New subscriber! I recently lost my Dad, and I've been struggling to find motivation to play or record anything since then. Watching your videos has helped me get back on the ball to get it rolling again. Thank you!
I've been playing drums for twenty years, went to Berklee and studied drums and production, and I always just used the stock Pearl kick pedal that came with my first kit. It seemed fine. Then the first time I tried an Iron Cobra the difference was really pretty insane. I could play things with it that I just couldn't play before. So there's definitely something to it, but I'd still avoid any absurdly expensive boutique pedals unless you can actually play them first and decide if it's worth it to you.
i found the same thing on classical guitar. i had a super cheap paracho guitar that sounded great tonally, but the action was super high, and it couldn't maintain proper tension. I bought a still pretty cheap classical guitar that had fantastic action and feel, but okay sound and all of the sudden my playing improved and i was able to progress on more difficult picking patterns. ergonomics (for lack of a better word) matter.
Been playing 19 years of guitar, and 7 years of bass and keyboards. Would’ve loved to do the Berkeley thing but became an assembly line worker instead. I’m a total hack at everything I try to play though I can do a decent gig. But not in the progiest sense of being ultra clean. As an electronic assembler though it’s fun as hell on the weekends to replace my amp speakers. Here in Florida the musical education doesn’t really cut it.
There's the old story of the guitar player in search of the perfect tone. Through the years he added pedal after pedal, watched video after video, but the tone was always missing something. Then one day he picked up his guitar and started playing, and couldn't believe his ears. "That's it!" he cried. The tone was better than anything he'd ever dreamed of. He checked his pedal settings and soon realized none of the pedals were plugged in. He was playing his guitar straight through the amp.
Been playing drums for 30+ years, I’ve always used chain drive pedals on iron cobras and currently using the Pearl Demonator double pedal. You don’t have to pay more than $200 for a quality set of pedals that will last you quite some time.
Totally agree that IR's make it extremely simple to swap speakers and compared tonal differences. I've messed with a lot over the years but the Engl[Fredman] from the Glenn Fricker IR pack is like Redd's Hot Sauce - I put that shit on everything!!
My preferred Double pedal is Iron Cobra or Dw5000 with wooden beaters. As long as you are happy with what you got, there is no need to look for another.
My drummer back in the day slept with his nutsack between his Iron Cobras. Once he tried them, he never looked back and went on about them at great length....whether we wanted him to or not. In his defense, they really are top shelf.
I bought the DW5000 Heel-less pedals. They're definitely nice pedals, but are $600-ish. I think pedals are like guitars $600-$1000 range is the sweet spot. More expensive is only really worth it if you can afford it, but getting something good out of the box will pretty much fall within that sweet spot.
Hey all, Ignazio Vagnone from Jensen Speakers here. Glenn, great video happening!!! I'm chiming in about the whole speaker debate. I have to say that we 100% agree with your statements. The speaker is - by far - the most powerful filter you can actually apply to a tone. It impacts on EQ, dynamics and harmonic content (distortion, that is). Had a long chat with Kristian Kohle about all these matters, will be glad to share some of our thoughts and facts with whoever might be interested. After all these years, I'm still totally struck by the fact that some people find perfectly adequate and understandable to debate endlessly on how much headphones and studio monitors can change the sound. And these are supposed to be linear sounding devices, while we all know how radically diverse they can sound like. And on the other hand, give zero attention to the speaker in their amp/cab... that is nothing close to a linear device, but rather is part of the amp as a musical instrument, voiced to give a specific tone! Quick replies to some questions I saw popping out in the video: 1) Yes, the higher the impedance, the brighter and more efficient (louder) the speaker will be. Why? As mentioned, because of a lighter voice coil build. How much louder/brighter? From nearly nothing to about maybe a couple of dB in certain frequency ranges. This depends on the mechanical characteristics of the speaker. The lighter the membrane is, the more this phenomenon will be noticeable... everything else being equal. 2) No, 2 16Ohm speakers wired in parallel will NOT sound like a 8Ohm speaker. They will still sound like 16Ohm. Neither two 8Ohm in series will sound like a 16Ohm. The AMPLIFIER may however sound noticeably different on a different Ohm load, depending on how the output transformer behaves on each of these loads. 3) Pushing a speaker to the limit? Consider that a guitar speaker is never 100% clean, never 100% linear. In a different extent, all guitar speakers start breaking up already with a handful of watts. They are designed to do so. Each with different voicing, of course, but all do this. Therefore the speaker sound by itself will not change that much, unless you're literally pushing it too far. What will happen is a progressive, yet subtle dynamic compression, more evident with AlNiCo and Neodymium magnet speakers, and less audible/measurable with Ceramic speakers. When you will reach the limit, the speaker will progressively distort, compress, lose transients and clarity. There's a tiny fine line between that and the mechanical blow-up of the speaker! Hope this may be of interest! Cheers!
Kick pedals tend to be more about personal preference. I’ve been playing pearl eliminators since 2005 and have always been happy with them. Go to stores, play as many pedals as you can.
I'm not a professional drummer, but I have tried out both chain drive and direct drive double kick pedals... and I would HIGHLY recommend you go with a direct drive double kick set. At least with that route you can adjust more than the spring tension, you can also adjust the beater position for either more speed or for more powerful bass drum notes. An additional bonus is there's no lag in the solid metal driveline as opposed to your strap or chain driven pedals. Just browse around online or walk into your local/or retail music store for available options. (Probably would be better to shop local than to spend money at a commercial retail store, unless otherwise, then more power to you.)
Honestly, the raw instrument demos are a fantastic idea. I remember as a young kid, getting my first guitar and a Zoom 505 multi effects pedal, trying to make my guitar sound like it does on a record. Totally ignorant to production at the time, not knowing how much extra work had gone into making that sound. EQ, effects, multi tracking all things my Zoom and shitty amp couldn't do and me wondering why my guitar sounded like crap on its own
I see your Zoom 505 and raise you a BOSS ME-30. That thing was like a Fisher Price My First Multieffects pedal. Although the high gain distortions through its 'cabinet simulator' (just some filters and not an IR) did have a kind of grindy Sansamp PSA kinda vibe.
@@kevinwhite6176 I see your BOSS ME-30 and raise you a Behringer V-Amp LX1-X. The distortions and amp/cab sims were all embarrassingly bad, though the modulation effects were at least decent. Moreover, it was absurdly complicated to dial anything in on it. Just a baroque mess of tapping buttons, double tapping buttons, holding down one button while tapping another, holding combinations of buttons while spinning a dial... it was just ridiculous. Nowadays, I've got a Zoom Multistomp 70-CDR, and it's easier to use and sounds better than that blue plastic monstrosity from Behringer. It was also about $50 more expensive than the Behringer, but the benefits FAR outweigh the difference in cost.
holy shit dude, same here! Had a shitty practice amp and got a zoom G2 pedal.. put in some patches and wondered why it sounded like shit and unlike any tone on any record! the only thing that worked decently were clean fx. Fuck me I was so silly
“Get it at the source”. Absolutely true with any artistic medium that can be manipulated digitally. You can only do so much if you haven’t actually captured the full “picture” at the start. I especially find this true in photography. Great point Glenn.
16 Ohm versions of the same speaker type tend to be brighter sounding. Why that is, is because 16 Ohm wire for winding the voicecoil is thinner than the wire used for 8 Ohm. The material being the same (copper), means that the former is lighter in weight than the latter, which results in lighter cone assembly -> easier to swing -> extended frequency response. Yeah, physics, I know. Personally, I prefer how 8 Ohm sounds, since you can always add on high end if you need some, but it's pretty difficult to remove high end from an already bright sounding speaker.
Definitely makes sense. If you're recording, and you only have a bright speaker, tilting the mic a bit off-axis or experimenting with the placement can tamp down the highs too. Especially with an sm57, which don't pick up anything over about 17k anyway.
From a tube amp, the load impedance affects how the amplifier sounds, the output of a tube amp is kind of sloppy due to the relatively high output impedance of the tubes, the phase shifts of the output transformer, and generally lower negative feedback. The negative feedback calms the output stage down some (reduces hum, noise, and stabilizes the gain against tube-to-tube variations) but there’s a stability limit as to how much a designer can use before the amplifier starts to oscillate at some very high frequency. Most solid state amplifiers have a close-to-zero output impedance, probably doing A-B tests on different impedance speakers would be very interesting between a solid state vs. tube amplifier.
This is an interesting take. I would have assumed that the greater impedance (inductive reactance in the coil varies with frequency) would have rolled the highs slightly. I don't know specifically on guitar speakers, and I suspect it varies by manufacturer, but you could wind an 8-ohm or a 16-ohm coil with the same gauge wire if you wanted. Typically, wire gauge is determined by the expected current load. For a given power handling rating, I'd expect each speaker to have the same gauge wire, with the greater impedance speaker using more of it. If this is the case, the greater impedance coil would have greater mass, too. This is all speculation, and generalized at that. Speakers tend to have "interesting" response curves compared to a more predictable "model" inductor. I'd be very curious to see response curves on several specimens of each from the same built lot.
@@Lawrence330 You are right about impedance not being a fixed value for all frequencies, but rather a varying resistance dependent on the frequency. In case of guitar speakers, it tends to have a local maximum at the, so called, resonant peak and to increase the further you go up the impedance curve. There is a problem though, if you kept the wire gauge and the turn count the same. You would have the same current capability and potentially much higher inductance -> greater induced magnetic field -> greater forces working on the cone. Now here’s the problem - the cone and spider work to dampen the swing of the voice coil, but if it can move with more force and potentially exceed their capabilities, you would end up with a torn speaker. That’s why you are forced to use thinner wire for the voice coil, since you need to keep the inductance the same. It’s not a problem for an impedance matching transformer (which the output transformer is) to deliver the same amount of power into two different loads, since the reflected impedance remains the same.
16:49 to the one asking for VST effects, some free ones that I would like to suggest are the Analog Obsession plugins. I'm not sure if Glenn has seen those plugins before, but the Analog Obsession stuff are quite alright for the price of absolutely nothing! The guy (yes it's just one person making those plugins) makes emulations of different analog EQs, Compressors, stompboxes, saturators, etc. Go check them out!
@@graxjpg Patreon! It's not really freeware VSTs, but more of donationware. People donate to him monthly and he gets to work on more free analog emulations.
Alien Weaponry has a big fanbase on the Navajo Rez. They struck up a pretty good friendship out there. In fact, metal is huge in the indigenous communities. If you're in a metal/hard rock band and want gigs where you can build a fanbase go where the love is!
Drummer here: I've used a few different double kick pedals over the years and honestly I've found that as long as they are well made (i.e. smooth spring action and even tension can be easily achieved for each side) then it doesn't make a huge difference, at least as far as the cookie-cutter pedals go. Of course there are more specialised ones with different arrangements out there, in which case it really comes down to personal preferance and things such as whether you're a heels-up or heels-down player might steer you toward one particular pedal or another. So basically this was a long-winded way of saying "try a few out and see what feels good to you" ;)
Something I meant to put on the speaker difference video: you could try sanding down the cones of your V30s. Johan Segeborn did a video where he compared a new and vintage Greenback, then sanded down the cone of the new GB and got MUCH closer to the original tone. I'm pretty sure it's not just the material of the speaker cone, but thickness of it.
Too much high end on a microphone: here are a couple of things to try. 1) move the microphone! If you’re close micing, different parts of the instrument/speakers sound different. 2) if you’re close micing, move the microphone back to help gather a more complete sound. What you may be hearing is not too much high end, but too little everything else (mainly midrange). You may not get the low end that you will with close micing, but you don’t often need that in the context of a mix. It may sound more distant when soloed, but could sit better with other tracks. 3) physically cut off high end: try foam windscreens, a sheet of foam in front of the mic (like you would place a pop filter), put a cloth over the mic, or try using tissue paper. The tissue paper works well for speaker cabinets. Put it over the speakers so the mic is “listening” through the paper, like the paper is anther layer of grill cloth. You can also try bunching it up into a ball. The thing you need to watch out with paper is that it can cause buzzing, so be sure to use very light tissue paper like used for wrapping presents, tissues or paper towels.
I recently found a video of an early 2000s Crate combo loaded with Eminence Wizard speakers and the difference was like night and day! It was like taking 2 tons of shit off the tone. It was free and clear. The pick attack was there. The distortion wasn't digital methed out buzzsaw bees. It sounded great!
Always used chain drive but switched to direct drive during quarantine. Will never go back, it won't hide your flaws like a chain drive can but you know when you nail it that it was all you. It's a beautiful feeling of control.
One thing that can change the tone coming from the cabinet is simple and you don't need to change the elements at all is how you wire the speaker elements. Let's say you have four 8 ohms elements and you want 8 ohms in impedance. This can be wired in two different ways: 1. Wire two speakers in serial and then paralel couple them with the other two wired in serial. 2. Paralel couple two speakers and then serialize with the two other speakers being paralelled. Me and a friend experimented with this a few years back and as option 1 is the most common as it's cheaper from a wiring perspective. What we must bear in mind is that a speaker element also works as an electrical filter so the output from two serially connected speakers will sound more dull. But if you wire according to option 2 you will get a more brighter result. My friends cabinet sounded like someone put a wet wool blanket on it wired as option 1 but it opened up beautifully when wiring it as option 2. The filtering characteristics change radically between the two different wiring options. Bus as we all know manufacturers are cheap fucks so the option 1 is most commonly used. But! If and I say if a set of Vintage 30s are too harsh and they are wired as option 2 it can be worth to rewire them to option 1 to tame them and also if a cab sounds too dull it can be worth rewiring them in the option 2 manner. It did the trick for my friend :) Big ups to you for excellent content! :)
I made a 212 pine cabinet with no experience. I just made a box big enough to hold 2 speakers. Put in a Wizard and Governor from Eminence. Sounds awesome. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying one.
I had an Axis drum pedal I used for years in high school and college and LOVED IT. Got really used to the way I could customize the response. Afterward whenever I played chain drives or belt drives, it felt weird. I think it's basically what you're used to. One isn't better than the other per se.
Nice! Which model? I played one with the A-something-something cam assembly. I came away expecting more, but to be fair I couldn’t tweak it. Totally agree with you though..
Axis pedals are on the expensive side but for me was worth the money. I had a Gibralter-made one years ago that was disappointing to say the least, so this time around I wanted something in the so called "pro" level. Also being a pure left handed drummer I needed a mirror of the common right hand model. Come to find out in the direct drive world there are limited options. First I called Trick to see if they had any left hand options and they literally LAUGHED IN MY FACE on the phone!! What customer service!!.....Then I called Axis. Well not only do they do leftys, they do them as a custom one-off build (due to sales) and they charge the same as a stocked pedal! I also spoke with the owner directly and they even called my local music store to arrange the sale THAT DAY. So all in all I'm very happy with Axis all the way around. Apologies for the long winded post but in the music world questionable customer service seems common. Not so with Axis.
Look to your left, and you'll see Periphery and Northlane, classical djent, look to your right and you'll see Polyphia, Sarah Longfield and Sergey Golovin, in other words, experimentators of Prog Metal. And in a few moments we'll pass an alley of Dream Theater, where Ok Goodnight is currently making an entrance as a tribute to good old DT we used to listen to in 90's-early 2000's...
@@spakeschannel fuck. I actually like all those bands and artists you mentioned. I meant to look beyond the whole prog world tbh, like to look beyond how prog influence has kinda taken over as the next big thing. There's great folk metal bands like the ones that Glenn mentioned in this video, there's some awesome power metal bands that releassed albums recently like Galneryus from Japan; Gus G , Rivers of Nihil's new album is brilliant . Just a few great new album off the top of my head. Cheers! :)
@@sartajhanspal5604 Oh, that's a nice thing to do, too. I just misunderstood your message at first. Tried to say that even subgenres are having a really wide scene with a lot of variety. BTW, when it comes to folk, Leah McHenry is really cool, too. Not to mention Bloodywood and Wagakki Band.
@@spakeschannel "even subgenres are having a really wide scene with a lot of variety." 💯 facts. A popular prog-core band called Veil Of Maya released a song called Outrun recently, which is pretty ... all over the place, even given their discography haha. Bloodywood are legends! Been connected with them since a long time, their journey is nothing short of inspiring. I've only recently come across Wagakki , been spinning their albums since. There's bands like Myrath, Orphaned Land etc who have been doing awesome. (Granted that Myrath were a bit proggy but you get what I mean.) Leah McHenry is new for me, thanks! I'll check her music out.
Wow OrwellTube just went full on 1984… I posted a comment about the subgenre of blackpillcore I recently found out about and quite enjoy listening to and it is now deleted… went down the memory hole… Let’s see if this happens again: ruclips.net/video/Phb-jdM4WyQ/видео.html
Hey Glen! The best advice I can give on kick pedals is, go somewhere where you can try different ones out. My first double pedal was an Iron Cobra, which I liked. Then I had a DW 500, which I loved. Then I took the plunge and spent the money on a Pearl Demon Drive Direct Drive...That was a game changer for me, but it took me a little bit to get used to the feel and get it dialed in for me. On the other side I had a friend of mine try them and hated them. It all comes down to what you like and how much money you have to spend. There are great pedals in all price ranges.
I have been using a strap drive, Pearl Eliminator double pedal set since 2010 and they have always been faithful, strong, and awesome. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
After 6 years on an Iron Cobra setup and a more recent 6 years on Pear Demon Drives, I can say with confidence that direct drive pedals are definitely worth the money when it comes to metal. The speed, precision and smoothness is just unmatched with any chain drive I've ever played.
The Zilla IR is pretty killer Glenn, thanks for the tone and for all the amazing content! You don't get enough credit for all that you do. Best channel on YT!
GLEEEEEEENNNNN!!! "In the world of metal"? I'm not a metal player at all. I do Christian rock and hip hop but I learn a lot from your videos and found your take on speaker cabinets very informative. It was a total light bulb for me because as anyone who uses IRs knows, they make a massive difference in your tone. It really makes all the sense in the world but you're the one who came out and said it, not to mention backing up your assertion with some really exhaustive tests. Keep up the great work.
One thing you may have to take into account when evaluating the sound of a speaker based on whether it is 8 or 16 Ohms. While the resistance is fixed, the impedance varies depending on the frequency. This variation can often be significant, often far outwith the notional value.
Hey! I'm a new person coming in! You're welcome! Seriously, though, thanks for all the free knowledge and the IR. You're making me incrementally better in my approach to home recording everyday. You, as always, rock.
Post EQ will not change the overall tone of your guitar tracks. The base tone is already there the moment it comes out of your speakers. Post EQ is the last thing you want to do if you're going to change the overall tone of your guitar tracks. Now, if it's EQ right after the DI? Maybe it would. I would say it would be more beneficial to EQ a DI track than it is to change the wood of your guitar.
When I built and installed car sterio systems we used 4 ohm speakers. House stuff was 8ohm. We would take 1k watt amps, as an example and when running the speakers in parallel they ran normally, wiring in series would boost the output. Some said it would drop the ohms by going series, I don't know about that, but I can say they did certainly get louder by changing wiring.
FWIW, wiring loads in parallel *decreases* the impedance while wiring them in series *increases* the impedance seen at the source. The maximum power transfer theorem states something to the effect of: a load impedance matching the source impedance delivers the most power. A mismatched speaker load (not matched to the amplifier) will reduce the power delivered to the load, which might account for the loudness in your case.
Ive found that most modern bass drum pedals can be adjusted with a few tension tweaks to the springs and beater angle, and that will make a much greater difference to your playing than any price tag! Screw anything in the 1000s for just a pedal unless youre a professional. That being said, another extremely easy way to drastically change the sound and feel of your bass pedal is to replace the beater with a different style that suits you better.
The second question from Paul is EXACTLY what I'm looking into now... I accidentally hit the impedance switch over to 4ohm on my amp, for what should be set as 16ohm for a 16ohm load, and maybe it's just paranoia or imagining things, but the feel and tone break-up in the speakers changed completely :| I was like whao.... NOW, I know there is GREAT debate online, from both sides about impedance matching vs. load rating and all that stuff... Some say it's dangerous to high-match, some say it's not, and vice-versa with low-match. The "danger" comes in the form of potential arcs from OT, tube life, and overall "robustness" of the component selection and board build. Basically, life of your gear/tubes, no physical danger to you playing through it. Glenn, PLEASE do that video on impedance/load matching!!!
What you are hearing is certainly different if you set an impedance mismatch. The difference is not in the speaker but in the amp's output stage that is forced to work outside of its "comfort zone" so to say. The amp may lose headroom, generate more intermodulation distortion, up to lose efficiency because of the OT overheating... So many variables. In very general terms, mismatching is not recommended. The maximum you may want to experiment with is 1-step up or down: using a 16Ohm speaker/cab on an 8Ohm output or vice-versa, an 8Ohm cab on a 16Ohm output (this to me is actually more stressful for the amp). Most amps are built well enough to withstand this situation even if not optimal. However I personally would monitor VERY closely the temperature of the OT, especially if playing loud. And would NOT do it in a live situation, just don't want to take that risk.
Sure, pickups and tubes are easier to swap and keep, but pickups actually do have a far bigger impact on EQ than tubes. One actually does have an impact and Glenn’s made that very point about the pickup being an important filter.
4:05 spot on! A good tolerance for a production speaker is 10%. Regarding 8ohm vs 16ohm, there will be some minor differences due to the coil being constructed a little differently. If one coil has higher mass then the resonance of the speaker will be slightly lower, and the efficiency somewhat lower. Whether this is noticeable, for better or for worse, is going to depend on the specific speaker model. More significant will be that those two speakers will likely end up in differently-constructed cabs and hooked up to different power amps - running off the 8ohm vs 16ohm tap of a tube amp is going to cause sonic changes based on the transformer's properties which may swamp the difference between the speakers. You probably need a solid-state amplifier run at less than 10% of its rated power to really show any difference between 8ohm and 16ohm speakers of the same model, and could show difference between different units due to tolerance being as much as the difference between coil configurations.
On paper at least, swapping from 8 to 4 ohm speakers on a solid state amp will give you more clean head room, so you will get less break up at higher volumes which can change percieved tone. Tube amps are impedence matched to the speaker, so it doesn't (shouldn't) really matter, but I would love to see what happens in a real world test both ways.
You’ve been killing it with the videos lately. Keep up the great work. Without a doubt in my mind the speaker/wood is the most important part in changing a rigs sound. Like you stated, over and over, you may have small differences in eq from different pickups, but the cabs and speakers seem to make the biggest difference. But since you’re an 80s metal dude, are you familiar with the BBE Sonic Maximizer and what are your thoughts? The way I understand it, and correct me if I’m wrong. The Maximizer works as a digital buffer (usually at the end) in the signal chain. Some people say it’s a glorified EQ pedal. Others say it’s a hidden gem. Supposedly it corrects polarity and all this fancy crap. Looking forward to your next video!
for Double Kick Pedals, I picked up a set of Trick Dominators used for $500 CAD. Direct Drive Longboards that can both be used as double pedals or 2 single pedals.
Interesting bit about the foam to reduce high end. I found that if I use an MXL R40 with a cheap foam cover on it for a room mic on drums it almost completely removes the cymbals from that mic which can be really nice when mixed with a sharp condenser mic for the other room mic.
I think through all of this wood vs pickups vs amps vs tubes vs speakers talk, it's important to remember that the components other than the speaker will have dramatic effects on tone for clean and lightly distorted tones, which are still used extensively, even on metal. A great clean tone can be the difference between a good song and a great one. If your distorted tone is spectacular, but your clean is cold, flat, and lifeless, your song will fall short. For heavy tones, definitely focus on the speaker, but always balance that with attention to all the other components when crafting your clean tone.
I have 4 1970's Clestion Blackbacks, 30w, 55hz, that I took out of a big old Marshall cab, because I couldn't transport it easily. I got Matamp to build me a savage vertical 2x12 and put 2 of them in it and it's absolutely killer. People underestimate how much impact the cabinet and/or speakers have on their tone. It's not as sexy as buying a fancy new amp but it's a vital part of the picture.
For the drummer looking at pedals: There’s nothing wrong with chain, belt or direct drive. It really all depends what you’re playing and what feel you prefer. Chain is the standard and has a slight “lag” to it, direct drive is an immediate response feel, and belt is kind of the best of both worlds, just more uncommon. I’ve personally got Trick Pro1V Bigfoot ($900-$1000 depending on finish) and I’m in love with them, they’re tanks and after two years they feel the same as day one. I also play heel toe double strokes and mostly extreme/death metal, so I need pedals that respond quickly for high tempos. I’ve broke two sets of Axis in my day and I tend to avoid them but I see plenty of drummers like Samus still rip with Axis to this day. If you’re on a budget, direct drive is tough to get unless you go with the PDP concept direct drive ($299 US) or Gibraltar direct drive (same price) until they start to get pricey, like the Pearl demon drives ($829 US, they got more expensive over time) or Trick pedals. Chain drive has been around for a long time and there’s NOTHING wrong with them. Iron Cobra, DW9000, Speedcobras (my personal favorite chain drive), and similar pedals definitely do the job well. George Kollias of Nile was shredding at 230-260 with Iron Cobras for years before he went to Axis. It’s truly about technique at the end of the day, as long as you get a well built pedal. Pearl, DW, Tama, Trick, Axis, ACD, etc. are all super solid from my experience (even though I’ve had my issues with Axis, I hear they’re stepping up QC and they are easy to get replacement parts for). Feel free to message me for more info if any of you drummers wanna chat pedals more.
Gleeeeeennnnnn! Just a note to express my appreciation for your videos. I'm a live sound engineer that is starting to get into more studio recording, especially during all the covid shit. Generally I don't mix many metal bands; more Jazz, Blues, R&B, Funk, Rock, and country. Your tools, techniques, and advice apply equally as well to these other genres as well. Additionally, no, it's not cheap, but a good digital live sound console can make a damn fine audio interface. The live recordings I've made off our Allen and Heath SQ6 (into REAPER btw) are mind blowing.
I tried 6-8 different double bass drum pedals. The one I liked most was one of the cheaper ones. The key is to try several side by side, on a real drum set, and see what you like.
I'm going to take a stab at that drum pedal price question. I've used many pedals over the years, from an unknown Pearl pedal i got with my first kit, the old DW3000 series, DW9000 series, and now currently using a Pearl Demon Drive. Through MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE(your mileage may vary), spending a little more on a good set of pedals can do you wonders. Yes, i was able to play most double bass patterns on an old single chain drive, but I found (and once again this is my personal experience), with a higher end pedal, I was using less strain on my muscles, and in the case of my Pearl Demon drive, was able to do adjustments to find my sweet spot, and helped increase the speeds i was capable of because I was using less force to achieve higher speeds. I guess in conclusion, go to your local retailer and try out some different pedals if you can. every drummer is different and has they own preference and comfort while playing, you really don't need to spend $1000+ to get results, but i would recommend buying something more than a $200 single chain drive pedal if your budget allows.
I purchased my DW 5000 chain drive pedal twenty years ago. Still rock solid. Still love them. Cost me just shy of 700 bucks. If I replace the springs they would be like new. Different drummers like different brands but the investment in quality is worth it.
Despite the minute long string of expletives in the middle, I've seen more commercials in this episode than any other SMG video ever. Congrats on breaking through the youtube censors.
Heh Glen, when your doing the ohm test make sure you try it at different volume settings. If you notice a difference it should be that the 8 ohm cab sounds better with less volume than the 16ohm cab since with less resistance you'll hit the optimal movement of the speaker at lower volume... At least on paper
kohle did an interview with dude from eminence (I think anyway), who made a good point that even when the manufacturing process and materials are the same... things like the cellulous and uniformity of thickness in the speaker paper is going to be a unique snowflake to each individual speaker.
Hey Glenn, The recent series about the relative worth of doing a full album really got me thinking. Here’s my question: For a singer/songwriter who isn’t in a band and therefore needs to hire session players, do you think there are economies of scale in doing an EP versus a single? Since I’ve got to pay the pros anyway, would it be worthwhile to book them for a whole day and hammer out a few tracks in one session? BTW, I’m a fan of your channel despite not listening to metal at all, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. As you mention regularly, 90% of the lessons are applicable to any genre (write good songs, play in tune, practice, etc.) So keep the great content coming! George
ad double pedal: the good news first: the main thing what you should care in terms of double pedal is your technique - everything else is the icing on the cake. the "bad" news is you have to ask you some questions and resist the marketing of different brands :D Where do you want to go with it? Are you a touring drummer? Do you really need a direct drive? The feeling can be strange and some cannot adjust to them even after months of playing. Direct drive can play out their strengths over 230+ bpm. Can you play that? If not not does the music you play require it and will you practice that speeds? As an all round recommendation I suggest a versatile pedal (with double chain) like Pearl Eliminator, Tama Iron Cobra, DW 5000 series or Mapex Falcons. Those pedals are well tested and trusted and come with the necessary adjustment options (beater angle, board height etc.). There are plenty of well established drummers like Gene Hoglan playing chain drive pedals - and if you break something (which rarely happens if you maintain them well) access to replacement parts all over the world is quite easy. Good luck finding any replacement parts for Axis pedals somewhere other than North America. That´s the reason why most Axis players travel with an additional set of pedals. What I also recommend is a drive shaft upgrade from Trick or ACD Unlimited. Most of the mainstream pedals are getting worn out so the left pedal does not feel the same after one year or so. That´s because the shaft is bolted. With the Trick or ACD shaft you get ball bearings with a more direct transmission. I currently play Iron and Speed Cobras at two different rehearsal spaces - both upgraded with the Trick shaft and I also use the Trick Pro-1V Big Foot at home. I switched them from direct drive to chain and never looked back. In my band I rarely have to go over 210bpm 16th notes. If you have more questions feel free to ask. Cheers from Vienna \o/ ...aaand FUCK YOU GLENN!!!111
The Marshall JVM and 1960A matching cabinet both can do 4, 8 or 16 ohms. Maybe try to get hold of one of those and you can test impedance differences without getting issues with different speakers having their slight differences in production.
Changing tubes mattters because of gain and energy draw. When an amp chokes because the rectifier tube cant keep up, changing the tubes matters more because it'll let off on the gas more, and allow the rectifier to provide more voltage when the audio tube is maxed out, which changes the frequency response. Tubes matter if they go from 10 to 30 gain, not 28 to 30 gain.
The gear proof is Johan Segeborn - he plays a wide range of gear, and it all sounds awesome and many people, myself included, rave about him and say he is the tone. Most of the time he uses the same cab, and he has a go to EQ shape (even if settings change). We all thing of the signal chain starting with the guitar/pickup and moving from there. We should start with the speaker & cab and work back to the guitar.
Nope, he makes too much money as an outrage merchant, whining about people whining. Why would he do work, when he can bitch too an echo chamber of sycophants, who never question him, and donate?
Honestly, if you're mixing yourself... Just pay for a mastering engineer. It always helps to have fresh ears. But if you're doing the mastering, and weren't the mixing/recording engineer, I think the best way to approach it is using references and remembering to take it to the edge, then dialing back until you barely hear it. Subtlety, despite its current faux pas, is the way to go.
Regarding kick drum pedals: For the most part, you get what you pay for. There are outstanding pedals from DW, Pearl, Trick, Yamaha, Axis, Tama, etc. As far as the type of drive, it's all about the feel. A direct drive pedal is gonna feel a lot quicker than a chain drive pedal. But at the same time, there are extreme metal drummers who can absolutely FLY on chain drives. It's all about individual preference. I've played since I was 4 (48 years now) and have settled on a set of Yamaha 9500 Direct Drive pedals as my go-to. They work for me just the way I want them to, and that's all that matters.
Regarding the LUFS and RMS question your considering doing a post for, I think it would be super helpful if you added what levels we should aim for when mastering for RUclips and other popular sites for streaming our music while on the RMS subject. Ive looked into this online and have found all sorts of conflicting answers, time to put this subject to bed!
The one variable you maybe haven't tried is the material the cab is made of. I'm firmly in the Baltic pine ply camp. Not cos of the sound, cos it's stable and tough as old boots. Be that as it may is there a difference in cab materials. The guy who does the comparison of the very early Marshall cabs is a fascinating watch.
Hi Glenn, trying to be a useful drummer here... as far as established manufacturers go, their professional range is a safe bet but it is priced accordingly. so semi-pro stuff is usually good enough, but you get more options to set the pedal to your liking with pro-level stuff. money-wise: 250 and above. Oh, and for synth not being an instrument: classical piano -> electric piano -> digital workstation (where you have to master the notes and effects at the same time) classical guitar -> electric guitar -> electric guitar with a shitload of FX (where you have to master the notes and effects at the same time) it is about the same, I'd say... :) Cheers!
Yep. It is the thing that makes the sound. It's important. I guess you could just shove the leads in the dirt instead of connecting them to a speaker cabinet if you need a demo of where the speakers live in the signal food chain.
I personally play with single bass pedals, and i really Love my solid Sonor perfect balance pedal with a belt drive, so smooth, solid and strong, makes doing triplets easy. No comment on direct drive, i'd love to try some out to test the feel and rebound
When it comes to double pedals on drums my favorite is the pearl demon drive pedal. Felt a lot smoother than any others I have tried (cheap pdp, iron cobra, and a garbage entry level that I don't even know the name of) I have always wanted to try the axis longboards as I have heard great things, but I can only speak on my own experience.
The Axis was just “meh” for me, but since I couldn’t tweak it (someone else’s pedal), it is not a valid observation, admittedly. A buddy of mine is the drummer (was the drumme? Maybe?….I appreciate Metal but I’m not a “metal guy” so can’t be sure) for a band called Solstice, and he SWEARS by Camco 6735. He’s also got one the FASTEST and CLEANEST (and LEGIT) double bass drum work I’ve ever seen. Period. I used to obsess pedals until I realized that the most impactful factors, in order, are technique, configuration, and seat height (believe it or not) before brand.
@@TheRantingsofaMadman DW 9000 are my favorite double pedals, but at this point they’d just be an indulgence. I’m a beginning RUclips drum cover, drummer (aka: a mediocre hobbiest) and I can do everything I need/want to do already. (They sure feel amazing though!!)
Hey Glen, You’re 100% correct when you say that speakers are the most important when it comes to guitar tone. But like you have mentioned before, it also has to do with the mic’s and the room. One of the best guitar tones I’ve ever Recorded in my studio was , facing the cabinet in a corner,. 57 and a 414 (on instrument mode), directly in front of the grill, and. A 609 Directly behind the cabinet up high 2 feet behind the cabinet facing the corner! Granted, I had some dampening in the room. Let me tell you!! It was fucking brutal!!!! FYI, Marshall 800 cabinet. Vintage 30s, diagonally placed, and 75 C’ diagonally placed as well. I guess what I’m trying to say is. New speakers, placement, and room are the most important things you can do! Also experimenting. When you find something you like, take a picture and notes!! Cheers from NYC/ LES JMP WILLIAMS ie / JIm W 🤟🏼
I have three 4x12 cabs, but I only really like one of them, the matched EVH5153 cab for my Stealth head. Have a birch Schecter with V30s and a birch Crate Red Voodoo with V30s, but really want a traditional Rectifier slant cab.
Glenn! Since you're doing the whole "Will this change my tone" thing, maybe try different amp sims? As an avid collector of amp sims I have to say the differences aren't huge BUT some just fit the job better than others for different applications. It'd be easy to test since there's a never ending supply of free ones. (I've done this test before. It was quite an eye opener)
I think people often confuse tone and volume. Pickups etc. affect volume, more than anything. I don’t mean volume as in flooding the gain/clipping signals, I do mean raw volume (loud/quiet). Now, I do notice volume can shape tone, but that comes back to the speaker. I mean, distortion was “discovered” when the Kinks ripped up their speakers, supposedly…
Please make a speaker comparison video! I was talking with a buddy recently about speakers, specifically their reactive impedance. I’m certainly no expert on the topic and while there’s a lot of great educated minds happy to share their knowledge on the topic, having an actual case study with video evidence that specifically relates to tone, not just volume, would be something I could definitely nerd out on.
Glad I bought that has classic Celestion blackback speakers. 70 bucks and it worked well, those speakers are so good with a Marshall clean that has a distortion pedal shoved onto it with a decent eq and post eq curve. I’m scared to work on it because of how old the speakers are as I like them very much and haven’t done a speaker change before. Guess I have another excuse to buy a new amp cab!
After dealing with sweet water for multiple purchases, I rarely buy from anywhere else. They have really gone out of their way for me over the years, and no other company has done that. Plus, they are very generous with their giveaways which is very cool.
When guitarists have the money and decide to get a custom shop guitar done, what would you recommend for upgrades and overall builds? Also, if you were able, what would a Glen Fricker signature guitar look and sound like?
RE: Double Kicks There is no correct answer. Personally i don't like the feel of direct drives, the way that the rebound and pedal upstroke happens just feels unnatural to me, the rebound almost feels to me like i am unable to give 100% of strength in my kick stroke and the way the pedal wants me to play is with a very light touch. Not my vibe. I'm not sure i can tell there's a difference between single chain and double chain, perhaps on the double chain models they just use better quality bearings (such as ones found in skateboards) which allow the pedals to move smoother. I think you really have to try out pedals in a store before buying them. I use Tama Speedcobra's for double kicks and a Sonor Jojo Mayer pedal for single gig/most gigs.
I like the action of direct drives...and a double chain, in my experience, is better at preventing lateral movement from the pedal board.... but I totally agree with you...on the major points.
Thom is right. You’ll wanna try out different pedals for yourself to see what feels best for you. If you sit behind a direct drive pedal and all of a sudden find things easier for you then they are for you. Personally I think pedals that work well for you are one of if not the single best thing to spend money on as a metal drummer. A good set of pedals in your chosen style can be game changing. Try and find a local drum shop that will let you try out different types. Just don’t let a salesman try to convince you what pedal is best. Base it on how they feel to you.
What drive you get depends on your preference. Only thing I can tell you is: try them out. They are all valid options. Regarding $: if you buy new, I would suggest something like a tama cobra series, DW 5000 series or above, etc. Cheaper pedals work, too but have less bells and whistles and are not as "solid" as these in my experience.
Pickups are definitely something I’ve obsessed on in the past. I have one carvin guitar loaded with a set of kiesel lithium’s that I love. Compare that to a legator that I have, the legator is noticeably darker than the carvin, but my main issue is how that guitar doesn’t respond in the same way. In that case, I already know the kiesel’s work well enough to buy another set, install, move on with my life and not obsess over it. It’s more about how the pickups respond to my playing instead of how they affect the tone. Speakers are a whole other bag that I’m scared shitless to touch. Lol
I never answer Sweetwater calls. A: I got shit to do, I work and don’t have time to chat. B: I know what I bought, and don’t need any thoughts on it. I’ll rate it online, and would never Bitch about their customer service, because I don’t use it. Your speaker shootout was crazy good, that EVH and HempBack was so good.
Glen Brick & Mortar retail stores Vs Online If you are prepared to spend $1000- $3000 on a instrument your a Amp, wouldn’t you like to hear touch a feel before you made a purchase??? The problem with Brick & Mortar retail stores is that they are becoming less and less because of online purchases Your thoughts
New subscriber! I recently lost my Dad, and I've been struggling to find motivation to play or record anything since then. Watching your videos has helped me get back on the ball to get it rolling again. Thank you!
I've been playing drums for twenty years, went to Berklee and studied drums and production, and I always just used the stock Pearl kick pedal that came with my first kit. It seemed fine. Then the first time I tried an Iron Cobra the difference was really pretty insane. I could play things with it that I just couldn't play before. So there's definitely something to it, but I'd still avoid any absurdly expensive boutique pedals unless you can actually play them first and decide if it's worth it to you.
i found the same thing on classical guitar. i had a super cheap paracho guitar that sounded great tonally, but the action was super high, and it couldn't maintain proper tension. I bought a still pretty cheap classical guitar that had fantastic action and feel, but okay sound and all of the sudden my playing improved and i was able to progress on more difficult picking patterns. ergonomics (for lack of a better word) matter.
Been playing 19 years of guitar, and 7 years of bass and keyboards. Would’ve loved to do the Berkeley thing but became an assembly line worker instead. I’m a total hack at everything I try to play though I can do a decent gig. But not in the progiest sense of being ultra clean. As an electronic assembler though it’s fun as hell on the weekends to replace my amp speakers. Here in Florida the musical education doesn’t really cut it.
There's the old story of the guitar player in search of the perfect tone. Through the years he added pedal after pedal, watched video after video, but the tone was always missing something. Then one day he picked up his guitar and started playing, and couldn't believe his ears. "That's it!" he cried. The tone was better than anything he'd ever dreamed of. He checked his pedal settings and soon realized none of the pedals were plugged in. He was playing his guitar straight through the amp.
lmao
Looking for diamonds and rust.
The 1st 10 seconds of this video alone deserves a thumbs up!
Been playing drums for 30+ years, I’ve always used chain drive pedals on iron cobras and currently using the Pearl Demonator double pedal. You don’t have to pay more than $200 for a quality set of pedals that will last you quite some time.
Totally agree that IR's make it extremely simple to swap speakers and compared tonal differences. I've messed with a lot over the years but the Engl[Fredman] from the Glenn Fricker IR pack is like Redd's Hot Sauce - I put that shit on everything!!
My preferred Double pedal is
Iron Cobra or Dw5000 with wooden beaters.
As long as you are happy with what you got, there is no need to look for another.
My drummer back in the day slept with his nutsack between his Iron Cobras. Once he tried them, he never looked back and went on about them at great length....whether we wanted him to or not. In his defense, they really are top shelf.
I love my Pearl 2052B Eliminator Double Kick pedal because I bought it as a beginner and have been able to do everything I wanted so far
I bought the DW5000 Heel-less pedals. They're definitely nice pedals, but are $600-ish.
I think pedals are like guitars $600-$1000 range is the sweet spot. More expensive is only really worth it if you can afford it, but getting something good out of the box will pretty much fall within that sweet spot.
Hey all, Ignazio Vagnone from Jensen Speakers here. Glenn, great video happening!!!
I'm chiming in about the whole speaker debate. I have to say that we 100% agree with your statements. The speaker is - by far - the most powerful filter you can actually apply to a tone. It impacts on EQ, dynamics and harmonic content (distortion, that is). Had a long chat with Kristian Kohle about all these matters, will be glad to share some of our thoughts and facts with whoever might be interested.
After all these years, I'm still totally struck by the fact that some people find perfectly adequate and understandable to debate endlessly on how much headphones and studio monitors can change the sound. And these are supposed to be linear sounding devices, while we all know how radically diverse they can sound like.
And on the other hand, give zero attention to the speaker in their amp/cab... that is nothing close to a linear device, but rather is part of the amp as a musical instrument, voiced to give a specific tone!
Quick replies to some questions I saw popping out in the video:
1) Yes, the higher the impedance, the brighter and more efficient (louder) the speaker will be. Why? As mentioned, because of a lighter voice coil build. How much louder/brighter? From nearly nothing to about maybe a couple of dB in certain frequency ranges. This depends on the mechanical characteristics of the speaker. The lighter the membrane is, the more this phenomenon will be noticeable... everything else being equal.
2) No, 2 16Ohm speakers wired in parallel will NOT sound like a 8Ohm speaker. They will still sound like 16Ohm. Neither two 8Ohm in series will sound like a 16Ohm. The AMPLIFIER may however sound noticeably different on a different Ohm load, depending on how the output transformer behaves on each of these loads.
3) Pushing a speaker to the limit? Consider that a guitar speaker is never 100% clean, never 100% linear. In a different extent, all guitar speakers start breaking up already with a handful of watts. They are designed to do so. Each with different voicing, of course, but all do this. Therefore the speaker sound by itself will not change that much, unless you're literally pushing it too far. What will happen is a progressive, yet subtle dynamic compression, more evident with AlNiCo and Neodymium magnet speakers, and less audible/measurable with Ceramic speakers. When you will reach the limit, the speaker will progressively distort, compress, lose transients and clarity. There's a tiny fine line between that and the mechanical blow-up of the speaker!
Hope this may be of interest! Cheers!
Kick pedals tend to be more about personal preference. I’ve been playing pearl eliminators since 2005 and have always been happy with them.
Go to stores, play as many pedals as you can.
I'm not a professional drummer, but I have tried out both chain drive and direct drive double kick pedals... and I would HIGHLY recommend you go with a direct drive double kick set. At least with that route you can adjust more than the spring tension, you can also adjust the beater position for either more speed or for more powerful bass drum notes. An additional bonus is there's no lag in the solid metal driveline as opposed to your strap or chain driven pedals. Just browse around online or walk into your local/or retail music store for available options. (Probably would be better to shop local than to spend money at a commercial retail store, unless otherwise, then more power to you.)
Honestly, the raw instrument demos are a fantastic idea. I remember as a young kid, getting my first guitar and a Zoom 505 multi effects pedal, trying to make my guitar sound like it does on a record. Totally ignorant to production at the time, not knowing how much extra work had gone into making that sound. EQ, effects, multi tracking all things my Zoom and shitty amp couldn't do and me wondering why my guitar sounded like crap on its own
Why can’t I just plug a Marshall Reverd 12 straight into a Tascam tape deck ??????
I see your Zoom 505 and raise you a BOSS ME-30. That thing was like a Fisher Price My First Multieffects pedal. Although the high gain distortions through its 'cabinet simulator' (just some filters and not an IR) did have a kind of grindy Sansamp PSA kinda vibe.
@@kevinwhite6176 I see your BOSS ME-30 and raise you a Behringer V-Amp LX1-X. The distortions and amp/cab sims were all embarrassingly bad, though the modulation effects were at least decent. Moreover, it was absurdly complicated to dial anything in on it. Just a baroque mess of tapping buttons, double tapping buttons, holding down one button while tapping another, holding combinations of buttons while spinning a dial... it was just ridiculous.
Nowadays, I've got a Zoom Multistomp 70-CDR, and it's easier to use and sounds better than that blue plastic monstrosity from Behringer. It was also about $50 more expensive than the Behringer, but the benefits FAR outweigh the difference in cost.
holy shit dude, same here! Had a shitty practice amp and got a zoom G2 pedal.. put in some patches and wondered why it sounded like shit and unlike any tone on any record! the only thing that worked decently were clean fx. Fuck me I was so silly
“Get it at the source”. Absolutely true with any artistic medium that can be manipulated digitally. You can only do so much if you haven’t actually captured the full “picture” at the start. I especially find this true in photography. Great point Glenn.
The way Glenn says "sorry" at 9:45 is so Canadian I love it
16 Ohm versions of the same speaker type tend to be brighter sounding. Why that is, is because 16 Ohm wire for winding the voicecoil is thinner than the wire used for 8 Ohm. The material being the same (copper), means that the former is lighter in weight than the latter, which results in lighter cone assembly -> easier to swing -> extended frequency response. Yeah, physics, I know. Personally, I prefer how 8 Ohm sounds, since you can always add on high end if you need some, but it's pretty difficult to remove high end from an already bright sounding speaker.
Definitely makes sense. If you're recording, and you only have a bright speaker, tilting the mic a bit off-axis or experimenting with the placement can tamp down the highs too. Especially with an sm57, which don't pick up anything over about 17k anyway.
Very well said! So glad to read some bits of truth! We already have way too many false myths and urban legends to deal with!
From a tube amp, the load impedance affects how the amplifier sounds, the output of a tube amp is kind of sloppy due to the relatively high output impedance of the tubes, the phase shifts of the output transformer, and generally lower negative feedback. The negative feedback calms the output stage down some (reduces hum, noise, and stabilizes the gain against tube-to-tube variations) but there’s a stability limit as to how much a designer can use before the amplifier starts to oscillate at some very high frequency. Most solid state amplifiers have a close-to-zero output impedance, probably doing A-B tests on different impedance speakers would be very interesting between a solid state vs. tube amplifier.
This is an interesting take. I would have assumed that the greater impedance (inductive reactance in the coil varies with frequency) would have rolled the highs slightly. I don't know specifically on guitar speakers, and I suspect it varies by manufacturer, but you could wind an 8-ohm or a 16-ohm coil with the same gauge wire if you wanted. Typically, wire gauge is determined by the expected current load. For a given power handling rating, I'd expect each speaker to have the same gauge wire, with the greater impedance speaker using more of it. If this is the case, the greater impedance coil would have greater mass, too.
This is all speculation, and generalized at that. Speakers tend to have "interesting" response curves compared to a more predictable "model" inductor. I'd be very curious to see response curves on several specimens of each from the same built lot.
@@Lawrence330 You are right about impedance not being a fixed value for all frequencies, but rather a varying resistance dependent on the frequency. In case of guitar speakers, it tends to have a local maximum at the, so called, resonant peak and to increase the further you go up the impedance curve. There is a problem though, if you kept the wire gauge and the turn count the same. You would have the same current capability and potentially much higher inductance -> greater induced magnetic field -> greater forces working on the cone. Now here’s the problem - the cone and spider work to dampen the swing of the voice coil, but if it can move with more force and potentially exceed their capabilities, you would end up with a torn speaker. That’s why you are forced to use thinner wire for the voice coil, since you need to keep the inductance the same. It’s not a problem for an impedance matching transformer (which the output transformer is) to deliver the same amount of power into two different loads, since the reflected impedance remains the same.
Glenn’s opening cut shrug cracked me up so much, I already 👍’ed the video!
16:49 to the one asking for VST effects, some free ones that I would like to suggest are the Analog Obsession plugins. I'm not sure if Glenn has seen those plugins before, but the Analog Obsession stuff are quite alright for the price of absolutely nothing! The guy (yes it's just one person making those plugins) makes emulations of different analog EQs, Compressors, stompboxes, saturators, etc. Go check them out!
Yes! Glen should feature these!
@@graxjpg Patreon! It's not really freeware VSTs, but more of donationware. People donate to him monthly and he gets to work on more free analog emulations.
@@calebbhawkins Yeah I agree! Maybe if Glenn features them on his channel, the guy at Analog Obsession can get more patrons on his Patreon.
@@graxjpg Oh shit, interpreted that wrong lmao.. You meant how does Glenn get paid? I see i see... Welp.. I guess he doesnt...
@@graxjpg Hmmm i see i see..
Alien Weaponry has a big fanbase on the Navajo Rez. They struck up a pretty good friendship out there. In fact, metal is huge in the indigenous communities. If you're in a metal/hard rock band and want gigs where you can build a fanbase go where the love is!
That's great feedback.
Drummer here: I've used a few different double kick pedals over the years and honestly I've found that as long as they are well made (i.e. smooth spring action and even tension can be easily achieved for each side) then it doesn't make a huge difference, at least as far as the cookie-cutter pedals go. Of course there are more specialised ones with different arrangements out there, in which case it really comes down to personal preferance and things such as whether you're a heels-up or heels-down player might steer you toward one particular pedal or another. So basically this was a long-winded way of saying "try a few out and see what feels good to you" ;)
Something I meant to put on the speaker difference video: you could try sanding down the cones of your V30s. Johan Segeborn did a video where he compared a new and vintage Greenback, then sanded down the cone of the new GB and got MUCH closer to the original tone. I'm pretty sure it's not just the material of the speaker cone, but thickness of it.
Too much high end on a microphone: here are a couple of things to try. 1) move the microphone! If you’re close micing, different parts of the instrument/speakers sound different. 2) if you’re close micing, move the microphone back to help gather a more complete sound. What you may be hearing is not too much high end, but too little everything else (mainly midrange). You may not get the low end that you will with close micing, but you don’t often need that in the context of a mix. It may sound more distant when soloed, but could sit better with other tracks. 3) physically cut off high end: try foam windscreens, a sheet of foam in front of the mic (like you would place a pop filter), put a cloth over the mic, or try using tissue paper. The tissue paper works well for speaker cabinets. Put it over the speakers so the mic is “listening” through the paper, like the paper is anther layer of grill cloth. You can also try bunching it up into a ball. The thing you need to watch out with paper is that it can cause buzzing, so be sure to use very light tissue paper like used for wrapping presents, tissues or paper towels.
I recently found a video of an early 2000s Crate combo loaded with Eminence Wizard speakers and the difference was like night and day! It was like taking 2 tons of shit off the tone. It was free and clear. The pick attack was there. The distortion wasn't digital methed out buzzsaw bees. It sounded great!
Always used chain drive but switched to direct drive during quarantine. Will never go back, it won't hide your flaws like a chain drive can but you know when you nail it that it was all you. It's a beautiful feeling of control.
I knew this would be one of your BEST VC from the opening with a question.
One thing that can change the tone coming from the cabinet is simple and you don't need to change the elements at all is how you wire the speaker elements. Let's say you have four 8 ohms elements and you want 8 ohms in impedance. This can be wired in two different ways:
1. Wire two speakers in serial and then paralel couple them with the other two wired in serial.
2. Paralel couple two speakers and then serialize with the two other speakers being paralelled.
Me and a friend experimented with this a few years back and as option 1 is the most common as it's cheaper from a wiring perspective. What we must bear in mind is that a speaker element also works as an electrical filter so the output from two serially connected speakers will sound more dull. But if you wire according to option 2 you will get a more brighter result. My friends cabinet sounded like someone put a wet wool blanket on it wired as option 1 but it opened up beautifully when wiring it as option 2. The filtering characteristics change radically between the two different wiring options. Bus as we all know manufacturers are cheap fucks so the option 1 is most commonly used. But! If and I say if a set of Vintage 30s are too harsh and they are wired as option 2 it can be worth to rewire them to option 1 to tame them and also if a cab sounds too dull it can be worth rewiring them in the option 2 manner. It did the trick for my friend :)
Big ups to you for excellent content! :)
I made a 212 pine cabinet with no experience. I just made a box big enough to hold 2 speakers. Put in a Wizard and Governor from Eminence. Sounds awesome. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying one.
I had an Axis drum pedal I used for years in high school and college and LOVED IT. Got really used to the way I could customize the response. Afterward whenever I played chain drives or belt drives, it felt weird. I think it's basically what you're used to. One isn't better than the other per se.
Nice! Which model? I played one with the A-something-something cam assembly.
I came away expecting more, but to be fair I couldn’t tweak it.
Totally agree with you though..
Axis pedals are on the expensive side but for me was worth the money. I had a Gibralter-made one years ago that was disappointing to say the least, so this time around I wanted something in the so called "pro" level. Also being a pure left handed drummer I needed a mirror of the common right hand model. Come to find out in the direct drive world there are limited options. First I called Trick to see if they had any left hand options and they literally LAUGHED IN MY FACE on the phone!! What customer service!!.....Then I called Axis. Well not only do they do leftys, they do them as a custom one-off build (due to sales) and they charge the same as a stocked pedal! I also spoke with the owner directly and they even called my local music store to arrange the sale THAT DAY. So all in all I'm very happy with Axis all the way around. Apologies for the long winded post but in the music world questionable customer service seems common. Not so with Axis.
5:31 nailed it. Look beyond the popular djent wave there's a whole world of different subgenres of metal bands out there
Look to your left, and you'll see Periphery and Northlane, classical djent, look to your right and you'll see Polyphia, Sarah Longfield and Sergey Golovin, in other words, experimentators of Prog Metal. And in a few moments we'll pass an alley of Dream Theater, where Ok Goodnight is currently making an entrance as a tribute to good old DT we used to listen to in 90's-early 2000's...
@@spakeschannel fuck. I actually like all those bands and artists you mentioned.
I meant to look beyond the whole prog world tbh, like to look beyond how prog influence has kinda taken over as the next big thing. There's great folk metal bands like the ones that Glenn mentioned in this video, there's some awesome power metal bands that releassed albums recently like Galneryus from Japan; Gus G , Rivers of Nihil's new album is brilliant . Just a few great new album off the top of my head.
Cheers! :)
@@sartajhanspal5604 Oh, that's a nice thing to do, too. I just misunderstood your message at first. Tried to say that even subgenres are having a really wide scene with a lot of variety.
BTW, when it comes to folk, Leah McHenry is really cool, too. Not to mention Bloodywood and Wagakki Band.
@@spakeschannel "even subgenres are having a really wide scene with a lot of variety." 💯 facts. A popular prog-core band called Veil Of Maya released a song called Outrun recently, which is pretty ... all over the place, even given their discography haha.
Bloodywood are legends! Been connected with them since a long time, their journey is nothing short of inspiring.
I've only recently come across Wagakki , been spinning their albums since. There's bands like Myrath, Orphaned Land etc who have been doing awesome. (Granted that Myrath were a bit proggy but you get what I mean.)
Leah McHenry is new for me, thanks! I'll check her music out.
Wow OrwellTube just went full on 1984… I posted a comment about the subgenre of blackpillcore I recently found out about and quite enjoy listening to and it is now deleted… went down the memory hole… Let’s see if this happens again: ruclips.net/video/Phb-jdM4WyQ/видео.html
Wow. that comment about items being small and cheaper to buy, collect, and swap out is super spot-on. As always convenience trumps quality and reason.
Hey Glen! The best advice I can give on kick pedals is, go somewhere where you can try different ones out. My first double pedal was an Iron Cobra, which I liked. Then I had a DW 500, which I loved. Then I took the plunge and spent the money on a Pearl Demon Drive Direct Drive...That was a game changer for me, but it took me a little bit to get used to the feel and get it dialed in for me. On the other side I had a friend of mine try them and hated them. It all comes down to what you like and how much money you have to spend. There are great pedals in all price ranges.
I have been using a strap drive, Pearl Eliminator double pedal set since 2010 and they have always been faithful, strong, and awesome. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
After 6 years on an Iron Cobra setup and a more recent 6 years on Pear Demon Drives, I can say with confidence that direct drive pedals are definitely worth the money when it comes to metal. The speed, precision and smoothness is just unmatched with any chain drive I've ever played.
The Zilla IR is pretty killer Glenn, thanks for the tone and for all the amazing content! You don't get enough credit for all that you do. Best channel on YT!
It does feel amazing to be able to find a new set of speakers, mix and match them and finding our new favourite combination of tones.
GLEEEEEEENNNNN!!!
"In the world of metal"? I'm not a metal player at all. I do Christian rock and hip hop but I learn a lot from your videos and found your take on speaker cabinets very informative. It was a total light bulb for me because as anyone who uses IRs knows, they make a massive difference in your tone. It really makes all the sense in the world but you're the one who came out and said it, not to mention backing up your assertion with some really exhaustive tests.
Keep up the great work.
Hey Glennus Maximus,
Just a quick nosey question. Has that been any update in regards to the Woods of Ypres tracks you mentioned a while back?
The Glenmeister! lol
One thing you may have to take into account when evaluating the sound of a speaker based on whether it is 8 or 16 Ohms. While the resistance is fixed, the impedance varies depending on the frequency. This variation can often be significant, often far outwith the notional value.
Hey! I'm a new person coming in! You're welcome! Seriously, though, thanks for all the free knowledge and the IR. You're making me incrementally better in my approach to home recording everyday. You, as always, rock.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of a speaker comparison, different impedances and everything. Never thought of that, but would be very cool.
Being a 'metal show' is no excuse. Simple use post-EQ to change the genre.
🤣🤣😭😭
Post EQ will not change the overall tone of your guitar tracks. The base tone is already there the moment it comes out of your speakers. Post EQ is the last thing you want to do if you're going to change the overall tone of your guitar tracks. Now, if it's EQ right after the DI? Maybe it would. I would say it would be more beneficial to EQ a DI track than it is to change the wood of your guitar.
When I built and installed car sterio systems we used 4 ohm speakers. House stuff was 8ohm. We would take 1k watt amps, as an example and when running the speakers in parallel they ran normally, wiring in series would boost the output. Some said it would drop the ohms by going series, I don't know about that, but I can say they did certainly get louder by changing wiring.
FWIW, wiring loads in parallel *decreases* the impedance while wiring them in series *increases* the impedance seen at the source. The maximum power transfer theorem states something to the effect of: a load impedance matching the source impedance delivers the most power. A mismatched speaker load (not matched to the amplifier) will reduce the power delivered to the load, which might account for the loudness in your case.
Man I love Glenn's content.Just puts life back into context!!!🤘👍
Ive found that most modern bass drum pedals can be adjusted with a few tension tweaks to the springs and beater angle, and that will make a much greater difference to your playing than any price tag! Screw anything in the 1000s for just a pedal unless youre a professional. That being said, another extremely easy way to drastically change the sound and feel of your bass pedal is to replace the beater with a different style that suits you better.
The second question from Paul is EXACTLY what I'm looking into now... I accidentally hit the impedance switch over to 4ohm on my amp, for what should be set as 16ohm for a 16ohm load, and maybe it's just paranoia or imagining things, but the feel and tone break-up in the speakers changed completely :| I was like whao.... NOW, I know there is GREAT debate online, from both sides about impedance matching vs. load rating and all that stuff... Some say it's dangerous to high-match, some say it's not, and vice-versa with low-match. The "danger" comes in the form of potential arcs from OT, tube life, and overall "robustness" of the component selection and board build. Basically, life of your gear/tubes, no physical danger to you playing through it. Glenn, PLEASE do that video on impedance/load matching!!!
What you are hearing is certainly different if you set an impedance mismatch. The difference is not in the speaker but in the amp's output stage that is forced to work outside of its "comfort zone" so to say. The amp may lose headroom, generate more intermodulation distortion, up to lose efficiency because of the OT overheating... So many variables. In very general terms, mismatching is not recommended. The maximum you may want to experiment with is 1-step up or down: using a 16Ohm speaker/cab on an 8Ohm output or vice-versa, an 8Ohm cab on a 16Ohm output (this to me is actually more stressful for the amp). Most amps are built well enough to withstand this situation even if not optimal. However I personally would monitor VERY closely the temperature of the OT, especially if playing loud. And would NOT do it in a live situation, just don't want to take that risk.
@@JensenSpeakersVideos THANK YOU JENSEN!!!! Great information!!!!
Sure, pickups and tubes are easier to swap and keep, but pickups actually do have a far bigger impact on EQ than tubes. One actually does have an impact and Glenn’s made that very point about the pickup being an important filter.
4:05 spot on! A good tolerance for a production speaker is 10%. Regarding 8ohm vs 16ohm, there will be some minor differences due to the coil being constructed a little differently. If one coil has higher mass then the resonance of the speaker will be slightly lower, and the efficiency somewhat lower. Whether this is noticeable, for better or for worse, is going to depend on the specific speaker model. More significant will be that those two speakers will likely end up in differently-constructed cabs and hooked up to different power amps - running off the 8ohm vs 16ohm tap of a tube amp is going to cause sonic changes based on the transformer's properties which may swamp the difference between the speakers. You probably need a solid-state amplifier run at less than 10% of its rated power to really show any difference between 8ohm and 16ohm speakers of the same model, and could show difference between different units due to tolerance being as much as the difference between coil configurations.
On paper at least, swapping from 8 to 4 ohm speakers on a solid state amp will give you more clean head room, so you will get less break up at higher volumes which can change percieved tone. Tube amps are impedence matched to the speaker, so it doesn't (shouldn't) really matter, but I would love to see what happens in a real world test both ways.
You’ve been killing it with the videos lately. Keep up the great work. Without a doubt in my mind the speaker/wood is the most important part in changing a rigs sound. Like you stated, over and over, you may have small differences in eq from different pickups, but the cabs and speakers seem to make the biggest difference. But since you’re an 80s metal dude, are you familiar with the BBE Sonic Maximizer and what are your thoughts? The way I understand it, and correct me if I’m wrong. The Maximizer works as a digital buffer (usually at the end) in the signal chain. Some people say it’s a glorified EQ pedal. Others say it’s a hidden gem. Supposedly it corrects polarity and all this fancy crap. Looking forward to your next video!
for Double Kick Pedals, I picked up a set of Trick Dominators used for $500 CAD. Direct Drive Longboards that can both be used as double pedals or 2 single pedals.
Interesting bit about the foam to reduce high end. I found that if I use an MXL R40 with a cheap foam cover on it for a room mic on drums it almost completely removes the cymbals from that mic which can be really nice when mixed with a sharp condenser mic for the other room mic.
I think through all of this wood vs pickups vs amps vs tubes vs speakers talk, it's important to remember that the components other than the speaker will have dramatic effects on tone for clean and lightly distorted tones, which are still used extensively, even on metal. A great clean tone can be the difference between a good song and a great one. If your distorted tone is spectacular, but your clean is cold, flat, and lifeless, your song will fall short. For heavy tones, definitely focus on the speaker, but always balance that with attention to all the other components when crafting your clean tone.
I have 4 1970's Clestion Blackbacks, 30w, 55hz, that I took out of a big old Marshall cab, because I couldn't transport it easily. I got Matamp to build me a savage vertical 2x12 and put 2 of them in it and it's absolutely killer. People underestimate how much impact the cabinet and/or speakers have on their tone. It's not as sexy as buying a fancy new amp but it's a vital part of the picture.
For the drummer looking at pedals:
There’s nothing wrong with chain, belt or direct drive. It really all depends what you’re playing and what feel you prefer. Chain is the standard and has a slight “lag” to it, direct drive is an immediate response feel, and belt is kind of the best of both worlds, just more uncommon.
I’ve personally got Trick Pro1V Bigfoot ($900-$1000 depending on finish) and I’m in love with them, they’re tanks and after two years they feel the same as day one. I also play heel toe double strokes and mostly extreme/death metal, so I need pedals that respond quickly for high tempos. I’ve broke two sets of Axis in my day and I tend to avoid them but I see plenty of drummers like Samus still rip with Axis to this day.
If you’re on a budget, direct drive is tough to get unless you go with the PDP concept direct drive ($299 US) or Gibraltar direct drive (same price) until they start to get pricey, like the Pearl demon drives ($829 US, they got more expensive over time) or Trick pedals.
Chain drive has been around for a long time and there’s NOTHING wrong with them. Iron Cobra, DW9000, Speedcobras (my personal favorite chain drive), and similar pedals definitely do the job well. George Kollias of Nile was shredding at 230-260 with Iron Cobras for years before he went to Axis. It’s truly about technique at the end of the day, as long as you get a well built pedal. Pearl, DW, Tama, Trick, Axis, ACD, etc. are all super solid from my experience (even though I’ve had my issues with Axis, I hear they’re stepping up QC and they are easy to get replacement parts for).
Feel free to message me for more info if any of you drummers wanna chat pedals more.
Anyone open to trying different/new metal bands should totally give Band-Maid a shot. Genuinely talented ladies that have a lot of energy.
Yeah i totally watched his one video and was like “yeah im just getting different cabs and running an eq in the loop if i want a different amp” xD
Gleeeeeennnnnn!
Just a note to express my appreciation for your videos. I'm a live sound engineer that is starting to get into more studio recording, especially during all the covid shit. Generally I don't mix many metal bands; more Jazz, Blues, R&B, Funk, Rock, and country. Your tools, techniques, and advice apply equally as well to these other genres as well.
Additionally, no, it's not cheap, but a good digital live sound console can make a damn fine audio interface. The live recordings I've made off our Allen and Heath SQ6 (into REAPER btw) are mind blowing.
I never understood why some people think the only “Metal” being released these days is Djent.
Maybe you can see it too often nowadays (isn't that I like "djent", cause I don't)
It's because everything with "core" at the end is part of meme culture now.
@@totenschreitrituals8874 I agree, I’m not a fan of djent. There is so much more metal out there that’s far better to listen to
@@CuRsEd_gamer-ot6pj so true
@@Exsteeler yes….and most of it comes from Scandinavia!
I tried 6-8 different double bass drum pedals. The one I liked most was one of the cheaper ones. The key is to try several side by side, on a real drum set, and see what you like.
I'm going to take a stab at that drum pedal price question. I've used many pedals over the years, from an unknown Pearl pedal i got with my first kit, the old DW3000 series, DW9000 series, and now currently using a Pearl Demon Drive. Through MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE(your mileage may vary), spending a little more on a good set of pedals can do you wonders. Yes, i was able to play most double bass patterns on an old single chain drive, but I found (and once again this is my personal experience), with a higher end pedal, I was using less strain on my muscles, and in the case of my Pearl Demon drive, was able to do adjustments to find my sweet spot, and helped increase the speeds i was capable of because I was using less force to achieve higher speeds.
I guess in conclusion, go to your local retailer and try out some different pedals if you can. every drummer is different and has they own preference and comfort while playing, you really don't need to spend $1000+ to get results, but i would recommend buying something more than a $200 single chain drive pedal if your budget allows.
I purchased my DW 5000 chain drive pedal twenty years ago. Still rock solid. Still love them. Cost me just shy of 700 bucks. If I replace the springs they would be like new. Different drummers like different brands but the investment in quality is worth it.
Despite the minute long string of expletives in the middle, I've seen more commercials in this episode than any other SMG video ever. Congrats on breaking through the youtube censors.
I don’t play double pedal but I own the single pedal version of the speed cobra.
Incredible, built like a tank and smooooth!
Heh Glen, when your doing the ohm test make sure you try it at different volume settings. If you notice a difference it should be that the 8 ohm cab sounds better with less volume than the 16ohm cab since with less resistance you'll hit the optimal movement of the speaker at lower volume... At least on paper
kohle did an interview with dude from eminence (I think anyway), who made a good point that even when the manufacturing process and materials are the same... things like the cellulous and uniformity of thickness in the speaker paper is going to be a unique snowflake to each individual speaker.
Hey Glenn,
The recent series about the relative worth of doing a full album really got me thinking. Here’s my question: For a singer/songwriter who isn’t in a band and therefore needs to hire session players, do you think there are economies of scale in doing an EP versus a single? Since I’ve got to pay the pros anyway, would it be worthwhile to book them for a whole day and hammer out a few tracks in one session?
BTW, I’m a fan of your channel despite not listening to metal at all, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. As you mention regularly, 90% of the lessons are applicable to any genre (write good songs, play in tune, practice, etc.) So keep the great content coming!
George
ad double pedal:
the good news first: the main thing what you should care in terms of double pedal is your technique - everything else is the icing on the cake.
the "bad" news is you have to ask you some questions and resist the marketing of different brands :D
Where do you want to go with it? Are you a touring drummer? Do you really need a direct drive? The feeling can be strange and some cannot adjust to them even after months of playing. Direct drive can play out their strengths over 230+ bpm. Can you play that? If not not does the music you play require it and will you practice that speeds?
As an all round recommendation I suggest a versatile pedal (with double chain) like Pearl Eliminator, Tama Iron Cobra, DW 5000 series or Mapex Falcons. Those pedals are well tested and trusted and come with the necessary adjustment options (beater angle, board height etc.). There are plenty of well established drummers like Gene Hoglan playing chain drive pedals - and if you break something (which rarely happens if you maintain them well) access to replacement parts all over the world is quite easy. Good luck finding any replacement parts for Axis pedals somewhere other than North America. That´s the reason why most Axis players travel with an additional set of pedals.
What I also recommend is a drive shaft upgrade from Trick or ACD Unlimited. Most of the mainstream pedals are getting worn out so the left pedal does not feel the same after one year or so. That´s because the shaft is bolted. With the Trick or ACD shaft you get ball bearings with a more direct transmission.
I currently play Iron and Speed Cobras at two different rehearsal spaces - both upgraded with the Trick shaft and I also use the Trick Pro-1V Big Foot at home. I switched them from direct drive to chain and never looked back. In my band I rarely have to go over 210bpm 16th notes.
If you have more questions feel free to ask.
Cheers from Vienna \o/
...aaand FUCK YOU GLENN!!!111
The Marshall JVM and 1960A matching cabinet both can do 4, 8 or 16 ohms. Maybe try to get hold of one of those and you can test impedance differences without getting issues with different speakers having their slight differences in production.
Changing tubes mattters because of gain and energy draw. When an amp chokes because the rectifier tube cant keep up, changing the tubes matters more because it'll let off on the gas more, and allow the rectifier to provide more voltage when the audio tube is maxed out, which changes the frequency response. Tubes matter if they go from 10 to 30 gain, not 28 to 30 gain.
The gear proof is Johan Segeborn - he plays a wide range of gear, and it all sounds awesome and many people, myself included, rave about him and say he is the tone. Most of the time he uses the same cab, and he has a go to EQ shape (even if settings change). We all thing of the signal chain starting with the guitar/pickup and moving from there. We should start with the speaker & cab and work back to the guitar.
GLEEEEENNNN will you ever do a Mastering a mix lesson?
Nope, he makes too much money as an outrage merchant, whining about people whining. Why would he do work, when he can bitch too an echo chamber of sycophants, who never question him, and donate?
just so you guys know, I never fucking asked for your opinions.
Honestly, if you're mixing yourself... Just pay for a mastering engineer. It always helps to have fresh ears. But if you're doing the mastering, and weren't the mixing/recording engineer, I think the best way to approach it is using references and remembering to take it to the edge, then dialing back until you barely hear it. Subtlety, despite its current faux pas, is the way to go.
I love that shurg at the beginning. It couldn't be more perfect. Now there is a man who gives zero fucks.
Regarding kick drum pedals: For the most part, you get what you pay for. There are outstanding pedals from DW, Pearl, Trick, Yamaha, Axis, Tama, etc. As far as the type of drive, it's all about the feel. A direct drive pedal is gonna feel a lot quicker than a chain drive pedal. But at the same time, there are extreme metal drummers who can absolutely FLY on chain drives. It's all about individual preference. I've played since I was 4 (48 years now) and have settled on a set of Yamaha 9500 Direct Drive pedals as my go-to. They work for me just the way I want them to, and that's all that matters.
Trick bigfoots all day 🤘
Regarding the LUFS and RMS question your considering doing a post for, I think it would be super helpful if you added what levels we should aim for when mastering for RUclips and other popular sites for streaming our music while on the RMS subject. Ive looked into this online and have found all sorts of conflicting answers, time to put this subject to bed!
The one variable you maybe haven't tried is the material the cab is made of. I'm firmly in the Baltic pine ply camp. Not cos of the sound, cos it's stable and tough as old boots. Be that as it may is there a difference in cab materials. The guy who does the comparison of the very early Marshall cabs is a fascinating watch.
Hi Glenn,
trying to be a useful drummer here...
as far as established manufacturers go, their professional range is a safe bet but it is priced accordingly. so semi-pro stuff is usually good enough, but you get more options to set the pedal to your liking with pro-level stuff. money-wise: 250 and above.
Oh, and for synth not being an instrument:
classical piano -> electric piano -> digital workstation (where you have to master the notes and effects at the same time)
classical guitar -> electric guitar -> electric guitar with a shitload of FX (where you have to master the notes and effects at the same time)
it is about the same, I'd say... :)
Cheers!
Yep. It is the thing that makes the sound.
It's important.
I guess you could just shove the leads in the dirt instead of connecting them to a speaker cabinet if you need a demo of where the speakers live in the signal food chain.
That swear count was hysterical! That needs to become a permanent fixture!
Hey Glen! Are you still going to do that video about different compressors types and their sounds? Love your work, cheers from Brazil!
I personally play with single bass pedals, and i really Love my solid Sonor perfect balance pedal with a belt drive, so smooth, solid and strong, makes doing triplets easy. No comment on direct drive, i'd love to try some out to test the feel and rebound
When it comes to double pedals on drums my favorite is the pearl demon drive pedal. Felt a lot smoother than any others I have tried (cheap pdp, iron cobra, and a garbage entry level that I don't even know the name of) I have always wanted to try the axis longboards as I have heard great things, but I can only speak on my own experience.
Oh and a dw9000, forgot about that one, but still liked the pearl better
The Axis was just “meh” for me, but since I couldn’t tweak it (someone else’s pedal), it is not a valid observation, admittedly.
A buddy of mine is the drummer (was the drumme? Maybe?….I appreciate Metal but I’m not a “metal guy” so can’t be sure) for a band called Solstice, and he SWEARS by Camco 6735.
He’s also got one the FASTEST and CLEANEST (and LEGIT) double bass drum work I’ve ever seen. Period.
I used to obsess pedals until I realized that the most impactful factors, in order, are technique, configuration, and seat height (believe it or not) before brand.
@@TheRantingsofaMadman DW 9000 are my favorite double pedals, but at this point they’d just be an indulgence. I’m a beginning RUclips drum cover, drummer (aka: a mediocre hobbiest) and I can do everything I need/want to do already.
(They sure feel amazing though!!)
I tend to like any Pearl kick drum pedal for some reason.
@@NominalTopic I can vouch for this. I had a DW 9000 for a couple years until it was stolen by some scumbag piece of shit and I loved that thing.
Hey Glen,
You’re 100% correct when you say that speakers are the most important when it
comes to guitar tone.
But like you have mentioned before, it also has to do with the mic’s and the room. One of the best guitar tones I’ve ever Recorded in my studio was , facing the cabinet in a corner,. 57 and a 414 (on instrument mode), directly in front of the grill, and. A 609
Directly behind the cabinet up high 2 feet behind the cabinet facing the corner!
Granted, I had some dampening in the room. Let me tell you!! It was fucking brutal!!!!
FYI, Marshall 800 cabinet. Vintage 30s, diagonally placed, and 75 C’ diagonally placed as well.
I guess what I’m trying to say is. New speakers, placement, and room are the most important things you can do! Also experimenting. When you find something you like, take a picture and notes!!
Cheers from NYC/ LES
JMP WILLIAMS ie / JIm W
🤟🏼
Mic is obviously a huge factor. That’s another video entirely
I have three 4x12 cabs, but I only really like one of them, the matched EVH5153 cab for my Stealth head. Have a birch Schecter with V30s and a birch Crate Red Voodoo with V30s, but really want a traditional Rectifier slant cab.
Glenn! Since you're doing the whole "Will this change my tone" thing, maybe try different amp sims? As an avid collector of amp sims I have to say the differences aren't huge BUT some just fit the job better than others for different applications. It'd be easy to test since there's a never ending supply of free ones. (I've done this test before. It was quite an eye opener)
I think people often confuse tone and volume. Pickups etc. affect volume, more than anything.
I don’t mean volume as in flooding the gain/clipping signals, I do mean raw volume (loud/quiet).
Now, I do notice volume can shape tone, but that comes back to the speaker. I mean, distortion was “discovered” when the Kinks ripped up their speakers, supposedly…
Please make a speaker comparison video! I was talking with a buddy recently about speakers, specifically their reactive impedance. I’m certainly no expert on the topic and while there’s a lot of great educated minds happy to share their knowledge on the topic, having an actual case study with video evidence that specifically relates to tone, not just volume, would be something I could definitely nerd out on.
Glad to subscribe. A fellow musician/ friends of 30 years recommend.
Glad I bought that has classic Celestion blackback speakers. 70 bucks and it worked well, those speakers are so good with a Marshall clean that has a distortion pedal shoved onto it with a decent eq and post eq curve. I’m scared to work on it because of how old the speakers are as I like them very much and haven’t done a speaker change before. Guess I have another excuse to buy a new amp cab!
I look forward to the speaker impedance video!!! Sounds great!
After dealing with sweet water for multiple purchases, I rarely buy from anywhere else. They have really gone out of their way for me over the years, and no other company has done that. Plus, they are very generous with their giveaways which is very cool.
Love the Izotope suite. Ozone and Neutron are fantastic. Load a preset that gets you damn close and tweak from there. Izotope doesn't get enough love.
Ozone is great
I second (or third this). The presets are so useful and then it's simply a matter of tweaking to taste.
When guitarists have the money and decide to get a custom shop guitar done, what would you recommend for upgrades and overall builds? Also, if you were able, what would a Glen Fricker signature guitar look and sound like?
He actually has a Glenn signature guitar, he has a couple videos on it.
@@jamesbryant8087 I stand corrected
Glenn, You aren't the world's worst drummer...
You actually show up on time and get shit done!
RE: Double Kicks
There is no correct answer. Personally i don't like the feel of direct drives, the way that the rebound and pedal upstroke happens just feels unnatural to me, the rebound almost feels to me like i am unable to give 100% of strength in my kick stroke and the way the pedal wants me to play is with a very light touch. Not my vibe. I'm not sure i can tell there's a difference between single chain and double chain, perhaps on the double chain models they just use better quality bearings (such as ones found in skateboards) which allow the pedals to move smoother. I think you really have to try out pedals in a store before buying them. I use Tama Speedcobra's for double kicks and a Sonor Jojo Mayer pedal for single gig/most gigs.
Wow
I like the action of direct drives...and a double chain, in my experience, is better at preventing lateral movement from the pedal board.... but I totally agree with you...on the major points.
Thom is right. You’ll wanna try out different pedals for yourself to see what feels best for you. If you sit behind a direct drive pedal and all of a sudden find things easier for you then they are for you. Personally I think pedals that work well for you are one of if not the single best thing to spend money on as a metal drummer. A good set of pedals in your chosen style can be game changing. Try and find a local drum shop that will let you try out different types. Just don’t let a salesman try to convince you what pedal is best. Base it on how they feel to you.
My main regret is not having the time to go back and like all your videos Glen.
What drive you get depends on your preference. Only thing I can tell you is: try them out. They are all valid options. Regarding $: if you buy new, I would suggest something like a tama cobra series, DW 5000 series or above, etc. Cheaper pedals work, too but have less bells and whistles and are not as "solid" as these in my experience.
A wordless Glenn at the beginning .... awesome!
Pickups are definitely something I’ve obsessed on in the past. I have one carvin guitar loaded with a set of kiesel lithium’s that I love. Compare that to a legator that I have, the legator is noticeably darker than the carvin, but my main issue is how that guitar doesn’t respond in the same way. In that case, I already know the kiesel’s work well enough to buy another set, install, move on with my life and not obsess over it. It’s more about how the pickups respond to my playing instead of how they affect the tone.
Speakers are a whole other bag that I’m scared shitless to touch. Lol
I never answer Sweetwater calls. A: I got shit to do, I work and don’t have time to chat. B: I know what I bought, and don’t need any thoughts on it. I’ll rate it online, and would never Bitch about their customer service, because I don’t use it.
Your speaker shootout was crazy good, that EVH and HempBack was so good.
Glen
Brick & Mortar retail stores Vs Online
If you are prepared to spend $1000- $3000 on a instrument your a Amp, wouldn’t you like to hear touch a feel before you made a purchase???
The problem with Brick & Mortar retail stores is that they are becoming less and less because of online purchases
Your thoughts
Love The Hu, found them on YT a couple weeks ago and they are on my daily checkout list now.
Great content! I’m learning so much from your channel! Thanks Glenn! 🔥🤘🏼🔥