Amplifiers, Effects, and Settings
- Play loud for the best tone.
- Simple and straightforward is usually the best approach. Too many effects will get in the way of your guitar’s natural tone.
- Metal is all about extremes, so don’t be afraid to turn knobs all the way up or all the way down.
- The main principle you want to follow is to play clean, all notes easily distinctive, and not muddy. My blueprint for guitar tone is …And Justice For All – Metallica which is my favorite album.
- Your choice of amplifier is crucial, especially if you want to use amplifier distortion. I think this sounds better than pedals.
- The formula that has always worked for me is to turn up my bass, treble, and distortion levels, with the midrange right in the middle.
- Midrange is the most important frequency. Our ears are tuned to midrange because most of the natural sounds in the world are in the midrange frequency. Turning the midrange all the way down sounds great, but your guitar will not cut through anything. Turning it all the way up makes your guitar loud, but it sounds muddy and ugly.
- You should probably turn off all your effects, even reverb, unless you are playing lead. If you are playing lead, reverb and delay can make your leads sound a lot more epic.
- Don’t abuse the wah pedal by rocking it back and forth quickly. Use it slowly or use it as a filter for the best sound.
- Just about all other effects are only useful for “one-off” uses.
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