It’s Women’s History Month and we wanted to talk to some of our favorites about their gear and tone setup(s). If you are not familiar with Guitar Girl Magazine’s “Tone Talk” series, this is where we dive into what makes the tone of different musicians’ setups unique to them. We unpack their likes and dislikes and what makes their setup perfect.
If you like what you read, check out Diamond’s Tone Talk on our IG page where she walks through some of her favorite gear.
Diamond McCoy is a musician and a music student. She studied the B flat clarinet from grade school until college, but when she picked up the guitar around the age of 8, the world of music began to change. As she started her journey, she listened to more genres of music that were driven by the guitar in an effort to open her mind to the endless possibilities of tones and styles.
She continues to expand her creativity by collaborating with fashion designers like Cynt Designs while remaining heavily involved in every facet of music and production with Detroit based artist Salakastar on her song “Saint Beauty”. Diamond’s mission is to inspire other young girls out there to be authentic and to be themselves in every facet.
What is your definition of tone, and how has it changed over the years?
My definition of tone has changed over the years especially once I began learning what it means to be an individual in your playing and style. My definition of tone would be described as the approach a guitar player takes to how they want the audience to hear their sound.
Which guitars, amps, and pedals are you currently using and why?
Right now I mostly play Ibanez because most of their models lean toward the type of music that I enjoy playing, which is metal. I also find them to be more comfortable for players with smaller hands.
When it comes to pedals I keep it pretty simple. Some of my favorite pedals right now are my Dunlop Wah pedal and my Donner Triple Looper Pedal.
For amps I’ve been back and forth between Marshall and Orange amps but I really love the tones each of those give.
What about strings?
I’ve been using Ernie Ball Regular Slinky .7 strings. It’s rare that I ever break a string when I play on these and they aren’t too thin or difficult to manipulate when it comes to bending notes.
Are there certain recording techniques you prefer in the studio?
Honestly, I use a lot of guitar plugins like Neural DSP because I like having the ability to mimic heavier sounding amps when I record through Logic Pro X. When I play lead I like to stack and pan the guitar parts to achieve a fuller sound when I harmonize.
How do you keep your sound consistent onstage?
To keep my sound consistent onstage I try my best to coordinate with the sound engineer that way I can meet them halfway on making sure I have the gear I need to have a successful live show.
What does your practice consist of?
My practice regimen consists of playing scales throughout the whole fretboard, playing songs that I currently know, and then new material that I’m trying to memorize or learn—in that order.
What is your advice for young women who hope to work in the music industry?
My advice for young women who want to work in the industry is to just be yourself! If you want to play jazz, play jazz. If you want to rock out, do that. Women are often put in a box but honestly, we’re all so multifaceted and that’s what makes us special.
Follow Diamond on IG @diamondsmetal
Check out Diamond’s Tone Talk video here