[LAD] May I asked something OT?

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Mon, 2010-07-19 at 09:54 +0300, Sakari Bergen wrote:
> 
> On July 18, 2010 03:57:06 pm Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> 
> > A lot of kids wish to have a kill switch for their guitars.
> > A kill switch is a short circuit, to 'stop' the audio signal.
> >
> > I'm not fine with this solution, but the kids argue, that e.g. an
> > interruption does cause unwanted noise, especially for over drive
> > sounds. IMO even using opto-electronics won't solve the issue, because
> > the noise of the transistor overdrive effect still would be hearable,
> > while for a short circuit there is silence.
> >
> > Has anybody an idea to solve this without a short circuit?
> >
> > I'm really not a fan of short circuits. Note, it's not possible to do an
> > interrupt all the times behind the latest noise generator and even an
> > interrupt could cause noise itself, while a short circuit indeed is a
> > good way to cancel sound.
> 
> If you don't like short circuiting the mics, just switch the output jack 
> hot lead between ground and the volume pot(s).
> Connecting the output to ground is the same as turning the volume down. 
> There is no need to short the mics...
> 
> 
> On 19.07.2010 08:30, Tim E. Real wrote:
> > If you play a Gibson you can set the neck pickup volume to zero and
> >   the bridge pickup volume to full and then toggle the pickup switch,
> >   rapidly if desired, like Eddie van Halen on You Really Got Me.
> > Tim.
> 
> Tom Morello gets real creative with his guirar, and uses this technique 
> alot. He also unplugs his guitar to make the pedals and amps make noise 
> (oscillate), and controls the noise with his wah pedal and by touching 
> the tip of the plug to the guitar bridge (which is grounded). Good 
> demonstration of how just cutting the signal lead can cause lots of 
> noise, while a short will be more or less silent :)
> 
> -Sakari-

http://www.instructables.com/image/FC6ZZ0XF8JUW8E8/What-is-a-killswitch.jpg

This is what I call short circuit. It won't harm a pre-amp doing it by a
potentiometer, but I wonder if doing it fast, again and again by a
switch won't cause impulses, when the short circuit will be released
again? Perhaps I do error in reasoning and it's quite save.