In fact, I didn’t touch this plugin again for several months after I purchased the upgrade.

But one day, I decided to revisit BIAS FX 2. I spent a few hours going through all of the high gain amps again and pairing them with different cabinets, mics, and such.

I finally came across what I feel to be a pretty awesome metal tone with BIAS FX 2. And I’m going to share my settings with you, as well as some other little tricks I’ve learned to make BIAS FX 2 sound great for metal.

Initial Frustration with BIAS FX 2

I’ll get straight to the point. But first, let me share a little backstory with you before we get into the meat and potatoes…

Having been a long-time user of their original BIAS FX, I was pretty excited about this second release. There were some particular updates I was hoping for, one of them being more (and better) options for metal amps.

But instead, here’s what happened when I upgraded to BIAS FX 2…

• Immediately replicated my best metal tone that I created from the original BIAS FX plugin – Treadplate + Celestion V20 and Greenback speakers
• Suffered great disappointment that this same tone sucked so bad with BIAS FX 2
• Went through all of the high gain amps – I even made a video and have another post on the stock settings here
• Dialed in some good metal tones, but not great; nothing really stood out to me
• Continued to mess around with BIAS FX 2 for a few weeks and then…
• Went back to playing the original BIAS FX for my metal tones

**To be fair, I had created some pretty cool non-metal tones with FX 2 for another project I’m working on. These sounds are a mix of clean and some lower-gain rock.

I must admit, those tones sound awesome and the quality of the effects is definitely a highlight.

Alright, let’s get to how to dial in a good metal tone with BIAS FX 2…

VIDEO: Jason’s BIAS FX 2 Metal Tone

You can watch the video version below. But I’m giving you more details in this post below than what I covered in the video.

So definitely keep reading my ‘rules for BIAS FX 2 metal tones’ after the video…

Rules for BIAS FX 2 Metal Tones

Let me start by saying these ‘rules’ are just my opinion, and nothing else. You may agree or disagree, and that’s okay. Well, really it’s not. But whatever.

My rules for dialing in a good metal tone with BIAS FX 2 will:

1. Save you time
2. Help you simplify things and dial in a good tone, fast – you can thank me by listening/buying my music here

You can dial in a great metal tone using BIAS FX 2. And I’m going to take you through every component of my personal favorite metal tone that I created.

Rule 1: Choosing the Right Amp for Metal

Naturally, I started out with the Treadplate V2. That’s been my go-to amp in the original BIAS FX plugin. And I’ve dialed in some killer tones with that amp.

But the FX 2 version just wasn’t giving me the tones I wanted or expected. And you know how hard it is to part with something that you really like. I had to move on.

**If you own the original BIAS FX, do not expect the tones you created in that plugin to sound the same in BIAS FX 2.

The best metal amp in BIAS FX 2 is the 04 Insane 5153 V2. I have tested this amp relentlessly against all of the other high gain amps, and nothing matches it’s tight, punchy, and distinct saturation. So I recommend starting with the Insane 5153 V2.

Now, a huge part of the tone is going to be determined by what cabinet you pair this amp with. The default cab is decent, but I’m going to show you a better way after I go through my settings blow.

There are a couple of other decent amps for metal.
But for the sake of keeping things simple, just start with the 04 Insane 5153 V2 amp, and follow the rest of my rules below.

This will make you happy. Trust me.

Amp Settings and EQ for Metal

So you’ve got the amp, now let’s dig into the settings and EQ. This is where I keep things extremely simple, and I recommend that you do the same with BIAS FX 2.

Here are my 04 Insane 5153 V2 settings:

• Gain: 6.5
• Bass: 4.7
• Mids: 4
• Treble: 7
• Presence: 6
• Master: 5.5

For clarity, you don’t need your gain cranked up with the 04 Insane 5153 V2 amp. In the real (hardware/tube) world, a true metal amp should give you an awesome saturated tone without the gain being cranked up to ’10.’

I do cut the bass a little. This helps my tone sit better in the mix.

You have to remember that the tone you play by itself may require different settings when recording for a full mix. You need to leave room for the bass guitar and kick drum to carry the bottom end, not your guitar.

I also cut mids. That’s just my personal preference with metal tones in general, but not too much.

And I gave the treble and presence a boost. This also helps the guitar cut through the mix.

*For my guitar solos, I boost my mids to around 6, gain around 8, and I’ll also add a little more bass to those tracks.

Volume Difference Between BIAS FX and FX 2

One thing I noticed about BIAS FX 2 is that the overall volume of this plugin is lower than the original BIAS FX. So I have my master volume up a little to compensate for that.

You may also need to turn up your interface volume a little due to this. Just make sure your signal isn’t clipping (not hanging around in the red zone).

Another ‘rule’ I have is that if I have to spend too much time tweaking the amp to get a good tone, I move on to another amp.

If you have to fight that much to dial in a decent tone, ditch it now.

Because whatever perfect tone you think you finally dialed in after the fight, you’re probably not going to be happy with it tomorrow. And you’ll be there again, in that same spot endlessly trying to make it work.

Look, it was a bad relationship from the beginning…just accept it, and let it go!

Rule 2: Pairing Your Amp with the Right Cabinet

In BIAS FX 2, there are only a few cabinets that will pair well with each amp. Especially for metal.

Choosing the right cabinet is just as important as the amp itself. The most awesome metal amp is going to sound like total crap if it’s paired with the wrong cabinet in BIAS FX 2.

For the most part, the default cabinets that each amp is paired with will be decent. But ‘decent tone’ isn’t what we’re looking for. We want a kick-ass metal tone!

So I recommend that you get the ‘BIAS FX 2 Elite’ so that you have access to the Classic Celestion speakers. This used to only be available with BIAS Amp 2 but you can now use them with FX2 – this was an awesome move by Positive Grid!

*You can learn more about BIAS FX 2 packages on thier website here.

So, what cabinet pairs best with the 04 Insane 5153 V2 amp?

There are actually two:

1. Classic Celestion Vintage 30
2. Classic Celestion G12 Greenback

Here’s how I use both of these cabinets…

I record two rhythm guitar tracks and hard-pan each track.

• Left-panned track = Celestion Vintage 30
• Right-panned track = Celestion G12 Greenback

For leads, I mainly find myself using the Vintage 30 with the mic placed closer to the cone, which we’re about to talk more about below.

You can use the default cabinet with this amp and still get a good tone. But these Classic Celestions blow everything else away. I actually have another post just on these speakers here.

However, I need to reiterate that the tones you created, even with the Celestions, in the original BIAS FX are not going to sound the same in FX 2.

For example, the Treadplate tones I created with the Celestion speakers with the original BIAS FX sound amazing. But they sound like poop in FX 2.

Mics and Mic Placements

We can’t talk about cabinets without talking about mics and mic placements. This is where Positive Grid really shines. All of the BIAS FX 2 mic options are solid.

That said, it almost doesn’t matter which mic you use; you can get a great metal tone with any of those mics as long as you have the right amp and cabinet paired together.

So, I’ll share my personal preferences for mic setup below:

• My go-to BIAS FX 2 mic is the Shure SM57 sim
• For the Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, I place the mic off to the side of the cone, and close to the grill
• For the Celestion G12 Greenback speaker, I place the mic a little closer to the cone but not directly in the center, and close to the grill
• For my lead tracks, as I mentioned earlier, I typically use the Vintage 30 with the mic closer to the cone
• Occasionally, I’ll record a guitar track with one of the other mics (I’ll just randomly pick one of the others; again, they’re all great mic sims)

*Try using the 421 with the Celestion Greenback for one track (panned left), and the 57 with the Celestion Vintage 30 for the other (panned right). That’s a great sounding mix.

3 – BIAS FX 2 Effects for Metal

I recommend that you use minimal effects for your BIAS FX 2 metal tones. Using too many effects will just take away from your tone and will complicate everything.

I’m going to show you how to get a better tone while keeping things simple. Here’s what I use…

• Noise Gate
• Green Overdrive
• Reverb
• Delay – only for lead guitar tracks

Noise Gate Settings

There’s nothing special about my noise gate settings. And this may be different for everyone based on the type of guitar pickups you’re using.

I’ve found that the Positive Grid noise gate works best for metal. It does exactly what you expect it to do – cuts the excess noise while not taking away from your tone.

Green ‘Screamer’ Overdrive Settings

I do not use the typical overdrive metal settings that a lot of metal guitarists use. Many will crank the level all the way up, and of course, keep the gain/drive all the way down.

Try backing that level off a little to about 7. You may find that you get more clarity and also more of the natural sound from the amp.

What you see in the image above is the only overdrive I use in BIAS FX 2. In fact, I use that on other non-metal tones as well over the other drives and distortions. It’s simple and it sounds awesome.

Reverb

Reverb is not something I use all the time. But just a little touch of reverb can give you a nice-sounding tone.

Just be careful because if you use too much reverb, you’ll lose clarity on your guitar notes, especially if you’re like me and do a lot of riffing.

For that slight touch of reverb, I like this digital reverb pedal. But I also really like the ambient reverb for some of my clean tones when I want that spacy sound.

Delay

I only use a delay for my leads, as I mentioned earlier. And this particular digital delay sim sounds amazing, giving you just enough to make your guitar solos shine.

You can also expand your settings with this pedal for those spacy, far-out sounds. I’ll use this with the ambient reverb on clean tones sometimes to get that true ambient feel. Those types of sounds are great for intros, outros, or when you want a break in the song.

What About a Rackmount EQ?

I’ve played around with this specific rackmount post-amp EQ. You can really dig more into shaping your tone, but I personally don’t use these that often.

The one piece of advice I’ll give regarding these types of EQs in plugins is this:

• Don’t overdo it
• It’s best to only cut certain frequencies, like the low end to tighten up your tone

Just take a look at my settings above. They’re subtle, simple, and mainly consists of cutting certain frequencies, not boosting.

Again, I rarely use any type of additional EQ. I prefer the natural tone of the amp without it. I feel like adding too many things to your amp gives you that ‘over-processed’ sound, which is why a lot of modern metal bands sound the same.

What’s Your Favorite BIAS FX 2 Metal Amp?

Do you have a favorite amp and tone for BIAS FX 2? If so, leave that in a comment on the YouTube video I created for this post (and make sure you subscribe to my channel), here.

I’ll admit, BIAS FX 2 is not my absolute favorite plugin for metal tones. But that doesn’t mean it’s a ‘bad’ plugin for metal. For most of my metal tones, I prefer the Fortin NTS.

And I’m more than content with this one particular tone using the 04 Insane 5153 V2 amp pairs with Celestion speakers. That tone is something I would consider using for a metal album or project.

I hope my rules of getting a good metal tone with BIAS FX 2 helped you! Please feel free to share this on your social media pages.

**Also, if you’d like to support me and this site, check out the links below:

• Stream/buy my albums
• Get my CDs and merch

Thank you for supporting independent metal music!

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post Rules to Getting a Good Metal Tone with BIAS FX 2 appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

So it’s no surprise that I jumped on the latest BIAS FX 2. And as you would expect, I went straight for the high gain metal amps. But when I purchased it, I had no idea that I was going to do what I did…

I got this crazy idea to create a video playing through all 30 of the high gain amps.

TMI Backstory: I was actually taking an Epson salt bath when I received this holy revelation to record a video with all 30 BIAS FX 2 high gain amps.

So I immediately cut my bathtime short and started working on this for you! Yeah, I know…TMI.

Anyway, here’s what you’ll get in this post…

• Video: Listen to All 30 BIAS FX 2 High Gain Amps
• BIAS FX 2 High Gain Amp List
• My Favorite 5 Amps for Metal Tones
• BIAS FX 2 VS the Original BIAS FX
• Recording with BIAS FX 2
• What Songs Was I Playing?

Video: Listen to All 30 BIAS FX 2 High Gain Amps

First, I’m going to give you the video below so you can listen to all 30 high gain amps. You’ll hear each amp cranking out some metal for just under a minute.

Oh, and so that you know which amp is being played, there’s a screenshot of the amp in the lower right corner of the video. And one more thing – I’m wearing a different t-shirt for each amp as another distinguishing factor for each tone.
*I didn’t realize I had that many shirts…and here I am trying to be a minimalist!

Here’s the BIAS F 2 high gain amps video…

Special Note: What you’re hearing is the factory settings. I did not (and did not have the patience to) mess with the EQ or cabinet it was paired with and such. I literally just pulled up each and started playing/recording.

BIAS FX 2 High Gain Amp List

Before I go into the details of each amp, here’s the full list of BIAS FX 2 high gain amp. I also included the time each amp is being played and the t-shirt I’m wearing for each amp.

This helps serve as a reference guide for the video (and it also helped me when it came time to synch the audio and video!).

Below this reference table, I’ll give my 5 personal favorite BIAS FX 2 amps. And don’t forget at the end of this post, I’m giving you the details of how I recorded these tracks.

*You can get the comprehensive list of BIAS FX amps and what each amp is modeled after on Positive Grid’s website: BIAS FX Amp 2 Amp Model List.

My Favorite 5 Amps for Metal Tones

Now let’s go through which the amps are best for metal guitar tones. As I mentioned in the beginning, this is just my personal opinion based on my taste and style.

I’ll list the amp, what it’s modeled after, and a short description based on my thoughts. And these are in the order of my top preferences, although that’s subject to change at any time. You know how us guitarists are always flopping back and forth between tones!

Also, I’m giving you more details on the below amps as I’ve toyed around with these more after creating the video of the 30 high gain amp (remember, I did not touch the settings for that video). But after making the video, I took my personal favorites and started tweaking the settings, cabinets, mics, etc.

One more thing…you’ll notice ‘V2’ by the first 3 the amps below. These are amps that are in the original BIAS FX suite.

*You can read about and hear my original BIAS FX tones in this post: Positive Grid BIAS FX Metal Tones

92 Treadplate V2

Modeled after the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier

From the original to the new BIAS FX 2, the ’92 Treadplate has been my favorite virtual amp from Positive Grid (including BIAS Amp 2). It’s also the most diverse as you can dial in tones for almost any sub-genre of metal with this amp.

The Treadplate is super tight and it’s got that nice mid-range. It also gives a ton of clarity making it great if you do a lot of riffing, which is the core reason it’s been my go-to amp for metal.

With the Treadplate V2, you don’t need to crank up the gain super high for your rhythms. Try your gain at around 5-6. That will give you the most clarity while still having that saturated tone. Crank it to about 7-8 for leads and you’ll get all the sustain you need.

The Treadplate V2 can also be paired with the standard cabs or the Celestion cabs if you have the BIAS FX 2 Elite version. I use the Celestion Vintage 30s for one rhythm and the Celestion Greenbacks for the other rhythm track (and hard-pan each; I’ll get into more of that at the end of this post).

I used the BIAS Amp 2 version of the Treadplate for my album Masterpeace. And this album features 7 string guitars and is more of a ‘power metal meets thrash metal’ style. And it has about 4 different vocal styles, too.

I also used the Treadplate from the first geneal BIAS FX for my album Heavy Metal Workout. This is a classic instrumental metal album (and as you may have guess, it’s made for pushing iron!).

04 Insane 5153 V2

Modeled after the Peavey 5150

I was going back and forth between this amp and the Treadplate (from the original BIAS FX) when I was recording the Heavy Metal Workout album. This amp sounds awesome but there was something lacking in the original version that the Treadplate had.

The new version, ’04 Insane 5153 V2, sounds amazing. I’m almost liking it more than the Treadplate V2. I can see myself using both amps together in the future.

One thing I’ve noticed about this virtual amp is I boost the mids a little more than I normally do, and that gives you a smooth, crystal clear tone. And like the Treadplate V2, you don’t need a ton of gain for your rhythms.

Like the Treadplate V2, I also recommend using the Celestion impulses with the ’04 Insane 5153 V2. If you’re using the standard cabs, try the Thrasher; that will give you more of a melodic death metal tone.

Modded Mark IIc+ V2

Modeled after the Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+

Here we are with another V2 from the original BIAS FX. The Modded Mark LLc+ just has a really cool sound. And to me, the BIAS FX 2 version is definitely a step up from the original.

The original has this weird frequency that I just could never get rid of or EQ out. Of course, that could have been just me. But this new version in BIAS FX 2 is solid!

You can cut the mids of the Modded Mark LLc+ V2 and get that old Metallica guitar tone along with several other classic and thrash metal tones.

For cabinets and speakers, I prefer using the standard BIAS FX cabinets for this amp. To my ears, those fit this amp better than any of the Celestion impulses.

Black 100

Modeled after the ENGL RB100

I’ve always loved the sounds of real ENGL amps. In fact, many of the European metal bands I listen to use ENGL amps.

But many amp sims fall short in trying to capture the true sound and essence of an ENGL amp. So for me to put this particular amp in my top 5 is saying something.

The funny thing is BIAS FX 2 has an amp sim called ‘Invader’ which is clearly modeled after the ENGL Invader 100. But that one just doesn’t do it for me. However, I really dig the RB100 here.

The standard BIAS FX cabinets seem to work best with this amp. Especially the ENGL and Thrasher cabs. You could mix those cabs for 2 rhythm guitar tracks and get a really nice metal mix! And this amp is the gateway to some of the heavier and darker sub-genres of metal.

1979 British High Gain

Modeled after the Marshall JPM Plexi 1979

This is probably the most diverse virtual amp in the BIAS FX 2 suite. Of course, being modeled after a Marshall it’s clearly a good choice for classic and thrash metal music. But I’m surprised at how well it can handle some of the heavier and more modern metal.

This amp is perfect for stuff like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Queensryche. It’s got that distinct tone and distortion but it’s also a lot tighter than what you would expect. And for solos, dude, your leads will soar with this amp. I’ll do a separate video on solos later.

You can also back the gain down and get that raw, hard rock tone. Or if you have parts of a song where the guitars die down a bit, like holding out or arpeggiating your chords, backing the gain down will make those parts sound awesome.

As far as cabinets go, the standard cabs work quite well with the 1979 British High Gain virtual amp. I also like the lead tone you get when pairing with the Orange cab impulse. That really helps your notes cut through the mix.

BIAS FX 2 VS the Original BIAS FX

Now for the ultimate question…

Is the new BIAS FX 2 better than BIAS FX?

Well, you tell me (watch/listen to the video below)!

I did a comparison video using both virtual amps using my favorite metal amp: the Treadplate. I was happy to see that they included the Treadplate in FX 2.

And for this video, I dialed in my personal amp settings. You can check them out below:

• Gain: 6.9
• Bass: 5.5
• Mid: 3.7
• Treble: 6.7
• Presence: 3.4
• Volume: 6.0

I also used the tube screamer simulator in front of the amp (Gain: 0, Level: about 7, and Tone: 6), and a noise gate.

I did use the default cabinet settings for both virtual amps. I believe this is called the Treadlate 4×12. And I used the SM57 mic sim with the same placement.

Recording with BIAS FX 2

So how did I record the guitar tracks for my BIAS FX 2 video? Here’s basically everything I did…

• Amp/Cab Settings: Used the factory EQ, cabinet, and mic presets for each amp
• Effects: Only used a noise gate and tube screamer in front of the amp with a slight touch of reverb after the amp
• Guitar Tracks: I recorded 2 rhythm guitar tracks and hard-panned each (each track had the exact same amp settings)
• Bass: Recorded one bass track but used Studio Devil’s Bass Amp Pro – I may do a BIAS FX 2 bass amp demo in the future
• Drums: I compiled some loops from Toontrack’s EZ Drummer using a mix of Metal Machine and Death Metal packs

That’s pretty much it. I kept it simple. Now, let me tell you more about the actual songs you heard in the video…

What Songs Was I Playing?

Everything you hear in the video is my original music. I literally wrote everything the day I started recording the video.

In fact, I’d say 98 percent of my YouTube videos feature my own music. I’ve just never been a huge fan of playing someone else’s music. That doesn’t mean I won’t do a cover from time to time, because that’s cool. But most of the music you hear from me, in general, is going to be my own.

*My albums and releases are on all the major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Music, etc.

You can find these links to listen to, buy, and stream all of my music here: Jason’s Music.

Now the secret here is I didn’t write a full 23 minutes of music (that’s about what you’re getting in the video). I actually wrote 6 pieces of music and played those 5 times. I suck at math, but I think that equals 30 (30 high gain amps).

So you’re hearing the same riffs every 6th song/amp. I figured that would be enough distance between the songs to not become too monotonous.

I hope you enjoyed the BIAS FX 2 high gain amps…all 30 of them! Leave a comment on the video if you have questions, and also let me know what amp tone you like best!

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post BIAS FX 2 Metal Tones: High Gain Virtual Amps appeared first on Jason Stallworth.