diezel013

Inspired


Here’s a preset I’ve cooked up to play some Black Album tunes with. Amp/cab/settings/EQ were translated as best as possible from notes/pictures of the Black Album sessions and subsequent tour. I used Fabfilter Pro Q3 just to analyze the EQ curves from the album, and ultimately this helped me make the final adjustments in the parametric EQ blocks of the setting. I could drive myself mad chasing after more details of the gear and adjusting the preset but the point is to play the music and have fun. Stay heavy folks!!! 🤘

Preset attached below :)
 

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  • BLACK ALBUM.syx
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can't wait to try this.

Lots of people diss the black album, but in my book it features some of the best actual song writing they ever did.

I think despite some people's backlash, there is also more praise for the record too... It's simply a very successful album on all levels. From songwriting to production they really hit it out of the park with that one. I get why people are so attached to the first 3-4 albums... As am I, but to me there are still some very special moments on the Load/Reload albums, honesty even on St. Anger, and DM and Hardwired are overall strong outings. Greg Fidelman did a great job production/mix wise (at least I think so).

But yeah, there are so many layers to the Black Album. Guitar wise, of course there is the main Explorer with EMG's through the Mesa Boogie (Crunch Berries) tone. But for those sessions, they began to make lots of EQ adjustments with the Aphex Paremetric EQ units through the effects loop from my understanding. More mid frequency cuts, which helped free up some space for Jason Newsted in the mix. I also believe the ADA MP-1 preamp as well as their rack effects unit was part of their sound at some level, although I never deciphered how it fit into the signal chain.

I believe they were using mainly Mesa Boogie cabinets with vintage 30 Celestions by that time, but they had used 300W Marshall cabs in some of the earlier albums and live. If you've seen a Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica you'll know that they had a wide range of different equipment in the studio, and probably several different amps used for some of the clean parts (eg. Nothing Else Matters, My Friend of Misery), but I suppose this sound should get you pretty close to the main distorted rhythm guitar tone James used.

As a big Metallica fan, I like to make as faithful as a recreation as possible, but I also don't want to invest all my time trying to replicate a guitar tone, because at the end of the day it's about having fun, and playing the music!!!

May this bring you some happy riffing! Cheers!!!
 
I think despite some people's backlash, there is also more praise for the record too... It's simply a very successful album on all levels. From songwriting to production they really hit it out of the park with that one. I get why people are so attached to the first 3-4 albums... As am I, but to me there are still some very special moments on the Load/Reload albums, honesty even on St. Anger, and DM and Hardwired are overall strong outings. Greg Fidelman did a great job production/mix wise (at least I think so).

But yeah, there are so many layers to the Black Album. Guitar wise, of course there is the main Explorer with EMG's through the Mesa Boogie (Crunch Berries) tone. But for those sessions, they began to make lots of EQ adjustments with the Aphex Paremetric EQ units through the effects loop from my understanding. More mid frequency cuts, which helped free up some space for Jason Newsted in the mix. I also believe the ADA MP-1 preamp as well as their rack effects unit was part of their sound at some level, although I never deciphered how it fit into the signal chain.

I believe they were using mainly Mesa Boogie cabinets with vintage 30 Celestions by that time, but they had used 300W Marshall cabs in some of the earlier albums and live. If you've seen a Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica you'll know that they had a wide range of different equipment in the studio, and probably several different amps used for some of the clean parts (eg. Nothing Else Matters, My Friend of Misery), but I suppose this sound should get you pretty close to the main distorted rhythm guitar tone James used.

As a big Metallica fan, I like to make as faithful as a recreation as possible, but I also don't want to invest all my time trying to replicate a guitar tone, because at the end of the day it's about having fun, and playing the music!!!

May this bring you some happy riffing! Cheers!!!

I agree; even DM had some moments, St Anger I just can’t bear. Kill em All had this raw energy, AJFA introduced some eerie sense of dread, but the black album to me seems the most coherent and polished where other albums tend to fall apart and remind me more of Garage riffing sessions.

anyways, thanks for sharing; I love to check out other people’s patches to pick up a trick or two
 
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