how to get this incredible guitar tone with amp sim?

[Hankyu]

Hi everyone,

this is my first time I post here but I'm watching this forum for some time. I'm from germany and I'm sorry for my bad english. I've learned very much here about recording and mixing stuff and now I discovered a band with an absolutely amazing guitar tone. I try to copy not the whole guitar tone but I like this robotic sound of it. It reminds me of the movie transformers and so I called it the "transformers sound" ...

to let you know how my mixes sound like before I know about this band: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/156776315/introtse.mp3

not tight enough, I know but it was a quick test for an intro of my upcoming ep.

and here the transformers sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TvS8MVjW4s

or is it the bass what make it sounds like this? I'm not sure. good to hear at 0:25

 

[marios.blythe]

use lower tuning-fresh strings-tight playing & edit - 7 or 8 string guitar maybe.
also tight bass playing & distortion on bass

 

[FrankTheSmith]

I know what you mean by Transformer sound. You can get that sound by moving your picking hand closer to the bridge pickup when palm muting. Also pick really hard.

 

[Hankyu]

I know what you mean by Transformer sound. You can get that sound by moving your picking hand closer to the bridge pickup when palm muting. Also pick really hard.

I noticed that too. but in the mix it doesn't sound like that anymore. maybe it is what marius.blythe said and I have to tune my guitar lower. I know the band used 6 string guitars with emg81. they recorded a tuned 6505 with a tubescreamer in front of it and an old marshall cab 1x15 ^^

I don't want to tune my guitar that low because my guitar tremolo is set up for drop c tuning right now. but it seems I have to ^^

thx a lot for the answers so far

 

[mietschie]

they recorded a tuned 6505 with a tubescreamer in front of it and an old marshall cab 1x15 ^^

Are you sure? I thought they used (and still use) Engl Special Edition heads with the pro cab.

 

[Hankyu]

I talked to the guitarist. He said they play the engl live but the albums were made wit the peavey. He also told me that he want to try the engl on the next recordings. I'm very excited about it because I like their sound very much ;-)
Oh and they used mesa cab for the last album

 

[mietschie]

I talked to the guitarist. He said they play the engl live but the albums were made wit the peavey. He also told me that he want to try the engl on the next recordings. I'm very excited about it because I like their sound very much ;-)
Oh and they used mesa cab for the last album

Oh okay, thanks for the info. They have a really unique sound indeed!

 

[Hankyu]

No problem. What about eq matching? Maybe someone with emg81pickups and tse x50 v2 or revalvers 6505 as amp sim could do this for me to get so close as possible to their sound?! I don't have a match eq :/ ... I know with my hardware it would sound a little different but maybe it works for me...

 

[indecizo]

I think some call it purr, OP.

 

[indecizo]

Not sure if that's what you are looking for.

 

[Hankyu]

I don't know. I had to work the whole night but I watch it later until i get enough sleep ;-)

 

[neptunian]

I know the band used 6 string guitars with emg81.

The song you linked was tuned down to A. On a 6 string, the tension would be a bit loose. From what I heard in the song, I don't think they used super heavy strings either. Which may be intentional since the looser tension at that low of a tuning makes for that blooming effect on the palm mutes. In theory a lighter set at C should have the same effect but I don't know if other things are sacrificed in the process.

You also need a very mid-heavy tone hitting the amp (or amp sim). The EMG 81 + tube screamer will do that. Playing closer to the bridge does that too. And a thin pick does it even further. In that video Indecizo posted, the guy was using a .46 mm pick. I use a .60mm, which compared to a .8 or 1mm has less bass and more mids and greater attack.

If you don't have an EMG 81, put an EQ before the tube screamer or amp sim plugin to reduce your lows and boost your mids if needed.

 

[Behind]

The answer is the Tone knob of the tubescreamer (and your picking hand closer to the bridge pickup as mentioned). Do not dial too much gain in the 6505, put the tubescreamer gain at 0 and play with the tone knob while you palmute until you get that sound. I get similar results with tone at 1 or 3 o'clock. G luck.

 

[Hankyu]

thx for the ideas and help. I knew the most of it already. I give it another try. I think I'm a little bit closer to the tone by just cut some mids at 640hz and add more low mids to the guitars at 300hz. Maybe the low tuning will change the charakter or voicing of it. I also take some reverb out of the snare to get more punch and muted the lead guitar. what do you think?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/156776315/introtse2.mp3