ToneQuest - Episode 10 - Remarkably human - Nick Johnston (Free preset)

gurtejsingh

Inspired
Hey guys! Episode 10 of my ToneQuest series is out on my YouTube channel! Thanks for all the love and support, my series has reached the double digits! This time I am sharing yet another great preset for the incredible Nick Johnston. This one is for Remakably Human, the title track from his album!

Hope you guys like it, and please do watch the full video to understand the details of the preset and also in case you haven’t yet, please do consider subscribing to my channel to support me in creating more of these!

 
Thank you for sharing the preset and the recording!

I've already spent several days working on that tone and learning to play the song.

I am also using an American Deluxe Strat, but with Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot. The same pickups that NJ used when he recorded the Remarkably Human album. Your preset sounds quite harsh with my pickups.

My approach is:

1) Optical Compressor with SideChain hi-cut at 259Hz, Emphasis = 2.92
c1.png

2) Friedman HBE
4.png
2.png
(At the Axe-FX II you can also set the AMP Input EQ. It is called "Character" https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/my-secret-formula.85426/

3) Tape Drive (between Amp and Cab)
Drv 0.75, Tone 5.26, Bass 1.32, Mid 1.79, MidFreq 470Hz, HiCut 1912, Level 10

4) CAB Valhallir VH-MA-WhiteAX97-k-4400-B2c-MP
Preamp settings:
3.png
5) Optical Compressor

5.png
6) PEQ
PEQ.png

7) Stereo BBD Delay
8) Studio Reverb
 

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BTW How are you doing with these two phrases? They are a big challenge to me :sweatsmile:

1) At the middle of the solo (4/4 - 145 bpm)
NJ1.png

2) At the end of the soloNJ2.png
 
I have one doubt. The first time he plays the main melody, there is certain "nasal" tone on it that I cannot replicate when using the neck pickup. I suspect that it is position 4 of the Strat (Mid+Neck). That gets me closer to that tone. What do you think?

At the promo video he selects the neck pickup (0:54), but that is just a playback over the studio recording.


There is a live recording where he plays that part on position 5, but it doesn't sound like the studio recording. The nasal quack is missing
 
Thank you for sharing the preset and the recording!

I've already spent several days working on that tone and learning to play the song.

I am also using an American Deluxe Strat, but with Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot. The same pickups that NJ used when he recorded the Remarkably Human album. Your preset sounds quite harsh with my pickups.

My approach is:

1) Optical Compressor with SideChain hi-cut at 259Hz, Emphasis = 2.92
View attachment 58958

2) Friedman HBE
View attachment 58960
View attachment 58954
(At the Axe-FX II you can also set the AMP Input EQ. It is called "Character" https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/my-secret-formula.85426/

3) Tape Drive (between Amp and Cab)
Drv 0.75, Tone 5.26, Bass 1.32, Mid 1.79, MidFreq 470Hz, HiCut 1912, Level 10

4) CAB Valhallir VH-MA-WhiteAX97-k-4400-B2c-MP
Preamp settings:
View attachment 58955
5) Optical Compressor

View attachment 58957
6) PEQ
View attachment 58959

7) Stereo BBD Delay
8) Studio Reverb

Thanks a lot for the reply and checking out my preset man! I expected it to sound harsh on the Texas Antiquity pickups because they are quite hot compared to the standard N3's that come with the stratocaster. Have you tried lowering the input drive and trying it? I haven't tried your settings but it looks like you are on the right track and I can see some similarities in our approach. I think he plays with the BE and probably not the HBE as I remembering him saying in an interview, and for me the HBE sounds a bit rough and not that smooth, but it may work well for you. There are just too many variables involved and I am sure you understand that and appreciate it.

Thanks for all the hard work in sharing the screenshots. It can surely help a lot of the folks here!
 
BTW How are you doing with these two phrases? They are a big challenge to me :sweatsmile:

1) At the middle of the solo (4/4 - 145 bpm)
View attachment 58961

2) At the end of the soloView attachment 58962
These two parts are just insane! I tried them for a few times, but it's really hard for me and I think I probably know why. I am mostly an alternate pickin' kind of guy, but I think Nick uses hybrid picking quite a lot and these two sections are great example of that for me, specially the last one over there. And since I focus more of my time on the tone (and I am not a excellent player by any means!) I tend to focus on the parts which can define tone more for me, if that does make sense!

But I am with you 100% on these two parts, they are quite tough to play!
 
I didn't know he used the BE. I did choose the HBE at random :sweatsmile: I will try the BE. Thank you for the information!
No worries man! I think it was an interview with Gear Gods maybe where he breifly talks about it! It's been a while and I could be wrong! Cheers
 
I have one doubt. The first time he plays the main melody, there is certain "nasal" tone on it that I cannot replicate when using the neck pickup. I suspect that it is position 4 of the Strat (Mid+Neck). That gets me closer to that tone. What do you think?

At the promo video he selects the neck pickup (0:54), but that is just a playback over the studio recording.


There is a live recording where he plays that part on position 5, but it doesn't sound like the studio recording. The nasal quack is missing


Are you talking about the first section (mostly clean?) If yes, yeah I think he is playing it on the 4th position, that's where I played that too.
 
For the clean tones, I am getting closer results with the Fender Vibrolux and 1x12 Carol-Ann. Based on a "Sultans of Swing" preset that was shared by Cliff

Nick says at this interview that they used a whole bunch of guitars and different amps for this recording
 
For the clean tones, I am getting closer results with the Fender Vibrolux and 1x12 Carol-Ann. Based on a "Sultans of Swing" preset that was shared by Cliff

Nick says at this interview that they used a whole bunch of guitars and different amps for this recording


Yup, that's an interesting choice. Would want to give that one a try myself. If only we could know what amp and what settings were used on what song :). But that's the whole fun isn't it?

Cheers buddy. Thanks a lot for your input on these.

Other forum members, would love your feedback too. If you have a strat with similar setup as mine (or even different), do try out the preset, I hope its not too much to ask for some support for my channel! Cheers.
 
I remember reading an article where Nick said he was using the Dirty Shirley for Rhythm and the BE100 for lead (on Remarkably Human)

But now since he's now sponsored by Mesa, he uses the Triple Crown.

@gurtejsingh, I'll convert and test your preset for the Axe-Fx III with my NJ signature.

The pickups, by themself speak NJ. It's crazy. I feel like, almost any edge of breakup preset through this guitar feels and sound like NJ.
 
I remember reading an article where Nick said he was using the Dirty Shirley for Rhythm and the BE100 for lead (on Remarkably Human)

But now since he's now sponsored by Mesa, he uses the Triple Crown.

@gurtejsingh, I'll convert and test your preset for the Axe-Fx III with my NJ signature.

The pickups, by themself speak NJ. It's crazy. I feel like, almost any edge of breakup preset through this guitar feels and sound like NJ.
Yup, I do remember him mentioning in an interview (i think with gear gods maybe) about the same amps.

Thank you for taking time to try out the preset on his signature series guitar. This should sound interesting!

I think some tweaks would be needed as i think his signature pickups are quite hot! Yes, they sound really good from what I have heard.

Please do let me know how it sounds!
 
I remember reading an article where Nick said he was using the Dirty Shirley for Rhythm and the BE100 for lead (on Remarkably Human)

But now since he's now sponsored by Mesa, he uses the Triple Crown.

@gurtejsingh, I'll convert and test your preset for the Axe-Fx III with my NJ signature.

The pickups, by themself speak NJ. It's crazy. I feel like, almost any edge of breakup preset through this guitar feels and sound like NJ.
Hi @sluice - any luck converting this to the III? I'm currently on a NJ tone hunt and would love to see what you're doing too :) Thank you!
 
Sorry man!

Been a while, I haven't tried.

Truth be told is with the NJ Signature, I found that I could get Johnston tone quite effortlessly.
Any edge of breakup settings with his pickups was right in the ballpark.
(By the way, my favorite set of single coil pickups, ever!)

I have since sold the NJ months ago, which I today regret and I'm waiting on a custom build Schecter NJ HSS USA custom shop!

Anyhow, we all agree tone is in the hands/fingers of the players, right? I'd go ever farther and say part of it comes from his signature guitar and most importantly his pickups.

Nick often changes amps.. I think he's now with Orange, using a Rockerverb? Before he was using Mesa's Triple Crown and on Remarkably human, as I already said he used Friedmans... and guess what he always sounds like Nick Johnston!

So that said, You should get in the ballpark with so many amps...
 
Thanks @sluice - your answer really helps. I’ve tried dialing in a tone with the friedman BE and my usa strat - got close, but there’s something missing still. It makes sense that hos signature guitar gets you there way faster and easier...

still a great tone though and I’m having fun playing remarkably human!! :)
 
I agree. I spent a while trying to get the Remakably Human tone playing a Stratocaster with SSL-5 (bridge) and Fat-50 (neck & Mid). I could not get there, until I got a Schecter NJ USA with Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot (these are the pickups that were actually used on that recording). That was instant Remarkably Human tone!

These pickups have a special smokey chime that was not present at the SSL-5/Fat-50
 
Hi all. This post is dated (and I've read through several similar ones), but wondering if anyone has come close to an NJ tone (without a Schecter) in the 18 months since the last activity on this tread? Thanks a lot.
 
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