Getting 'angrier' metal tone for live band

[tom schelfaut]

Hey guys, long post sorry!

I've been on something of a tone quest lately... since recently I play in a metal band as the only guitar player, so my sound has to be pretty in your face.

I use an Axe Fx 3 with matrix PA setup. I'm partial to the EVH5153 amps, blue channel, 50 and 100 watts.

I've got a pretty good sound dialled in, with plenty of mids because that's how I like it d it cuts through.

My problem now is that I want my sound to be 'angrier, nastier' and I would like to achieve that without adding a ton of gain. Are there specific EQ tricks that get you an angrier sound? Certain areas in the midrange to push or cut? Whenever i play around with midrange eq it ends up sounding boxy...

I kind of like the cranked hm2 chainsaw sound, but it doesn't work in a live mix (seen that too often with other bands) and it's too much for what I'm going for, but maybe I'd like just a touch of that chainsawness..

 

[Blytheryn]

Put a tubescreamer in front. Otherwise try an HM-2 with everything but the distortion dimed.

 

[Crungy]

Have tried putting different boosts or distortions in front with low gain? Like all the way down and bring it up till its just nasty enough?

 

[Crungy]

Or real pedals in front of the Axe? I use either a Boss OS2, Suhr Riot or Caline PureSky (Timmy clone). Depends on the amp model but I've like doing that into my AxeFx 2 XL+.

 

[tom schelfaut]

I always boost my preamp with the 'grinder boost' in the axe FX

 

[budda]

Are you on the latest fw?

Try the fat rat or klon into the 6cA7 plexi.

 

[tom schelfaut]

I am, but I've never tried plexis for metal..

Are you on the latest fw?

Try the fat rat or klon into the 6cA7

 

[gunch]

angry/ nasty is boosted upper mids maybe also "clean" high mids.

 

[budda]

I am, but I've never tried plexis for metal..

Use it like a “dirty clean” pedal platform and stand back. Works in real life too.

 

[ExMachina]

Here's a breakdown of the hm2 "The HM-2, by contrast, uses a “gyrator” or a transistorized simulation of an inductor, to provide super-powerful, console-style EQ circuits that boost or cut the frequency at which they are centered. The HM-2 has three such circuits—the L[ow] knob is centered at 86.79Hz, while the H[igh] knob is twice as powerful, using two simultaneous gyrators centered at 958.47Hz and 1278.6Hz"

Put in a parametric block after the amp, boost the two mid frequencies above with high q value to taste. Or get the rainbows and chainsaws ir pack and blend one of the nastier and send it to foh.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

Are you on the latest fw?

Try the fat rat or klon into the 6cA7 plexi.

I don't use modelers but I came here to say: RAT

 

[tedtan]

Try boosting the upper kids around 2 to 2.5K with a tight Q (if using a parametric EQ).

 

[Screamingdaisy]

If your sound is already on 10, it’s hard to take it to 11, particularly in a live mix where you’re competing with other instruments for space.

Consider taking your normal sound and backing it down a touch (maybe pull out a bit of mid), opening up some room for you to get bigger and nastier when you need more of a push.

Alternatively, go brute force and use a volume boost.

 

[tom schelfaut]

If your sound is already on 10, it’s hard to take it to 11, particularly in a live mix where you’re competing with other instruments for space.

Consider taking your normal sound and backing it down a touch (maybe pull out a bit of mid), opening up some room for you to get bigger and nastier when you need more of a push.

Alternatively, go brute force and use a volume boost.

It was never on 10, I always cut quite a bit of bottom end out so that the bass player gets plenty of space. I know how to sit in a mix I just needed to tweak the mids, and what Exmachina said got me exactly what i wanted just a slight bit of extra edge on a tone I really liked already!

 

[budda]

You may have cut too much bottom end though?

 

[DestroyMankind]

Hey guys, long post sorry!

I've been on something of a tone quest lately... since recently I play in a metal band as the only guitar player, so my sound has to be pretty in your face.

I use an Axe Fx 3 with matrix PA setup. I'm partial to the EVH5153 amps, blue channel, 50 and 100 watts.

I've got a pretty good sound dialled in, with plenty of mids because that's how I like it d it cuts through.

My problem now is that I want my sound to be 'angrier, nastier' and I would like to achieve that without adding a ton of gain. Are there specific EQ tricks that get you an angrier sound? Certain areas in the midrange to push or cut? Whenever i play around with midrange eq it ends up sounding boxy...

I kind of like the cranked hm2 chainsaw sound, but it doesn't work in a live mix (seen that too often with other bands) and it's too much for what I'm going for, but maybe I'd like just a touch of that chainsawness..

With you being the only guitarist you have some freedom in picking what area of the mids you like and what you don't. If you like the lower mids cut some of the higher..and vice versa. If you want a hm-2 tone that isn't over the top don't max it all out. Try putting the level around 1o clock low high or maxed, high almost maxed (depends on pickups and everything). When I use my guitar with an emg 81 I don't need the high knob maxed out completely. Then distortion either off or slightly up from that. If you don't have an eq pedal the boss ge-7 is awesome, as is the mxr 10 band eq.

 

[lewis]

I would probably approach this differently than most because I'm different like that.

If the amp/combo on the Axe is working well then leave it untouched. I would look into on board guitar options. For example I just put an RPC knob in my baritone and it tightens lows whilst boosting highs the more you dial it. That gets the tone angrier imo.

Also maybe try changing a feel thing with the patch? Sometimes getting it feeling more instant and upfront can make it more aggressive.

For example when I used to run a Keeley and an OD Infront of my amp, it was so immediate and powerful it just was way more aggressive.

Both these options would work imo and you wouldn't be touching the core fundamentals of the patch you already like

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Using subjective terminology like "angrier", I would ask a question in order to place that term into a more objective context.
What defines "angrier"? Is it a boost at a specific frequency? Is it a cut at a specific frequency? If so, how narrow or wide would the "Q" be for that selection? How high to boost (which will be an increase in the gain of that frequency)? How low to cut (which will be a reduction in the gain of that frequency)? Also necessary to take into consideration is, how will this alteration impact the entire band mix? By boosting, will I be encroaching on a frequency that is featured by another instrumentalist in the band? If you have a dedicated sound engineer, this would be a good conversation to have with them as these are the terms that they deal with in the course of their job.

 

[Crungy]

You may have cut too much bottom end though?

I hadn't thought of that. Having a little more low end impact could help.