Apologies for re-directing this thread slightly, but Scott - has your approach to reverb (as mentioned in your post above) changed much since your YouTube tutorial of 11 months ago?
I, for one would like to know more about how Scott Peterson looks at using reverb on guitars in high gain scenario. Methinks we could all learn a great deal from it.
I'm glad more people are seeing this guy for what he is though - a youtube caricature in the form of an over-the-top grump. LOL.
I'm like "Hey he said the Axe-fx sounded really good" and people are like "Stick him with a knife!"
Simple stuff - in this case with this idea - for metal - less is more. Do not think of reverb as an effect; it's to add some sort of spatial connection to the disembodied guitar tone you've created. Nature abhors a vacuum, so do guitars in a mix.
Just add a
hint of reverb, not enough to even hear "reverb" really; just enough to add some dimension to it. Start at 0.00% and come up slowly; once you 'hear it' as a reverb effect, then you have crossed over from what I'm suggesting... though that can work too (not so much in metal/high gain as in cleans, but trust your ears).
This applies, IMHO to ALL DIRECT TONES, not just metal. The genre has less to do with it; other than how much to add or not. In my opinion, using reverb in this way isn't using reverb as reverb or 'room' or as an effect you notice. It's about adding just enough of subtle barely perceptible depth. If you can hear it, no. If you can feel it sound bigger but NOT hear it... yes.
That's it.
Trust your ears. Even a fraction of this, less than 1%, can be enough. Heck, try it with 0.01% That might do the trick. Check it, trust your ears.
The overriding concept is to add some depth, some body, some spatial reference for your tone to SIT. Nothing exists in a vacuum, guitar tone included. How much of the vacuum you remove is up to your taste.
