Studio High Gain:Getting transient detail and percussive attack with single tracking?

J

JCBitB

Inspired
Only having this problem with fw18, and only for "studio" patches, I've never had issues with it live.

Having a weird problem getting good smacking transients on the fastest of chugs. My 8ths and 16ths are fine, but triplet 16ths aren't quite defined or "weighty" enough on play back and only really on the muted open note. I play with my whole arm, so its not the usual "weak wrist" issue

my usual fix for this is to sweep around the highs or high mids and put a tightish peak where the pick attack lives but fw18 has a softness to the top that is making this harder to find for me, I keep bringing up stuff I don't want along with it. I keep my gain much lower for studio patches, but I'm starting to get the impression I need to set it even lower and double track. I'm currently hoping to get by with single tracking because I'm just at the "scratch pad" stage and I don't have the structure all that well defined. Really my issue is the "character" of the transient too. So what would you guys do to make a "Swish A Ma Swish" sound like a "Chik A Ta Chik" LOL

I use 7 string Nazgul into Bogners, Powerballs, and the many iterations of the 5150, boosted by the FAS LED into the Rosen Atlantic Custom (the one with most mids) and the Rosen Marshall. My suspicions are that I need to try new cabs, or possibly new heads as the ones I mentioned are my habitual first choices from other FW's. I've spent hours with para EQ before the amps, and after the cabs are summed, and this is a usual give away that maybe something else needs to change. I always engage the low cut and often the bright switch.

What do?
 
Definitely try new cabs, try the attack parameter in the amp block, different drive pedals...

Also, for a long term solution, look at your technique. Just because you play with your whole arm doesn't mean you're going to get more attack than the guy who uses his wrist. Look at your pick angle, where you pick, if your upstrokes and downstrokes are even through the triplets, etc.
 
Loaded up what I was playing last night, and the other patches I've made recently, and they feel kinda "overcooked". I must have been really relying on my vst chain

In this particular case the tempo is not really very high at all, it's a short burst of 3, and I'm getting the effect I need acoustically. I could use all the technique advice I can get tho, lol. I try to angle the pick for a little bit of slice but not to where my thumb is poking up. My thumb has a relaxed bend at knuckle. I'd say the pick tip is slightly backward toward the bridge, but not much. I try to keep my hand straight and natural. When I play sustained speeds I point the tip more perpendicular to the strings and flatten the thumb out a bit but so much changes depending on how much I'm muting, and other stuff. Should I be doing things differently? Hard to describe this stuff, I'm gonna look into some video footage and make this a priority going forward. It'd be nice to push the metronome a bit haha
 
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Increase power amp hardness. I do this on almost every amp model, usually maxed. It brings out the detail in your playing and gives the treble more clarity.
 
Hey guys, I just wanted to pop in to tie some loose ends and clarify a bit... I made some comments about fw18 and a "softness" in the top. This is because I bought new cabs from Rosen, and had not tried to dial in high gain tones on anything other than those. Rookie move to blame the firmware first :facepalm: Switching to ownhammer and leaving the "premixed" philosophy behind made a seriously positive impact on my tone.

2nd thing I have to own up to is my strings. I snapped one while trying some of the things mentioned here and wow were they in bad shape! I had no idea... ANOTHER rookie move!

Lastly, I have to thank everyone for the great advice. With fresh strings and cabs, I'm finally experiencing "too much" pick attack with your suggestions so now I know the sweet spot is in there somewhere.
 
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