# Entirely self-produced quality instrumental metal guitar album here! :)



## syndrone (Mar 13, 2018)

Hey people!

Been lurking here around for probably over 10 years now and got loads of good advice here over this long journey. Over the last 2.5 years I composed, recorded and produced an instrumental metal guitar album entirely on my own with all the knowledge I gathered throughout all these years. 
You can check out the teaser tracks (50s of all the 10 tracks) here: 

and can even hear more previews on my website here: https://www.syndrone-music.com/music

If you like what you hear and have any questions about recording, mixing, producing in general, etc, please feel free to ask me anything you are curious about!
If you like what you hear you can obviously also support me by sharing my album or buy a physical CD or digital download from my website www.syndrone-music.com.   
I think you would find the album on streaming platforms as well, but I will remove it from there as I am not really a fan of music streaming (really bad for independant artists if you asked me!).

Gear used: 
Axe-Fx 2 for ALL guitars
Ibanez RGD2127 with stock pickups for all rhythms
Ibanez SRG 2520 with Dimarzio Paf-Pro for all lead guitars
Native Instruments and Harmos for synths and sounddesign
Focusrite Scarlett 6i6
Adam A7X monitors 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SyndroneStudio
YouTube: www.youtube.com/SynDrone

Cheers
SYNDRONE


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## cwhitey2 (Mar 13, 2018)

Awesome work! 

I feel like the mix is a little bass heavy, but it could be my speaker (using junk).

Can't wait to hear the whole thing.


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## syndrone (Mar 13, 2018)

It is definitely bass heavy...! I couldn`t resist and most likely went a bit too far, but I kinda like it. I wanted the guitars and palm mutes to sound huge (too huge probably) but will definitely tame the low end more on my next production. I figured it is easier to go easy on the low end when mixing stuff for other people than when doing it for myself... I knew it`s gonna be like that before I even had started mixing it hahaha! It`s quite a personal thing I guess....  

Thanks for the comment and for checking it out! \m/


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## Metropolis (Mar 13, 2018)

I sense strong influence by Scar Symmetry


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## syndrone (Mar 13, 2018)

Definitely!! 

I probably need to add: Per is one of my favorite metal guitar players!


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## Metalloutd (Mar 14, 2018)

Meshugghian/Tech rhy gtrs ... so .. I like a lot! Great Work!
I would like to be good like you in solos!


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## syndrone (Mar 14, 2018)

Thanks!  

Well, if you like my soloing and you got any questions, feel free to ask! I`m happy if I can help (if I can help at all)!


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## Metalloutd (Mar 14, 2018)

ahahah thanks! But I'm too old to improve myself!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 14, 2018)

what ive listened to so far is great...gonna check out more later when i get time. 

congrats on the project!


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## will_shred (Mar 14, 2018)

holy shit that's awesome


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## syndrone (Mar 15, 2018)

Thanks guys! Much appreciated! 

I forgot to mention that there are 2 sweeet guest solos as well by Paul Wardingham and Keegan Donovan!


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## Slunk Dragon (Mar 17, 2018)

Love the sound of this record, man! What did you use for mastering this album? It sounds so crystal clear, I'm pretty dang jealous.


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## syndrone (Mar 18, 2018)

Slunk Dragon said:


> Love the sound of this record, man! What did you use for mastering this album? It sounds so crystal clear, I'm pretty dang jealous.



Thanks for the kind words!  

The mastering chain was pretty basic: Used a SSL Master Buss Compressor for the glue, then went into a LinMB (linear phase multi band comp) and then straight into a L2 limiter.


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## duffbeer33 (Mar 18, 2018)

This sounds fantastic.


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## BlackFalcon17 (Mar 19, 2018)

This is dope.


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## syndrone (Mar 20, 2018)

Thanks men! 

For those who found the album stream on Spotify: I decided to take it down from Spotify because music streaming services are a great idea but are bad for (independant) artists and devalues music imho...


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## Ericjutsu (Mar 23, 2018)

Sounds awesome. I like bass actually. Sounds really heavy. What amp did you use on the Axe FX and what IR?


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## syndrone (Mar 23, 2018)

Ericjutsu said:


> Sounds awesome. I like bass actually. Sounds really heavy. What amp did you use on the Axe FX and what IR?



Thanks mate! Same here with the bass, especially addicted to heavy palm mutes here ;P

I used the PVY 6160 Block and blended a Marshall and a Mesa Rectifier cab together. Both IR`s were from Digital Rosen (great IR`s!).


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## Unslaved (Mar 23, 2018)

Great work! Definitely in the realm of Meahuggah/SS/Conquering Dystopia type feel


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## IGC (Mar 23, 2018)

Tight! Yeah, I like it


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## narad (Mar 23, 2018)

Man, this is the best thing I've seen posted here in a long time. Awesome that you got Paul to guest solo!


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## Ericjutsu (Mar 24, 2018)

syndrone said:


> Thanks mate! Same here with the bass, especially addicted to heavy palm mutes here ;P
> 
> I used the PVY 6160 Block and blended a Marshall and a Mesa Rectifier cab together. Both IR`s were from Digital Rosen (great IR`s!).


Cool, thanks. I own some Rosen IRs. I didn't really like them because they sounded too scooped and shrill. Maybe ill give them another go because tone sounds great. I use a Line 6 Helix with mostly Ownhammer IRs


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## HUGH JAYNUS (Mar 24, 2018)

Do a play through video! This shit is badass!


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## ddtonfire (Mar 24, 2018)

Very well done!

What are you using for bass and drums?


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## ascl (Mar 26, 2018)

Nice work! Snagged a download, maybe you should put in on bandcamp? Also, any chance of getting a FLAC version rather than mp3?


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## feilong29 (Mar 26, 2018)

Wow! Frikkin amazing!!!!!!! Reminds me of Paul Wardingham/Loomis/Scar Symmetry, but just as original as they are. Gonna buy as soon as I get home. Thanks for this brother. I wish I could be half as good as you with mixing and compositions. Are you self-taught or did you learn theory and stuff? So many questions haha.


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## syndrone (Mar 26, 2018)

thanks guys! 
Fredrik Thordendal, Per Nilsson and Jeff Loomis definitely had a big impact on me as a guitar player back in the day (apart from the shrapnel guys, obvously). Throw in Paul Wardingham and Andy James to complete the list and I feel like I need to go practicing again hahaha!

ascl: It is already on bandcamp (in .wav!) btw:
https://syndrone.bandcamp.com/releases

If you snagged a download from my website then you should be able to download mp3 AND .wav actually. If not, then I guess something went wrong. Shoot me a message on [email protected] with your details and I will have a look when I'm home on Thursday.
Also: Thanks for the support!  \m/

feilong29: I am completely self-taught. Mostly trial and error and googling for solutions plus countless sleepless, frustrated nights.. haha Eventually I got better and enough confident to self-produce. It was also the only way to make the album happen as I would have not been able to afford a mixing/mastering engineer because all other things such as artwork, equipment, CD production etc are expensive enough.... My bank account definitely reveals that I'm a musician hahaha!

About further questions: I'm happy to answer whatever you'd like to know if it's any helpful for you! :]


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## syndrone (Mar 27, 2018)

Sorry for the double reply, somehow missed some of the content...



narad said:


> Man, this is the best thing I've seen posted here in a long time. Awesome that you got Paul to guest solo!



Glad you dig it!  And Paul is such a kind person, man! Needless to say his solo is also awesome! Can't wait for his new album!



Ericjutsu said:


> Cool, thanks. I own some Rosen IRs. I didn't really like them because they sounded too scooped and shrill. Maybe ill give them another go because tone sounds great. I use a Line 6 Helix with mostly Ownhammer IRs



They have a kinda scooped sound but I really like that. I found most IR's to sound quite honky, though not sure how the Helix sounds. But Ownhammer are really cool, too! 



HUGH JAYNUS said:


> Do a play through video! This shit is badass!



There is already one playthrough on YT ("Neuronic Breakdown") from last year! 
On the road now but when I'm home, I will shoot a playthrough of "Epsilon Eclipse" and tabs will be available for anyone who is interested as well as the whole track without the lead guitar to play along! ;p



ddtonfire said:


> Very well done!
> 
> What are you using for bass and drums?


Drums are entirely Steven Slate Drums (can't remember which kick and snare though..).
For bass I used a midi bass (Texas Grind) but also blended it with my real bass that I tracked. Mixed together to glue better with the guitars in the midrange, though I could/shoule have gone either midi only or real tracked bass only. Definitely won't do that again as it was more effort than worth it in the end! hahaha Funny experience tho and lots of sonic possibilities! :]


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## ascl (Mar 27, 2018)

Thanks for the reply, I assume I managed to F it up somehow, cause I only see the MP3 download. I shot you an email.

You have done a really good job on this album, definitely impressed!


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## syndrone (Mar 27, 2018)

ascl said:


> Thanks for the reply, I assume I managed to F it up somehow, cause I only see the MP3 download. I shot you an email.
> 
> You have done a really good job on this album, definitely impressed!



I am pretty sure the download got fucked up.. there is actually nothing you could do wrong on your end.
I will be home on Thursday and will take care of it. Can send you the download then with all the artwork as well

Thanks!  Good feedback means a lot to me! When I did the album there were times I thought: "what have I done?!" haha so I'm really glad people enjoy it in the end!


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## Xifter (Mar 27, 2018)

This caused me to make my first post in I don't know how many years.

Few thoughts:
1) the sound is massive in a good way.

2) Style though subjective, I personally loved. Some of the rhythm reminded me of Fear Factory only a more modern take. I definitely hear the shuggah and scar symmetry influences. Overall, can't say much more. My posting should give you credence to how well I thought of just the teasers alone.

3) I am happy to support you buy paying for your music some how, but am very sad to hear this is not available on Spotify. I love your music so far and was going to throw it in autorotation in my Spotify!

4) if you have a goal for what you want to achieve financially for this project (no need to share) do you believe it possible to raise or obtain those funds through another method? Then possibly re-upload to Spotify at some point? I think by it not being on Spotify, you limit your potential audience and those who would fund your next project etc.

Buying soon as I get home from work


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## syndrone (Mar 27, 2018)

Xifter said:


> This caused me to make my first post in I don't know how many years.
> 
> Few thoughts:
> 1) the sound is massive in a good way.
> ...



Thanks for your kind feedback and thoughts!  I think you made some very valid points. I guess it's a complicated but also very interesting topic, but well worth discussing!

Honestly, I am not about making money from this first album or trying to make as much money as possible in general. My financial goal would be to cover as much of the expenses that I had with the creation of it: artwork, pressing the CD, website, etc.
No need to be intransparent here on my end, so the expenses are around 2'000.00 dollars (of which I have not even covered 1/4th yet).  That way I would feel like it is a nice hobby and the reward wouldn't be money, but happy people/listeners, good socializing moments, chats and maybe exposure.

Initially, I wanted to give out the album for free to get as much exposure as possible btw, but the reaction was that some people treated it as worthless because it "didn't cost anything".... Some wouldn't even listen to it and just skip through the album in 1.5 minutes...

I like the theoretical idea of streaming services, so artists get both exposure AND money for their hard work. Great in theory but in practice we all know that nobody earns money from the streaming platforms - except the streaming platform itself (by ads or subscriptions). So I think streaming platforms such as Spotify are great for already known and big names who already sold millions of albums and are all about boosting their media-presence.
On the other hand, I can absolutely see your point in this regard so I am not trying to argue against it.. :]

The main reason I do not want to support Spotify and the likes is because they make everything available immediately at everyone's fingertips basically for free, so music in general gets devaluated a lot in my opinion (or whatever you throw at society for free). Many people would probably start to expect music to be entirely free and would lose perception of what it actually needs to make good quality music (which is probably already happening). Also, I kinda feel like good quality music would become rarer because somehow it wouldn't be worth to invest so much time and energy into making it..

I try to see it as a big picture, really. One of the biggest losses of humanity would be that people stop being passionate about music and instruments, mainly because it is not worth anymore to become better and reach for the big goals because those goals might not even exist anymore (if that makes any sense...!).

...a really long post now, possibly out of hand (sorry!), but definitely worth discussing about this topic! 
I guess there are as many pro's as contra's.
I think if I managed to cover half of the costs for the album I could see myself re-uploading it. Maybe even earlier, as the small release "hype" for the album is pretty much over already hahaha!

I'd love to read other opinions about this topic to be honest!


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## syndrone (Mar 28, 2018)

TL;DR: Streaming services are good and bad and I don't really know if it's worth it yet or not for me but I don't want to ruin it for people who love and rely on them so I might re-upload the album sooner or later.. or so... : )


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## ZombieDank (Mar 28, 2018)

Really great stuff man and I'm definitely excited to hear the full album!


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## syndrone (Mar 29, 2018)

C


ZombieDank said:


> Really great stuff man and I'm definitely excited to hear the full album!


Cheers, ZombieDank!


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## Backsnack (Mar 31, 2018)

Definitely getting a Scar Symmetry vibe, as well as some Jeff Loomis in there too.


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## Backsnack (Mar 31, 2018)

syndrone said:


> TL;DR: Streaming services are good and bad and I don't really know if it's worth it yet or not for me but I don't want to ruin it for people who love and rely on them so I might re-upload the album sooner or later.. or so... : )


FWIW, if I find a new, independent artist through Spotify, I'll usually check to see if they also have a Bandcamp page. If I like the material, I'll also purchase the FLAC album through Bandcamp to add it to my network playlist at home ... which I also did with your album. 

Cheers!


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## syndrone (Apr 2, 2018)

Backsnack said:


> FWIW, if I find a new, independent artist through Spotify, I'll usually check to see if they also have a Bandcamp page. If I like the material, I'll also purchase the FLAC album through Bandcamp to add it to my network playlist at home ... which I also did with your album.
> 
> Cheers!



First of all: Thanks for the support!  Glad you like it!

Second: thanks for the insight regarding Spotify as well. It is an interesting topic and one that's very ambivalent in many ways.
I think you prove that Spotify is just another platform for music and it's what people make out of it. At the end of the day, I'd prefer to have people = listeners rather than people = customers, and if people listen to music in a deliberate, conscious way (eventhough it was free), then I think it's definitely not problematc but actually constructive... :]


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## 07adams88 (Apr 2, 2018)

Nice! This is right up my ally for listening. I'll buy a copy.

I have a lot of questions but I'll reserve those for after I get back into recording. Working on a new studio setup.


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## syndrone (Apr 3, 2018)

07adams88 said:


> Nice! This is right up my ally for listening. I'll buy a copy.
> 
> I have a lot of questions but I'll reserve those for after I get back into recording. Working on a new studio setup.



Cool, thanks! Happy that you like what you hear!  

Nice, definitely curious about your setup! I personally made quite a bit of changes before starting to record and mix this album so I'm sure I could be supportive in some ways just because we all go through a similar process. 
I'd be happy to help as much as I can so just hit me up through my website or facebook!


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## 07adams88 (Apr 3, 2018)

syndrone said:


> Cool, thanks! Happy that you like what you hear!
> 
> Nice, definitely curious about your setup! I personally made quite a bit of changes before starting to record and mix this album so I'm sure I could be supportive in some ways just because we all go through a similar process.
> I'd be happy to help as much as I can so just hit me up through my website or facebook!



Bought it this morning, digging your lead melodies a lot! I'll listen to the rest of the album when I get home from work. Definitely a little bass heavy for my taste but overall that is a minor thing. (Probably wouldn't mind so much if I had subs in my car lol.)


I'm actually starting from scratch on my studio build. I made a post in this same section looking for advice due to the fact it's been so long since I've purchased computer or recording gear. I'm super tempted to knock my list down in price a bit so I can fit a kemper into (maybe a little over) my budget. Id go for Axe FX but I'm not good at digging into the tonal settings and developing from the ground up. I'm more of a modify a tone I already like type of guy.


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## 07adams88 (Apr 3, 2018)

Sorry for double post, phone wigged out.


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## syndrone (Apr 4, 2018)

07adams88 said:


> Bought it this morning, digging your lead melodies a lot! I'll listen to the rest of the album when I get home from work. Definitely a little bass heavy for my taste but overall that is a minor thing. (Probably wouldn't mind so much if I had subs in my car lol.)
> 
> 
> I'm actually starting from scratch on my studio build. I made a post in this same section looking for advice due to the fact it's been so long since I've purchased computer or recording gear. I'm super tempted to knock my list down in price a bit so I can fit a kemper into (maybe a little over) my budget. Id go for Axe FX but I'm not good at digging into the tonal settings and developing from the ground up. I'm more of a modify a tone I already like type of guy.




Thanks mate!  Hope you dig the rest of the album!

I just gave my thoughts in your other post. You`re pretty much on the right track, though it`s really hard to save a lot of money when starting from scratch... Regarding Axe Fx vs Kemper: I didn`t have much luck with the presets on the Axe Fx (although they do sound pretty good, I just don`t think that the metal presets are actually usable...). This is different with the Kemper which has decent and ready-to-go presets, actually. It`s also cheaper than the Axe-Fx although prices will probably drop a bit since the Axe III is out. 

Hard decisions and I hope you will be happy with your setup!


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## 07adams88 (Apr 4, 2018)

Played it while doing some computer work today. Digging it for sure man, awesome job! Jealous of you lead playing lol.


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## syndrone (Apr 4, 2018)

07adams88 said:


> Played it while doing some computer work today. Digging it for sure man, awesome job! Jealous of you lead playing lol.



haha glad you like it but there is no need to be jealous at all in my opinion...  In the end, it is just a couple of notes being played on a wooden fretboard - anyone can do that! ;P


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## 07adams88 (Apr 6, 2018)

After listening to the album throu a few times now on different systems I have determined it is too short. Lol jk.

Cyborg Nephilem and Plasmocyte are my favorites for sure. The bass heavy mix is growing on me too, mostly because of the fat riffs in Plasmocyte. 

Awesome job man, I look forward to hearing your next project.


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## syndrone (Apr 8, 2018)

Haha although it`s around 53 min long ;P 

Awesome! Cyborg Nephilim and Plasmocyte are definitely amongst my favorite as well. I really like Epsilon Eclipse as well (for which I just did a playthrough... just waiting for Keegan Donovan to record his part). I really like that simple melodic chorus but maybe that`s just me.... 

Thanks again for all your kind words! Already started working on new material. I think overall it`s gonna sound darker, shreddier and more in the vein of Cyborg Nephilim


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## syndrone (Apr 12, 2018)

The playthrough for "Epsilon Eclipse" is coming soon btw, plus there will be a TAB available plus the whole track minus the lead guitar to play along


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## syndrone (Apr 22, 2018)

...Playthrough is up for those who are interested!


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## Santuzzo (Apr 29, 2018)

I just watched the play through clip! Awesome music and great playing. I will purchase your album when back home tomorrow!


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## TheShreddinHand (Apr 30, 2018)

Really killer man, I bought it yesterday along with Paul's last couple albums. This is going to get a lot of plays!

Are you mostly in Drop A?


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## trem licking (Apr 30, 2018)

I've been seeing this post floating around for awhile, kind of wrote it off without even looking in it. After seeing it maintain a high spot on the que today, curiosity pulled me in... I'm glad I looked! this is really awesome man, was not expecting this at all. This is the kind of music I seek out. Extremely well done, you got another fan here! I will be keeping an eye out for your work.


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## syndrone (May 3, 2018)

Hey guys!

Sorry for the late reply. 

Thanks so much for checking it out and for the support! I appreciate it a lot!  

Regarding tuning: I used standard tuning on my 7 strings for the entire album. Used either B-standard or A-standard for the tracks. 
I don`t use drop tunings that much anymore... Been using it for years but never quite liked it as much as I like standard tuning. Though I have a couple of ideas that would work way better in drop tuning so I might explore it a bit again I guess....  

BTW: Paul`s new album is amazing!! \m/


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## Santuzzo (May 3, 2018)

I purchased your album download a few days ago and I have been listening to it several times since then. Awesome work, great songs, sick playing and also great production!


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## syndrone (May 3, 2018)

@trem licking: Darn, I kinda missed your post before. Thanks for having a look!  I know this whole post is somewhat self-promotion (and believe me, I don`t really enjoy doing it..) but I almost have no choice, I guess.... That being said, I love discussing about guitars, guitar playing and audio production, so it kinda balances it out a bit and I think it`s a good place to have such conversations in here! 

@Santuzzo: Thanks so much! Great to hear/read that you like it! 

If you are an Axe-Fx II user and are interested: I will be sharing the lead guitar preset in a couple of days when I`m home again!


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## TheShreddinHand (May 3, 2018)

syndrone said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry for the late reply.
> 
> ...



Awesome thanks!


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## Frey (May 10, 2018)

Very impressive work, congratulations on putting together a magnificent album! I didn't expect to find something so enjoyable. I'll be ordering a physical copy pronto  Your journey speaks to me as another person that's been taking a number of years to learn the ways of production. The quality of your work inspires me to trudge on forward!


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## syndrone (May 15, 2018)

Frey said:


> Very impressive work, congratulations on putting together a magnificent album! I didn't expect to find something so enjoyable. I'll be ordering a physical copy pronto  Your journey speaks to me as another person that's been taking a number of years to learn the ways of production. The quality of your work inspires me to trudge on forward!



Thanks so much for your kind post, Frey! This really means a lot to me!


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## syndrone (May 26, 2018)

hey there!

I hope it`s okay to post here again. Just letting everyone know that the album is now available on Spotify............ I guess in the modern world there is indeed no way around Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/album/7DI0OmSwoRN5vbDNFzF2Mi

That being said: There is a still a ton of physical CDs available if anyone wants to go the oldschool route  $

Cheers!
SYNDRONE


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## Descent (Jun 1, 2018)

Sounds good to me!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jun 2, 2018)

Good job man ! I definitely see Per Nilsson and Paul Wardingham influences. I mean that's a definitive positive  I'm a huge fan of both, so I'll definitely buy your album... now


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jun 2, 2018)

Good job man ! I definitely see Per Nilsson and Paul Wardingham influences. I mean that as a definitive positive  I'm a huge fan of both, so I'll definitely buy your album, like right now


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## syndrone (Jun 4, 2018)

Thanks a lot guys!!

eayottes, you are "hungryguitarstudent" from Instagram, right?  
Haha yeah, I guess it`s kind of obvious that both Paul and Per have influenced me a lot in the last years (even if I try to create my own style, tone and music!). Both absolutely great guitar players for sure!


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## groverj3 (Jun 4, 2018)

I really dig this. Definitely agree that I hear the Per Nilsson and Wardingham influences, but still different in its own way. Keep on jamming. I'll definitely buy!


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## syndrone (Jun 7, 2018)

Cheers groverj3! Glad you dig it!  

Updated my webpage www.syndrone-music.com with some Audio Production services! Obviously, if anyone has any questions or thinks I could be helpful in any way, feel free to just shoot me a message!


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## groverj3 (Jun 7, 2018)

syndrone said:


> Cheers groverj3! Glad you dig it!
> 
> Updated my webpage www.syndrone-music.com with some Audio Production services! Obviously, if anyone has any questions or thinks I could be helpful in any way, feel free to just shoot me a message!


It's important to me to be able to support artists directly, the music industry being what it is and all. I'm guessing that buying from your website leads to you getting more of the funds than from bandcamp, etc.?


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## Metalloutd (Jun 7, 2018)

Would you like to do a few solos on my songs? 


however great website and music man


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## syndrone (Jun 8, 2018)

groverj3 said:


> It's important to me to be able to support artists directly, the music industry being what it is and all. I'm guessing that buying from your website leads to you getting more of the funds than from bandcamp, etc.?



That`s right, I think Bandcamp takes around 3$ away so I get roughly 9$ for the digital download in the end. With the download on my page you get .mp3- as well as .wav-files for the same price. PLUS - and even if this has nothing to do with the price or if you buy anything at all because I`d do it anyway - you would have direct access to contact me in the most direct way, for example if you would like to have anything else like album artworks, presets [Axe Fx II], any information about how I made this or that on the album or whatnot... ;P I`m glad to send that stuff over! :]



Metalloutd said:


> Would you like to do a few solos on my songs?
> 
> 
> however great website and music man



Thanks, Metalloutd!  

I`d be happy to provide a guest solo for one of your tracks! Just get in touch with me on www.syndrone-music.com/contact or if you use Facebook you could also get in touch with me there (www.facebook.com/SyndroneStudio).


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## unclenono (Jun 10, 2018)

This is sick!


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## Metalloutd (Jul 3, 2018)

https://soundcloud.com/tiziano-metallo/i-could-not-give-up-feat-syndrone-guitar-solo-1

I really do not know how to thank SynDrome for its great performance on my song, he made a beautifull and inspired guitar solo; of course 
I will support his music and buy his beautiful album.


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## syndrone (Jul 4, 2018)

Metalloutd said:


> https://soundcloud.com/tiziano-metallo/i-could-not-give-up-feat-syndrone-guitar-solo-1
> 
> I really do not know how to thank SynDrome for its great performance on my song, he made a beautifull and inspired guitar solo; of course
> I will support his music and buy his beautiful album.



Thanks, Tiziano!
Enjoyed it a lot playing over your track!  Glad you like the solo!

Cheers!

PS: It`s SyndroNe, with "N"!  I just have to point it out because every 2nd time people accidentally write it with "M"  It`s funny though


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## Metalloutd (Jul 4, 2018)

Ahahah yesss 
in Italian the word "sindrome" it's about illness or something like that


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jul 7, 2018)

@syndrone : yeah, that's me  I posted the same thing on IG because I thought it important to show support. After more listens, my original feeling hasn't subsided; I absolutely dig your album ! Hope it receives a good response/following ! I'm looking forward to attempting to play some of your music.

Quick question: Are you more an economy picker or do you mostly do alternate picking ?


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## syndrone (Jul 9, 2018)

Metalloutd said:


> Ahahah yesss
> in Italian the word "sindrome" it's about illness or something like that


haha well, it doesn`t have anything to do with "syndrome", so...  



eayottes said:


> @syndrone : yeah, that's me  I posted the same thing on IG because I thought it important to show support. After more listens, my original feeling hasn't subsided; I absolutely dig your album ! Hope it receives a good response/following ! I'm looking forward to attempting to play some of your music.
> 
> Quick question: Are you more an economy picker or do you mostly do alternate picking ?


Thanks man! Glad you still like the album!  Building up a following and reaching people isn`t the easiest task... Still working on that so I`m really happy about any support that I can get! 

Cool! Would be awesome to hear other people play my stuff! There are TABS for 2 songs on my website now but I`m planning to do more... Though it is quite time-consuming. Hit me up if you need anything! 

Regarding your (very interesting!) question: I mostly do alternate picking and it`s probably my strongest technique. I can play most stuff with economy picking but I think it doesn`t sound as clean and articulate as alternate picking. Been working on this for many years now but I can`t seem to make it sound as good as alternate picking (might also have to do with my tone as I don`t use compressors for example and I like to accentuate certain notes or groups of notes which is super hard with economy picking). Generally, I only use economy picking when I exceed my limit of alternate picking speed (and surprisingly it starts to sound good at the very higher tempo). So I`m kinda more of a "Paul-Gilbert"-style guitar player than "Yngwie"-style guitar player - although Yngwie probably had the biggest impact on me haha!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jul 14, 2018)

Thanks for taking the time to explain your picking preferences. I better understand how fast, clean and accented picking runs came to be on your album. I initially thought you used solely economy picking and therefore wanted to know your secret 

For me, picking is the weakest part of my game. This week, I decided to try my hand at an Instagram solo contest - just for the experience of trying to come up with something on a backing track that they imposed. 

Long story to say that, besides figuring out that I need to learn to properly record, it made me realize how limited my picking game is. 

I'm starting to work on it more rigorously with Troy Grady's Cracking the Code. How did you hone your alternate picking chops ? By watching Paul Gilbert ?



syndrone said:


> Cool! Would be awesome to hear other people play my stuff! There are TABS for 2 songs on my website now but I`m planning to do more... Though it is quite time-consuming. Hit me up if you need anything!



I'll definitely try my hand at your tabs. Given my limited skills, I think 2 songs will be a lot to chew on for me


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## syndrone (Jul 15, 2018)

eayottes said:


> Thanks for taking the time to explain your picking preferences. I better understand how fast, clean and accented picking runs came to be on your album. I initially thought you used solely economy picking and therefore wanted to know your secret
> 
> For me, picking is the weakest part of my game. This week, I decided to try my hand at an Instagram solo contest - just for the experience of trying to come up with something on a backing track that they imposed.
> 
> ...



You`re welcome! 

And I guess the "secret" to economy picking is practicing but there are things that help it A LOT: compressors, a "fluid" sounding tone with lots of mids, a high string action (it really helps wih reducing the "gurgling" sound) and single coils also help. YJM uses all of the above and he uses economy picking a lot and actually sounds very good with it. Depends on what route you wanna take and if it fits your style and imagination of a great tone.

Good luck with the solo over the track!  Pretty sure it`s a great experience and you can learn a lot from it.

Regarding Troy`s "Cracking the Code": I think there is some great information and insight on picking technique, but I personally disagree to many things he says. Also, his approach seems way too general if you ask me. With this, I mean that he tries to give the impression that there is the ONE picking technique that works for all. Which is totally wrong IMHO. The way to go is to just play and practice exercises while always feeling comfortable doing it. Do what feels right to you. A little bit of common sense helps (for example try to make small but dinstinct movements) but f it doesn`t come naturally and feels comfortable then something is wrong I guess. In the end it`s just about practicing slowly and developing speed, the rest comes with time. Just go for it and try not to think that you can do something fundamentally wrong. Once you developed a good technique you can start to hone it.

I personally didn`t do it by watching Paul Gilbert or others because by watching someone else too much, one usually falls into the trap of copying something that may or may not work since everyone has individual preferences, an individual anatomy, different strenghts, etc. It can be a limitation. I mean it`s always good to get an inspiration or get "into the ballpark" by watching someone else, but let`s say you watch George Lynch and then watch Marty Friedman, you would basically end up having more questions because both their picking technique is TOTALLY different, yet they can work with what they developed (because it felt natural to them I guess!).

The very best thing from my experience is to create picking patterns and concepts that you can adapt to different licks and that aren`t super hard to execute. Like that you practice not only 1 lick, but a pattern or concept that lets you play various different licks and musical ideas that sound very different, yet use the same underlying "scheme".

Hope that helps! I`m happy to give you some patterns and examples that I use a lot but in the TABS for the "Epsilon Eclipse" and "Heartbeta 2.0" you find many of those concepts. If you are solely looking for alternate picking stuff then just hit me up, I can give you some.  

Cheers!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jul 15, 2018)

Thanks for the tips on economy picking. I think I'm getting better at it but I was not aware that lots of mids and high string action would help.

I've been trying to alternate pick like Troy suggests for about 2 weeks, and I have to say parts of it are not natural to me. For example, his "two way pick slanting" for ascending runs is just alien to me, i.e. my progress is slower than usual for that aspect. I'll definitely follow your advice and try to focus on what is natural to me.



syndrone said:


> Hope that helps! I`m happy to give you some patterns and examples that I use a lot but in the TABS for the "Epsilon Eclipse" and "Heartbeta 2.0" you find many of those concepts. If you are solely looking for alternate picking stuff then just hit me up, I can give you some.



I just bought your tabs for these two songs (and physical CD). Can't wait to try my hand at them  Thanks for the offer and for taking the time to explain all this 



syndrone said:


> You`re welcome!
> Good luck with the solo over the track!  Pretty sure it`s a great experience and you can learn a lot from it.
> Cheers!



I finally posted my entry for the solo contest on Instagram. It was a challenge to find something that fits on the backing track to be honest. Here's what I came up with. No worries if you don't have the time or the desire to listen to it. http://sevenstring.org/threads/my-1st-guitar-solo-contest.330835/


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## syndrone (Jul 15, 2018)

eayottes said:


> Thanks for the tips on economy picking. I think I'm getting better at it but I was not aware that lots of mids and high string action would help.
> 
> I've been trying to alternate pick like Troy suggests for about 2 weeks, and I have to say parts of it are not natural to me. For example, his "two way pick slanting" for ascending runs is just alien to me, i.e. my progress is slower than usual for that aspect. I'll definitely follow your advice and try to focus on what is natural to me.
> 
> ...



Mids make the guitar sound way fuller and it makes soloing way easier because it is easier to have a good, stable tone IMO. Try scooping the mids to max and then practice; all notes will sound crap and you will end up having no tone and only attack noise from your pick. Mids help the pick attack vs. noise and a higher string height helps this plenty as well, though it makes everything else a bit harder to play so there is always a compromise!  

This slanting thing that Troy explains is exactly what I mean for example. There is no reason you HAVE to do that. It might work from a theoretical point of view, but not necessarily from a practical/mechanic point of view, plus it can feel very alien like you describe it. It might come natural to you if your hand decides to do that but I would never force it to be honest. I`m sure you will develop your picking technique further more and however it will look like or what concept it will follow in the end, it will definitely work for you - I`m sure!
Also, people like Marshall Harrison (who is featured in one of the pick slanting videos) disagrees with the slanting thing as well. There is a video in which Marshall even says that he doesn`t believe in this slanting thing at all. haha

Awesome, thanks for the purchase! I guess you`re Etienne, then.  I will give you my go-to picks for both rhythm and lead guitar playing. Maybe you hate them, maybe you like them - especially the lead guitar pick that I often use is awesome for alternate picking and economy picking (and sweeping as well) because it rolls really nicely over the strings but still has plenty of pick attack.  Those are the picks that I use in studio often, though for live gigs I usually use a regular Jazz III pick because I cannot switch picks. You will notice, the Jazz III is really in the middle of the two! haha 

Just checked out your solo. Well done! Good melodies and great pacing - I really think that`s important when composing/playing a solo and you did a great job on that! Wish you good luck with the contest!  \m/


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jul 17, 2018)

I agree about Troy Grady. I tend to view his tutorials as suggestions, i.e. if it works for me, then that's great, but I won't practice something for weeks if it doesn't eventually become mechanically intuitive for my hands. I haven't seen the video with Marshall, I'll watch it for sure  In his more recent videos, Troy appears to be open about criticism and seems to have a "whatever works for you" vibe, which is a good change from his old videos that seemed (to me anyhow) to have a "car salesman" tone.



syndrone said:


> Awesome, thanks for the purchase! I guess you`re Etienne, then.  I will give you my go-to picks for both rhythm and lead guitar playing.



Thanks a lot ! That's very kind and unexpected  I mostly play with Jazz III because of Per Nilsson, but I can't wait to try yours and see how they feel.



syndrone said:


> Just checked out your solo. Well done! Good melodies and great pacing - I really think that`s important when composing/playing a solo and you did a great job on that! Wish you good luck with the contest!  \m/



Thank you for taking the time to listen to my video and to comment it. It's great to have feedback from an accomplished professional  I've started to record more often my improvisation sessions. When I began doing this, besides noticing more clearly the holes in my technique, I noted that my solos were "too dense". I've been trying to focus more on "telling a story" with melody, therefore I'm happy that you found it melodic. Thanks again for all the help


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## djordan (Jul 24, 2018)

Just wanted to drop in and say the album is freakin' awesome! Just bought a copy after watching your playthroughs on YouTube \m/

edit: FYI when I add the downloaded album(.wav) to iTunes there does not appear to be metadata for the artist name, album name, or genre name


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## syndrone (Jul 26, 2018)

eayottes said:


> I agree about Troy Grady. I tend to view his tutorials as suggestions, i.e. if it works for me, then that's great, but I won't practice something for weeks if it doesn't eventually become mechanically intuitive for my hands. I haven't seen the video with Marshall, I'll watch it for sure  In his more recent videos, Troy appears to be open about criticism and seems to have a "whatever works for you" vibe, which is a good change from his old videos that seemed (to me anyhow) to have a "car salesman" tone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah, I totally felt that car-salesman vibe as well. 

Ha, that`s what I assumed! Been using the jazz III for years and still use it depending on the situation but I like those other picks a lot and I hope you will like them as much as I do!

You`re welcome man! I definitely think that it`s the right thing to focus more on a kind of "story-telling" rather than just trying to fit in as many notes as possible and the story came through really nicely in your solo! 



djordan said:


> Just wanted to drop in and say the album is freakin' awesome! Just bought a copy after watching your playthroughs on YouTube \m/
> 
> edit: FYI when I add the downloaded album(.wav) to iTunes there does not appear to be metadata for the artist name, album name, or genre name



Thanks a lot for chiming in!  Glad you like the album and thanks for the support!
Also, thanks a bunch for letting me know about the metadata thing. Crap, I was almost sure that they are in the tracks but seems I failed. haha I will definitely try to fix that.


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Jul 29, 2018)

Thanks for the picks !! Can't wait to try them


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 4, 2018)

I really like your lead tone on the album. What are the basic components and settings that helped you achieve that tone ? I'm asking for a friend who absolutely sucks at dialling-in a good lead tone (and uses BiasFx for lack of having an AxeFX-II) 

I totally understand if you'd rather not give the specifics of your secret sauce


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## Metropolis (Aug 4, 2018)

eayottes said:


> I really like your lead tone on the album. What are the basic components and settings that helped you achieve that tone ? I'm asking for a friend who absolutely sucks at dialling-in a good lead tone (and uses BiasFx for lack of having an AxeFX-II)
> 
> I totally understand if you'd rather not give the specifics of your secret sauce



Sounds like tubescreamer or some other boost into hi-gain amp model and cab modeling with V30 speakers, maybe touch of delay, rest is finger tone and post processing . Also that kind of tone often has eq before amp for cutting bass, or after to boost some mids between 1-2kHz.

BiasFx lacks in almost every possible part of signal chain, mostly in amp modeling and cabs because they simply don't have good enough sonic qualities when compared to something better. With Bias I would use impulse responses that sound realistic as possible, Ownhammer, ValhallIR etc. to mention few.

In cheap plugins Kazrog Thermionik 5 might be closest thing to AxeFX if he's willing to try something else. If you listen to modelers such as Axe or Kemper, they are quite fizzy and have lots of overtones, but that is what helps to cut through mix and they leave a lot of room for post processing because of that.


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## Metropolis (Aug 5, 2018)

Also what I heard was synths playing same parts as lead guitars in some places, it makes really distinct and airy sound. Small touch of chorus could do quite similar tone too, to have more space in stereo field.


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## syndrone (Aug 5, 2018)

eayottes said:


> I really like your lead tone on the album. What are the basic components and settings that helped you achieve that tone ? I'm asking for a friend who absolutely sucks at dialling-in a good lead tone (and uses BiasFx for lack of having an AxeFX-II)
> 
> I totally understand if you'd rather not give the specifics of your secret sauce



Thanks! 
Well, there is no secret sauce at all! Though if there was one, I would definitely share it with everyone who`d kindly ask for it because I am not this kind of person who needs to keep everything for himself just because of some inherent fear of getting outperformed by his own tips and tricks ......  In fact, I`m happy to send the Axe Fx preset to anyone who wants it. Just let me know if you want me to send it to you! 

That being said, the basic components are indeed very basic and Metropolis already gave some very valuable and super accurate information. I can`t stress enough how important and how much influence finger tone has; It`s probably 70% of the tone in the end. For every production that I do, I use different tones but somehow, I end up sounding the same all the time haha
I mean, every solo on the following link was done using a different guitar, pickup and a totally different Axe-Fx preset, yet they sound VERY much alike if you ask me: https://syndrone-music.com/guest-solos

Now, regarding the "formula": The chain is usually just a mid-focused hi-gain amp->cab->delay->reverb. Sometimes I use a TS before the amp, but more often than not I don`t. Though I used one for this particular lead tone. 

To me, the most important part is finding a hi-gain amp that has plenty of mids around 500 - 1500hz. I think this is the area where the "warm" mids sit and a good amp-voicing is quite crucial to get a good lead tone. Search a good cab that works well with that particular amp and then try to make a good tone without using anything before or after these two components. I always aim for a very balanced tone so a more or less flat tone is key IMHO! Usually, there will be quite a bit of mud in the 150 - 500hz area that you cannot dial away with the amp itself so you can add an EQ after the cab and just make the tone tight (or try to use a TS) but don`t overdo it, because it`s easy to make the tone thin and lifeless there. Try to find a good balance between tightness and warmth.
As far as Cabs go: I used a stock Axe Fx cab for the lead tone but I definitely recommend ValhallIR cabs. I use them nowadays and I think they sound REALLY good!

BTW: I add delay and reverb during post-processing so my tone is usually dry when recording. If a tone sounds nice when being dry, it will sound awesome when being wet! 

Hope that helps! Otherwise just ask and I`m happy to answer anything else!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 5, 2018)

Thank you @Metropolis for your answer. I was joking, the question is for me (not for a friend). I agree that Bias is not that great, but I'll try to make it work using IRs while waiting to have more funds to get something better (I also have access to Pod Farm 2, but haven't come around to using it yet). As you can tell by my response, I'm an utter noob when it comes to gear and recording; your advice will therefore be very useful.

@syndrone After listening to your guest solos, I'd have to agree that there are clear similarities between all the tones, the common denominator being your fingers  My problem is more basic, in that I'm hard pressed to even get a decent tone on my own. Maybe it's Bias, maybe it's me needing to work more at it. I'll definitely keep at it using your advice (and that of @Metropolis). Thank you for taking the time to answer my very basic questions and for your openness in sharing information. It's super appreciated. If the offer still stands, I'd be curious to look at your AxeFX presets. Do you use AxeFX II (XL+) or AxeFX standard ? (I'll try to find a program to extract the setting without having to own an AxeFX)


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## syndrone (Aug 9, 2018)

I really think that the tone is very much influenced by what surrounds it and how it is processed and sits in the mix. I think my tone isn`t super nice on its own!
Also the speakers that you`re listening with can make a difference. Cheap logitech speakers will always .. well.. sound cheap! haha Though if I remember correctly I have seen some decent studio monitors in your contest solo, so that might not be a problem.

Sometimes it`s just about accepting a tone btw.  As stupid as it sounds but I cannot find a bad tone nowadays. I always find something that sounds cool with a tone and usually it just takes some minor tweaks until I`m cool with a tone. Sure, the Axe Fx sounds really well but I think Bias can sound pretty cool, too!

I use the Axe Fx II standard, the original one. I will send you the lead patch! 


EDIT: If you use Pod Farm 2, make sure you try the "modern hi gain" model. It is by far one of the best sounding amps for lead tones when it comes to Pod Farm (imho)!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 11, 2018)

I can relate concerning Logitech speakers, I recently threw mine in the trash and bought JBL LSR305 monitors. While not perfect, I really like them so far.

I guess my constant fiddling with my tone is mostly due to my inexperience and not having fully realized what you pointed out (i.e. in the end the other tracks and the mix will be determining factors).

I'll definitely have a look at your AxeFx II preset to gain some insights. Thanks a lot for sharing 

Oh, and thanks for the tip concerning the Line 6 Modern High Gain, it sounds great 

P.S.: for those like me who don't own an Axe FX II, there's a nice Windows app that can open .syx files and show the signal chain + settings: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-ii-preset-report-generator.54638/


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## syndrone (Aug 15, 2018)

Yeah, speakers play a huge role in creating a good tone and actually being able to judge how the tone sounds. 
I`m sure you will get a great tone that you like soon enough!  

You`re welcome, man! Hope you can get some benefit from looking at my signal chain. If you need anything else, just let me know!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 25, 2018)

I finally decided to rob a bank and buy an AxeFX 2 XL+  Actually, I found a good online deal. I absolutely love the AxeFX and I really like your preset ! Thanks again ! 

The preset sounds great on its own (and all other presets I've tested), but when I try to play over a backing track, it sounds buried in the mix. To cut through, I guess I have to raise the mids and cut the lows to get a more narrow frequency profile, but I have absolutely no clue how to go about this (where to put the EQ, which EQ to use and what frequency profile/settings to aim for). Don't hesitate to tell me if you don't have the time to answer such basic questions


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 26, 2018)

Edit: I'm ashamed to say it appears I had installed an old version of the Axe firmware hehe. With the latest firmware my problem is lessened considerably. I still need to figure out how to better cut through the mix but re-reading earlier posts I think I have some testing to do. Apologies for disturbing you guys


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## syndrone (Aug 31, 2018)

eayottes said:


> Edit: I'm ashamed to say it appears I had installed an old version of the Axe firmware hehe. With the latest firmware my problem is lessened considerably. I still need to figure out how to better cut through the mix but re-reading earlier posts I think I have some testing to do. Apologies for disturbing you guys



Congrats for the the upgrade mate! 
I`m sure you will have great tones with it and be really happy with the purchase.

Regarding EQ and how to cut through a mix: I would really just cut the lows first and raise volume of your solo track. Then cut out more of what you don`t like when the volume has been raised.
I personally would always do one step after the other and judge, e.g. not boost mids and cut lows at the same time because this usually leads to unbalanced tones very fast. 
Also, I wouldn`t boost too much mids anyway but rather take out some low and high end, especially the stuff you don`t like. It is way easier to control your sound because a mid boost often introduces honkyness and a kinda "nasal" character. 

Last but not least, if the mix you are trying to cut through doesn`t have the space needed for your tone, then you will have a hard time to make it actually cut through so you might first have a look at all other tracks that occupy the area in which your lead and all the notes you play reside. Carve some frequencies out in this spot and make space for your lead guitar. I like midcut tones so if you have a mid-heavy mix my preset might not work very well (although the preset still has plenty of mids so that should actually not be the problem).

Regarding EQ in general: Any basic EQ works the same because it is just boosting or cutting frequencies, so it doesn`t really matter which one you take. Graphic EQ`s provide less control but sometimes are easier to use. Parametric are great for surgical moves (I prefer the latter). You can place it before the amp (so you basically have influence on how your guitar sounds aka the signal going into the amp) or place it after the amp which alters the sound of the actual amp/cab combo. It`s two different ways of EQ`ing a s guitar signal but both worth exploring. Note that before the amp has way less effect and needs subtle and specific treatment, so I recommend just dial in a great tone that you like, balance it out with the EQ of the amp and then EQ after the amp/cab block or in the DAW, respectively to make it work in the mix. Plus, very important: Always adjust volume whenever you made some EQ choices!

Hope that helps. There are no specific rules when it comes to high gain guitar tones in terms of frequency and what to boost or what to cut, so just use your ears until you`re happy and don`t be afraid to have 2 or 3 EQ`s in your chain.  

Cheers!


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks for the tips ! There's a lot of very useful info in there  I think one of my main problems was not analyzing the frequency ranges of other tracks correctly and therefore competing for the same spot as other instruments/tracks. I'm looking forward to coming back from work and testing your suggestions


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