Why can't we hear our voice through guitar pickups?

[Milo]

Hi,
im just wandering why guitar pick ups dont take somes sounds like one's voice?
thanks

[Los Boleros]

Hi,
im just wandering why guitar pick ups dont take somes sounds like one's voice?
thanksBecause they are basically just an electro magnet that becomes energised when you plug it in. The strings on an electric guitar are steel or have a steel core which is attracted to the magnetic field. the vibrations cause a change in the current in the magnet circuit and that is converted to analog signal which we can hear. If you yell really loud into the pick up it will hear you but only because you are causing the strings to vibrate.

[Mateo150]

Back a couple years ago I saw a band named "Modest Mouse", I believe they are quite popular these days but back then I saw them when they were still small frys. Its an indie rock kind of band. Anyway, the singer would scream/sing into his guitar, not sure what kind of effects and guitar and such he had, but he did get sound from it. Hard to describe the sound, but it was pretty cool, a cool stage effect anyway, so you can do it.

[Kurisu]

Yah, pretty much the only way you would hear your voice is if it's moving something metal around the pickups. Take the strings off and yell into it, I guarantee you won't hear a thing.

[JohnJumper]

Pickups are constructed by wrapping very thin wire (coils) around magnetic cores. The pickups create a magnetic field (because they have magnets in their core) in the region of the strings. Faraday's Law of Induction says that if you change that magnetic field, current will flow through the coils if they are in a closed circuit (plugged into an amp). The strings that are made of nickel and steel vibrate through the magnetic field and disturb it causing an electrical current that can be amplified.

So when you talk at the pickup - unless you are moving the strings in some way - you are not disturbing the magnetic field. This means you generate no current in the coils to amplify.

People complain about dead strings. This is caused because the strings become magnetized over time and actually change how they disturb the magnetic field usually generating less high frequencies and creating a duller sound.

There are also piezo pickups that generate electrical current due to vibrations of a thin crystal. These kinds of pickups will generate current when you yell into them. Piezo pickups are most often found in acoustic guitars. However, there are several electric guitars that have piezo pickups to simulate that acoustic sound (Parker Fly - I think that Petrucci guitar has piezos too).

I knew that Masters degree in Electrical Engineering would come in handy one day!! :D

[Jamie FT]

Pretty cool JohnJumper! and what kind of pickups does Vai use in the live at the Astoria DVD? anyone? because in part of it (which I forget which song) him and Billy Sheehan pick up their guitar/bass and have a conversation through their pickups!

[oRg]

I knew that Masters degree in Electrical Engineering would come in handy one day!! :D lol...odd enough. That's my major...lol. Hey, not to get off topic but are you a member of the IEEE?

[JohnJumper]

...not to get off topic but are you a member of the IEEE?No...I never did join...I went right into the military and since I got out, 8 years ago, I have been doing software development not Electrical Engineering. I never really did true Electrical Engineering as an occupation.

[JohnJumper]

Pretty cool JohnJumper! and what kind of pickups does Vai use in the live at the Astoria DVD? anyone? because in part of it (which I forget which song) him and Billy Sheehan pick up their guitar/bass and have a conversation through their pickups!
I think he has Evolution pickups which are magnetic. However, If you have really hot pickups and a trem you can cause the trem to vibrate slightly when you yell into it or rest you chin on it a talk. Those vibrations will cause the strings to move causing the magnetic field to distort and you get current to amplify. All you need to do with magnetic pickups is get the strings to vibrate an sound will be generated.

[mattyvegas43]

I can hear my voice through my pickups if there is a delay and the volume is high, but it is quiet.:)

[curiousgeorge]

Pretty cool JohnJumper! and what kind of pickups does Vai use in the live at the Astoria DVD? anyone? because in part of it (which I forget which song) him and Billy Sheehan pick up their guitar/bass and have a conversation through their pickups!

I saw them do that on the Real Illusions tour like 8 feet in front of me.It was awesome!

[Jamie FT]

oh cool! I've got my ticket to see Vai for the second time, but I've got an EVO ticket so I get all this stuff as well:

# One ticket to the show.
# Preferred seating where possible (in seated venues only). Tickets will be assigned to you when you arrive at the venue for the show.
# The opportunity to attend soundcheck. (Usually no less than 20 minutes.)
# An intimate pre-show group Q&A/Discussion session with Steve. (Usually no less than 20 minutes.)
# A special collectable EVO laminate that allows entrance to soundcheck, Q&A, as well as early entry into the venue where possible.
# An autographed and specially numbered “Real Illusions: Reflections” CD booklet.
# A highly limited edition audio CD exclusive to the tour - containing a commentary by Steve Vai on each track of “Real Illusions : Reflections” along with audio snippets, plus a bonus track that does not appear on the album.
# A 28 Page Deluxe Tour Program
# A "Real Illusions" Steve Vai Signature Guitar Pick

October is gonna kick arse. ;)

[RG2550]

if you turn up the gain very much on uncovered pickups and SHOUT ALL YOU CAN into the pickup...it works...but you have to amplify it on your computer editing program

[SeattleRuss]

Yah, pretty much the only way you would hear your voice is if it's moving something metal around the pickups. Take the strings off and yell into it, I guarantee you won't hear a thing.

This is true if the PU is functioning correctly. Like vacuum tubes, pickups can be microphonic, or become microphonic, meaning that the actual coil windings will vibrate from an external sound source (your voice). If the condition is extreme enough, you could yell into the PU even without strings on the guitar and you'd hear your voice through the amp. PU manufacturers starting the current practice of potting PUs in parafin wax to minimize this phenomenon. Usually though, an extremely microphonic PU will squeal uncontrolably when the guitar is plugged in, even at moderate gain levels.

[whipl@sshh]

we just can