In my gain mistake video, I showed you how using less amp gain and a Tube Screamer with the drive at zero produces a tighter metal guitar tone. But what if a simple EQ plugin could do it even better? In this video, I test using a stock Reaper EQ (ReaEQ) before a high-gain amp sim to shape the DI signal with more control than a Tube Screamer, and compare all three approaches in the context of a full mix.
📌 What's covered:
- Why some viewers prefer EQ over a Tube Screamer in front of the amp
- The exact EQ settings: high-pass at 100Hz, dip at 546Hz, boosts at 900Hz and 3.5kHz, low-pass at 10kHz, +6dB gain
- A head-to-head comparison in a full mix: amp only vs. Tube Screamer vs. EQ
- Which approach produces the tightest metal guitar tone that actually cuts through
📥 Guitar & Bass DI Recording Guide: https://liquidstudiosli.com/guitar-bass-guide/
🎥 Related Video:
The Gain Mistake Every Home Metal Recorder Makes: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Wz08e5ubog0#musicproduction
Chapters:
00:00 Too Much Gain Recap
00:27 Tube Screamer vs EQ Idea
01:10 Test Setup in Full Mix
01:33 Low Gain Amp Baseline
02:12 Tube Screamer Boost Demo
03:01 Why Tube Screamer Works
03:30 EQ Before the Amp Settings
05:05 EQ Method in the Mix
05:56 A B C Comparison
07:07 Final Verdict and Next Steps
07:36 Free Guide and Outro
🔥 Hire me to mix your next track: https://liquidstudiosli.com/offer-video-2
📥 Free Resources For Metal Bands: https://liquidstudiosli.com/resources
👉 Subscribe for more metal production tips: https://youtube.com/@danielthabet?sub_confirmation=1
#metalproduction #guitartone #ampsim #tubescreamer #metalrecording #reeq #reaperdaw