Attempt to nail Devildriver's Clouds over California tone with my Axe-Fx

[RiF]

Here's my attempt to nail Devildriver's tone of the song Clouds of California. I read somewhere in this forum that they quad-tracked with Rectos and 5150's using EMG-equipped guitars IIRC, but I used the DAS METALL (Diezel VH4) model to replicate that tone with my Gibson Les Paul Standard (stock PAF pickups, great guitar, best metal guitar I ever played and I have an EMG-equipped Charvel, too). The small lead is played with that same patch.
Almost needless to say, that my Axe-Fx made me very happy... I really love Devildriver's tone and did not even dream that I will get that close to their tone before I got my Axe-Fx a few weeks ago.

There's no mix EQ on the guitars, just a bit of reverb, McDSP Analog Channel 2 and IK's Opto Compressor on the guitar bus and Analog Channel 1 and a Stillwell Limiter on the master. Because of all this Analog Channel stuff, the patch will sound a bit brighter than this recording.

Here's the link to the clip.

Whaddaya think?

Disclaimer: If someone feels offended by my use of the backing track, I will take the clip offline immediately. Just PM me.

 

[Pxz]

The link bro the link

 

[RiF]

The link bro the link

Thanx! Edited.

 

[Pxz]

Thats sounds really close, and very amp like in term of picking response , a little eq could make it even more similar ¡

 

[RiF]

a little eq could make it even more similar ¡

Yes, but I wanted to NOT use any EQ in the mix to see how close I will get with the Axe-Fx alone. I just stopped EQing in the Axe-Fx at some point, because I only heard the differences after recording and A/B-ing the guitar tracks. And I liked the Axe-Fx sound even a bit better, to be honest ;-)

 

[Zack Uidl]

i think it sounds pretty close.

just curious, why when trying to match that tone did you only dual track and not quad track? It seems like quad tracking would make it much easier to match the original

....just a thought

 

[_max_]

i've never listened to that band before, but that tone sounds awesome! way to fuel my axe fx gas

 

[lolzgreg]

Sounds pretty good to me! It happens to be missing some of the solidity in the low end and the palm muting response though.

 

[rlcramer]

Wow - sounds amazing...

Any chance of you uploading the Axe-fx patch somewhere? Pretty please.... I'm really impressed with this tone...

Bobby

 

[RiF]

Wow - sounds amazing...

Any chance of you uploading the Axe-fx patch somewhere? Pretty please.... I'm really impressed with this tone...

Bobby

Hi Bobby, I uploaded the patch at the Fractal Audio forum in this thread.

 

[RiF]

Sounds pretty good to me! It happens to be missing some of the solidity in the low end and the palm muting response though.

You're right, the low end is a bit thicker in the original.
The palm muting response is a different beast... I noticed that if I hit the strings right and have my right hand in the correct position and the pressure of my palm on the strings is not too hard, the palm muting sounds a lot like Devildriver. The first few notes are not really correct and get a bit better from about the 8th or 9th note.

 

[RiF]

i think it sounds pretty close.

just curious, why when trying to match that tone did you only dual track and not quad track? It seems like quad tracking would make it much easier to match the original

....just a thought

I am not a very tight player, so usually when I quad-track, it sounds worse... Or I need to practice for hours and days, but I have a lovely 14 months old daughter and time is limited (like in "very very limited") ;-)

 

[lolzgreg]

Congrats on your child!

 

[Unavailable]

Sounds a little undergained, but still quite similar.