# Playing... FEAR FACTORY - What to use ?



## Sebastian (Oct 1, 2006)

Ok, so what effects do i have to use to have a good FF sound...
I know here are some FF fans... 
Thanks


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## EdgeCrusher (Oct 1, 2006)

You dont need any effects, all you need is brutal distortion, maybe an EQ pedal to dial in a tight sound, and a super heavy pick attack. EMG's would help too. He used a modded JCM800 for Demanufacture and Obsolete, then switched to Line6 PodXT pros into mesa tube power amps for Digimortal, only cuz his modded marshal got stolen.


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## Volsung (Oct 2, 2006)

Also keep in mind the tunings used on certain FF records. For instance:

S.O.A.N.M--B
Demanufacture--B
Obsolete--A
Digimortal--B,A (for most of the record), and G

As for Archetype and Transgression, I believe it's mostly (if not souly) B tuning. 

One last thing I'll mention is that Dino had a chorus pedal in his Marshall rig. I don't know how it was used, but it was there. 

Hope this helps, and if ya already knew this...well...........:runs out the door:


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

Volsung said:


> Also keep in mind the tunings used on certain FF records. For instance:
> 
> S.O.A.N.M--B
> Demanufacture--B
> ...



Bad misinformation there. Obsolete has songs in B (Hi-Tech Hate, Resurrection, etc) as well as A. Archetype and Transgression do as well.

FF really doesnt use fx, on Digimortal they used some a bit, but in general its just straight up. There might be some on Transgression but I don't consider that a genuine FF album.


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## Brord (Oct 2, 2006)

Dino uses chorus on his clean sound. Make sure you have a NOISEGATE to get that instant silence on the stackato ritm playing and make sure to use a decent amount of mid's, dino got most of it's low end out of the low mid register. Use plenty of highs and be a little more gentle on the precense. Use just enough gain to get the palm muted notes nice and crunchy (more of a scraping sound than a thud in the chest). Use LIGHT strings (.10's for standard tuning + .52 for the low B he used) Emg 707's and heavey pick attack wil help a lot.


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

Im pretty sure he uses 9s for B and 10s for A. Its likely the .052 is for B tuning. I cant imagine tuning ADGCFAD with a .052, i'd think it would be at least a .056.


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## Brord (Oct 2, 2006)

Well, I'm pretty sure that's what I read, but I'm not going to argue about such details... Anyway he uses light strings.


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

Yes, the light strings definitely play a HUGE part in his crisp tight huge tone.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> Im pretty sure he uses 9s for B and 10s for A. Its likely the .052 is for B tuning. I cant imagine tuning ADGCFAD with a .052, i'd think it would be at least a .056.



I remember reading he uses/used a 50" anything over that was muddy to him.



EdgeCrusher said:


> You dont need any effects, all you need is brutal distortion, maybe an EQ pedal to dial in a tight sound, and a super heavy pick attack. EMG's would help too. He used a modded JCM800 for Demanufacture and Obsolete, then switched to *Line6 PodXT *pros into mesa tube power amps for Digimortal, only cuz his modded marshal got stolen.



nope just line6 pods. Dino said he found his sound playing with a line6 pod(tight high gain) with the mesa power amp (tube warmth and tone) He a/b'd them with recto's but chose the line6 due to the slight tube sag with the recto's


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

Ibanez (with EMG and painted neck, set trem) --> Pod Pro (not XT I'm pretty sure) --> Mesa 2:90 --> 2xMesa 2x12 cabs

that was around 2000 I think?


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2006)

InTheRavensName said:


> Ibanez (with EMG and painted neck, set trem) --> Pod Pro (not XT I'm pretty sure) --> Mesa 2:90 --> 2xMesa 2x12 cabs
> 
> that was around 2000 I think?



yeah sound about right. I remember the thing about the painted neck too.


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## Sebastian (Oct 2, 2006)

Thanks for help..


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

...more sustain? wasn't there an extra fret in there somewhere too?


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## Stitch (Oct 2, 2006)

He also used a filter pedal (like the Ibanez LF-7 Lo-Fi) for those scratchy, look-mum-no-bass-or-mids sound (3:03 in No One or 2:44 of Back The Fuck Up offa Digimortal). I believe he also uses chorus for the "melodic" bits in song where there are single string ideas; i.e (Memory Imprints) Never End and Descent for two examples. Does he not use the Vetta II now? Seems bloody stupid that Line 6 wouldn't advertise his usage of it...


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## Rick (Oct 2, 2006)

stitch216 said:


> He also used a filter pedal (like the Ibanez LF-7 Lo-Fi) for those scratchy, look-mum-no-bass-or-mids sound (3:03 in No One or 2:44 of Back The Fuck Up offa Digimortal). I believe he also uses chorus for the "melodic" bits in song where there are single string ideas; i.e (Memory Imprints) Never End and Descent for two examples. Does he not use the Vetta II now? Seems bloody stupid that Line 6 wouldn't advertise his usage of it...



Where did you see he uses the Vetta? As far as I've known he's used the POD Pro and Flextone II head.

I think it's funny how no one's talked about Christian's sound. I prefer Dino's myself.


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

Christians sound is just a Krankenstein I think.


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## Rick (Oct 2, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> Christians sound is just a Krankenstein I think.



Exactly.


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## Sebastian (Oct 2, 2006)

Well... not so sure if its only a Krankenstein...

I prefer Christian (i dont say Dino is worse.. i just like Christian more...)


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

I think I prefer Christian's playing...

as for his rig, he has a powerbook and guitar rig II for FX I think...


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

Really? Wow.. have you heard the album "Demanufacture" or "Osbolete"? Christians not bad but the FF style is 100% Dino, Christian is pretty much just doing his best impersonation right now.


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

mm..maybe, tbh I'm not a huge fan so I'm talking from memory here...


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## Sebastian (Oct 2, 2006)

Well , there will be no one like Dino anymore... 
But Christian plays the songs good... like the Big Day Out 2004 - great concert...


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

I'm looking forward to the new Asesino record. That's some intense stuff. I love Fear Factory, they are one of my top 5 all-time bands, but they need to redeem themselves after Transgression.


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## Sebastian (Oct 2, 2006)

That is right...
Well i cant buy the first Asesino record in Poland.. that sucks... Lets just hope the new FF album (2008 ?/. probably) will be a Killer album


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## Martin_777 (Oct 2, 2006)

2 of Dinos rigs are on guitargeek.com

1998:
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/534/

2001:
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/535/


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## Sebastian (Oct 2, 2006)

Saw it earlier.. thanks...


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## Volsung (Oct 2, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> Bad misinformation there. Obsolete has songs in B (Hi-Tech Hate, Resurrection, etc) as well as A. Archetype and Transgression do as well.
> 
> FF really doesnt use fx, on Digimortal they used some a bit, but in general its just straight up. There might be some on Transgression but I don't consider that a genuine FF album.



You correct on some level. As far as Dino's tuning on Obsolete, it is in A. Dino didn't play an open A on Resurrection. The lowest note in the tune is a freted B note. It's all here in their 'Evolution of Fear Factory' book. It's possible to play Resurrection on a standard B tuned guitar and be note for note accurate though. And I'm sure that the same situation can apply to Hi-Tech Hate as well. 

To see it in action, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMgSTxyoCFE (video and audio are a little off). 

Now for Archetype and Transgression, I'm not 100% sure of and I hope I didn't come off as 'all knowing' about those records.


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

There are a few songs on "Obsolete" that are in BEADGBE tuning. It's not just that on a few of the songs the lowest note is B, its that in certain chords theres open note drones that are clearly in B. Same goes for Digimortal. There is no way Ressurection is in A, for example..


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## Stitch (Oct 2, 2006)

Christian's sound never really impressed me, but in retrospect thats probably because i had heard it all with Dino's sound. This isn't a sleight against Christians rig (it sounds fucking good in isolation) but it doesnt grab you and go "shit!" like Dino's first did. Its refreshingly different from all the scooped mids-no definition shit that is everywhere. Transgression was pish-poor, although Christians sound on Archetype isn't a Krankenstein, its a marshall JMP-1.
As for the Vetta, i may have got slightly confused there, but im petty sure i have seen pics and interviews where he talks about his Vetta.


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

yea, Christian used to use a JMP-1/9200 setup, which Stephen Carpenter built for him...


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

I didnt realize a JMP-1 was capable of sounding that good. I mean it wasnt that ballsy, it needed the bass to fill it out, but it was pretty good.


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## Rick (Oct 2, 2006)

I thought the JMP wasn't that bad. 

Now the Krankenstein, on the other hand,


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## Stitch (Oct 2, 2006)

The krankenstein IMO is viciously overrated. Listening to Shadows Fall and Arch Enemy and Fear Factory who all used it, i just haven't been impressed. The fact that it doesnt even "do" clean makes me think its a stupidly overpriced re-work of my 6505, cos the cleans suck on that too!


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## InTheRavensName (Oct 2, 2006)

Arch Enemy seemed lacking with the Krank as opposed to the 5150's...


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## Volsung (Oct 2, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> There are a few songs on "Obsolete" that are in BEADGBE tuning. It's not just that on a few of the songs the lowest note is B, its that in certain chords theres open note drones that are clearly in B. Same goes for Digimortal. There is no way Ressurection is in A, for example..



Yeah I get ya. I think I'll leave this one in the air for another time. We need to ask Dino about all this. Didn't that Shannon fellow tell him about this site? We need an interview done by the fans. 

To Be Continued... 

ANYWAY, I hope I helped a little bit there VEGETATHEPUPPET


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

InTheRavensName said:


> Arch Enemy seemed lacking with the Krank as opposed to the 5150's...



Arch Enemy use the Krank Revolution head which supposedly is a lot better than the Krankenstein. Apparently the Rev1 is a legit tube amp and not solid-state like the Krankenstein. That being said I havent heard them live witih their Kranks so I can't judge, but 5150s are always amazing.


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## Shannon (Oct 2, 2006)

1) 7-string with light strings (10-50 for B songs, 10-52 for A songs)
2) Line6 Flextone (he's been using one for years)
3) EMG707 pickups

The only effects he's been known to use are...
Chorus and delay for cleans
Ibanez Lo-Fi pedal


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## zimbloth (Oct 2, 2006)

I thought it was 9-50 for B and 10-52 for A.. ah who cares, close enough  I did hear his EMG 707s are custom made anr voiced differently than stock ones though.


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## Shannon (Oct 2, 2006)

After talking with him, I can assure you, they are the same.


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## Regor (Oct 2, 2006)

EdgeCrusher said:


> He used a modded JCM800 for Demanufacture and Obsolete, then switched to Line6 PodXT pros into mesa tube power amps for Digimortal, only cuz his modded marshal got stolen.



The PodXT didn't even EXIST when Digimortal was released! As a matter of fact, the PodXT didn't even exist when Dino was IN Fear Factory. C'mon man.



Volsung said:


> Also keep in mind the tunings used on certain FF records. For instance:
> 
> S.O.A.N.M--B
> Demanufacture--B
> ...



Also keep in mind that SOANM and Demanufacture were done on 6 string guitars tuned to B. Not 7's. Dino didn't get into the 7's until after Deman was recorded. And Obsolete was done with tunings of B and A (along with a G song or two if you got the Digipak). Same with Digimortal.



Volsung said:


> As far as Dino's tuning on Obsolete, it is in A. Dino didn't play an open A on Resurrection. The lowest note in the tune is a freted B note. It's all here in their 'Evolution of Fear Factory' book. It's possible to play Resurrection on a standard B tuned guitar and be note for note accurate though. And I'm sure that the same situation can apply to Hi-Tech Hate as well.



Just because a publishing company releases the tab for an album doesn't mean it's 100% accurate either dude. Ever look at 'Blackened' for the AJFA album? It's WAY off base. Most of that album's book is. The only book I trust is books published or 'authorized' by their guitarist, i.e. Dream Theater tabs. JP looks over the tabs and corrects them if they're wrong.

Moral of the story: Don't trust what you read. Trust what you hear.



zimbloth said:


> There are a few songs on "Obsolete" that are in BEADGBE tuning. It's not just that on a few of the songs the lowest note is B, its that in certain chords theres open note drones that are clearly in B. Same goes for Digimortal. There is no way Ressurection is in A, for example..



+1 



stitch216 said:


> The krankenstein IMO is viciously overrated. Listening to Shadows Fall and Arch Enemy and Fear Factory who all used it, i just haven't been impressed. The fact that it doesnt even "do" clean makes me think its a stupidly overpriced re-work of my 6505, cos the cleans suck on that too!



Shadows Fall doesn't really use Krank amps. They're endorsed by them, but their stage amps are unloaded, dummy amps/cabs. Well, the cabs might be real, but the amp heads are clearly dummy. You can even see it in their magazine ads. (Although for the life of me I can't seem to google an image of their magazine ad...  )


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## Sebastian (Oct 3, 2006)

Awesome topic


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## Stitch (Oct 3, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> Arch Enemy use the Krank Revolution head which supposedly is a lot better than the Krankenstein. Apparently the Rev1 is a legit tube amp and not solid-state like the Krankenstein. That being said I havent heard them live witih their Kranks so I can't judge, but 5150s are always amazing.


I don't know who told you that but thats a load of balls. The krankenstein is full-blown valve amp - its part of the reason there was such a fuss about it, no one could imagine _dimebag_ using tubes...
The Revolution Series 1 is what the Krank is based on. It has a little less gain, but the cleans are clean and not "Kleen" as is written on the krankenstein. To my knowledge its supposed to be a bit more versatile (and i use that term loosely) but still metal as fuck. And yes, 5150s rule. Not having a go at you btw mate - just your info


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## sepsis311 (Oct 3, 2006)

Obsolete was G. You can hear it in one or two songs. I believe he dropped D, then dropped g.


Volsung said:


> Also keep in mind the tunings used on certain FF records. For instance:
> 
> S.O.A.N.M--B
> Demanufacture--B
> ...


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## Rick (Oct 4, 2006)

I think they were Soulwound and 0-0.


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## Lozek (Oct 6, 2006)

I know someone who has recorded Dino, who told me he plays VERY lightly which would seem to ring true with the light string gauge thing. 

Well, the phrase used was 'Plays like a girl'


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## Pauly (Oct 6, 2006)

Demanufacture = awesome guitar sound.

Where can I get some accurate FF tabs then, after seeing these tuning things I can safely say a lot of the stuff I've seen on the net is crap.


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## Regor (Oct 6, 2006)

Most of the time, I've found that if it's a .ptb file, they're not jackasses who just want to be famous by writing some .txt tab bullshit. They actually understand what they're doing and are more accurate.


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## Rick (Oct 6, 2006)

pauly-bobs said:


> Demanufacture = awesome guitar sound.
> 
> Where can I get some accurate FF tabs then, after seeing these tuning things I can safely say a lot of the stuff I've seen on the net is crap.



There is a Fear Factory tab book out.


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## Sebastian (Oct 8, 2006)

I have a good Demanufacture Tab, if you would be interested, well atleast i think it is good...

Edit : DEMANUFACTURE FUCKING RULES !!!!!


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