good guitar tone

[innerspace]

what is the secret fot the ultimate guitar tone in rock/metal? I have a processor, which means the sounds are all modeled on different amps and cabinets. I choose a high gain tube amp and warp it with a bass amp. I drive up the high and lows and really dial down with the mids. Pretty much works within a rock/metal soundscape. how to tweak it furthur to get that heavy as hell rhythm and bluesy yet bright lead tone?

[tinman717]

A lot of people would say that using tube-distortion will give you the best "tone", however, a lot would also say that you would want more gain for doing metal stuff.

You just need to make sure you have a good guitar, and from you are saying, it sounds like you would want one with high-output pickups. I use an Ibanez RG1570 with the Yamaha DG-80 112A amplifier and a Boss OD-20 pedal unit. I have EXTREME versatility with this setup. All sorts of different distortion sounds! Sometimes I use the amp's built-in modeling distortions, and sometimes I use the pedal. Also, my guitar has a 5-way pickup selector, and I can get AMAZING clean tones...

Kinda funny, because I never thought the guitar would sound so good clean. It has really thick finish and I thought it would only be good for heavy distortion because it is aimed at that...but nope

The best way to find your sound is just experiment. Too much processing can ruin your tone.

It sounds like the setup you have would already be able to crank out some good rock tones....sounds to me like you are just looking at little tweaks and stuff. Stuff like that, you kinda gotta figure out on your own, because no one can tell you what you will like. Only you can.

[garww]

I mentioned the other day that I've been thinking about stripping the finish on my new Turser solid body. You mentioned this in your other post today - about when the thing is unplugged. I do look for a natural resonance.

[garww]

oh, and you may be loosing a bit with the whammy bar.

[tinman717]

yeah the system really takes a tole on the body

if you decide to strip the finish on that guitar, definitely make a thread about it. I'd love to hear how it goes!

[TD5_23]

Originally Posted by innerspace

what is the secret fot the ultimate guitar tone in rock/metal? I have a processor, which means the sounds are all modeled on different amps and cabinets. I choose a high gain tube amp and warp it with a bass amp. I drive up the high and lows and really dial down with the mids. Pretty much works within a rock/metal soundscape. how to tweak it furthur to get that heavy as hell rhythm and bluesy yet bright lead tone?

What are you trying to sound like? There are a lot of "ultimate guitar tone"s out there depending on who you ask. Most purists would insist on a fully-saturated EL84, or some other high-gain tube amp, however Dimebag Darrel stuck strictly to Randall solid state amps and imo it was a sound that suited his style. Metallica is also known to have some of the ballsiest metal tones out there and I've heard they don't scoop their mids as much as a lot of other metal bands out there.

Play around, see what you like.

My name is Tyler by the way. Nice meeting all of you.

[garww]

Originally Posted by tinman717

yeah the system really takes a tole on the body

if you decide to strip the finish on that guitar, definitely make a thread about it. I'd love to hear how it goes!

I don't have my files here with me, but I just had to file down the fret ends yesterday. I've been to chicken to look inside the pot cover, so it may become a project. I dunno yet. There is a layer of harmonics that are not coming through unplugged.

[cakewalkgg]

I honestly feel that a lot more tone in metal styles comes from technique than is given credit for. Ive played with a bunch of great players over the years, and played on their rigs.. ive never felt totally comfortable on any of the setups. Thats because that tone is taylored to their particular nuances of playing. I enjoy a less overdriven tone than most of my metal buddies because i have a firm pick attack and a very tight palm mute technique. Many other guitarists ive jammed with get more articulation in the tone from a stringier sctatchier amp tone.. there is never going to be THE TONE from an amp that all players agree on. I really think that you have to really understand your technique.. and honestly be able to hear YOUR tone coming from the guitar when playing without an amp and like it. Then you will understand how to get the amp to make the tones your looking for. hopefully anyway.. No matter what, tone is an elusive and seemingly neverending adventure..
this is just my 2c..
good luck!

[garww]

Originally Posted by cakewalkgg

I honestly feel that a lot more tone in metal styles comes from technique than is given credit for. Ive played with a bunch of great players over the years, and played on their rigs.. ive never felt totally comfortable on any of the setups. Thats because that tone is taylored to their particular nuances of playing. I enjoy a less overdriven tone than most of my metal buddies because i have a firm pick attack and a very tight palm mute technique. Many other guitarists ive jammed with get more articulation in the tone from a stringier sctatchier amp tone.. there is never going to be THE TONE from an amp that all players agree on. I really think that you have to really understand your technique.. and honestly be able to hear YOUR tone coming from the guitar when playing without an amp and like it. Then you will understand how to get the amp to make the tones your looking for. hopefully anyway.. No matter what, tone is an elusive and seemingly neverending adventure..
this is just my 2c..
good luck!

That is very much like my default mode, cakewalkgg. I rely alot on the heal of the palm to control string vibes. coaxing harmonics. The Youngbloods hit album had a rendition of One Note Man, and I can try to get one note right for way too long : )

[tinman717]

It is amazing how pick attack affects your tone. Simply by picking harder or softer, your tone can be drastically changed. Sometimes i find myself picking lazily, so i have the urge to reach over and crank up the gain. If i just pick a little harder, the heavier tone comes back to me