You’ve got your guitar and amp all set up… but something still feels off.
Your tone doesn’t sound quite right, or your guitar just doesn’t feel easy to play.

Before you spend another dime on new gear, here’s the truth:
You probably already have everything you need to sound amazing — you just need to fine-tune what you’ve got.

This guide will help you get your guitar playing effortlessly and your tone dialed in so your solos sing, sustain, and feel inspiring to play.

Get Your Guitar Playing Effortlessly

If your guitar doesn’t play quite the way you want it to, don’t give up on it yet. Most of the time, a few simple tweaks can completely change how your instrument feels and responds.

Professional Setup

• A proper setup (intonation, action, neck relief, etc.) can make your guitar feel brand new.
• Once you’ve got it set up, keep the same string gauge every time you change strings.
• If you’re not into doing setups yourself, it’s worth having a pro handle it — it’s one of the best investments you can make for your playing.

String Choice

• I use Elixir NanoWeb Super Light 9–42 coated strings on all my electrics.
• Coated strings feel smoother and make bending and vibrato effortless.
• I prefer lighter strings for soloing — but the right gauge is whatever feels most natural to you.

Tuning & Preferences

• All of my courses and lessons are in standard tuning.
• Don’t worry about using what everyone else uses. Use what inspires you and fits your style.
• Your tone starts with your hands — the rest is just enhancing that.

Guitar Neck & Feel

• I play a range of guitars — from my Ibanez Prestige RG1570 (with a Wizard neck) to my American Telecaster, and I also favor ESP/LTD, Dean, and Jackson guitars.
• Neck shape is totally personal. Go with what feels right and keeps you inspired. You may prefer thin necks like Ibanez’s Wizard, or you may prefer more round or even thicker necks. We’re all a little different and there is no one-size-fits-all.

Main takeaway:
You probably already own the perfect guitar for you. Once it’s properly set up and dialed in, you can focus fully on tone, expression, and developing your own unique lead style.

Main takeaway 2:

Give yourself the freedom to like what you like and not like what you don’t like. When it comes to tone (and your style of playing guitar), there’s no right or wrong answer. There’s only what fits you best.

Dialing in Your Tone for Metal Leads

Tone doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a wall of amps or twenty pedals to sound great. You just need a few key settings that let your guitar breathe and your notes shine.

Simple EQ Settings

Here’s my general EQ formula that works on almost any amp, amp sim, or amp pedal:

• Bass: Slight boost for body and fullness.
• Mids: Around 6–7 to help solos cut through the mix.
• Treble: Around 6–7 for clarity and brightness.
• Gain: High for sustain. If your amp sounds a little loose, run a light overdrive in front (drive low, level high) to tighten it up.

Boosting the mids helps your solos stand out from your rhythm tracks. Especially if your rhythm guitars have the mids slightly scooped.

You can use these settings with any amp or amp sim, and they will at least serve as a good starting point.

What About Cabinets, Speakers, and Mics?

Sure, cabinets and mics can make a huge difference, whether it’s a real 1×12, 2×12, or 4×12 cabinet, or the virtual cabs/mics with amp sims, or if you’re using IRs (impulse responses). The way I look at this is it’s not so much about finding the perfect cabinet/mic combination (or mic placement). It’s more about realizing you have different options.

You may like the sound of an Orange cabinet for your solos. Or you may prefer a Marshall. Or Mesa. Or EVH. Or it may be an array of options you have with amp sims and IRs.

Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Just don’t allow yourself to overthink this to the point where you’re not doing what you love: playing and writing guitar solos.

Tone Comes from You

Some say tone is all in your hands; others say it’s all in the gear.
I believe both are true — but what really defines your tone is your style.

You could plug Joe Satriani into ten different amps and still know it’s him.
That’s what we’re working toward here: developing your signature sound.

Using Delay Tastefully

A touch of delay can bring your solos to life. It adds ambience and makes each note feel bigger without cluttering your tone.

My go-to delay setup:

• Timing: ¼-note
• Level & Feedback: Moderate — just enough to notice, not enough to distract

You’ll hear this effect throughout the Melodic Soloist course in the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy. It’s subtle, but it makes a huge difference in how the guitar feels and responds.

Watch: My Simple Metal Lead Guitar Tone Setup

Here’s a short video where I walk through my current lead guitar tone setup using the Blackstar Dual Distortion pedal.
You’ll hear how I dial in clarity, sustain, and feel — all without chasing complicated gear setups.

Even though I used Blackstar gear for this example, the same concepts apply no matter what amp, pedal, or plugin you’re using.

Keep It Simple and Play from the Heart

The biggest mistake most players make is overthinking gear.
You don’t need the newest amp or pedal. You just need to make what you have feel right and sound inspiring.

Start with your guitar setup. Then dial in your amp and add a touch of delay. That’s it.
Once everything feels good, focus on what really matters:
Your playing, your phrasing, and the emotion behind every note.

Because at the end of the day, the best tone and guitar solos are the ones you create.

Take the Next Step

Once your guitar and tone feel right, the next step is building the skills to play solos that sound as good as your tone.

Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide — it’s packed with metal riffs, licks, tabs, and video lessons that help you build real-world playing skills and confidence.

Get the Free Metal Riffs & Licks Guide
***Chapter 3 covers everything you need to know for playing leads and has licks for you to learn!

And when you’re ready to dive deeper, check out the full Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy, where you’ll get complete access to all my courses, backing tracks, and growing library of metal guitar lessons.

Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy
***Lead Guitar Apprentice

Keep it Metal,
Jason

The post Metal Lead Guitar Tone Made Easy: Get Smooth, Expressive Solos With the Gear You Already Have appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

In this post, I’ll break down what makes this bundle special, why it’s perfect for rock and metal guitarists, and how it can simplify your tone setup so you can focus more on playing.

SIDE NOTE: This isn’t just another Marshall clone of a clone amp sim…this tone is pure, solid, and I did not want to put my guitar down!

What Is the Ampknob BDM Bundle?

Bogren Digital’s Ampknob series is known for its “one knob, killer tone” approach. The BDM Bundle gives you three amp sims, each modeled after legendary Marshall-style amps:

• BDM 800 – Punchy, cutting mids, perfect for that 80s sound and thrash metal.
• BDM ‘75 – Vintage and versatile with a gritty edge that can handle multiple styles from classic rock to heavy metal.
• BDM 410 JVH – Tight, aggressive, modern, and can handle death metal and more extreme sub-genres, perfectly

Each amp sim features:

• One gain knob
• Switchable pedal mode
• Killer built-in cab IR
• Ability to load your own IRs
• Minimal tweaking, maximum tone

How Does It Sound?

Before I even start talking, I wanted you to hear these amps in action.

The first 1:41 of the video is nothing but pure tone—each amp in a full mix setting, so you can hear how it actually performs in a song. No tweaking, no fluff—just plug in and play.

Start using these tones for your riff writing and recording:
https://www.jasonstallworth.com/bogren

Ampknob BDM 800

Based on the legendary JCM800

BDM 800: This one instantly gave me that classic ’80s metal vibe—think Queensrÿche, Dokken, Scorpions, and even early Metallica. It’s bright, punchy, and perfect for melodic riffs and solos.

This was the first of the three I tried, and I ended up jamming on it for quite a while before moving on. I also really dig the fact that it includes built-in delay and an extended reverb—that adds a ton of atmosphere without needing extra plugins.

Now, I don’t want to box this amp sim into just ’80s metal. I found myself dialing in darker, heavier riffs with it, and they sounded killer. You can also back the gain down or turn off the boost pedal to get lighter tones—great for those cleaner verses that explode into a full-blown chorus when you crank everything up.

Ampknob BDM ’75

Inspired by a hot-rodded ‘70s Marshall

BDM ’75: The most versatile of the bunch. Great for dialing in those gritty, vintage rock tones reminiscent of AC/DC, Kiss, and early Judas Priest. It’s got bite without being overbearing.

Even with its more classic approach, the gain still delivers a natural, sustaining tone that feels like you’re plugged into a real Marshall amp. That’s something a lot of amp sims miss—but this one nails it.

I can see myself using the BDM ’75 for rhythm tracks when I’m writing solo material or anytime I want that raw, gritty tone for classic rock or metal. The sound is pure and inspiring.

Ampknob BDM 410 JVH

Modern punch with brutal gain on tap

BDM 410 JVH: This amp sim packs the most punch. It pushed me toward heavier riffs with a death metal edge, but it’s surprisingly diverse—you can dial in everything from Joe Satriani-style leads to aggressive tones used by Slayer, Megadeth, and Children of Bodom.

While a lot of my style stems from 80s metal mixed with a heavy Satriani influence, I also play a lot of dark, melodic death metal, and sometimes obscure-sounding metal, even venturing into the black metal style. This amp nails that entire range.

What really sets the 410 JVH apart are the four modes, which act like four separate channels (just like the real JVM amp). You’ve got everything from clean and gritty to full-on metal assault. Plus, the built-in overdrive pedal gives you even more tonal flexibility.

I can honestly see myself using this one for most of my writing and playing. You’ll definitely hear it in upcoming lessons and YouTube videos.

Why It’s Perfect for Metal Guitarists:

• You’re not wasting time tweaking 10 EQ bands. Just plug in and play.
• Perfect for writing and recording. You can stay in the creative flow.
• Amazing, usable tone right out of the box.
• Clarity, versatility, and perfect for recording ideas and practicing.
• Affordable. For the price, it’s a no-brainer if you’re into amp sims.

My Favorite Amp in the Bundle:

After jamming with all three, the BDM 410 JVH is hands-down my favorite. It’s the most versatile and has the most edge—it fits perfectly in a full mix without needing a bunch of EQ tweaking. And it handles multiple subgenres across the metal spectrum with ease.

My only minor gripe? I wish it came with the same delay and extended reverb options that the BDM 800 has. That said, it does include a simple one-knob reverb that sounds great. For leads, I just pair it with the Beat Delay in PreSonus Studio One Pro (my go-to DAW), and the result is killer.

Try It for Yourself:

Get the BDM Bundle from Bogren Digital (Affiliate Link):
https://www.jasonstallworth.com/bogren

Final Thoughts:

Whether you’re a riff writer, solo artist, or bedroom metal shredder, the Bogren Digital Ampknob BDM Bundle delivers big tone with zero fuss. And if you’re tired of chasing tone, this could be the amp sim bundle that gets you back to actually playing.

It’s time to get focused, inspired, and productive. Because the more you play, the better you get—and this is one tool that’ll actually help you do that.

***If you’re new to the world of virtual amps and recording software, check out my complete guide on how to use and install plugins.

The post Bogren Digital Ampknob BDM – Killer Tones for Rock and Metal Guitar appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

You don’t need a speaker cab (I’ll show what you’ll use instead, which comes with the amp). You don’t even need an interface as the HT-5 MK III can be used as an audio interface (I’ll show you this, as well as how I use mine with an interface).

Here’s what I’ll cover below:

• Blackstar HT-5RG specs (features on the front and back of the amp)
• Using Cab Rig for a variety of tones
• How to use the HT-5RH MK III as an interface for recording
• How to record the HT-5RH MK III through another interface (this is how I do it)
• How to use pedals and effects with the HT-5RH MK III (I also cover how I get metal tones in this section)
• Other ways you can use the HT-5RH MK III

Blackstar HT-5RH MK III Specs & Details

The HT-5RH is a 5-watt, 2-channel amp head. It’s powered by one ECC83 and one 12BH7 tube (yes, it’s a real tube amp). Each channel has Blackstar’s unique voicings and their patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) control giving you a wide range from ‘American to British’ tones.

Here’s a rundown of the HT-5RH MK III:

• 5 watts of power (with a .5-watt option)
• 2 channels (overdrive and clean, each with an additional voice feature)
• Full EQ for the overdrive channel
• Tone knob for the clean channel
• ISF (American to British tone feature)
• Reverb

Let’s take a look at the back of the amp where things get more interesting. As you can see in the image, the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III can be used as an audio interface, with an external interface, through a soundboard, with headphones, and you can even connect this amp to a cab.

Here’s a rundown of these features:

• USB Audio output (the other end would go to your computer to be used as an interface and to make changes to the Cab Rig software – we’ll go over that soon)
• Footswitch input
• Effects loop with level control
• CabRig selector
• Line out and balanced outputs for headphones or going direct to an interface or soundboard
• Options to connect to three types of speaker cabinets

Get the Blackstar HT-5 RH MK III at Sweetwater

How to Get a Variety of Tones Using the HT-5RH MK III with Blackstar’s CabRig Software

Before we get into recording with the Blackstar HT-5RH amp we need to cover how you’re getting your tones. CabRig is Blackstar’s signature cabinet simulation software.

Blackstar provides an array of cabinet and speaker combinations with CabRig. It also comes with multiple mic simulations and deep shaping controls such as mic EQ, room types, location of mic, and level controls.

CabRig allows you to create your own combinations of speakers, mics, and settings. And you can assign three of those to your HT-5RH amp head. This lets you have your favorite combinations in the amp without being connected to your computer.
There’s a CabRig switch on the back of the amp for your cab selection.

Below is a complete tutorial on how to use Blackstar’s Cab Rig software:

How to Use the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III Amp as an Audio Interface

The easiest way to record guitars with the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III is to use it as your audio interface. Here are the steps:

• Connect the USB cable to the back of your amp (the output under ‘USB Audio’)
• Connect the other end to the USB input of your computer
• In the audio settings of your DAW, select the HT-5 to be your input source
• If you’re using headphones with the HT-5, select the HT-5 as your output source as well
• If you have another interface with your studio monitors connected, select that one as your output source

You could also use your computer speakers as the output source though that’s not recommended. Studio monitors or headphones will give you a much better sound for this application.

How to Use the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III Amp with an Interface for Recording

This is how I use the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III amp. I run it into my interface. I’ll share how you can do that followed by why I do it this way.

• Connect an instrument cable to the line out from the back of your HT-5RH
• Connect the other end of that to your audio interface input
• In the audio settings of your DAW, make sure your audio interface is selected as your input and output source
• If you’re using headphones, you would use the audio interface headphone input

I prefer this method because I record vocals and other instruments using my main audio interface (in this case, it’s the Presonus Quantum 2). This also prevents me from having to change the audio settings in my DAW when I want to record something other than the HT-5 amp.

How to Use Pedals and Effects with the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III Head

The HT-5RH MK III is equipped with an effects loop for your time-based effects like delay and reverb (the amp comes with reverb but you may want a more spacy, ambient type of reverb pedal). There’s also a +4dBu and -10dBV option.

As with any amplifier, you can run pedals in front of the amp, such as an overdrive and nose gate.

Jason’s ‘how to get a metal tone with the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III amp:’

I recommend using an overdrive pedal as you would use with other high-gain amps. The overdrive alone on this amp probably isn’t going to satisfy you for playing metal. But you’ll get an amazing tone using an overdrive pedal (overdrive down, volume up).

Another way I use effects when recording with the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III head is in the DAW. Specific to my lead guitar tracks, I add delay to the track in the studio. It’s a simple method, but worth mentioning.

Get the Blackstar HT-5 RH MK III at Sweetwater

Other Ways You Can Use the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III Amp

Here are some other convenient ways to use the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III amp.

Practicing with Headphones: The Blackstar HT-5RH MK III amp head is also a great amp to practice guitar silently using headphones. You can plug your headphones in the line out and you’re all set.

Running the HT-5RH MK III with a soundboard: You can also run a cable from the line out to a channel on your soundboard.

Using the HT-5RH MK III with a Speaker Cabinet: Lastly, you can connect your HT-5RH amp to a cabinet (be sure to use an appropriate cabinet – the three options and specs required are on the back by the speaker outputs).

Overall, this is a great little amp for recording, especially if you’re in a small room. Again, the HT-5RH fits perfectly on most desktops.

Blacstar’s CabRig software for speaker and mic simulations is a definite highlight. This is available with their entire line of MK III amplifiers. I think you’ll find CabRig to be one of the more realistic-sounding cab simulators.

You can order the Blackstar HT-5RH MK III head at Sweetwater through my affiliate link(this helps, and thank you!): Get the Blackstar HT-5 RH MK III at Sweetwater

The post Blackstar HT-5RH MK III: How I Use it for Home Studio Recording (and for Metal) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

Oh, more thing…

What if I also told you that this 3-channel amp has an amazing metal tone and an amazing clean tone, and that ‘in-the-middle’ overdrive channel also sounds pristine?

It’s all here in one amplifier. The Blackstar HT Venue MK III.

In this post, I’m going to give you a complete overview of what this amp can do for you, in practically any scenario. And I’ll also share a video where you can hear how the Blackstar MKIII sounds in the full mix. We’ll start with the basics.

Blackstar HT Venue 100-Watt Head Features

You may think you could only use a 100-watt tube amp for playing live at large venues and stadium-sized shows. But with the HT Venue MK III, you can dial in all the way down to 10 watts.

Aside from that, both overdrive channels give you a nice, chunky distortion sound at low volumes, even at the 100-watt setting (and we’ll get into using this head without a cabinet later!).

Here’s what the Blackstar HT Venue MK III offers:

• Power and standby switches are located on the front of the amp (convenient!)
• 100 and 10-watt options for power
• Master volume, presence, and resonance
• Reverb (with Blackstar’s light and dark option)
• Powered by 4 EL34 tubes
• 3-channels (clean, OD1, and OD2)
• All 3 channels include a voice switch (this is almost like having 6 channels)
• Both overdrive channels have an independent volume and gain
• Blackstar’s ISF (American to British, and somewhere in between tone-shaping feature)

***Click Here to Order Your Blackstar HT Venue MK III (and view the entire MK III series)

Back Panel Features for the Blackstar HT Venue MK III

The back panel of the Blackstar HT Venue is loaded with benefits that allow you to get really creative with your music and tones. Whereas you have the effects loop, footswitch, and speaker outputs, you have several additional Blackstar-specific features that allow you to break through some of the limitations of many traditional amplifiers.

Here’s a rundown of what you see on the back panel:

• USB audio input (I’ll explain more along with the Cab Rig options below)
• 2 and 5-way footswitch inputs
• Effects loop with the ability to adjust the level
• Dark and light reverb option
• Cab Rig (3 different options, which can be programmed per your own specs…we’ll get to this in more depth)
• Cab Rig line out and balanced output
• Multiple speaker output options

The USB option allows you to connect your HT Venue MK III head directly to your computer and use it as an interface with your DAW. Once you connect it, you would simply go to your DAW settings and select the HT Venue MK III to be your interface and you can start recording.

The Cab Rig software (explained in more detail below) is what you’ll use for your cabinet/speaker and mic simulations.

In addition, you can use the templates, create your own, and assign up to three cab/mic combinations to your Blackstar head. This is what that toggle switch is for that you see in the 2nd image above.
The Blackstar HT Venue MK III already has three options assigned for you, which all sound awesome.

Along with that, you can use the line out or balanced out (located by the Cab Rig 3-way switch) to connect your amp head to a soundboard or an interface (your amp does not have to be connected to a computer; that’s only for creating and assigning new cab/mic combinations or if you want to use your amp head as an interface).

Don’t get me wrong, the Blackstar 4×12 cabinet sounds amazing and beefy, and we’ll talk more about that soon. But to reiterate, no cab is required to use the HT Venue MK III amp head.

Another killer feature is that you can use both a real cabinet and the Cab Rig software at the same time. For example, let’s say you want to record your guitar. You could throw a mic in front of the cabinet and also run the line out into your audio interface (or use your MKIII amp head as your interface) and record both versions. In fact, I’m getting ready to do that the week of writing this post (this will be shared on my YouTube channel).

Blackstar’s Cab Rig Software for the HT Venue MK III

This is where things get interesting and tone possibilities greatly expand. Remember when I said you don’t necessarily need a cabinet to use the HT Venu MK III 100-watt head?

The Cab Rig software is Blackstar’s exclusive simulation of cabinets, speakers, mics, and more. And you have the freedom to mix and match to get endless tone possibilities.
I also covered this software in my overview of the Blackstar Amped 3 pedal.

What’s great about the Cab Rig software for the Blackstar HT Venue MK III is you can use two cabinet and mic combinations.

In image 1 above you’ll see the first layout of Cab Rig and you’ll also see Cab One and Cab Two. Under each one, you can see the icons for the cabinets, mics, and EQ settings. Clicking on those icons will take you to the appropriate screen.

In image 2, you’ll see an array of cabinet options from 1×10 to 4×12, from vintage to modern, and American and British styles. You’ll also see an option for DI (this means you can record your Blackstar amp, direct, allowing you to use another impulse response if you choose).

Image 3 shows you the many mics you can choose from. You also have on and off axis for each mic.

Image 4 shows you the EQ setup for each cab and mic combination. There are also several presets, including a preset that caters to each mic. This comes in handy. For example, the EQ preset for the 121 Ribbon mic will take out some of the low-end while the preset for the 57 dynamic mic will take out some highs.

Blackstar HTV-412 MK III Cabinet

There are two versions of the HTV-412 MK II cabinet that pair with the Blackstar HT Venue MK II amp head. One is straight and the other is slanted (I have the slanted one).

This is a 320-watt closed-back extension cabinet and is loaded with Celestion Seventy 80 speakers. You’ve got handles on both sides with finger-locked joints, and Blackstar’s heavy-duty wiring. The Blackstar plate is metal (and I’ll say that’s an intended pun because this amp and cabinet combination produces some serious metal tones!).

What Jason Really Thinks About the Blackstar HT Venue MK III

First of all, I need to let you know that I worked out a partnership with Blackstar for this amp (as well as the Amped 3 pedal, which you probably saw my post and several videos for). And I’m truly grateful for this as it’s something that I went after, purposely. And I hope to continue this relationship.

Yeah, this amp is amazing. But there are two changes that I would make if I could. We’ll get to that.

Here are the features that stand out to me:

• If you know me, you know that I primarily play metal but this amp has a superior clean tone! This isn’t so common with high-gain amps but Blackstar nailed it here.
• Both overdrive channels sound phenomenal. From my experience, and probably yours, too, it’s usually the super high gain channel that I really like but the first ‘mid-gain’ channel always lacks. That’s not the case with the HT Blackstar Venue MK III.
• I do prefer both overdrive channels with the voice switch on. But I do like the fact that you have the other option (voice switch off). That broadens what you can do with this amp regarding music styles.
• Overall, I’m able to get darker sounds out of this amp (thanks to the ISF feature and just the nature of this amp). I’m dialing in a signature tone here!
• The HTV-412 MK III cabinet with the Celestion Seventy 80 speakers is just amazing. It gives you this powerful feel and tone.
• The Cab Rig software, in my opinion, beats any other cabinet/mic software or impulse response in both feel and sounding more realistic in the mix (see my video using this amp and cab in a full mix).

As I mentioned, there are a couple of tweaks that I would make to the Blackstar HT Venue MK III. Even with the voice switch on for the OD channels, I still prefer an overdrive pedal in front of the amp for playing metal.

With that, there is a pretty big difference in tone with the voice switch switch on versus off, which I assume is the intent and not a bad thing. But what I would change would be to have the OD 2 channel’s ‘voice off’ be a high-gain metal channel that doesn’t need a boost and have the ‘voice on’ be more of an overall volume boost with a little more edge. This would be perfect for going from rhythm to lead, smoothly, with no boost or overdrive pedal needed.

Hopefully, that makes sense. And that’s a minor complaint if you can even call it a complaint.

Now it’s time for you to hear this amp in the full mix!

Blackstar HT Venue MK III with HTV-412 Cab – Full Metal Mix

This is an instrumental track that I wrote exclusively for Blackstar and this video.

I hope you enjoyed the song here and that you have a better understanding of how cool the Blackstar HT Venue MK III amp (and cab) is.

To recap, even though this is a 100-watt amplifier that can give you a monstrous tone with the matching 4×12 cabinet, it’s not reserved just for playing live at large venues with thousands of screaming fans. Although this amp can certainly do that. You can use the MK III series of amps to record direct, both as or through an interface, or run through a soundboard by using the Blackstar Cab Rig software (which is free, by the way).

This gives you the ability to have more than one tone. You can have your cab miked up and also have your line-out running through the interface or soundboard. And you can do this in the studio, as I went through earlier, and on stage. Imagine being on stage and having your cabinet miked but also having a line-out to the soundboard using Cab Rig. That could really make the overall mix sound more full and interesting.

By this point, you’re probably ready to order a Blackstar HT Venue MK III amp and cabinet. If you would rather go down in size, there are other MK III options, like several versions of combo amps along with a 50-watt head and matching 2×12 cabinet.

You can order through my Sweetwater link below. This also supports my music and I appreciate it.

***Click Here to Order Your Blackstar HT Venue MK III (and view the entire MK III series)

Keep it Metal, and Keep Playing Music,

Jason

The post Blackstar HT Venue MK III Overview & How to Use (For Metal Guitarists) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

But it can get tiresome lugging around all that gear show after show. And it’s not always realistic to crank up a tube amp every time you want to record your guitar or just jam.

This is where software-based amp simulations, also called plug-ins, come in. Talk about convenience. Just plug your guitar into your interface and you’re set. But no matter how far this technology has come, there’s still that disconnect of the feel you get with a real amplifier.
One may argue there’s no difference in the sound in the mix; however, the feel, or lack of it, can impact your performance.

There are also the hardware amp simulation units like the Axe FX, Kemper, Line 6 Helix, and Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and the list continues to grow. The two main issues with these are the price and the complexity of working with them.

This brings us to a solution that may give you the qualities you love about tube amps and amp sims while eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) the things you DO NOT like about both:
The Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 3.

In this post, I’m going to take through the following:

• Amped 3 Features
• Blackstar Architect & Cab Rig
• Manual & Patch Mode Explained
• How to Record Direct with the Amped 3
• How to Use the Amped 3 with a Speaker Cabinet
• My Thoughts on the Amped 3 & My Settings

Blackstar Amped 3 Features: What it Does and What You Get

First, unlike many amp pedals, the Blackstar Amped 3 is a real amplifier. And it actually gives you options for power/wattage. This adds convenience when you’re using it with a cabinet. We’re going to get into those details and the multiple ways you can use it later.

At a glance, you have three channels: clean, crunch, and overdrive. But you can also change the mode and use these channels to store your own presets. We’ll get to that soon, as well.

What’s really cool is that each channel has two options:

• Clean: Warm/Bright
• Crunch: Crunch/Super Crunch
• Overdrive: OD1/OD2

So these three channels really turn into six channels.

Of course, you have your standard gain and EQ but with more tone-shaping options:

• Gain
• Bass
• Middle
• Treble
• Presence
• ISF

This ISF allows you to get that extra American or British sound, which is an awesome added feature to the Amped 3.
I tend to have my ISF setting leaning towards the British side of the fence.

The Amped 3 also comes equipped with reverb. And you have the option of a dark or light reverb.
I must add that I’m impressed with the Blackstar reverb.

You also get a boost that you can set as pre or post. The ‘pre’ acts as an overdrive pedal that you would typically place in front of a high-gain amp to tighten it up. It sounds great on the Crunch channel but does leave a little to be desired on the Overdrive channel (just my opinion…but I have a solution for that at the end). If you select ‘post’ for the boost, it increases the volume, which is great for solos.

The power amp section is where the Amped 3 really shines. You can choose different responses and power settings. Here’s what you get:

Response:

• EL84
• EL34
• 6L6

Power:

• 1 watt
• 20 watts
• 100 watts

Lastly, let’s take a look at the back of the Blackstar Amped 3. You have everything you’d expect to see on the back of any amplifier with some additional options that make this pedal even more versatile.

You have your input and output along with send and return connections for an effects loop. This allows you to have pedals such as a noise gate and overdrive in front of the amp (going into the input). And you can have your time-based effects like delay running through your effects loop.

An extremely cool feature is the two Blackstar HI POT power outputs. This can simply your rig eliminating the need for an additional power source for those pedals.
I share what pedals I’m using with the Amped 3 at the end of this post.

You can also use the Amped 3 with a cabinet running out from the Amped 3 speaker outputs (there’s an option for 8 or 16 ohms). And this is where the choice of wattage comes in handy.
BTW, playing the Amped 3 through a real speaker cabinet at 20 watts is perfect for recording in small rooms and studios.

Another highlight of the Blackstar Amped 3 is the Cab Rig feature. This is where you can get the best of both worlds by combining hardware and software. We’ll get into how to use this later.

You also have connections for USB if you want to record direct (the Amped 3 acts as its own interface), line out (which can go into an interface), and MIDI capability.

Here’s a video on my YouTube channel that covers the specs and how to use the Blackstar Amped 3:

***If you’re ready to get the Blackstar Amped 3 after reading this, please consider going through my Sweetwater affiliate link here (I get a little reward for this and that helps support what I do, which is greatly appreciated): BLACKSTAR DEPT 10 AMPED 3

Blackstar Architect & Cab Rig: Creating and Saving Tones

There are a few steps you’ll want to take to get the Blackstar Architect software:

• Create your profile on the Blackstar website (you can register your product here as well): https://portal.blackstaramps.com/uk
• Download the Blackstar Architect software from the Blackstar website (on this page, search for ‘Blackstar Architect’): https://portal.blackstaramps.com/uk/ProductDownload/All
• Use the USB cable that came with your Amped 3 to connect your Amped 3 to your computer (the connection for this is on the back of the Amped 3 to the left of where it says ‘Cab Rig Outputs’)
• Next, you’ll plug in your guitar to the Amped 3 input on the back
• Once your software is installed and your Amped 3 is connected to your computer, go into your DAW and select the Amped 3 as your interface.

TIP: If you’re using another interface (with your studio monitors connected), you’ll want to leave your play device as that interface and select the Amped 3 for just your recording device.
You can also run a cable from the Amped 3 line-out into your interface and keep both playback and recording device settings as-is with your current interface. There is another feature to using the Amped 3 as an interface and I’ll cover that in detail below.

Fortunately, there’s not a huge learning curve with the Blackstar Architect and Cab Rig software. The layout is set up to look exactly like the Amped 3 unit.

You can simply move all of the same control knobs virtually with your mouse. I personally love this feature and appreciate the thought that Blackstar put behind this.

Saving your tones is as simple as clicking the ‘Save’ icon at the top-left (see the icon to the left of the white box with ‘Overdrive’).

You can save as many patches as you want under ‘Patches.’ To recall any patch, you would just click on that particular patch. And you can assign up to three patches to the unit (one for each channel).

In other words, the ‘clean’ channel doesn’t have to be clean. You could assign a metal tone to all three channels under the Patch mode (the two different modes will be explained in the next section). And you can also name each patch that you save.

Blackstar’s Cab Rig

The next phase of dialing in your metal tone with the Amped 3 is using the Cab Rig software. This will give you access to multiple speakers/cabinets based on everything from vintage, classic, and modern cabs as well as 1×12, 2×12, and 4×12.

You also have your own mic locker that includes mic simulations of:

• Shure SM57
• Royer 121
• Sennheiser 421
• Beyerdynamic 160
• AKG C414
• Neumman U67

You can also choose on or off-axis with each mic.

The one thing that you may find missing here is the ability to move the mic around. However, Blackstar provides another option with its Master EQ section. It also has EQ presets for each mic.

With that, you can adjust the level of the cabinet and master volume, and you also have some room simulation options. All of these together can mimic the effect you would get from moving the mic around.

Of course, you’ll use your cabinet settings with the amp settings that you create. And you can save each cabinet setting as a patch.

But you can also assign three cabinet settings to the Amped 3 unit for when you’re using the Amped 3 in manual mode. This works with the Cab Rig 3-way switch on the back of your Amped 3 device.

***Here are my favorite three cabinet/mic combinations (these are the ones I have saved on my device):

• 4×12 Vintage UK, 57 Dynamic, Off Axis
• 4×12 Classic UK, 121 Ribbon, On Axis
• 4×12 Modern USA, 121 Ribbon, On Axis

Manual & Patch Mode Explained

The two ways you can use the Amped 3 are manual and patch mode. To switch between the two modes, just hold down the Boost button on the device.

When the channel lights are all white, you’re in manual mode. When they have color, you’re in patch mode (clean = white, crunch = orange, and overdriven = red).

We went over creating and saving patches above. To recap, you would create a patch for the clean, crunch, and overdrive channels (these can be whatever you want, not necessarily ‘clean, crunch, and overdrive’). And you would have direct access to those patches that you assigned to each channel on the unit.

In manual mode, the clean, crunch, and overdrive channels are as the name describes. Think of manual mode as any other amplifier.

The only software element that you may use is the Cab Rig feature. On the back of the Amped 3, you would use the 3-way switch on the back of the unit we talked about earlier to choose the cab setting you want.
In patch mode, you would already have your cabinet setting included with your saved setting.

***Although I have a few patches saved, I find myself using manual mode most of the time.

How to Record Direct with the Amped 3

Direct recording with the Blackstar Amped 3 is simple. As you discussed earlier, you can use the Amped 3 as an interface in your DAW. All you need are to perform the steps (just once) to download and install the software and connect everything.

The advantage of using the Amped 3 as your interface is that you can record several versions of one performance. You can capture that performance with multiple cabinet/mic combinations as well as one with just a direct input (DI).

This gives you the option of choosing the best sound or blending them for that track. And you’ll also have the DI if you want to re-amp that track.

To do this, you would just create multiple tracks and assign each track accordingly in your session. Again, this gives you a ton of flexibility as well as a way to capture the raw track.

Another way to record direct is to use the line out and go into your interface. Obviously, you won’t the multiple sound and DI options with this method. So you may be thinking why you would entertain this method for recording.

One reason is that you won’t have to toggle back and forth with switching interfaces in your DAW (as you’ll more than likely be using your interface for bass, vocals, and practically everything else). Switching interfaces isn’t a big deal. But if you’re anything like me, you prefer simplicity and are okay with the tone you initially dialed in with the Amped 3.

To do this, you would simply plug a cable into the line out/phones output of the Amped 3 and run that directly into the input of your DAW.

***Though it makes more sense to use the Amped 3 as your interface for recording, I prefer running my Amped 3 through my interface. Some of that is for the sake of simplicity mixed with a weird mental aspect that I have of using it like I would any real amplifier.

This is also how you could use the Amped 3 for playing live. You would just run the line out to your soundboard.

How to Use the Amped 3 with a Speaker Cabinet

Here’s where things get really interesting. Remember, the Amped 3 is a power amp. You can connect your Amped 3 directly to a cabinet and you’re all set.

This is an awesome feature for both recording and playing live or if, in general, you just prefer to mic a cabinet rather than using the software.

In this case, you would connect a guitar amp speaker cable to the back of your Amped 3. Blackstar also provides both 8 and 16-ohm options (it’s important to make sure you use the appropriate output – check the back of the cabinet you’re using).

Another important note is that the Amped 3 is designed to be used with only one cabinet.

This is also where the options for power come in handy. I mentioned earlier that 20 watts when using the Amped 3 with a real cabinet is perfect for recording in smaller studios. If you were playing with a live band, you may decide to use the 100-watt setting.

***Below is a video using the Amped with different cabinets: Orange 1×12, Mesa 4×12, and Vintage Marshall 4×12. This was filmed in my friend Cliff’s studio and is on the Riff with Cliff YouTube channel:

My Thoughts on the Amped 3 & Favorite Settings

I posted this blog about a month after getting the Amped 3 directly from Blackstar via sponsorship (this blog is actually not part of the sponsorship deal, which must mean I’m liking this thing so far!).

Here’s the thing. I love playing through and recording with tube amplifiers. But it’s not always realistic. And convenience can sometimes mean more playing, practicing, writing, and recording.

That said, I’ve used amp sims (plug-ins) about 80% of the time for several years now. In fact, I used amp sims to record my first four albums.

But I haven’t touched an amp sim since I’ve owned the Blackstar Amped 3. So I guess that says it all.

I keep it connected to my computer at all times and as I mentioned, I have it running through my interface (not as an interface, but through my PreSonus Quantum 2 interface that I use for everything).

Here’s how I’ve been using the Blackstar Amped 3, my settings (approximate), and a couple of other details:

• Channel: Overdrive, OD2
• Boost: off
• Bass: 5
• Middle: 6
• Treble: 7.5
• ISF: Leans towards the British tone
• Gain: 9
• Reverb: 2-3, dark
• Presence: 7
• Response: EL34
• Power: 20 watts when using it with a real cabinet

I also use an overdrive and noise gate pedal in front of the Amped 3. Here, I’m using the MXT Classic Distortion with the distortion at zero and level all the way up to tighten up the tone.
I only use this on the overdrive channel. For the crunch channel, the Amped 3’s built-in boost sounds great.

And I have the MXR Smart Gate that I use with the Amped 3.
I do recommend using a noise gate pedal for the overdrive channel.

For my leads, I just bump up the bass and mids a little. And I use a delay plugin in my DAW (the beat delay that comes with PreSonus Studio One).

I’ve also experimented a bit with the crunch channel (super crunch mode) and with the boost on. This gives you a really nice hard rock or 80s metal tone.

I have a video on that here:

***If you’re ready to get the Blackstar Amped 3 after reading this, please consider going through my Sweetwater affiliate link here (I get a little reward for this and that helps support what I do, which is greatly appreciated): BLACKSTAR DEPT 10 AMPED 3

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post Blackstar Amped 3 Overview (and How to Use it) – A True, Real Amp in a Pedal for Metal Guitarists appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

One of those core elements is the guitar. I’d like to introduce you to the Shroedder Marksman ’87.

The idea behind the Marksman ’87 was to capture the style, sound, and vibe of 80s hard rock and metal music. And if you know me, you know I love 80s metal (I practically love 80s everything! Hey, it’s my era!).

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Shroedder details and specs
• Tones! (there’s a video in the post where you can hear what the Marksman ’87 sounds like)
• My full Shroedder Marksman ’87 review (video included)
• What I love about this guitar
• Things I’d change about this guitar
• Meet the creator of Shroedder guitars and how I ended up with a Marksman ’87 guitar at my doorstep
• My interview with Mike Shroedder
• Where to custom order your Shroedder guitar

Alright, let’s have our guitar chat!

Shroedder Marksman ’87 Specs

• Body: 2-piece mahagony, 24.75 scale
• Neck: Set-neck roasted maple, R3 nut, 21mm thickness at first fret
• Fingerboard: Rosewood fingerboard with 16″ radius, and abalone inlays
• Frets: 27 stainless steel medium jumbo frets
• Headstock: reverse pointy
• Bridge: Black Schaller Lockmeister tremolo
• Pickup configuration: H/S
• Pickups: Czech made custom wound humbucker and single coil pickups (passive)

Most of the guitar and hardware are from German companies. Anything made outside of Germany was made in Europe. The goal has always been to remain as local as possible, which we’ll get to next.

What Does the Shroedder Marksman ’87 Sound Like? It’s Time for Some Tones!

This is what we all want to know about any guitar. What does it sound like? Of course, we also want to know how it play and feels. And I’ll be sharing that and more in post.

In the below video, you’ll hear how this guitar sounds through both a real amp and and a virtual amp sim. And I’m also sharing clean, rock, and metal tones with you.

There are timelines for the types of tones listed below the video.

What I Love About the Shroedder Marksman ’87

Here’s everything I love about this guitar and I’ll cover each point in depth:

• It’s everything you’d expect from an 80s metal guitar with a killer looking design and finish
• Light-weight, making it perfect for playing live
• The custom craftmanship and construction is top of the line
• Playability is smooth and with ease
• Tones (excellent for 80s metal but other styles, too)
• Unique character unlike any other guitar

It just looks like an extremely cool guitar. The finish is absolutely beautiful and flawless. Now, I chose this finish and we’re going to talk more about the customizations that Shroedder offers at the end of this post.

It’s also a light-weight guitar. This is perfect for playing live. Especially if you play a lot like I do. Heavy guitars can be burdensome on stage and can cause shoulder and back problems later. I’ve had non of those issues playing this guitar live and it’s a relief.

More importantly, the craftmanship of this guitar is what you would expect from any high-end custom guitar maker. On top of that, every guitar has it’s own unique features. From the time I picked it up to the many times I’ve played my Marksman ’87 both in the studio and on stage, it’s proven to be a solid workhorse.

Another point, and this may be one of the most crucial points, is the playability. Now, this also comes down to personal preference. To me, this guitar plays extremely smooth and it makes you want to play it. There are some guitars you feel like you have to fight with, but this isn’t one of them.

Again, I’m writing this from a personal perspective. The odd thing is the Marksman ’87 has a thicker neck, which I typically don’t go for. But the neck size mixed with the size of the fingerboard somehow makes it fit my hands really well. On that note (no pun intended), it’s effortless to play.

Let’s talk about tones. This is mainly attributed to the pickups, which are custom wound from an independent Czech company.

I use the humbucker primarily for rock and metal rhythms. These are passive pickups but that humbucker is hot. It’s gives you a solid sustain and has a darker bite to it, if that makes sense. This pickup really accentuates your amp and gives you that ‘amp breaking up’ effect that you get from a tube amp when you start to crank it.

You can back your volume knob off and get a more gritty sound, even when playing through a high-gain amp (or amp sim). So that one pickup can give you multiple tones for different parts of a song (ex: going from rhythm to lead).

The single coil pick up is completely different and gives you more of that Stevie Ray Vaughn tone. It has more of that fat-strat style and sound. To me, my preference for playing clean with this guitar is having the switch between the single coil and humbucker.

Lastly, the Shroedder Marksman ’87 guitar has it’s own unique character. This is everything from the look to the feel to the tones you get. I’ve played a ton of guitars in my lifetime (since 1989!) and this is one of those guitars that stands out as something different. Everything about it is custom; it doesn’t have that ‘off the assembly line’ feel to it.

Things I’d change About the Marksman ’87

As with any guitar review, I like to give you my honest thoughts. Keep in mind that this is based on my experience and what type of guitar fits my hands and style best.

With that said, there are 2 things that I would change about this Shroedder guitar model:

1. The slanted single-coil pickup design
2. Need more space between the higher frets

The problem with the slanted single coil pickup is that the pickup magnets to not quite line up with the strings. This design seems part cosmetic and out of necessity to go match the slanted fingerboard design with those extra frets.

The simple solution here would be to make sure you get a single coil pickup with rails. You can also get a Marksman ’87 with just the humbucker. Again, all Shroedder guitars can be custom made to your liking.

***There is a Marksman ’87 II model that does not have the slant fingerboard/pickup design.

Lastly, I do wish there were more just a little more space between the higher frets. And this is my own personal preference and anyone with larger hands/fingers.

Meet German Guitar Maker Mike Shroedder (and How I Got this Guitar)

Based in Hamburg, Germany, Mike Shroedder is the founder and creator of Shroedder guitars. He uses the tagline ‘Classic hard rock and metal guitars.’

Mike has a deep passion for this style, genre, and era of music. And he’s always wanted to branch out and create something fueled by his passion. So one day, he took that leap and started making his own guitars.

He has a small team that work in his shop and together they produce some pretty amazing guitars.

So, how did I come across Shroedder guitars?

One day, Mike sent me an email saying he’d been a fan of my YouTube channel for quite some time and wanted to send me a guitar. We chatted back and forth, he sent me the link to his custom order form, and that’s how I ended up with a Shroedder Marksman ’87 guitar!

It was such a cool experience and I can’t express how humbled and grateful I am for Mike. Not just for what he’s done for me, but for what he and his team is doing for the community of hard rock and heavy metal guitar players. Point blank, he produced an awesome product.

In fact, I had Mike on my channel and he dives into some really cool information on how he creates Shroedder guitars and what drives him:

Would I Get Another Shroedder Guitar?

The simple answer is absolutely. More so, I’d love to (and hope to someday) visit Mike in Hamburg, Germany and play all of the Shroedder models. There’s a model he has called the Reeperbahn ’89 that I’m interested in.

It’s so cool to meet an individual with that level of passion and inspiration that they put into their work. And all of that reflects in the craftmanship and design of Shroedder guitars.

Again, I’m truly grateful for this experience, which I hope to further.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

***Unfortunately, it seems that Shroedder Guitars have closed its doors. I do hope Mike will bring these guitar back someday.

The post Shroedder Marksman ’87: What Makes This Guitar Awesome for 80’s Hard Rock and Metal appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

In this post, I’m giving you the details of my settings with images of what I consider an amazing metal tone. Here’s what you’ll learn below (I’ll also be sharing some additional tips throughout this post):

• Amp and guitar I used
• In-depth amp and EQ settings
• Mic placement
• Why I didn’t use any effects pedals
• Process of recording for these heavy metal rhythm tracks
• Video where you can hear these tones
• The album this was recorded for (Overcometh)

Gear for a Classic Heavy Metal Meets Modern Metal Tone

Alright, to clarify here when I say classic heavy metal I’m referring more to the style of metal. Bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Testament, and Judas Priest (specifically their Painkiller album) all come to mind.

When I say modern metal, I’m referring more to the ‘cleaner’ high gain and saturation. To me, that’s the perfect storm. And all that said, this heavy metal tone I’m going to show you is versatile enough to fit a wide array of metal sub-genres. Heck, this could even be used for hard rock.

Amp and Guitar Used

• EVH 5150 III EL34 50 watt head
• EVH 2×12 cabinet (matching)
• Ibanez Prestige RG1570
• Shure SM57 microphone

I’ll cover more gear used later in the post.

To get this combination, I decided to go with a modern tube amp, the EVH 5150 III EL34 50 watt head with the matching EVH 2×12 cabinet. And I’m using the red channel (I call this the ‘fire-breathing’ channel).

The classic side of this whole thing revolves around the old-school and trusted Shure SM57 mic and using a guitar with passive pickups. It’s kind of funny because I use to be dead-set on playing with active pickups (my LTD M-1000 Deluxe with EMG 81 pickups has seen a lot of action over the years). But lately, my Ibanez RG1570 with the stock V7/S1/V8 passive pickups has been a lot closer to my side than my other guitars.

***I have a full write-up on this guitar here: Ibanez Prestige RG1570 – Why I’ll Never Sell this Guitar

Heavy Metal Rhythm Tone EVH Amp and EQ Settings

Now it’s time for the secret sauce. Actually, there are no secrets here.

In fact, there’s really nothing special at all about my amp and EQ settings for this metal rhythm tone. The only surprise may be the volume and I’ll talk about that below.

EVH Heavy Metal Amp and EQ Settings (Overcometh Album)

• EVH channel: RED
• Gain: 7
• Low: 5.2
• Mid: 4
• High: 6.1
• Volume: 2
• Presence: 6.2

These are fairly accurate to the image above.

Let’s address the elephant in the room, first. By the way, ‘elephant’ is pronounced ‘cĥāng’ in Thai: ช้าง
If you know me, you know my relationship with Thai culture!

You may be asking: ‘Okay, Jason, what’s the with the volume? You have to have the volume cranked on a tube amp to get a good tone, right? Don’t the tubes have to ‘heat up’ to produce a decent metal tone?’

In most cases, you’d certainly want to crank your amp when recording metal tracks. But I’ve found that I can dial in an awesome heavy metal tone at lower volumes with the EVH 5150 III 50-watt head.
Now, I have the EL34 version but I’m sure the same goes for the 6L6.

And even though the volume is only at 2, it’s still pretty loud in my 10×11 room. You may also be surprised that the input level on my audio interface where the mic is plugged in is only at a level of 38, which isn’t super high at all.

Side Note: One thing that I encourage you to do is experiment with different volumes, settings, and so forth. Find out what works for you. You shouldn’t take what all of the ‘gurus’ say on the internet as gospel. Many of those folks are just yapping and don’t have anything substantial to validate their opinion, anyway. It’s only an opinion based on someone else’s opinion that they heard.

Let’s now discuss the other settings; the EQ and the gain. Again, my EQ is nothing special or outrageous. I’ve never been a fan of extreme EQ settings (or any extremes, for that matter!). You’ll only see some minor cuts and boosts here and there.

The gain is only around 7. Even at a lower volume, this is plenty enough saturation. And the tone is tight.

More Gain and EQ Tips

Here are some things to consider when dialing in your gain and EQ settings:

• Gain: Too much gain will often lead to a muddy sound. Your gain in the full mix will more than likely be different (backed off) when you’re recording tracks for a song with other instruments versus your settings when you’re jamming or practicing.
• Bass: I normally back the bass off a little but in this case, it sounded better with a slight boost (5.2, if you can even call that a real boost!). You want to leave room for the bass guitar to carry those low-end frequencies. If you put too much bottom end on your guitar amp, you run the risk of those frequencies clashing with the bass, leaving you with a muddy mix.
• Mid: Mid settings are the ultimate personal preference. I wasn’t going for the ‘…And Justice for All’ mid-cut here but I did want them cut slightly. For the next album, I may experiment with boosting my mids a little (although I do that for my lead guitar tracks).
• Highs: Highs (treble) and presence seem to work hand-in-hand as they can both shape your high-end frequencies. Too much of either (or both) can give you more of a fizzy sound, which is usually not wanted. If those frequencies are cut, then you’re more apt to have that boomy sound. So it’s all about finding that balance that works for you. Also, you may find that you may like the presence boosted on some amps while it may sound better cut with other amps.

Lastly, for this amp and EQ section, my lead tone doesn’t change much. Typically, I’ll boost the mids and may also boost the gain from 7 to about 8. That’s enough to help the guitar solos cut through the mix. I’ll also move the mic a little closer to the cone (we’ll get into mic placement below).

Mic and Mic Placement

I don’t think you can ever go wrong using the Shure SM57 mic. Especially for miking high gain amps. It just works.

This also gives you that classic heavy metal vibe in regards to how it picks up the sound coming out of the amp. However, I always encourage you to use different recording strategies and I’m sure I will experiment more on the next album.

Let’s talk about my mic placement. And as you can see in the images above, there are two core components to mic placement:

• Proximity from the grill: About 1 inch away
• Proximity from the speaker cone: just outside of the right side of the cone

Like everything in this post, this isn’t necessarily ‘how you’re supposed to mic an amp.’ I’m only sharing how I did it for this specific album. With that, I’m going to cover some tips below.

Mic Placement Considerations

• Amp Grill Placement: The closer to the grill, the more volume you’re going to get and potentially a tighter guitar sound. The further away, the more room noise you’ll pick up and you’ll hear that distance in your recorded sound.
• Speaker Cone Placement: The closer to the cone, the brighter the sound you’ll get. The further away from the cone, the darker the sound will be.

There’s typically a sweet spot that you’ll find. And that doesn’t have to always be the same placement for every song or album. You may also experiment with those extreme placements for some songs or parts of songs. At the end of the day, it’s all about matching the guitar tone with the vibe you want for that song or album.

One final note on mic placement: I always record two rhythm guitar tracks and hard-pan each track (left/right), which I’ll get into more later. But I normally will use a slightly different mic placement when recording that 2nd guitar track (either closer to or further from the cone). This gives you that subtle difference between the two tracks making for a really awesome sound in the mix. I didn’t do that this time but will make that slight adjustment using the post-EQ in the studio.

Why I Didn’t Use Effects Pedal of Stomp Boxes

The only pedal I used for recording the heavy metal rhythms for the Overcometh album was a noise gate: MXR Smartgate.

As I mentioned earlier, the EVH 5150 III red channel doesn’t need an overdrive like many high gain amps do to clean it up. I tried an overdrive but got rid of it because the gain from that channel sounds much better and tighter without one.

In a live situation, you’d probably see a reverb and delay pedal here. And maybe a chorus pedal. But I didn’t use any effects for recording these rhythm tracks.

The thing about using hardware effects is that once you record that track, you’re stuck with it. For example, what if you record your rhythm tracks but don’t like the reverb in the mix? You’re stuck! You either have to live with it or re-record those tracks again, which is timely and could cost more money (studio time, whether it’s the actual recording process or the studio engineer’s time going back and forth). For effects, I’ll just use plugins on those tracks for this album.

I rarely use any effects for rhythm tracks as I want to keep those as tight as possible. For leads, I’ll throw in some delay and maybe a little reverb. And I have some clean and ambient parts throughout the album that will require some delay, ambient reverb, and chorus.

My Process for Recording Heavy Metal Rhythm Guitars

I covered a bit of my recording process already throughout this post, but I’ll give you the rundown here:

• Ran the Shure SM57 mic through my PreSonus Quantum 2 interface using PreSonus Studio One Pro DAW
• Recorded two rhythm guitar tracks
• Hard-panned each rhythm track (left/right)
• I will add post-effects and compressor later during the mixing process

Metal Rhythm Guitar Recording Tips: Some may ask why I don’t just duplicate the first track instead of recording a new track. Duplicating the track only increases the volume, nothing else. I want to hear those subtle differences and nuances between the two rhythms. That makes the recording more lively and gets you away from that overly processed and perfected sound that’s just dead.

I hard-pan the two rhythms for the same reason. It gives you a lively and full sound. You can read more about my recording process in this post: Complete Guide to Recording Guitars with a Real Amp

Video with Metal Rhythm Tones and More

Here’s the video of this blog post. You can also hear the tone throughout the video (and at the end).
***Please open the video in your YouTube app or watch it on YouTube so that you can like the video and comment!

Recording the Overcometh Album

Ideally, you’d want to record your album, or at least all of the rhythm tracks, within a few days. This makes the process easier in the sense that you stay in that groove. And it also reduces the risk of messing with your amp settings during the recording process. Unless your songs are completely different, you want the sound of the rhythms to be consistent throughout the album.

I didn’t exactly follow my own advice this time. For whatever reason, it took me several weeks to record all of my rhythm tracks. Fortunately, I didn’t use my amp for anything else during the process so none of the settings were ever changed. But there was a time or two when I bumped the amp and the mic placement while filming YouTube videos. Again, I’m in a small 10×11 room and do all of my recording and video work here.
I really need a larger space, soon!

My schedule is kind of all over the place, too. So I need to make sure that next time I start working on an album I make a tight schedule and stick to it. Learn from my mistakes!

There’s some more history behind this album, which was a year and a half in the making. I explain that at the end of the YouTube video above. And I’ll be posting more content on that, soon!

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post Heavy Metal Rhythm Tone: EVH Amp and Passive Pickups appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

And if you’re playing cover songs, you need a lead sound that’s going to be diverse enough to fit the multiple styles and genres that you’re playing. Of course, you can create several different patches but I’m going to show you how to keep things simple on stage.

In this post, I’m going to share two lead guitar tones that I created using the Line 6 POD Go. And both will cover almost any genre that you’re playing on stage.

It’s also important to note that these are the tones and settings for my live solo gigs. I’ll talk more about that, as well.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• POD Go rock lead guitar tone and settings
• POD Go clean lead guitar tone and settings
• POD Go Rhythm settings for solo live gigs
• How I use the POD Go to play leads for live solo gigs
• Why I chose the POD Go (instead of the more expensive effects units)

POD Go Rock Lead Guitar Tone and Settings

For my rock lead guitar tones, I’m using the Line 6 POD Go Brit J45 amp. This is modeled after the Marshall JTM45, which is Marshall’s first amplifier to be released. There’s some cool history behind this amp that you can read about on the Marshall website: The History of Marshall Amplifiers

Like the real JTM45, the Line 6 Brit J45 is a mix between blues and rock. It can give you that smooth, creamy lead tone. But you can also get a nice rock, or even hard rock lead guitar tone from it. It can fit a wide range of genres and styles. And that’s the reason why I built this lead tone with the Brit J45.

My amp settings aren’t anything crazy but I do have the drive on the amp cranked up. You have to remember this is not a high-gain amp. And even though I’m not playing hard rock or heavy metal at my solo gigs, I do want enough saturation in my leads to provide sustain and a full sound.

I use the default cabinet, which is the 4×12 Greenback cabinet sim. And I use their version of the Royer 121 mic. In my opinion, that’s the best-sounding mic within the POD Go mics that are available. It sounds great with any of their amp sims.

On that note, you’ll notice that I place two pedals in front of the amp. One is the Line 6 Blue Compressor followed by their version of the Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal. These additions really make your lead tone shine.

Lastly, I have reverb and delay pedals going through the effects loop of this amp sim. This is a go-to setup for all of my lead patches.

POD Go Rock Lead Guitar Signal Chain

In front of the amp:

• Blue Compressor
• Compulsive Drive

Effects loop

• Reverb Plate
• Simple Delay

POD Go Rock Lead Settings Screenshots

POD Rock Lead Tone YouTube Video

POD Go Clean Lead Guitar Tone and Settings

For my clean lead guitar tones, I’m using the Line 6 POD Go US Double Vib amp. This is modeled after the Fender Dual Reverb, another classic and versatile amplifier.

And I’m using the 2×12 cabinet that comes with this amp sim by default. The mic I’m using is also the 121 ribbon mic, the same as my rock lead tone.

A quick note: I use my clean lead guitar tone for my live solo gigs a lot more than the rock lead tone that I shared above. Clean tones sound smoother and more fitting for these types of gigs, which I’ll get into more towards the end of this post.

That said, I really wanted to make sure that I created an awesome clean sound.

These clean amps are by default lower in volume. One of the things that help give this a boost without distorting your sound is the 3-band compressor that I use in front of the amp. In fact, that’s the only effect that I use in front of the amp for my clean leads (and clean rhythm, for that matter – I’ll get into that below as well!).

I use reverb and delay pedals in the effects loop. And I also have the trinity chorus pedal but I rarely use that. I love how the chorus sounds in the mix but for playing live solo shows, I prefer the amp without any chorus. But I kept it in the chain in case I decide to use it here and there!

POD Go Clean Lead Guitar Signal Chain

In front of the amp:

• 3-Band Compressor

Effects loop

• Trinity Chorus
• Reverb Plate
• Simple Delay

POD Go Clean Lead Settings Screenshots

POD Clean Lead Tone YouTube Video

My POD Go Rhythm Guitar Settings for Live Solo Gigs

You may be wondering why I didn’t list my rhythm guitar settings. Remember what I said about keeping things simple on stage?

My core rhythm guitar tone that I use for my solo gigs is the exact same as my clean lead tone. The only difference is that my rhythm patch on the POD Go has less delay and the volume is slightly lower than my lead patch.

It’s close to the sounds you hear from bands like The Outfield, The Police, and Bryan Adams. It fits pretty much every style and genre of music that I play on stage when I’m playing covers at my solo shows.

So this is the rhythm tone that I’ll use to sing with and loop while playing solos (using both my clean lead and rock lead tones).

How I Use the POD Go for My Live Solo Shows

I’ve mentioned a few times in this post about playing live solo gigs. So you may be wondering how I pull off playing guitars solos at these shows.

No, I’m not just playing a crazy solo by itself, although I may break out something like that between songs. But I primarily use a looper pedal to loop a rhythm and play leads over that.

Here’s my process:

• Start by playing a rhythm
• Click the looper to record the part of the rhythm that I want to solo over
• Once the rhythm is recorded, I’ll click over to one of my lead patches on my POD Go and solo

Oftentimes I’ll do this in the middle or at the end of a vocal song. Or I may just play an instrumental and solo over a rhythm that I loop. And I do all of my looping live, on stage (I don’t pre-record anything).

Now, the Line 6 POD Go does include a looper. But there are several foot-switch clicks that you have to make to record that loop and then change patches if you want a different sound for your lead. For that reason, I use an external looper pedal, and one with a dedicated stop switch.

I also do the same when playing acoustic. I’ll be putting out more content on looping soon!

Why I Got the POD Go Instead of the Helix

I’ve had several ask me why I got the POD Go instead of something like the Line 6 Helix, Kemper, or Axe FX. There are two core reasons for this.

1. My goal was to simplify my stage setup while keeping everything cost-effective.
2. I use the POD Go for my live solo gigs, in which I’m playing mostly 80s and some 70s cover songs. And I’m mostly playing acoustic but also integrating some electric. So I just needed a couple of great tones that are diverse enough to sound good for the different styles of songs.

All that said, the POD Go does everything I need it to. I couldn’t justify buying a processor that costs 3x or more than the POD Go.

It’s also small and compact so it doesn’t take up a lot of room on stage. There are a few stages that I play on that don’t have a lot of extra space. And when you’re setting up, playing, and tearing down your gear for live solo gigs, less is more.

I hope this helps you. And even if you don’t have the POD Go or have no intention of getting one, you can still use my settings with your processor, amp sim, or real amp and see what you come up with.

Keep it Metal, and sometimes rock!

Jason

The post POD Go Lead Guitar Tones and Settings for Live Performances (Clean and Rock Tones) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

In this post, I’m going to show you exactly how to use your POD Go with a real amp.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• What you need to do first (permilnary setup)
• How to connect your POD Go to your amp using the 4-cable method
• How to connect your POD Go to your amp using the 2-cable (effects loop-only) method
• How to manage the settings within your POD Go when using it with an amp

You’re going to get detailed instructions below and I’ll also cover some of the nuances and issues that you may run into (and the solutions!). You can also watch the ‘how to’ video version towards the end of this post.

Setting Up Your Line 6 POD Go to be Used with an Amp

The first thing you want to do before attempting to connect your POD Go to your amp is to set up a patch for this purpose. The POD Go has a specific setting called ‘FX Loop’ that will allow you to use it properly with your amp.

If you miss this step and just start connecting stuff, you’re going to be in for a rude and noisy awakening when you turn everything on!

The easiest way to get started is to connect your POD Go to your computer. This way you can set up your patch and make the initial edits with the Line 6 desktop software that you get with your POD Go (all, or at least most Line 6 processors have editing software).

You can perform all the edits on the actual unit. I personally find that editing on your computer is a little less painful! I don’t know about you but the only kind of pain I want is Judas Priest’s Painkiller!
So I use the editing software for the initial setup and tweak on the unit itself.

Here are the steps to setting up your POD Go to be used with an amp:

• Connect your POD Go to your computer and pull up the editing software
• Go to the ‘User Folder’ and set up a new patch (I find that it’s best to start from scracth!)
• By default, the POD Go amp and cabinet will be on; turn both the amp and cab off (you want these bypassed)
• Next, turn on the FX Loop (there’s an icon to the left of the amp that you’ll click)
• Name your preset (preferably something cool, and something that resonates for what you’re using it for!)
• Start adding your effects where you want them

At this point, you’ll want to decide if you’re going to be using the 4-cable method or if you just plan to use the POD Go through your amp’s effects loop. We’ll get into those connections below.

4-Cable VS 2-Cable Explained:

• The 4-cable method allows you to assign effects in front of your amp, such as a noise gate or overdrive. And you can also assign effects to be used in the effects loop of your amp.
• The 2-cable method is great is all you want to do is use POD Go effects through the effects loop of your amp.

You could set up a patch for each. The reason is that the POD Go limits how many effects can be used at a time.

For example, if you’re using the 4-cable method because you want to use some of the effects in front of the amp you won’t have as many options for effects to be used in the effects loop. If you just plan to use the POD Go through your amp’s effects loop, you’ll have more options.

How to Connect Your POD Go to Your Amp Using the 4-Cable Method

Using the 4-cable method will allow you to get the most out of your POD Go. In short, you’ll be able to assign the effects you want before and after (or through the effects loop of) your amp.

Here’s how to connect your POD Go to your amp using the 4-cable method:

Cable 1:

• Plug a cable into the amp’s send
• The other end goes into the POD Go FX Loop return

Cable 2:

• Plug a cable into the POD Go FX Loop send
• The other end goes into the amp’s input where you’d normally plug in your guitar

Cable 3:

• Plug a cable into the POD Go Main Out (left mono)
• The other end goes into your amp’s return

Cable 4:

• Plug a cable into the POD Go Guitar In
• The other end goes into your guitar

I’ll admit this was a little tricky the first time I tried it (and naturally I got it wrong on the first try!).

On that note, make sure your amp and POD Go are off while you’re making these connections. And also make sure your amp volume is down so that when you turn it on there are no unwanted surprises.

How to Connect Your POD Go to Your Amp Using the 2-Cable Method (through the Effects Loops)

What if you don’t care to use any of the POD Go effects in front of your amp? You can simply run your POD Go through the effects loop of your amp and use those Line 6 effects like delay, reverb, etc.

You could use the 4-cable method and just not assign (or use) any POD Go effects in front of the amp. But if you only plan to use the Line 6 effects through the effects loop of your amp, you can simply use the 2-cable method. And this method is pretty straightforward.

Here’s how to connect your POD Go to your amp using the 2-cable method:

Cable 1:

• Plug a cable into the amp’s send
• The other end goes into the POD Go FX Loop return

Cable 2:

• Plug a cable into the POD Go FX Loop send
• The other end goes into the amp’s return

This method is great (and simple) if you don’t need any effects in front of your amp. Or you may prefer individual pedals for those effects that go in front of your amp over the POD Go’s effects (such as a noise gate or overdrive). I’ll talk more about why this is my personal preference below.

Benefits of Using Your POD Go with Your Amp

After all of this, you might be thinking: ‘Why would anyone want to use the POD Go with their amp? And why not just plug in your POD Go direct to your board or interface?’

You can do that, but…

As good as the POD Go amp models sound, many of us guitar players still prefer to play through a real amp. We could go back and forth on that topic for days, but you already know that there’s something magical about the tone of a real tube amp. Especially when you’re playing metal!

On the flip side, many guitarists (myself included) appreciate and in some cases prefer the Line 6 effects. You could essentially replace your entire pedalboard with the POD Go using any of these methods that I shared with you.
This means less gear you have to lug around for live shows!

You’re also going to have access to more types of effects and options with the POD Go versus having a ton of pedals. If your goal is to have a simple and minimalist rig, this is something to consider.

Of course, you can indeed just use your POD Go and nothing else. That’s actually what it’s designed for. And it’s how I use mine for my live solo gigs.

It’s important to note that I’m mostly playing acoustic at these solo gigs and will break out the electric some, too. But I’m not playing metal, which is oftentimes where these processors fall short. If you’d like to read more about how I primarily use the Line 6 POD Go, check out my post: (this post is coming soon!!).

Now, if I were going to use the POD Go for a live metal gig, I would only use the 2-cable method. I like the Line 6 delays, reverbs, and chorus effects. But I prefer to use an actual noise gate pedal in front of my amp (I’ve been using the MXR Smartgate). And I would say the same for an overdrive pedal if I were to use that (my EVH amp does not need an overdrive!).

Watch on YouTube: How to Connect Your POD Go To Your Amp (4-Cable Method)

I hope this helps you get your POD Go connected to your amp! Whether you’re using the 2-cable or 4-cable method, t opens up a ton of possibilities for you on both the stage and in the studio, or if you just want to use it for practice.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post How to Connect the Line 6 POD Go to an Amp (4 and 2-Cable Methods) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

If there’s one thing that we metal guitarists obsess over it’s our tone.

It seems that one day you finally dial in the perfect metal tone only to be searching for the perfect tone a week later. It’s as if the gnomes of the underworld gather inside of your amp (or amp sim) and change everything once you dial in a tone that you like.

Nonetheless, even though it’s neverending, it is indeed an adventurous quest. Of course, it can also be a frustrating one.

In this post, I’m giving you my own personal metal tone settings using both a real amp and virtual amps (amps sims/plug-ins). And though my settings may shift from amp to amp, these are my basic go-to settings for practically everything.

My goal is to help simplify the process so that you can quickly dial in a usable tone that you’re at least semi-happy with for any given situation. On that note (no pun intended), my tone may not be exactly what you’re looking for. But it will at least serve as a guide and starting point for you.

***At the end of this post, I’ll share the process of how I recorded everything.

Metal Tone Settings Using Amp Sims/Plugins

First, let’s go over the perspective of using virtual amp sims. If safe to say that amp sims have become the most common way to record ideas and practice. It’s easy, convenient, and technology has come a long way.

For this example, I’m using a combination of BIAS Amp 2 and BIAS FX 2 from Positive Grid. Basically, you load BIAS FX and pull the amp into that plugin from BIAS Amp.

If you have both plugins, you should automatically have access to the amps in BIAS Amp when you have BIAS FX pulled up. I have a post that explains how to do this here: How to Use BIAS Amp with BIAS FX

The BIAS Amp 2 amp sim I’m using is their Triple Treadplate, This appears to be based on the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier (I believe I said ‘Dual Recitfier’ in the video).

Though I’m using a specific amp sim here, the settings below are what I use for almost every amp sim that I play through, give or take a little. Below are my BIAS Amp Triple Treadplate settings for metal.

Virtual Amp Settings for Metal

• Amp Sim: Triple Treadplate (Positive Grid’s BIAS Amp 2)
• Bass: 5
• Mid: 4
• Treble: 7
• Presence: 4
• Gain: 6.5

Notes: You may find that you need to cut your bass a little when recording for a full mix. The beauty of using amp sims is that you can change your settings at any time.

My settings for presence depend on the amp (or amp sim) that I’m using. It’s typically between 4 and 6. And the gain for high gain amps typically does not need to be cranked as amp sims, in general, seem to provide more saturation with lower gain settings than real amps.

For my lead tone, the settings are similar other than I give a slight boost to the gain, mids, and sometimes bass.

Virtual Cab/Speaker/Mic Settings

• Cab/Speaker: Celestion V30 (I use the Greenbacks for the 2nd guitar track in the full mix)
• Mic: Shure SM57 mic sim

Notes: I mentioned recording two rhythm guitar tracks in the video. I like to use a slightly different tone for that 2nd guitar track. All I did here is use a different cabinet for my 2nd guitar track, which is listed above.

For microphone placement, I had the mic close to the grill (for both) and placed it just outside the edge of the cone.

Virtual Amp Effects

• Noise Gate Sim
• Screamer Sim
• Reverb

Notes: As amp sims are designed to function like real amplifiers, you will more than likely need a noise gate with high gain amp sims (most plugin suites come with one). And you may also need an overdrive sim to ‘clean up’ your metal tone.

I don’t use a lot of post effects, or effects going through the effects loop, for my rhythm tones. If any, I’ll add a touch of reverb. For leads, I’ll use some delay and other effects if the solo calls for it. But for rhythms, less or more when it comes to effects if you want that tight sound and tone.

Remember, with amp sims, you can always change the effects and settings.

Metal Tone Settings Using a Real Tube Amp (with a Mic)

Now let’s talk about dialing in metal tones using a real amp. No matter how far technology has come (or how far it goes) there will always be guitar players who would rather use a real tube amp for their tones.

For this example, I’m using my EVH 5150 III 50 watt head with EL34 tubes. I also have the matching 2×12 cabinet and a good ole trusted Shure SM57 mic.

Although my settings may shift a little from amp to amp, the ones you’ll see below for the EVH 5150 III amp are pretty standard. For example, I used similar settings when recently playing through the Orange Rockerverb amp.

Real (Tube) Amp Settings for Metal

• Amp Sim: EVH 5150 III EL34 50 watt head
• Channel: Red channel
• Bass: 5.5
• Mid: 3.7
• Treble: 6.5
• Presence: 5.5
• Gain: 7

Notes: As I’m recording at a lower volume (around 1.5), I have my bass slightly boosted and my gain is a little higher than it would be if I were recording at a higher volume.

Remember my note on my presence setting for the amp sim? I had the presence cut to 4 but here with my real amp, it’s boosted. This goes back to my preferred presence setting being dependent on the amp that I’m playing through. For this particular amp, I get a better sound and tone with a slight boost in presence.

Just like with amp sims, I tend to give my lead tones a boost in gain, bass, and mids. That mid-boost can help your guitar solos naturally sit above the mix.

Cabinet and Mic Placement

• Cab/Speaker: EVH (EL34-matching) 2×12 cabinet
• Mic: Shure SM57

Notes: As I mentioned earlier, I prefer having a slight difference in tone for my 2nd guitar track. So in this case, I just adjusted the mic placement for that 2nd guitar track. Just that little difference gives you a different tone that will blend well with the 1st guitar, and bring more ‘life’ to your overall mix.

Both mic placements were close to the grill. For the 1st track, the mic was just outside of the edge of the cone. For the 2nd track, I moved the mic further from the cone (centered between the cone and the edge of the speaker, as you can see in the images above).

Effects

• Noise Gate

Notes: The only effect I used, in this case, was a noise gate, the MXR Smartgate. Many classic high gain amps require an overdrive pedal for a cleaner and tighter sound. But I find that the EVH 5150 III red channel does not need any help (I do use an extra boost for the EVH blue channel, which is why you see that MXR Classic Distortion pedal in the image above).

I also did not use any effects in the effects loop. When recording a real amp, I try to limit the number of effects used because once you record that track, you can’t modify those effects like you can with plugins. So it’s best to record as dry as possible and you can rely on plugins for effects such as reverbs and delays.

This is not to say that you can’t use hardware effects (oftentimes I find that real pedals sound better than plugins). But again, you’re taking that risk of not being able to make those last-minute changes and having to re-record the track over again if you’re not happy with the outcome.

This can be an issue if you have limited studio time. If you’re recording at home and have the time, I’d recommend experimenting with real pedals and effects with your amp.

I also used the compressor and EQ stock plugins as post-effects for these guitar tracks recorded with a real amp. This helps smooth out those tracks.

Recording Setup

As promised earlier, I’m going to share my recording process with you below. We’ll start with the recording gear that I used both hardware and software:

• iMac (late-2013, recorded this in 2021 so it’s soon time for an upgrade)
• Presonus Quantum 2 audio interface
• Presonus Studio One Pro DAW
• Toontrack Superior Drummer (I believe in the video I stated EZ Drummer; both would work for what I did here)
• Toontrack Metal Machine and Death Metal add-ons/packs
• Studio Devil Bass Amp Pro plugin
• Positive Grid BIAS Amp 2 and FX 2 for the guitars recorded with amp sims
• EVH 5150 III EL34 50 watt head with matching 2×12 cabinet for guitars recorded with a real amp
• Shure SM57 mic
• MXR Smartgate
• Studio One Pro compressor and EQ stock plugins for real amp tracks
• LTD M-1000 Deluxe guitar
• LTD D5 bass

***If you’d like a deeper dive into my personal home studio setup, check out this post: Home Recording Studio Setup for Metal Guitarists

Recording Metal Guitars

I personally record two rhythm guitar tracks for metal, or really any genre. And I typically hard-pan each of those tracks. This gives you that full, stereo effect in the mix. And it just sounds better, overall.

It’s also a good idea to have a slight variance in the tone of your 2nd guitar track. In my opinion, this gives your mix more of an organic and lively sound.

You could try using a different mic or cabinet for that 2nd guitar. Or something as simple as changing the mic placement will do the trick.
You may not want a completely different tone (although that’s something that you can test).

It goes without saying that recording guitars with a real amp are more challenging. If you’d like to learn more about that, check out this post: Complete Guide to Recording Metal Guitars with a Real Amp

Recording Basics for Beginners

This section is mainly for beginners who are just starting to record guitars. First, let’s go over the basic recording setup that you need:

• Computer: Make sure that your computer has the minimal (preferably more) requirements to run your recording software.
• DAW (digital audio workstation, aka recording software): This will allow you to record, mix, and render your music.
• Audio interface: This is the device that you’ll plug your guitar or mic into and this will connect to your computer, allowing you to record.
• Output source: Studio monitors are ideal, and it’s also good to have studio-quality headphones (you’ll need headphones for recording a real amp).

***If you’re new to recording and/or on a budget, check out my post on the Metal Mastermind blog: Beginner’s Home Recording Studio Setup for Musicians on a Budget

Final Notes About My Metal Amp Tones

If there’s one thing that stands out with my metal tone settings is that there’s nothing special or crazy going on with the EQ or anything. This is the case for both amp sims and using a real amp.

There’s no right or wrong way to go about this but if you find yourself struggling to get a good metal tone, I recommend starting with your EQ settings (including your gain and presence) up the middle. This will give you the true sound and nature of that amp. From there, you can make small adjustments to each setting one at a time.

Or start with my settings as that may get you closer to a metal tone that you like. But remember to make small adjustments to one thing at a time.

This takes a little extra patience but can save you a lot of frustration in the long run as opposed to changing all of your EQ settings each time.

I hope this helps you and happy metal tone hunting!

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post Jason’s Metal Guitar Tones: Settings for Both Virtual and Real Amp appeared first on Jason Stallworth.