Guitar Tone Show n Tell

Show and Tell
#1

I talked about starting this thread a week ago and finally remembered!

We’ve had a couple topics asking specifically about recorded guitar tone and I thought it might be fun/informative to start a thread where member share their current recordings and talk about how they captured the tone and processed it.

Share audio, screenshots, ask questions, share feedback and have fun!

I’ll kick things off with a little shootout. This is a song I’m demoing. It’s missing lead guitar and vocals (and a proper bass track) but I’ve been using it as a test animal for a few guitar VSTs. Here are a few versions of the same song. Both songs have two DI guitar tracks, programmed drums (unprocessed) and crappy bass.

Version A


(This is using free amp sim software. I believe it’s Nembrini Crunk on one side and Ignite Emissary on the other)

Version B


(This are recorded with my Line 6 Helix)

Version C


(Guitar tone powerd by Mercuriall SS-11X.r)

Anyone got a favourite of these three? I’d like to eventually quad-track these guitars.

I’ll add more to this thread as I’ve got a few recording projects on this go, but off to work now. Looking forward to hearing what other people have come up with!

5 Likes
#2

Thank you for sharing these! I like them all but should probably listen more carefully with proper headphones to make up my mind.

It would be great if you could share your thought process in selecting the cabinet+mic IR, tonestack/presence, gain/boost etc., based on the type of guitar you were using and the tone you were going after (but I don’t want you to waste hours, so analysing just one of the three examples would be plenty).

Thanks :slight_smile:

PS: I love power metal by the way \m/

PPS: I’m not aiming to copy people’s tones, I am more interested in the process other people use for tone creation.

1 Like
#3

Nice thread, I hope I get some time soon to show you guys some of my “go to” tones and VSTs.

From the ones you posted @element0s I really liked the Version B, with Helix Native. It’s the fullest sounding and most “recording” ready. The other 2 need some help to fit better into the mix.

1 Like
#4

'Aight, I am gonna use this thread the other way around, if you don’t mind.

How do you get this tone with free ampsims?

It’s kinda harsh, trebly sounding, I was sort of close with LePou HyBrit but not quite the same.
I have a feeling that it also lacks gain, and cuts through the mix too well, more like “in your face” than blending nicely with other tracks, if you know what I mean. I could post samples later (in fact it would be a different song from the same band, which is a 2nd part of my post).

I know that the guy behind this project is using BC Rich 8 string with SD Blackouts (I own Schecter Blackjack with the same pickups), Marshall amp - I believe it would be JVM 410h - and probably Hughes and Kettner 412 cab.

BTW, slightly off-topic:

I am learning the below song by ear, figured out most of it, but I have no clue what’s going on at 1:50-2:00 mark:

I know this is three separate guitars, rythm, lead and clean-ish, but layered so much I can’t find the right notes.

(Sorry for shameless off-top)

#5

Use the Ignite Emissary plugin, boost it with the Mercuriall Tubescreamer plugin and set:

Gain low-ish, Treble over 6, Bass over 6-7 and Mid under 4. Record and post here. :smiley:

1 Like
#6

Ok, tried it - Emissary sounds great on it’s own, but quite not there yet (please forgive sloppy playing, barely came back from work):

888b.mp3 (9.1 MB)

Quite possibly it’s just not the right IR, they make up most of the tone.
This is just lead, double tracked (because it is the lead guitar tone that I am looking for… I’ve found fairly decent tone for rythm already.

Here are both guitars quadtracked with drums (4x HyBrit for rythm and 2x HyBrit + 2x Emissary for lead:

888.mp3 (9.1 MB)

The tone I am looking for definitely has more hiss to it, it sounds like someone would run their nails against blackboard.

#7

I already like what you’re doing there. It’s close.

For that extra “hiss”, I would add a Tubescreamer plugin with the Tone on 10.