you’ll gain some valuable insight into your sound from someone with much better ears than you. And next time you play live, you’ll be much better equipped to make your tones better starting from the source.