250$ for Metallica Black Album Preset

axl-fx said:
Listening on a crappy iPhone that’s definitely close maybe a little looser , is there any time matching going on?

I probably wouldn’t try to tackle recreating that sound without using an emg 81 either but still if there is zero tone matching going on that’s pretty good.
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I'm using the Amp and Cab from a preset posted in this thread. Then added the Tone Match block to act as a final EQ. So yes, there is a Tone Match block in there.
 
I realize the tone match block's EQ displays aren't terribly high resolution, but this is what I get when I run it with my preset (84 Explorer with EMG81) against the YT video clip:

Screenshot 2023-09-07 at 12.51.17 AM.png

You can see the reference has a bit of a flattening of the curve, but also has quite a bit of that extra thumpy down around 170Hz. I'm also hearing some tape compression going on in those F power chords that make them really pop out, and overall there's a lot of analog saturation happening, which makes sense given the equipment that album was recorded on.

Even with tone match, I think we can get real close, but exact? You'd need to be James going to tape in One on One I thnk
 
Moke said:
Here is a quick video comparing the YouTube clip, provided as the "target tone", to a few tones shared in this thread. @Singtall's preset, @Singtall's preset with Lucas' IR (mentioned by the OP as the best so far), the 'Black' scene from @rossipedia's preset, and a slightly re-tweaked version 3 of mine.

There is still a little something in the low mids that isn't quite there yet. Probably some multi-compression keeping things in check as the piece is played? Some more time spent could probably flesh it out? But I doubt that the difference could be heard in the context of a mix.
Click to expand...

It's quite clear to me that your preset is the best sounding one in your comparaison but i've hard time to believe that the other preset can be that "far off" , i think it's related to the fact that most of the other preset were done using a different firmware version and some details seem to get lost in translation from version to version...
And like you've mention , there is something weird going on in the lower mid part of your version but it's definitively close...
The fact that you are not using a EMG 81 definitively have a impact cause they have a very distinct sound signature.
The overall "EQ signature" of your preset is quite "spot on" and better than mine but i wasn't using the tone match at all with my preset.
I don't have time during the week but this weekend i'm gonna do a DI track using my "most black album sounding guitar" out of the 40 something guitar that i've at the moment , equipped with a set of EMG 81 / 60 , i'm gonna use the same guitar pick that James was using back in the day , tried to match as much variable as possible and i'm gonna send you that DI track. And i'm also gonna try to do a preset using that same DI track but this time i'm gonna use the Tone Match.
I'll PM you the DI track when it's done.
Thanks Moke !!
 
JiveTurkey said:
Because I never got into Metallica to listen to hit songs? That's what pop music is for. I got into it for orchestrated thrash metal, oddball arrangements with off time cymbal crashes and mostly epic RIFFS. That era of Aerosmith is abysmal as well. Their best years were unfortunatley tied to terrible habits.

You know how people talk smack about Kirk's leads? Guess when that downhill slide started. Good ol Black Album. Remove the epic backing instrumentation and all you are stuck with is bluesy turds for solos. Again; something I didn't listen to Metallica for previously. I think it's an age thing. If you heard them for that first time then; it was probably a lot more acceptable when going backwards. RTL was my first concert and accordingly; the bar was just set a little different for me because of that.
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Yes they are many parameters as ever. your age, what it reminds you...
I discovered Metallica in ‘91 with a friend of mine that copy me master /justice and the black album on different tapes. So I was playing them a lot in my walkman between others bands. I liked them all, the black album was more in the mood of the era, the beginning of the 90’s where everything was more “mtv” and “radio friendly” like.I am glad to have known the 90’s, that number of great records in just 2/3 years🤦, and personally I was into nirvana AND guns (something weird back then) thrash death and all that stuff … I start playing guitar because of Kurt and slash . i bought my first crybaby because of the black album and always use one until then ☺️.

The solos in the black album are well constructed (“unforgiven” and “struggle within” that pop in my head first). These are the last ones that are not improvised in 5 minutes.

What was considered “bad” in the 90’s is gold now. When you see that desert we have in rock music since 20+ years, wow.
 
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My name is mud said:
Yes they are many parameters as ever. your age, what it reminds you...
I discovered Metallica in ‘91 with a friend of mine that copy me master /justice and the black album on different tapes. So I was playing them a lot in my walkman between others bands. I liked them all, the black album was more in the mood of the era, the beginning of the 90’s where everything was more “mtv” and “radio friendly” like.I am glad to have known the 90’s, that number of great records in just 2/3 years🤦, and personally I was into nirvana AND guns (something weird back then) thrash death and all that stuff … I start playing guitar because of Kurt and slash . i bought my first crybaby because of the black album and always use one until then ☺️.

The solos in the black are well constructed (“unforgiven” and “struggle within” that pop in my head first). These are the last ones that are not improvised in 5 minutes.

What was considered “bad” in the 90’s is gold now. When you see that desert we have in rock music since 20+ years, wow.
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Old fart chiming in. Old enough for mandatory colonoscopies and getting real close to the special menu at Dennys.
In my opinion the desert STARTED in the 90s and never recovered. The fuse was lit with the rebellious music of the 60s, through the hippie era 70s until a perfect cumulation of circumstances collided in the 80s to give us the best guitar rock era the world is likely to ever see. I’m happy to have lived through it. In the 90s I just repeated and discovered/rediscovered the 80s. Grunge just did not do it for me and I mourned the prior decades music. The Black Album in my opinion was no accident. The tides were already well changing and many bands attempted to change along with them, and to me this was glaringly clear for this record. Now I’ll admit it did them a huge service, not only in sales but also in style. Yes in comparison they got ‘poppy’, perhaps. The record is still a freight train of heavy metal presented in a much more palliative manner for the average listener.
 
Just in 91 🤣

  • 50. Dinosaur Jr. – Green Mind
  • 49. Godflesh – Slavestate
  • 48. Fugazi – Steady Diet Of Nothing
  • 47. Monster Magnet – Spine Of God
  • 46. Bikini Kill – Revolution Of Girl Style Now
  • 45. Fishbone – The Reality Of My Surroundings
  • 44. Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty
  • 43. Dark Angel – Time Does Not Heal
  • 42. Infectious Grooves – The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move… It’s Infectious Grooves
  • 41. Carcass – Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious
  • 40. Mind Funk – Mind Funk
  • 39. Screeching Weasel – My Brain Hurts
  • 38. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill
  • 37. Swans – White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity
  • 36. Type O Negative – Slow, Deep And Hard
  • 35. Voivod – Angel Rat
  • 34. Atheist – Unquestionable Presence
  • 33. Suffocation – Effigy Of The Forgotten
  • 32. L7 – Smell The Magic
  • 31. The Jesus Lizard – Goat
  • 30. Leatherface – Mush
  • 29. Corrosion Of Conformity – Blind
  • 28. Pixies – Trompe Le Monde
  • 27. Green Day – Kerplunk!
  • 26. Cannibal Corpse – Butchered At Birth
  • 25. Morbid Angel – Blessed Are The Sick
  • 24. Melvins – Bullhead
  • 23. Smashing Pumpkins – Gish
  • 22. Death – Human
  • 21. Skid Row – Slave To The Grind
  • 20. Primus – Sailing The Seas Of Cheese
  • 19. Bathory – Twilight Of The Gods
  • 18. Bolt Thrower – War Master
  • 17. Cathedral – Forest Of Equilibrium
  • 16. Paradise Lost – Gothic
  • 15. Kyuss – Wretch
  • 14. Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears
  • 13. Hole – Pretty On The Inside
  • 12. Motörhead – 1916
  • 11. Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle
  • 10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik
  • 9. Temple Of The Dog – Temple Of The Dog
  • 8. Entombed – Clandestine
  • 7. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
  • 6. Sepultura – Arise
  • 5. Pearl Jam – Ten
  • 4. Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I & II
  • 3. Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger
  • 2. Metallica – Metallica (Black Album)
  • 1. Nirvana – Nevermind
 
Moke said:
There is still a little something in the low mids that isn't quite there yet. Probably some multi-compression keeping things in check as the piece is played? Some more time spent could probably flesh it out? But I doubt that the difference could be heard in the context of a mix.
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Wow, great work! I totally agree in a mix, you are not gonna hear the difference. It is very slight to my ears.
 
My name is mud said:
Just in 91 🤣

  • 50. Dinosaur Jr. – Green Mind
  • 49. Godflesh – Slavestate
  • 48. Fugazi – Steady Diet Of Nothing
  • 47. Monster Magnet – Spine Of God
  • 46. Bikini Kill – Revolution Of Girl Style Now
  • 45. Fishbone – The Reality Of My Surroundings
  • 44. Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty
  • 43. Dark Angel – Time Does Not Heal
  • 42. Infectious Grooves – The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move… It’s Infectious Grooves
  • 41. Carcass – Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious
  • 40. Mind Funk – Mind Funk
  • 39. Screeching Weasel – My Brain Hurts
  • 38. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill
  • 37. Swans – White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity
  • 36. Type O Negative – Slow, Deep And Hard
  • 35. Voivod – Angel Rat
  • 34. Atheist – Unquestionable Presence
  • 33. Suffocation – Effigy Of The Forgotten
  • 32. L7 – Smell The Magic
  • 31. The Jesus Lizard – Goat
  • 30. Leatherface – Mush
  • 29. Corrosion Of Conformity – Blind
  • 28. Pixies – Trompe Le Monde
  • 27. Green Day – Kerplunk!
  • 26. Cannibal Corpse – Butchered At Birth
  • 25. Morbid Angel – Blessed Are The Sick
  • 24. Melvins – Bullhead
  • 23. Smashing Pumpkins – Gish
  • 22. Death – Human
  • 21. Skid Row – Slave To The Grind
  • 20. Primus – Sailing The Seas Of Cheese
  • 19. Bathory – Twilight Of The Gods
  • 18. Bolt Thrower – War Master
  • 17. Cathedral – Forest Of Equilibrium
  • 16. Paradise Lost – Gothic
  • 15. Kyuss – Wretch
  • 14. Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears
  • 13. Hole – Pretty On The Inside
  • 12. Motörhead – 1916
  • 11. Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle
  • 10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik
  • 9. Temple Of The Dog – Temple Of The Dog
  • 8. Entombed – Clandestine
  • 7. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
  • 6. Sepultura – Arise
  • 5. Pearl Jam – Ten
  • 4. Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I & II
  • 3. Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger
  • 2. Metallica – Metallica (Black Album)
  • 1. Nirvana – Nevermind
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If the point was to underscore mine, thanks! But in complete fairness, the metamorphosis into suck wasn’t complete in 91. It was just getting going.
 
State of Epicicity said:
Damn, Death's most important album, Arise, Use Your Illusion, Slave To The Grind. You missed Horrorscope by Overkill, their best album!
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Overkill was my first show at Lamour Brooklyn. Leeway and whiplash opened. Was a 2 hour subway ride from the Bronx with my friends. We were maybe all 15-17 at the time. We were Served beer! That little club may have well been Madison square garden to us. Could you imagine today? The owner would be drawn and quartered.
 
Karl Houseknecht said:
I think the title in the DAW was something like "Moke TM Preset". Assuming TM is Tone Match.

I have a nearly identical preset using that as well. Just shows how great a tool it is if you really have to match the way something sounds.
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I did it ONCE for a dream theater song and it worked as expected. I guess I’m personally just not obsessive about chasing some of these classic tones and have much more fun peppering to taste. I’m 99% playing live and 1% in front of my desk these days so my patches have to have certain utility and continuity equally important to how they sound.
 
Moke said:
Here is a quick video comparing the YouTube clip, provided as the "target tone", to a few tones shared in this thread. @Singtall's preset, @Singtall's preset with Lucas' IR (mentioned by the OP as the best so far), the 'Black' scene from @rossipedia's preset, and a slightly re-tweaked version 3 of mine.

There is still a little something in the low mids that isn't quite there yet. Probably some multi-compression keeping things in check as the piece is played? Some more time spent could probably flesh it out? But I doubt that the difference could be heard in the context of a mix.
Click to expand...

I like Moke's clip better 🤷‍♂️😅
 
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