How to Get a Metal Tone With the St James Suite
Metal guitar tones range from NWOBHM style classic metal tones, through to high gain modern, down tuned metal tones. Depending on which style of metal tone you’re chasing, there are a few different approaches to consider, but there are also some similarities.
In this lesson we’re going to talk about metal tone!
Choosing a Cab and Mic
Much like classic rock, metal is a genre that relies on guitar tones sounding huge. This means big amps and cabs are essential. Even though most bands take to the stage with modelling rigs these days, you can’t ignore that in the early days of metal a wall of stacks was part of the outfit.
A twin 4×12 rig is ideal for dialling in huge metal tones.
When choosing a mic you need to think about the articulation. Things like ribbon mics won’t be a great fit here. The classic mic for metal tones is the Dynamic 57. You could pair this with a Dynamic 412 or a Condenser 67 to add a different flavour on the other cab and blend the two together.
EL34 or 6L6?
EL34 style amps will allow you to tap into the early New Wave of British Heavy Metal tones. These are much lower gain than modern metal tones and have much more of a midrange push – think of them like a higher gain classic rock tone.
If you’re looking for more of a modern sound, or a higher gain sound, the 6L6 amp will get you there. The 6L6 amp will allow you to dial in much higher gain sounds that work better for Thrash, Metalcore and other modern metal styles.
Gain or Volume?
When dialling in a metal tone, regardless of it being EL34 or 6L6, the gain is important here. You want to push the amps gain to the point where it gives you the levels of gain you need without removing the articulation of what you play.
Too much gain can make your playing sound messy, especially if you’re playing a busy riff.
Boost and Overdrive
A TS style overdrive is the secret weapon of countless metal recordings over the decades. You can use this to add some extra midrange push and gain to an EL34 amp, or use it with the gain set to 0 to tighten up a high gain 6L6 amp.
Compression for a Tight Feel
Metal tones should be tight. You don’t want your tone to feel too spongy or loose. Using a compressor set to a fast setting is a great way to make the amp feel a little more responsive and tighter.
The looser feel of a classic rock style amp makes notes feel a little spongier and easier to play, but when playing metal you want to remove this spongy feel and make the amp feel very immediate and fast to respond. A fast compression can help this.
EQ Choices
When you’re EQ’ing for a British style metal tone, boosting the midrange will fatten the sound and the treble will add some pick attack. This will give you a sound not too dissimilar to many classic rock sounds but with additional gain and aggression.
For a heavier gain sound or more modern tones, you will want to look at a more American voiced EQ by scooping out some of the mids and boosting the bass and treble. Be careful when scooping mids because removing too much midrange can make your tone sound hollow.
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About the Author
This article on how to dial in a metal tone on the St James Suite was written by Leigh Fuge. Leigh is a professional guitarist and content creator and also works alongside musicteacher.com to create guitar focused, educational and entertainment content.
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