Taking the "fuzz" out of metal

metallicaguy1 · 06-22-2013, 07:43 PM

I've been playing around with my UX2, the different settings, Gearbox, and S Gear. And my Fender Mustang 1. When I record in Reaper, I found that my amp has the best tone when it comes to trying metal. I do have a question for the metalheads out there who record. How do you make metal sound "cleaner?" Mine just sounds so fuzzy--especially when I play power chords. Single chords, a little, but anything more than one string and it's too much. It loses quality and sound in the process. If I decrease the gain, it doesn't sound much like metal anymore but more like crunchy clean tone. I don't know what it could be. I was just kind of curious about this.

Tod · 06-22-2013, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicaguy1

I've been playing around with my UX2, the different settings, Gearbox, and S Gear. And my Fender Mustang 1. When I record in Reaper, I found that my amp has the best tone when it comes to trying metal. I do have a question for the metalheads out there who record. How do you make metal sound "cleaner?" Mine just sounds so fuzzy--especially when I play power chords. Single chords, a little, but anything more than one string and it's too much. It loses quality and sound in the process. If I decrease the gain, it doesn't sound much like metal anymore but more like crunchy clean tone. I don't know what it could be. I was just kind of curious about this.

Hi metallicaguy1, I'm somewhat surprised by your question but I think it's a good one. I'm not sure what you mean by power chords but basically I've always hated the sound of distorted chords. Using the 1 & 5 (is that what you mean by power chord?) with distortion is okay and can even sound good, but more notes than that is usually pretty awful.

Keep in mind that I'm an old fart and that's just my own personal opinion.

moliere · 06-22-2013, 08:25 PM

Well, I don't tend to use VSTs for my metal tones (although, I've had some good results with some HeadCase stuff (acmebargig)), I really like the various tech 21 boxes for direct recording. For rhythm guitars in metal, I tend to at the very least double track the guitars, sometimes quad track them, and lower the gain and beef up the mids a bit more than you'd usually do just jamming around.

also, from a physical perspective, make sure your guitar is intonated properly around the chords you are playing (ie finger the chord and tune/intonate to that chord so it's in tune). This helps metal stuff come out a lot cleaner with less of the disonant harmonic distortion stuff happening. It's not something I always do, but it is useful at times.

Swamp Ape · 06-22-2013, 08:34 PM

I tend to record like Moliere - heavy on the mids - but the cleaner "modern" metal sound usually has almost no mids (this is where the Fuzz lives), with highs and lows cranked all the way. Usually through high gain heads like a Mesa Boogie or something. I don't think backing off on the gain a hair while recording is a bad idea though - try pulling dialing back the gain and double-tracking if you're not already doing that. Two guitars playing the same thing with slightly different tones can sound much heavier than one.

Ferret King · 06-23-2013, 03:30 AM

...all great suggestions here.

In my experience, amp sims have always tended to be fuzzy on hi gain settings. One thing you can try is running your direct signal through a tube preamp...this can actually make a difference. If you don't have the $ for one, running a channel strip VST (I use Nasty VCS by Variety of Sound occasionally) can take a bit of the fizz away. Turning down the gain usually isn't an option when it comes to metal but maybe back the gain down a bit and use higher gain settings for solos?
I'm not familiar with s gear, but I have had Line 6 Pod Farm and it seemed to be fizzier than other sims in my experience...I use Amplitube and I don't seem to have that problem as much.

morgon · 06-23-2013, 04:14 AM

A hybrid system of stompbox and ampsim can work ok, takes the workload off the ampsim somewhat. I use a TM5 Ibanez [$25 ebay]pedal, its called thrashmetal but that's a misnomer, its not so high gain, really a kind of tube screamer with altered mids reminds me of old Judas Priest sound, its punchy so the pwr chrds sound good without a lot of added gain from the ampsim imo.

nfpotter · 06-23-2013, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tod

Hi metallicaguy1, I'm somewhat surprised by your question but I think it's a good one. I'm not sure what you mean by power chords but basically I've always hated the sound of distorted chords. Using the 1 & 5 (is that what you mean by power chord?) with distortion is okay and can even sound good, but more notes than that is usually pretty awful.

Keep in mind that I'm an old fart and that's just my own personal opinion.

You're high.

Pickasso · 06-23-2013, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicaguy1

Mine just sounds so fuzzy--especially when I play power chords.

Lots of suggestions here, but consider posting 2 short clips:
D.I., and processed.

Otherwise it's guesswork.

Cosmic · 06-23-2013, 04:11 PM

Turn the gain down

karbomusic · 06-23-2013, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmic

Turn the gain down

What he said. What you hear on a record is much less distorted than you think it is; its a different ball game when you are the player not the listener. IE: It sounds/feels cleaner as the player laying the raw track than it does hearing back as a recorded and compressed track (especially Metallica). The best distorted tones feel a little too clean to some players if their reference is other band's recordings; bring it down to a near uncomfortable level (as a player) and see how it sounds.

metallicaguy1 · 06-23-2013, 06:27 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm6pv...ature=youtu.be

this is a link to a small clip I recorded. Please ignore the poor playing. I used my Fender Mustang Amp connected via usb to comp and recorded in Reaper. First 30 seconds is low gain. Last 30 is high gain.

I will record more later (via UX2, which, IMP doesn't sound as good as the amp sounds.)

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

nfpotter · 06-23-2013, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicaguy1

I've been playing around with my UX2, the different settings, Gearbox, and S Gear. And my Fender Mustang 1. When I record in Reaper, I found that my amp has the best tone when it comes to trying metal. I do have a question for the metalheads out there who record. How do you make metal sound "cleaner?" Mine just sounds so fuzzy--especially when I play power chords. Single chords, a little, but anything more than one string and it's too much. It loses quality and sound in the process. If I decrease the gain, it doesn't sound much like metal anymore but more like crunchy clean tone. I don't know what it could be. I was just kind of curious about this.

First: get a good, real tube amp (or even some solid state ones can sound good). Amp sims can get very, very close, but are not there.

Second: if you ARE stuck with using amps sims, lower the gain, and use a tight parametric EQ to find the "fizz" spot and reduce it. Can work wonders. Also, go for "aunch" instead of "punch", meaning dial the mids in right, not all scooped. Leave room for the kick and bass. If you're a decent engineer you can also use multi-band compression creatively.

Third: import a CD or MP3 track or a guitar sound you like, dial up an amp sim, and A/B back and forth, tweeking your amp sim until you're as close as you can get to the sound of the real amp. On both my current band's record, and the band prior to that, I found a couple spots where I had forgotten to track a couple parts. Rather than going back, carrying a bunch of recording gear, and setting it all up, I dubbed in the tracks with my UX2, after trying to match the sound of my VHT rig. I got so close that my own band couldn't tell.

I play through a lot of very expensive tube guitar gear. Nothing can replace that, but with a little work, amp sims can sound quite good.