Whether you are a seasoned guitarist or a novice jammer, you have more than likely dealt with the frustrating sound of shrieking, ear-piercing feedback. This awful, high-pitched noise that spouts from your speakers can damage the ears of you and your audience. So, how can you completely stop feedback on a guitar amp?
Feedback is not a complicated notion and occurs when a musician is using a guitar and a guitar amp for a variety of reasons. Below you will first find some tried and true fixes to completely stopping feedback on a guitar amp that is absolutely free. Then, the article will discuss some devices that, for a fee, will also get rid of the pesky feedback.
The Simple Fix to Completely Stop Feedback is to Reposition You or the Amp
Before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on pedals, compressors, and other devices, start out with some simple testing. First, a simple fix is where you stand as compared to the amp. Moving the amp, or moving yourself, can be an easy way to completely eliminate feedback from a guitar amp and should be the first step to a solution.
An easy fix to completely stopping feedback on a guitar amp is to simply move farther away from the amp when you are playing your guitar. See how long your cord is that connects the guitar to the amp and move away as far as the cord will let you. If your cord is too short, you could buy a longer one so that this simple fix will work.
Another immediate (and inexpensive) fix is to reposition the amp itself. You can turn the amp away from you or pointing it around two or three inches towards a wall, or place it in front of you while you are playing. The second option works best if you are playing on a stage; if you are simply in your home, turning it towards a wall is an easy fix.
Players jamming at home can place the amp on a carpet, which will reduce the reverberations coming from the amp. That being said, these easy fixes may not completely stop feedback in every situation. Although ideal for home players, professional guitarists could change equipment levels to ensure feedback is gone.
Changing the Levels on Your Equipment to Completely Stop Feedback
Changing the different levels on your guitar and your amp can be a sure-fire way to completely stop feedback. Now, this may take some time to find that perfect combination. But once it is found, you can eliminate feedback from your guitar playing forever. Below are some knobs to note when adjusting your equipment levels:
- Gain
- Volume
- Treble
- Bass
Changing the gain levels on the amp, the guitar, or both can also completely stop feedback as long as you understand how the levels work and how to control gain. When the sound moves from the guitar to your amp, and then to the audience, it goes through two stages, and the first is called the preamp stage (controls that give the amp sound).
The preamp stage is when gain comes into play. High gain is usually the main cause of feedback, so reducing it can be an easy fix to stopping feedback on a guitar amp. On the face of the guitar, turn the one that controls the gain counter-clockwise to reduce it. Then, turn the gain down on the amp (could also be called preamp or drive).
Feedback usually occurs when you are jamming at a loud, rocking sound. So, turning down the gain can stop the feedback while still being able to rock out as loud as you want. Gain is also related to volume since gain modifications can affect volume changes. Reducing volume could be another fix to that annoying feedback problem.
Reduce the Volume on Your Equipment to Stop Feedback from Guitar Amps
Just like gain, the volume also contributes to feedback. You may have to play around with the buttons until the feedback completely stops, but this is an easy way to stop feedback on a guitar amp. Gain is connected to volume; when your guitar is playing softly the gain can be higher without having feedback. But, who always plays quietly?
Just like playing around with the gain knobs, turning down the volume on your guitar while turning up the volume on your amp could also be an easy fix to stopping feedback on a guitar amp. Essentially, you are increasing the output of the sound (through the amp) while decreasing the input (from the guitar), and this combination can work.
Finding that sweet spot between the guitar and amp volume could stop feedback. Since so many guitars have numbers designated for the volume, maybe start at 7 or 8. Then, reduce the volume on the guitar by a few numbers while slowly raising the amp sound. Once you find a sound you like that stops feedback, you have found your sweet spot.
If your guitar does not have numbers for the volume, try turning it up three-fourths full and see how much feedback you may be getting from the amp. Then do the same trick as above – turn down the volume on your guitar while turning up the volume on your amp. Testing the knobs will help find the proper balance to avoid feedback.
Remember Where That Sweet Spot is For Completely Stopping Feedback From Your Guitar Amp
You can take a picture of where the knobs are once you stop the feedback if your guitar and amp do not have numbers. If they are marked, write down that sweet spot so you know going forward what the perfect volume combination is for completely stopping the feedback coming from your amp. Just remember what the difference is:
- Changing the amount of gain will mostly change the sound that is coming from your guitar.
- Gain does not alter the volume to a great extent but, instead, focuses on the sound and tone.
- Volume is just that – how loud your guitar is playing – but it can affect gain. If you lower the volume, the gain and its effects may be less noticeable.
Both of these elements contribute to the amount of feedback you may hear coming out of your guitar amp. In the end, a high guitar gain is usually the main source of unwanted feedback, but also reducing volume can limit or eliminate immediate feedback. But in the end, feedback is usually created with higher amplifier and/or guitar gains.
Reducing the guitar or amp volume, or both, is an easy option to also control feedback from your guitar amp. Adjusting the treble and bass maybe another free way to completely stop feedback from a guitar amp. It is simple – high treble and low bass create feedback. So, this could be another method to try to completely stop feedback.
Try Lowering the Treble and Turning Up the Bass for an Easy Fix to Feedback from a Guitar Amp
There are certain situations when a guitar player may want higher gain. Heavier rock and roll, for example, could warrant that rougher, dirtier sound and feedback may actually complement the style. If you do not want to mess with the gain and volume controls, balancing the treble and the bass is another good step to stopping feedback.
Treble is the amount of high-frequency sound and bass is the amount of low-frequency sound. The positives of having a higher treble are that it makes the sound more sharp and crisp (such as a lead guitarist needing every note to stand out). However, the higher the treble means the more chance you have of creating unwanted feedback.
Lowering the bass usually gives a guitar player a more balanced and even tone, while having more bass makes the tone “boom.” Both guitars and amps have treble and bass knobs that can be adjusted for the wanted tone. Usually, having the treble too high and the bass too low will cause feedback. First, turn down the treble, then adjust the bass.
Just like testing gain, try playing your guitar with the treble about three-fourths high and the bass the opposite. Then, move the treble lower and the bass higher until you find the perfect spot that sounds great and has completely stopped the feedback. Note that all amps and guitars are made differently, so it may take a few tries to find perfection.
Purchasing a Noise Gate Could Completely Stop Feedback from a Guitar Amp
So far this article has discussed free solutions to completely stopping feedback on a guitar amp. There are also devices that can be purchased that could stop your feedback from occurring while jamming out. One of these devices is a noise gate, which is a device that controls audio signal volume and, in turn, could end up stopping feedback.
Some characteristics to look for in a noise gate device include:
- They should have settings that are adaptable
- Small devices are more attractive for players overall
- Find one that can be used in an FX loop to suppress noise from the guitar and pedals at the same time
- Easy to control
Experts have said that if you are going to purchase one device to stop feedback, it is a noise gate. Because its job is to control audio signal volume, it eliminates sounds that are below a set threshold. That is, unwanted and excess noise can be managed, such as feedback, through this software or electronic (on a pedal or rack unit) device.
The noise gate will block any noise coming through the amp that is below that threshold. So, when sounds are below this threshold the noise gate closes. Conversely, when the sounds are above the threshold, the gate opens and allows the sounds to go through. This will stop feedback when you have stopped strumming the guitar strings.
There Are Important Settings on Noise Gates to Eliminate Feedback
The main issue with noise gates is that you will first need to set the threshold. Will noise gates reduce or even stop feedback? In most cases, yes. However, they can also take some of the substance out of your tone if the threshold is not set up correctly. That being said, if you know what triggers feedback, you can use a noise gate to avoid it.
You can avoid these issues by understanding important settings:
- Threshold – How high the signal needs to be to go through the noise gate.
- Release/decay – How long the noise gate is open.
- Attack – How aggressively the noise gate triggers to open up and let the sound through.
Some players get confused between noise gates and suppressors. Suppressors are essentially a type of noise gate, but there are differences. A noise gate’s job is to completely cut out sound when it gets below a certain threshold. This is based on those the release/decay and the attack mentioned above.
Suppressors, on the other hand, work more on filtering out specific frequencies that may become a problem and cause feedback. Although there are companies that combine gates and suppressors, noise suppressor pedals are a popular device to eliminate feedback from a guitar amp.
Noise Suppressor Pedals Also Can Eliminate Feedback on a Guitar Amp
There are different types of noise gates that can eliminate unwanted feedback from a guitar amp. One of the most popular types of noise gates is a noise suppressor pedal. And unlike other types of noise gates, a noise suppressor will not affect the guitar’s normal tone. However, they may cost more than the average noise gate.
If you have tried all of the free and low-cost methods and you still have feedback coming from your guitar amp, a noise suppressor pedal should do the trick. These devices will detect the source of the feedback, reduce or eliminate the unwanted noise, and allow the musician to control the sound more that is coming out of the amp.
Similar to balancing gate and volume, turn up the pedal around three-fourths to start and find the balance you need to remove feedback and control the sound you desire. These suppressor devices should be used in conjunction with also controlling the gate and volume so that the tone, volume, and level of feedback work together as one.
Even with a suppressor pedal, if you turn the guitar and amp up to the max volume you will more than likely still have some screeching feedback and sound out of control. In addition, suppressor pedals can be pricey if you want one that effectively eliminates the feedback from your guitar amp. This is just one of many devices that can be used.
Some Additional Tips Using Devices You May Already Have to Eliminate Feedback
By now your feedback should be completely gone from your guitar amp. But, what if it is still there? Maybe you could not find the right balance of gain and volume. Or maybe adjusting the treble and bass did not work. If you exhausted the free tips and do not want to spend money on noise gate products, below are some other possible solutions:
Do you use distortion pedals? If you have them plugged into the amp, this could be the source of your feedback if they are turned too high. If you turn down both the level and gain knobs on your distortion pedals and it eliminates your feedback, you may have finally found the culprit. You can also unplug the guitar from the pedal to test the device.
Do you have an equalizer? Many musicians do, and you can use this equipment you already have to help stop feedback. Simply turn down your guitar’s frequency range and this should immediately stop the feedback because it will no longer be indicated on the equalizer. You will just need to test how many Hz are needed for your specific guitar.
If you play acoustic guitar you probably have a sound hole lying around. This very inexpensive device is also a great way to control feedback when the guitar is plugged in for the electric sound. Just remember that the overall tone will also be affected, but this may not be a bad thing. It may eliminate feedback and create a brand new sound.
Final Thoughts on Completely Removing Feedback From Your Guitar Amp
In order to completely stop feedback from coming out of your guitar amp, you need to remember what feedback is and why it occurs. It is pretty simple – feedback occurs when your sound is amplified from your guitar amp, travels back to the guitar, and then sent back to the amp again. It is a loop, however, that can be stopped.
The main way to reduce feedback is to first reposition what is causing the feedback – the guitar and the guitar amp. If that does not work, play around with the knobs on both pieces of equipment. This could end up being an easy trick to eliminating feedback from your life forever. Then, you can invest in some devices that should do the trick.
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