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Massive But Tiny – The Quest for That Elusive Metal Guitar Tone


Way back when I started playing guitar, I was chasing after the elusive “metal guitar tone.”

You know, the ones you heard on the heavy rock albums.

Thick, juicy and amazing.

I had to have it. I wanted that guitar tone so badly that I tried every distortion pedal in the store.

Too Bad a Massive Guitar Tone Doesn’t Come From Pedals

Sad Björgvin became sadder.

None of those pedals gave me that souped up sound I was looking for.

Sure, they all sounded super heavy but the tone wasn’t there. I added on the distortion hoping to get the sound from the records but to no avail.

It tones.

That massive guitar sound doesn’t come from the pedal alone.

It’s the combination of the guitar and amp. But it’s mostly the amp. The amp is what creates that elusive monster sound. You can’t just pile on the distortion through your pedal. If you’re still working with a lousy practice amp then it’s just gonna sound hissy and small.

Harder sounds aren’t more distorted. They’re recorded through bigger and badder amps.

The ones that go up to 11.

Those are the ones that give you your monster guitar sound.

Not a tiny little overdrive pedal.

What was I thinking?!

A Juicy Guitar Sound Comes From the Amp

There’s a reason Eric Clapton refused to lower his amp when he was recording with Cream. A tube amp on full blast makes you deaf if you’re standing next to it, but it sounds heavenly on your songs. Punch, power and massiveness comes from your amp.

If you’re recording distortion through a pedal and into your interface, then you’re doing it wrong.

I tackle how you should handle too much distortion, unbalanced and miking up that powerful cabinet in Recording Strategies.

Learn the right way to record guitar, and how to get a massive guitar sound.

www.audio-issues.com/strategies

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About me

About Audio Issues and Björgvin Benediktsson

We help musicians transform their recordings into radio-ready and release-worthy records they’re proud to release.

We do this by offering simple and practical music production and success skills they can use immediately to level themselves up – while rejecting negativity and gear-shaming from the industry. A rising tide floats all boats and the ocean is big enough for all of us to surf the sound waves.

Björgvin’s step-by-step mixing process has helped thousands of musicians confidently mix their music from their home studios. If you’d like to join them, check out the best-selling book Step By Step Mixing: How To Create Great Mixes Using Only 5 Plug-ins right here.

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