Soft pick vs hard pick vs hardpick with low gain

    This isn't news to me or probably anyone else.
    But I have never really recorded these varieties back to back until now.


    I've always picked hard, and except my early days I've always tried to have as low gain on the amp as possible too.


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    Soft pick sounds muddy and undefined
    Hard pick sounds better but still a bit mushy
    Hard pick with lower gain sounds precise and better than the rest, at least for this.


    This is something I wished more profile makers would take into account.
    Many metal profiles have RIDICOLOUS AMOUNT OF GAIN!!!!
    I almost always have to lower gain 2-3 "level units" or more
    My pickup in this guitar isn't even that hot.


    The profile I used here is Mesa Recto Deluxe from MixBerlin
    mixberlinstudios.bigcartel.com
    :thumbup:


    EDIT: Tried another thrashy riff with the "low gain" setting. Oh my!!

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    Actually I prefer the first example :) you say it sounds muddy, not to my hears hehe. Too me it sound fuller.
    Second sample is surely more defined, but it's a bit too harsh for my taste.
    Third is better than 2nd, you tamed the harshness a bit.


    The thrashy riff is cool, especially when doubled but, to me, it will benefit from some added bass to guitar sound (ie: not the "bass" instrument, I mean rise the bass on the ampli, or lower the mid)

    hi, thx the clips, interesting but I guess it's obvious that more gain = more compression and that less gain = more dynamics and a hard pick will enhance dynamics too.


    It's even illustrated from the soundcloud wave shape , more dynamics in the wave range in your last clip.


    That's why I rarely use super hi gain profiles and not only because I don't have super hot pickups or active ones. I also never use compressor except on bass tracks.


    But don't get me wrong I love hearing some super hi gain stuff , mostly in live venues :)

    Quote from Giallanon

    Actually I prefer the first example :) you say it sounds muddy, not to my hears hehe. Too me it sound fuller.
    Second sample is surely more defined, but it's a bit too harsh for my taste.
    Third is better than 2nd, you tamed the harshness a bit.


    The thrashy riff is cool, especially when doubled but, to me, it will benefit from some added bass to guitar sound (ie: not the "bass" instrument, I mean rise the bass on the ampli, or lower the mid)

    I think the first one just sounds weak... because I played it weak 8o
    I like sharp guitars.


    Regarding "adding bass"... I try to stay by the "only cut not add" when it comes to EQ guitars... maybe I'm just being stupid...
    Also there needs to be space for the bass too you know...
    I dont even have any highpass on the guitars...


    It's still more lowend to the guitar than Slayer :rolleyes:


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    Yup I already knew all this , it's just that I have never recorded it back to back before

    Quote from Cederick

    Regarding "adding bass"... I try to stay by the "only cut not add" when it comes to EQ guitars... maybe I'm just being stupid...
    Also there needs to be space for the bass too you know...

    You and me both, Brother C; that makes two of us.


    Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle-Even-Dumber, the latter being me, of course!

    I also most often have to lower the gain substantially on profiles. I don't know why people need as such gain. Was just trying out some orange profiles and oh my.... It's As if they tried to coax out as much gain as possible from the amp.

    Have to agree. Too much gain on all high gain profiles I purchased so far. I once read an interview with Fredrik Nordstrom a long time ago and he said he boosted 1.5 khz for more string attack on guitars and that's something I end up doing most of the time. It's a beginner mistake that you need boost guitars, bass etc all the time. Iv'e been guilty of that too. Compression on guitars with medium to slow attack and fast release can make it sound liket it's picked harder than it is.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

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    Like 2

    Lower the gain and increase maybe definition is the way I normaly use higher profiles. (it happen not so often)
    It also my experience that most profiles have to much gain for me.
    I aggree that a harder pick has more dynamic and more precise sounding.

    Quote from CJGOMEZ

    Many great guitar parts, including E V H's, were recorded with less gain than we often assume. Less is more in many ways.

    same with all my profile: in my records I never got more than 7.5 gain for the heaviest solo tones. Right now I'm using for some lives a Britt 3rd power which I found having enough gain for solo @ 6.0 =O

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner


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