Dynamics is another word for volume. Many people don’t know that dynamics in music can be broken up into different categories, let alone how to apply dynamics. As a performing guitarist, dynamics is something you should become consciously be aware of.
Dynamic Range
This is the difference between the loudest and softest sounds of an instrument. When using a high quality guitar amplifier we generally have quite a large dynamic range to play around with. Typically on a clean setting, you will be able to pick your strings very lightly in order to achieve a barely audible sound. On the other hand, bashing the strings with a lot of force will produce a much louder sound, typically with a vast distance in volume in comparison. As guitar players we want to utilize this dynamic range as musically as possible.
Macrodynamics
Macrodynamics is the overall level differences that take place in a song. This is slowly becoming less prominent in modern music. The issue is that on mastered recordings, the full dynamic range is rarely available due to the post mastering process. In a musical setting, we want to employ macrodynamics to color and flavor our music. For example, many songs sound best when the chorus is played slightly louder, and with more energy, than the versus. Much in the same way, we can utilize very quiet moments to draw in our audience and allow the music to breathe. In classical music, composers can illustrate up to 6 different variations of volume in written music.
Microdynamics
This refers to level fluctuations within each note that we play. We use what’s known as compression to alter the microdynamics of our instrument, which has an overall effect on its timbre. In a practical sense, the clean channel on many amplifiers may have a dynamic range that is too vast. Using a compressor pedal we are able to make the sound more manageable and recordable. Another handy function of a compression pedal is the ability to sustain notes for a longer period of time, as the compression can be set to increase volume as the signal starts to fade. In addition to that, some players have found that by simply using the volume setting on a compression pedal, they are able to get more power out of their amplifiers.
In the following video, Paul Jackson Jr. gives us a quick overview of compression using the Xotic SP Compressor.
