Guitar Tone Competition Final Showdown!

[MarkG]

When voting, please keep in mind this is about the guitar tone, not the mixing or playing. ahjteam edited the tracks so all the guitars are at -18db rms, and the drums and bass are at a set volume.

Please note I renamed all the files from the previous rounds.

A: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundA.wav
B: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundB.wav
C: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundC.wav
D: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundD.wav
E: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundE.wav
F: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundF.wav
G: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1010558/finalroundG.wav

If you recognise your own work, please keep it to yourself. Usernames will be made public in the end. Please place your vote, and post in the thread with your reasoning!

Poll will close in 5 days

 

[AeternusEternus]

Voted F, and even F doesn't really do it for me. I like a lot of midrange and a believable palm mute. A lot of these just sound like software not being utilized to its fullest potential.

 

[MarkG]

I voted G, seemed to be the most balanced to me.

 

[lolzgreg]

These aren't working for me.

 

[2000ContourSVT]

G gets my vote. None of the others work for me.

 

[Metaltastic]

G is too middy/muffled for me, F is better but is a bit too muddy (mostly sounds like it's coming from the bass though), so C gets my vote, but I agree none of them are perfect - I'll take partial responsibility for that since the pickup wasn't as high when I recorded these DI's as it is now, and the difference is NOT subtle! Also that synth bass, yeesh Oh well, we had to iron out the kinks!

 

[Unavailable]

G won my vote.

 

[paladin shredder]

did anyone actually mic up an amp for this competition?

 

[slayercannibalsuffohead]

Im digging A out of all of em. Best mix of the lot, especially the drums.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

did anyone actually mic up an amp for this competition?

2 actually.

 

[motomoto]

C seems to have the right clarity for my likings.Allthough its hard to decide.I liked A,F and G aswell.I ll go for C

 

[lolzgreg]

I'm going C as well.

 

[Nebulous]

A here.

What was it about the clip/ riff that made it seem so undergained for everyone?

This was definately a cool excersise. Good to see peoples takes on how they thought the riff should sound.

 

[Calippo Tecks]

A for me.

 

[Calippo Tecks]

did anyone actually mic up an amp for this competition?

I did
Even two amps, but it's all new to me so..

 

[Morgan C]

Haven't listened, but I did download the DI's, and judging by that and previous DI's I've downloaded from Marcus.. you seem to hit your palm mutes really soft. Most other DI's I've seen (although I haven't seen that many), the palm mutes are spiking out way above everything else, but yours are about the same volume. Makes it really hard to get the gain right, and usually leads to this undergained sound that can't really be fixed.

Any reason why you do that? Is it an intentional thing or just a habit?

 

[Erkan]

you seem to hit your palm mutes really soft

Hit it like you mean it Marcus!

Haha just kidding, I have no clue how the DIs look but it's always fun to throw that line in wherever possible.

 

[thedonutman]

I like A, C, E and G.

I voted A because C and E are a bit too fizzy, and G lacks definition compared to the others.

Will people be up for sharing their signal chains and settings once the poll ends?

 

[MT01]

Tougher choice this time but I settled for C in the end.

Now that this has reached the finals I have to say that none of the tones blew me away which I was really surprised by given the quality of the material that's regularly posted on the Rate my mix/tone threads forum.

I guess it demonstrates how much of a role the riff, playing and pickup height defines the tone regardless of the amp/sim, speaker/impulse and also how much the bass guitar (or synth this time) contributes to the overal guitar tone.

Definitely a worthwhile exercise, thanks to all involved, especially MarkG.

I hope there will be another competition like this soon, this time with a more chugga chugga style riff, a real bass and drums as tight as a nun's c*nt.

 

[MarkG]

did anyone actually mic up an amp for this competition?

Several people did, including myself.

These aren't working for me.

I guess that means you don't like your own work...

A here.

What was it about the clip/ riff that made it seem so undergained for everyone?

This was definately a cool excersise. Good to see peoples takes on how they thought the riff should sound.

Probably the DI's; low pickups and a soft palm muting habit.

I agree it was a good excersize, and we also learned alot about actually hosting a competition like this as well. Next one should go alot smoother.

I like A, C, E and G.

I voted A because C and E are a bit too fizzy, and G lacks definition compared to the others.

Will people be up for sharing their signal chains and settings once the poll ends?

I'm hoping at least the winners will share their chains and settings for people to learn from. I will personally post up the solo guitar tracks for your listening pleasure, and graph analyzing etc.

Tougher choice this time but I settled for C in the end.

Now that this has reached the finals I have to say that none of the tones blew me away which I was really surprised by given the quality of the material that's regularly posted on the Rate my mix/tone threads forum.

I guess it demonstrates how much of a role the riff, playing and pickup height defines the tone regardless of the amp/sim, speaker/impulse and also how much the bass guitar (or synth this time) contributes to the overal guitar tone.

Definitely a worthwhile exercise, thanks to all involved, especially MarkG.

I hope there will be another competition like this soon, this time with a more chugga chugga style riff, a real bass and drums as tight as a nun's c*nt.

We'll see about another competition I spent considerable time setting this stuff up and getting to work, and I'll be pretty busy these coming weeks. Ask Marcus, I was up till 4 am this morning to get this last round up and running. Someone else might have to host it. I might have the time again in 2 months or so.