Hi Francesco! I've been having a small problem in the last few months, I find myself investing more time in learning music production than playing guitar and learn new music. It feels somehow as if I lost the interest and passion I once had and I want to get back on track. Any tips? Thanks!

July 08, 2015

Both music production and guitar are cool things and both make you a better musician, why should one be worse than the other? Don't feel guilty and just pursue what you like more!

Actually...just do both at the same time, I did so you definitely can. One part of the day guitar practice, another part learning new stuff in music production. JUSSST DOEEEET :)

Liked by: Mitch Baker

Hi teacher! When you EQ guitars and bass, besides the hp and lp what do you cut or boost? thanks!

July 06, 2015

On guitars, after high and low pass filter, I apply a bell boost with tight Q to find the most annoying frequency resonances within what's left, and usually it's around 4khz. Once I find it, I will reverse the boost into a cut to remove that annoying "cshhhhhh" sound and make the guitar tone smoother. It's subtle but does make a difference between having ear fatigue or not after many listens.

After the right amount of cut is applied, I play with the Q just to polish it and that's about it as far as subtractive EQ.

After that, what I generally do is addictive EQ if I feel the original tone could benefit from it here and there, and then sliiiight compression (just apply it for color) and tape saturation to make it even smoother. Those are way less important than subtractive EQ though.

Take a look at the pic for an example of the subtractive EQ I'm doing:

Hi teacher When you EQ guitars and bass besides the hp and lp what do you cut or

Liked by: Dans Huang Akbar Hossain Josef Kiefer

Steven Slate Platinum v.s EzDrummer 2 v.s Addictive Drums. Go!

July 06, 2015

None of them :) Superior Drummer is the one true king!

Liked by: Masoo2-Doge

saw you have two 4x12 behind there, do you always play with those? Aren't them too loud, even if you keep head's volume low?

June 30, 2015

Luckily I have a Two Notes Torpedo Reload which is a FANTASTIC unit - works primarily as a loadbox/attenuator but can also function as a DI/reamp box. Can't recommend it enough!

With the Reload I can push my amps beyond normal but still mantain my ears and my walls intact, and I don't really perceive any tone loss at all.

Btw, I only use amps+cabs to reamp other bands' stuff, so only for studio purpose. If I have to jam around, that's what the Axe-Fx is for :)

Liked by: Josef Kiefer

Do you have any tips on drum programming? I'm a guitarist and I literally have no idea how to add drums behind my ideas.

June 30, 2015

Liked by: Mars LaTours Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Sanyam Jain Masoo2-Doge

Hey Francesco, I was thinking to contact you for some lessons, but I have a problem: my internet connection is pretty poor, and I don't know if it could be a problem for Skype. Also, i just have a small amp and a cheap guitar i've had for years and years. is that a problem I guess, isn't it?

June 29, 2015

The gear/guitar you use is not a problem, as long as I can hear you and see you just fine :)

If you think your connection can't handle it, there's only one way to find out - PM me on facebook and we'll do a Skype test call to check your connection quality.

As of late I actually started doing simple one on one "chat" lessons for people with no webcams or subpar internet - I obviously prefer doing via Skype since words don't convey much, but if it's broader topics it can be done for sure!

woah nice clips, what pickup are you using (neck/bridge and model)? on the scratchy phrase part it sounds single coil like so I'm assuming you split it?

June 29, 2015

People always think, when they hear good guitar clips, that the pickup must be great or there's a certain magic piece in the chain that instantly makes stuff sound better. It's all in the hands really, and making sure the performance is consistent and in tune.

It's a BKP Juggernaut neck (not splitted) but I could have made any neck humbucker pickup sound pretty similar to that, as hands have a much stronger impact on tone than gear overall. Just listen to stuff from Ola/Misha/Keith etc and you'll instantly notice how they still sound like themselves regardless of which piece of gear they're using.

Can you post some unprocessed/direct lead guitar samples?

June 29, 2015

Sure! Here are various samples:

Straight from the Axe-Fx II:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5864881/LEAD%20DRY.wav

Some post processing applied to polish it - I applied subtractive EQ first to remove fizz and un-needed lows, then added some color with a Neve-flavored EQ, then some slight compression to even out the peaks and in the end tape simulation to make it even smoother/fuller sounding.
It might sound louder than the un-processed sample, but it's actually not - it's just pumping out the right frequencies more evenly:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5864881/LEAD%20PROCESSED.wav

And here's the DI signal if you need it for whatever reason:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5864881/LEAD%20DI.wav

Liked by: Masoo2-Doge Dans Huang

for live situations, do you prefer axe fx or tube emps?

June 23, 2015

It would just be impossible for us to perform without Axe-Fx, with all the preset changes and multiple routings it offers I don't see myself using anything else for the foreseeable future.

That being said, our live setup is quite complex but if your music is more straightforward and requires a more simple approach, amps have always worked and always will - with all their pros and cons :)

Liked by: Luca Moqi

Hey Fran, what would you recommend to improve the riffing skills? Specially to make cool rhythmic riffs. Love your stuff!

June 22, 2015

If you're talking about "how to write better riffs", it's one of the hardest things to teach - you can't just sit on a table and be like "ok I'm gonna write a badass riff"...they just come while noodling around!

If you often go back to the usual 0-0-0-0 like all sheeps and copycats, it would be a good idea to analyze which techniques, note groupings, note choices your favourite bands are using when making unique riffs, and use that as a starting point. If you're creative, you can develop that into your own style.

If you're referring to "how to make my riffs sound better" regarding their sound, it's all finger tone - play with attitude and power and dig in with lots of hate. Don't be a pussy and pick hard :D

Liked by: Juan Andrés Rodríguez Luciano Díaz Luca Moqi

Hey Francesco! So, I've been playing for like 7 years now and I can play most of the songs I like, but I realized that my technique is a bit poor and I know near nothing of theory (I only know like some scales, things like that). How can I start and what should I study first?

June 22, 2015

Yours is the classic situation of many many guitarists - don't be afraid and invest in yourself so take fucking lessons!

I generally recommend to start with technique, as the more time you play with a "wrong" technique full of bad habits, the harder it gets to avoid them and change your posture/technique into a more effective one.
Learning theory is also super cool because it will make you unlock the fretboard, "connect the dots", and come up more easily with cool chords/progressions/licks.

So in the end it's up to you where to start, eventually you're gonna do both nonetheless :) Hit me up via FB message if you want to schedule some lessons on these subjects, as it's never too late!

Liked by: Dans Huang CandysCoreee

Do you have any advice for using key changes, or resources to check out, without sounding hackneyed or forced? I've listened to groups like Symphony X and I admire how they can change keys all while sounding seamless and it just flows, as opposed to doing that just for the sake of doing that.

June 22, 2015

Can you tell us what are your favourite microphones for guitar? And maybe explain the differences between them :) thanks!

June 19, 2015

Sure! Here's a list of my favourites with a little description:

Shure SM57: just can't go wrong, it sounds THERE. Brutal, open, punchy midrange, it's just perfect. 99% I'm just using one SM57 and that's about it - if you can't achieve a good guitar tone with just one 57 on a cab, you're doomed!

Sennheiser E906: very cool SM57 alternative, the midrange is more complex and overall sounds a bit more boxy, but on the right cab and right placement, it's awesome.

Royer R121: my favourite mic to couple with a 57 (if needed), it's big, bold and super musical, never gets harsh. If a 57 sounds a bit too fizzy even on the right spot, add this and it will instantly make it rounder and fuller.

I personally don't like Sennheiser MD421 at all, it just sounds super scooped and bassy, everything sounds like Rammstein when I try it lol. Could work when coupled with SM57, but I personally just prefer the R121 for that purpose.
Also I find the Audix i5 kinda harsh, unless the cabinet sounds very dark, in that case it might work.

Hope that helps :)

Liked by: Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Luca Moqi

So, what do you think about the Line 6 Helix announcement? At a 1500 USD pricepoint and given the features they're incorporating, it seems like they really want to compete with Fractal this time. www.line6.com/helix https://youtu.be/ivLLd9Oc_bY

June 12, 2015

It surely looks cool but if the only way I can program tones is via that clunky joystick instead of a proper software like Axe-Edit, it has already lost imho. That being said, I'm interested in how it sounds and compares, so I'll wait until some trusted source puts his hands on it :)

Liked by: Mars LaTours

Hey dude! Obviously you endorse Carvin, but have you tried Mayones, EBMM etc. and what do you find more appealing about Carvin?

June 10, 2015

both Mayones and EBMM provide very solid instruments, I've played dozens of each brand. Nothing wrong with them at all! BUT....Carvin is just KILLING IT. A company with lots of tradition but with a young and forward thinking boss that brings incredible new shapes, originality, and overall just the best people I could work with.

Plus....find me a company whose owner does this :D
http://www.facebook.com/zackkhoury/videos/10153276733566690

Liked by: Luca Moqi Eric g

Dude. How do you know all these stuffs ? Did you graduate in sound related subject/branch ? If yes, is it necessary to graduate in the above mentioned field to be a decent/good home music producer ? If no, how did you pulled it off ? Is there any other way to record songs/make albums without graduat

June 07, 2015

I'll try to answer in the most realistic, "hard truth" way without sounding like a BuzzFeed article:

If you have passion, REAL passion for something, you'll have it stuck in your mind 24/7 and you just want to be great with it at any cost, no matter the time or money involved, no matter the sacrifice.

This real passion I'm talking about is the necessary drive to constantly gather new information, stay up to date with everything relevant to what you're into, always experiment with new things, new tools, lots of trial & error, and so on and so on. Basically, never be satisfied and always try to up your game.
I am still far away from the level I aspire to be at, and every day I put everything trying to get there.

No school, no matter how good it can be, can teach you passion, or real life situations. That is always up to the individual itself.

So to recap: if you have a strong passion and will, you're talented and confident in what you can achieve, and most importantly you're smart and plan everything you do, you'll get there. If not, you just don't have it.

PS: I must stress this x1000: GOOGLE!!!!!
Google is eeeeeverything! Everything I always wanted to know to improve, whether it's a new technique to work on, a new piece of gear, stuff for guitars/studio/mixing/photography etc etc...Google is always there to help me and give me any info I would ever need. I also stay constantly up to date with forums and RSS feeds.

PPS: common sense gets you a looooong way - just think how many people you look up to in the music industry have graduated? Not so many I guess...

Hope that helps!

Liked by: Jonas Wilkinson Dans Huang Karl Rom Abdolhafeed AL-Bosife Mitch Baker Josef Kiefer Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal

Hi Teacher! When in a DAW in what order do you like to put compressors, eq, saturation, etc on a guitar buss? thanks!

June 04, 2015

Generally speaking, I like to approach subtractive EQ first to get rid of unwanted frequencies I don't need (filters/notches) and then enhance what's left with addictive EQ to bring out more character/color out of it. Once I've done so, the track is ready to be evened out by the compressor to make the volume more consistent. Only after this, creative effects such as delay/reverb would happen, if the track needs it.

Saturation depends - sometimes I put it after comp in an aggressive, almost distorted way (Decapitator/Devil Loc/Camel Crusher), but most likely I'll do very subtle console saturation (VCC 2.0) before everything else in the chain. I apply tape saturation (VTM) as the last plugin on my master buss before it hits the limiter.

Anyway, it all depends! Can't be generalized like that. Depends on purpose, source, too much stuff.
Ask yourself why you're doing EQ/Comp/Sat in the first place on a certain thing, what does the source tone need, etc. That will get you a long way. Hope that helps!

Liked by: Dans Huang

Francesco, you're a great guitar teacher. What advice would you give to the more 'intermediate' guitar player who still regularly puts hours in but feels as though they are in a 'rut' with their playing? It's not that I don't enjoy it but I feel I'm not getting the 'gains' I should be. Any advice?

June 03, 2015

Liked by: Jonas Wilkinson Gary Dorsett James R. White Josef Kiefer

hi! what is you favourite scale for soloing?

June 03, 2015

For soloing, nothing more than 25.5" as the higher strings start to sound a bit too twangy and harsh for my taste, also string tension gets higher so bending and vibrato might not be as effortless. Of course these "issues" can be balanced with a warmer tone and thinner string gauge, but not exactly.

If I have to pick one, I reeeeeally like 25" (PRS/Carvin scale). It just sings perfectly, sounds like the perfect balance in between Fender/Gibson, plus you can use a bit thicker gauge (10s instead of 9s) and have almost the same effortless bending/vibrato you could have with 9s on a 25.5" scale. I loooove it!

Liked by: Luca Moqi

Why the guys at fractal can create such an awesome guitar amp/effects processor and other brands like boss, line 6 etc cant seem to get even close to this quality??

May 26, 2015

two words: Cliff Chase

Liked by: Eric g Josef Kiefer

Hey Francesco, I have always avoided learning more about tone partially cause I'm very intimidated by the subject. I feel like I've gotten to a point in my playing where I need to address this issue. Where would be a good starting point? When I read about tone there are lots of terminologies that I

May 25, 2015

Tone can't be read :) It's a matter of fine-tune your ears to know what sounds right and balanced, regardless of the parameter involved.

A good starting point is to mess with various cabinet sims, or even just Gain & EQ on your amp, and ask yourself: is this too much? Too little? Too dark? Too bright? Too scooped? Too "insert adjective here"? Where does it sound just right? And tweak from there.

Always try to have fresh ears to get a good perception of what you're listening to - tone tweaking is a VERY ear-frying process, I often take breaks to re-fresh my ears and regain perspective on what I'm listening to.

If you want to start putting this into practice, I'd suggest doing a lesson via Skype in which we cover the fundamentals of what to listen when tweaking the ideal tone that suits you best - this applies to any gear/amp/plugin/software.

Liked by: Michael Thomas Jr

Hey Fra, have you ever tried the fishman fluence pickups ? what do you think of them ? they seem prety revolutionary !

May 24, 2015

I am really really REALLY interested about these. If people who have been using EMGs for a lifetime are switching to these, it can't just be deal/promotion/etc. Some engineers and guitarists I really respect have switched, Andy Sneap above everyone, so yea color me fucking interested!

Liked by: Josef Kiefer

Hey man, bias or axe fx 2? is it really worth the extra money for the axe?? Thank you!!!!!

May 24, 2015

I'll try to answer in the most "un-biased" way. Bias is definitely a cool app, it's very versatile with lots of models to choose from, and the interface is super user friendly. I also like their online preset browser, it's pretty neat!

That being said, THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY ON EARTH Bias (or any other plugin that I know of) can sound and feel as good as the Axe-Fx does.
"Hey but I've seen this video in which..." stop right there. Every modeler, whether if Axe-Fx or a plugin, has so many possible tone combinations that I could make one sound better or worse than the other by just changing a parameter like cab, mic position, etc.

It is 100% pointless to compare stuff like this. If I wanted to, I could make an Ibanez GIO with dead strings connected to Bias sound better than my Carvin into the Axe-Fx, I'd just need to tweak Bias properly and then select a boomy or harsh amp/cab combo on the Axe-Fx.
Even a single parameter like the gain knob too low or too high could make one of these sound better or worse than the other. Again, absolutely pointless, but anyone that doesn't know how gear works will buy into this.

That being said, in optimal conditions where I spend proper time achieving the best possible tone with Bias and Axe-Fx, the latter one would completely destroy the plugin. Not only that, but the available features, effects quality, reliability and amp modeling is like comparing a bicycle to a Lamborghini. Not even close.

Axe-Fx is definitely worth all the money and even more. Also Bias is definitely worth its money, but it's not a fair comparison. They're two things done for different budgets and different purposes.

In all honesty, Bias is not even the best plugin, there's so many amp sims around that people don't know about that sound more convincing, like TSE X50 v2, Kazrog Recabinet 4 or Ignite Emissary. If I'm not mistaken, Bias doesn't even have Impulse Response loading function, which is a huge limit compared to other plugins. If we’re talking about iPhone/iPad apps though, definitely Positive Grid is the best you can get. It's incredible how many people don't know other amp sims, but it's to be expected since Positive Grid is a bigger company with much stronger promotion. Don't get me wrong, I really like Bias but I just prefer other stuff!

In general, even if it’s cool to see your favorite guitarists play a certain piece of gear, always research and judge with open eyes instead of blindly buy into what you see/hear. First thing, they’re awesome musicians so they can make anything sound amazing, and second, people are payed to promote stuff, they don’t just do vids out of their pure love for the product (not always, at least).

Conclusion: Bias is super cool to fiddle around and definitely is a solid software to do preprod/jamming, but the comparison between the two units is kinda silly. Just my opinion as always :)

Liked by: Dans Huang Angga Wirawan Abdolhafeed AL-Bosife Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Luciano Díaz

What's the most important lesson you've learned in life?

May 17, 2015

This is a good one: http://www.facebook.com/elliotthulse/posts/812163295460519

Liked by: Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Zach M

How do you stay so positive among the negativity and tragedy in the world?

May 12, 2015

I'd love to give you a positive answer, but the truth is I'm not a positive guy at all. I've absorbed so much negativity and hate from life experiences and neverending shit happening around the world, that nothing affects me anymore.

Because of this, I hide in my own little world made of badass music, cool gear, genuine people that share my passion, cute dogs, movies and lots of food.
I stay away as much as possible from TV, ignorance, useless drama and general mediocrity and just focus about the simple things in life that still make me happy. It's a bit hard these last few days though, bit too many unrespectful assholes to deal with.

In the end do whatever makes you truly happy and avoid at all cost bad influence and things/people that waste your time. Luckily there's still heroes I admire greatly and that give me the motivation to continue pursuing my dreams.
I'm lucky to earn a living doing what I love, and I'm grateful for that :)

Liked by: Arya Akbara Eric g Dans Huang Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Robert Percy Luca Moqi Sam Bell Josef Kiefer spike Mitch Baker

Francesco Filigoi

Nothing here yet