Michael Nielsen (Big Hairy Guitars ) Ask Me Anything?

[Ibanez_76]

@bhg

I'm now selling my fractal to get a GREAT combo amp. I'm torn between mezzabarba skill30 and soldano astro20. I have been playing last 20 years modellers and plugins. I bought a boss gt8 (if I remember the number correctly) when they came out like 2002. Then went on to plugins and fractal. Last year I begun to think I love tubeamps, why not go back to tubes. I got into preamps and now own a few good ones, most recently got the mesa studio preamp. And now the question! I play in my bedroom in the evenings when there are other membets of the family next door to me...Is it possible to get a decent sound out of skill30 or astro20 at those levels? I know I can go from astro to daw silently and get the sound of the monitors, but the idea would be to play thru the combo's speaker. Skill30 has some kind of attentuator system also built in. What do you think, will I be disappointed if I'll get a great combo amp and play it master at 1? Reason I'm thinking of a combo is that I could use the fx receive to run my studio preamp. Now it's connected to my fractal fm3 and from there to active monitors.

Others may also give their opinnion!

 

[Craig]

Hi Michael, just count me as one of many who love your original compositions that accompany your videos. I'm curious, do you play bass on those recordings and do you midi program drums or just use prebuilt grooves? Also, I really would like to hear how you get rid of all the pick attack and transients in the recording? Your recorded lead lines always sound so smooth, I was wondering if you could shed any light on how you achieve this? Thank you so much for your time.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I did have a TwoNotes compatible pack but I think I only sold 2. haha It was kinda confusing that it was only for TwoNotes, and not a IR that works in many formats. It's much more straightforward going through the TwoNotes shop. I think.

Hey Mike - if you only sold 2, I was one of them (the Vai cab pack). Love 'em!

And thanks for helping keep the 80's flame (and hair) alive.

 

[woody]

Michael, your non Revv 120 video effing slays.
That intro song is ridiculously great. Epic.
And thanks for sharing the way you got the filter sounds, this was such a standout moment in the song.
I'm off rummaging through my pedal stash right now...

 

[BigHairyGuitars]

I see that you're currently using some ATC SCM25A monitors whereas you were previously running the Barefoot Sound MicroMain 27 monitors. They're similarly priced. Which ones do you like better?

I greatly prefer the ATC's. They have essentially an opposite frequency emphasis to each other. The Barefoot MM27 (original version) is sort of happy face EQ, more high and deep lows, while the mids are pushed back a bit. The ATC have less high and low but a big broad natural midrange. I also run a sub with the ATC which is helpful. The MM27 don't need a sub.

@BigHairyGuitars how many MLB hats do you own?

I have a lot. I can probably pair it down to about 3 though. Dark dark blue Dodgers hat, black dodgers hat, and a totally blacked out hat. :)

Michael in your opinion which device is more accurate Kemper or Tonex,i cant ask for the QC because you dont own that device

Hard to answer that. They're all close, but none are dead on bullseye. The Kemper is always a little harder, tighter and scratchier. The Tonex is always a little puffier, softer, but pretty detailed, the QC is consistent, but kinda like 90%. Sometimes you get lucky and the 10% different doesn't matter, and the capture feels super close to the original. Other times, you have to do some tweaking, other times, I throw it out and try again.

@BigHairyGuitars chicken or beef?

Pork / Carnitas

What cheap audio interface would be the best? I'm intending to sell my fractal I've used as an audio interface for the last 3 years or so. Pricerange 150-200€. I had a scarlet before fractal and that sucked. Idea is to connect preamps to my daw where I can use poweramp modeling, ir, eq, reverbs, delays and such. The cheaper the interface, more money I have to purchase preamps. Looking to get 3-5 in the long run.

That's a tough question. The A/D D/A converters are SO good these days, even in the cheapest (reasonable) interface. So, it's like asking what's the best guitar under $200. There's LOTS of good guitars, but what features are you willing to overlook, or what will you tolerate, and which fits your needs the best. Essentially, I think you have to look at the features and work from there. If you have a 2in 2out, then you're never be able to re-amp anything... is that important to you? Is a 4x4 better, do you want dedicated reamp? Is the control room volume knob big and easy to access? Is it USB? I would definitely look for an interface that is not USB bus powered. They tend to have better specs, because they have more power... Unless portability is a key factor. I feel that I you stick with a name brand, you'll be in good shape. I like Audient, Focusrite, MOTU, UA, RME, etc.

 

[BigHairyGuitars]

Michael, your non Revv 120 video effing slays.
That intro song is ridiculously great. Epic.
And thanks for sharing the way you got the filter sounds, this was such a standout moment in the song.
I'm off rummaging through my pedal stash right now...

Thanks!!! I got really inspired working on that one. I'm finishing up my album, and that is one of the tunes for sure.

Hey Mike - if you only sold 2, I was one of them (the Vai cab pack). Love 'em!

And thanks for helping keep the 80's flame (and hair) alive.

THANK YOU! Awesome!!!!

@bhg

I'm now selling my fractal to get a GREAT combo amp. I'm torn between mezzabarba skill30 and soldano astro20. I have been playing last 20 years modellers and plugins. I bought a boss gt8 (if I remember the number correctly) when they came out like 2002. Then went on to plugins and fractal. Last year I begun to think I love tubeamps, why not go back to tubes. I got into preamps and now own a few good ones, most recently got the mesa studio preamp. And now the question! I play in my bedroom in the evenings when there are other membets of the family next door to me...Is it possible to get a decent sound out of skill30 or astro20 at those levels? I know I can go from astro to daw silently and get the sound of the monitors, but the idea would be to play thru the combo's speaker. Skill30 has some kind of attentuator system also built in. What do you think, will I be disappointed if I'll get a great combo amp and play it master at 1? Reason I'm thinking of a combo is that I could use the fx receive to run my studio preamp. Now it's connected to my fractal fm3 and from there to active monitors.

Others may also give their opinnion!

I haven't tried the Skill30, but I love the ASTRO20. It sounds great at low volumes because it's a heavily preamp dependent amp. Sounds great. I also prefer to play through a tube amp even if it's whisper quiet. It just spreads around the room in a 3D way that is more rewarding that software. I still use software a lot, but I always go back to the tube amp when I can. Plus, the Astro has that direct cab sim IR out, so you can run that into a DAW when you want.

 

[6CA7-A]

Love your proficiency and playing expertise.
Gotta admit the studio engineer recording stuff makes me fall asleep.

 

[BigHairyGuitars]

Hi Michael, just count me as one of many who love your original compositions that accompany your videos. I'm curious, do you play bass on those recordings and do you midi program drums or just use prebuilt grooves? Also, I really would like to hear how you get rid of all the pick attack and transients in the recording? Your recorded lead lines always sound so smooth, I was wondering if you could shed any light on how you achieve this? Thank you so much for your time.

Hi!
Thanks so much!

Bass, I usually play. I use a Dingwall NG-5. It's a bit of an odd futuristic looking thing, but sounds incredible. Make getting a bass tone really easy. I also will use a Fender P bass for vintage-y things sometimes. A few times I've programmed bass because I wanted it SUPER tight, or I was in a real rush. If I use programming, I usually use EZbass for the sound source, I also like Submission Audio EurobassII for some heavy tones bass programming.

Drums, it always depends. I try to look for something pre-programmed from something like Superior Drummer / EZ Drummer. It's nice to have a starting point, then I'll go in (often) and rework the kick and snare patters to what I need. I try to use pre-made drum fills, because I don't really care about programming fills. I'm pretty adept at programming, sometimes I'll program everything if I can't find some kind of groove that I'm looking for. I try to use a kit that I like. I generally like some of the Superior / EZ drummer kits, but then very often will layer in a new snare or kick sample, or change those out entirely to a different library. Sometimes something that I've custom recorded, or from another library.

Pick attack, I think that might be how the tone is balanced. If the bass, mid, and treble are balanced, then all of the frequencies will hit at a similar time, and there won't be a huge crack on the pick transient. The smoothness, might be from living in a studio for the last 30 years. So I always hear back what I've recorded. Then adjust and redo it, listen, adjust, redo. Just a process of refining what you're trying to hear from your playing, vs what your hands are doing. Trying to align those things.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

I don't have a question but your channel is great, one of my go-to for gear demos. So just thank you and keep up the good work!

 

[SteveLow74]

Hi Michael,
I see your video fo the Dann huff Tyler and I'll blowing away.... GASING to get one but in Italy they're hard to find.
Can it get in to a Hard rock territory? Winger like? Van Halenish?

Thanks for all your videos! keep the GAS level up!! hahaha
Cheers
Steve

 

[Ibanez_76]

I have a question about levels and gain staging. I bought brunetti mille preamp because I loved the sound on your video. The volume on mille is abou 11 o'clock. I run it through my only amp's power section, badcat lynx 50w. I keep the master volume at around 10-11 o'clock. Then I run to suhr reactive load and level is around 10 o clock. Then I run into my id4 audio interface and there the level is around -6db. Then it hits my DAW and libra where I have 2 ownhammer ir's blended and finally after reverbs and such to ssl 4000 plugin where I add some highs and take 1khz down -2 yo -4db. If I dont do that the sound from my yamaha hs7 is boxy. But when I compare my sound to your video, mine does not have the definition and lacks 3d girth. Somewhere along the line I do something wrong. It's the same if I run lynx using the same settings. The sound definitely is good but not as good as it could be. My guitar is ibanez rgt 220 with stock dimarzios

 

[maddnotez]

How do you start in that line of work? Hire an agent to shop for you?

 

[Eagle]

Hi Mike .
What is the best mini mixer to convert the loop in the X88ir to parallel. Still stereo and preferably one unit. ? I am wanting to use an Axe 3 on kill dry for fx only.

 

[GuitarAddicted]

Hi Michael,

I bought your cab packs yesterday and I just want to say thank you and how awesome they are.
I don’t know how many packs I bought over the years but I just love your IR‘s, they are my absolute favorite!
No scrolling through hundreds of useless IR‘s just a handful IR‘s that work in every situation.

Thank you so much!


P.S
Can I ask you what speakers are in the Big Ass Cab and which microphones you have used?

 

[FracKing]

Can it get in to a Hard rock territory? Winger like? Van Halenish?

This Belgian may show you some (look for the yellow guitar in the last months) ...

Peter Kiebooms

Hi everyone and welcome to my channel. Mission statement: my name is Peter and I'm an unapologetic shredder. I originally started out taping these clips to evaluate my own playing during practice sessions never contemplating sharing this with the outside world but....some people got word of it...

www.youtube.com