Where did “turn it up to 11” come from?
One of the most shocking revelations in rock music is that the powerhouse that was Eddie Van Halen refused to use a distortion pedal.
It’s true, the man who is renowned for some of the most face-melting and powerful solos and riffs in rock was doing it all with just his guitar and amp. He didn’t feel the need to add any additional effects, and instead, thought that so long as you had the right guitar, amp, and skill, you were going to sound great.
“I’ve never used or owned any distortion pedal. Nothing. I always use the guitar, cable, straight to the amp. A lot of people, until they actually play, play my guitar through one of my amps, then they go ‘Holy shit’,” he said, when discussing his reluctance to embrace distortion pedals, “If you have a great-sounding guitar, a quality instrument, and of course a good amp, you know how to talk, or make a guitar talk, that’s the key.”
There aren’t many guitarists who think like Eddie Van Halen. The idea that you can create a huge sound that will sell out stadiums and break records without the use of any added effects is unheard of in a lot of musical circles. There are plenty of guitarists who are persistently looking for different effects and tricks they can use in a bid to enhance their sound, including people who want to turn their amp up to 11.
Apart from some novelty models, you won’t be surprised to hear that there are no guitar amplifiers which go all the way up to 11. However, this is a common phrase that is used in rock music, which refers to guitarists who play loudly and in an unforgiving manner. It’s a term that people hear around the music scene, but it remains unclear where the term originated from. So, where did it originate?
So, where did the term “turn it up to 11” come from?
Many people will likely already know the answer to this and are reading this article in the interest of having their suspicions confirmed, as opposed to genuinely not knowing the answer. Yes, your giggles from 1984 were the result of you witnessing history, as the common term “turn it up to 11” comes from the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
Arguably one of the greatest musical comedies of all time, one of the most memorable scenes from the film consists of lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel explaining that his custom amplifiers from Marshall go all the way up to 11. The interviewer quite rightly asks, “Why don’t you just make the ten louder?” To which he replies, “Well, these go to 11.”
Does the phrase date back any earlier than that?
You would need to ask the writers of This Is Spinal Tap where the idea came from. There is a chance that the joke stemmed from some older references that helped them put the gag together. For instance, turning an amp up to 11 directly correlates to the notion of someone giving 110%.
It’s odd how that’s a percentage we merely accept even though it’s (generally) impossible; obviously, there are some exceptions. As such, the idea of that saying could have inspired the joke in This Is Spinal Tap, but it’s unclear whether that’s definitely the case or not.
