How to Tighten Up Your Guitar’s Low End

Shop featured pedals and gear 👉 imp.i114863.ne...
Keep exploring tone with Why the Tube Screamer Rules 👉 • Why the Tube Screamer ...
Check out Nick’s Empress Heavy Overdrive demo 👉 • Empress Heavy Overdriv...
In the name of great guitar vernacular, what on earth is “tightening up the low end“? Nick Bowcott is here to put the rumors to rest with Sweetwater’s guide to tight, crispy bass that’s pleasing to the ear. Tightening up low end helps accentuate your guitar‘s natural midrange emphasis. It also lets drums and bass shine more presently in a full band setting. Nick sifts through multiple ways you can scrape the mud off your tone, including dialing in amp EQ and giving your signal definition using EQ pedals, classic dirt pedals like the Ibanez Tubescreamer and the Boss SD1, or even something newer like the Empress Heavy. For EQ devotees, Nick also dives deep into precise guitar frequencies that matter most. Check it out!
After you watch, check out Sweetwater.com today for all your music instrument and pro audio needs! 👉 imp.i114863.ne...
#Sweetwater #Blackstar #Ibanez #Empress #Boss

[@sweetwater]

Dump the mud and carve out a focused low end with these helpful tips from Sweetwater’s lord of metal, Nick Bowcott. Check out more guitar lessons here 👉 kzbin.info/aero/PLlczpwSXEOyb7mwMcSsjKBfesBp6co4Dx

[@Jaymze13]

Why doesn't this man have a playlist channel of his own here? And one for Don while you're at it.

[@lancemcdaniel2576]

I second that. 🤘

[@DatMetalBoi75]

I third that

[@TheDistortionPrinciple]

Yes

[@doinyamaam3677]

I fourth that

[@johnbennett125]

Fifth

[@thisguy2973]

After years of tone searching, I started experimenting for the first time in a long time on my EQ. I actually removed a LOT of lows, and once I did this, when sweeping the mids, I finally understand how mids work and it’s made a world of difference for my tone.

[@serdar213]

Same Here. When I saw Jeff Hanneman's rig, there were 2 Boss RGE-10's there and ''sad face'' was adjusted on Eq Sliders.And I used my GE-7 to mimic. Done!

[@adeptusmechanicus1029]

​@serdar213 that makes a lot of sense actually. I love Hanneman

[@ubertwerpify]

In my opinion, this is one of the most important hard rock videos on youtube to dial in your sound - very simple, clear, the explanations and time tested results - thank you Nick and Sweetwater !

[@lancemcdaniel2576]

This is like watching a college level class in gain. NB is awesome. Keep these vids coming good sir! Thank you.

[@ZeroMilk]

Oh wow! I had no idea David Attenborough was a sick metal guitarist!

[@99bajakid]

one of the most eye opening insight into great metal tone was when I met Adam JOnes and asked him about his settings, i've always loved his tone. He cuts out all the bass, on his amps which blew my mind. But when I used the technique in a full mix it really left a great pocket for a Justin chancellor style bass tone.

[@NeinFeline]

This is essentially like a Sweetwater GearFest masterclass/seminar demo. Lots of good wisdom here for home based recorders.

[@jasoncrump1886]

Don't forget Euge Valovirta . He always has killer tone and uses the ole Boss sd1.

[@jamesshort9217]

While seeking John Petrucci's tight and powerful high gain tones, I was surprised at how much better it sounded to my ears when I backed off the gain and scooped less of the mids. Good to see I had the right idea!

[@MichaelMoore-od4jz]

Great video Nick has a lot of great information

[@deeforty]

Nick is a national treasure, alright mate, from the UK

[@danmaycock9238]

Best thing is to use 2 boosts taking all the bass out within and before the preamp THEN use an EQ before the power amp to put it back in so you have the clean and clear bass

[@petefannin]

I must have alot in common with bass frequencies because i am also “flubby and useless”😂. Another great vid Mr. Bowcott

[@johnbennett125]

😂😂

[@erikberg8352]

Great video! These low and low-mid cuts also reduce the woof from palm-muting (140-150hz or so, depending on technique). This is more noticeable when multitrack recording.

[@27retrodaze]

Im a huge fan (and collector) of OD's and no OD has ever made my jaw drop playing through it the first time as the MXR Custom Badass Modified OD did... Absolutely incredible for high-gain imo... 🤘

[@WholeLottaBulldog]

I always love Nick's videos. Rock on big boi

[@periachi4961]

Badass guitar! Love the way an ESP/LTD Explorer looks.

[@Dynamus79]

Thank you so much Nick! Your tips have my tone EXACTLY where I want it! Ive recently been trying to get "my tone" via a Boss GT-Pro (discontinued) and have been messing with levels of all sorts and when it seems like I would get close, there would be something missing somewhere else. Now my lows are tight but not in bass/drum land and my mids are full and highs soaring for leads. Thank you so much!!!

[@stevennaismith6289]

thank you for this video. ive been wondering why I couldnt get tight low end and now I know why.

[@radfury23g32]

Holy cow that white LTD is so sick

[@Bareboat]

Glad to know I’m on the right track. I use a Darkglass Microtubes X Ultra with my Baritone Guitars

[@chaggasfernandes]

I love this guy. Very helpful tips.

[@Margilio5150]

Last tip is what lots of us love to hear, guitar playing is a never ending journey 😎

[@zandig666]

Thanks bud ive been lookn for this i dialed some lows out on my eq pedal but forgot to boost mids a bit as well but im not a fan ove overdrives i tend to like distortion but i will try my sd-1 again

[@onomado]

I noticed the Left Hand Brewery sticker on the black guitar! It is a local icon!!! 🤘🤘

[@Guitarist19887]

I remember your guitar clinic with KsE guys Adam and Joel, was quite funny and you added some good banter 😂

[@NINERS8able]

You are the best!!! Thank you Nick

[@onee1594]

I realized that only after I started to play bass guitar. Now it's so much easier to dial up guitar tone

[@musicman2093]

Got really giddy when I heard the "Of Wolf and Man" riff. 👌

[@jhellert1]

GRIM REAPER!!!!!!! Loved 'Rock You to Hell'. Anyways, I set up my Boss GE-7 exactly like that after taking a screen shot and ran it into my Neunaber Neuron preamp pedal and it really sounded great!

[@XXIII_89]

Can you start a band with Nick D'Virgilio, also of Sweetwater, and call yourselves the Sweet Nicks!? XD Your first single could be called, The Beatniks, by The Sweet Nicks! And you could toss sweet water candy and stickers out to the crowd.. sounds sweet to me!!!

[@scottdunn2178]

Note: Passive tone controls only CUT frequencies... they don't BOOST frequencies. Active tone controls BOOST as well as CUT.

[@triple6wolfi]

Dude. I'm left handed as well. I wanna jam with nick bowcott! Hopefully one day haha

[@johnbowman3630]

Nice video guys! As an engineer though I gotta say, a bit hard for me to hear the low-end at times because it was being ducked so hard by whoever compressed the signal in post, causing it to 'pump'. A bit faster release/attack times there and/or some clipping instead of limiting/comp would make it more audible. Cheers!

[@mlewmisc]

Don't forget the good ol' treble booster

[@beccamach1906]

I keep saying that each guitar is unique. Anytime I play a new guitar, I have to let the guitar tell me what it needs to make the tones that I have developed as sounding like ‘me’. I also like a solid groove to my music, so I dance in a different lane than the bass and drums, even though I play ‘heavy’. I can refer individuals to this video and say, ‘What he said.’ 🤘🙏❤️🎸🍵

[@duartefaria7134]

Nowadays when i make my sound i always have less bass and are more mid range. When i started i just want bass and mid cut to darken the sound and i was always lost in the mix when playing with my band. In the early 2000's we had no information about that, not in Portugal and certainly not in the village where i live, people said if you want to be metal you should cut the mids and boost the bass, and that was the recipe.

[@AlanShortySwanson]

This dude is awesome!

[@dnamusicchallenge5995]

You aced it 😉👍

[@Kurjistaja]

15:32 for better sound adjust GAIN to about 1 o'clock and control the amount of gain from TREBLE knob

[@ThomasMetal75]

Did Nick just play some album one Trivium? Nice!

[@JohnMarcell]

Id watch lots of videos of this guy talking about guitar stuff while playing stuff on guitar

[@poindextertunes]

the boss equalizer pedal is a HIGHLY underrated tool for the metal genre

[@scottdunn2178]

Been using one since the 80's... won't play without one.

[@silascf]

Hellyeah try the MUD KILLER from electric eye audio

[@brandonjackson5865]

You can’t beat a regular old SD1 for the money 40-50 bucks and your muddy bottom end is tight and articulate also the SD1 is the easiest way to get the Marshall lower mid percussive clunk most people are looking for wether they know it or not. I palm mute the open a string and check it it sounds a little like a snare that’s what I’m looking for. Scooped sounds are fun at home but get buried in a mix, “but Dime” but Dime put the mids back in with all his eq shenanigans. Whenever I first got into playing some nu metal I’d been used to dumping the mids and on a down tuned guitar it’s even worse on lower than E flat tunings the mid knob on especially a Marshall is where the ballz are at . Ain’t nuthin wrong with your playing Nick I enjoy your rhythm and lead work sounds awesome too man, it’s rock n roll man ! Speakers, Speakers and Speakers for the price of a good Duncan or dimarzio you can buy a new or a couple good used speakers and that’s what makes the biggest difference. Speakers aren’t sexy as pickups and amps but I’ve really come to believe that speakers make the biggest overall difference it’s the thing you actually hear so it makes sense. If your pickups are loud and clear enough that speaker at the end of your chain is going to make the biggest difference in your sound.

[@crankshaft383]

Speakers are a big deal.

[@jacobgarcia2660]

I love using the sd1 for a clean boost it really adds aggressive mids and treble

[@alrecks619]

Good ol' Tube Screamer (and all it's replicas and followers) for it's midrange emphasis and low end de-emphasis, ofc.

[@lcrecel]

Nick the Guitar God of Sweetwater.

[@jaymorin6847]

Thanks Nick. Great video. More “Rock you to hell” next time.

[@NickArcolla]

preQ-clean boost for me

[@scallopswrappedinbacon]

What’s the riff at 15:23?

[@doinyamaam3677]

Hey I'm also a lefty guitarist

[@doric_historic]

That low end is so tight i blew my o-ring...

[@daveshank1921]

LOL you ain't right.

[@SilentNightBodomNight]

Nick, why don’t you have your own KZbin channel?

[@YeaMits]

dude he’s left handed that’s so cool i’m left handed too

[@chipcaronte]

13:55 WHAAAAATTT????? 😅 Nevertheless, enjoyed the video.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

The fact that the BOSS SD-1 rolls off the bottom is why I have always disliked them. The actual OD part is good though.

[@MatthewSahlgren]

walrus audio Janus effect

[@hoppskippity]

Did he touch on the Modified O.D.? or was it just there.

[@AidenCantrell]

Yeah he used it

[@AidenCantrell]

13:40

[@hoppskippity]

Thanks

[@chasejones7329]

I wish this dude was my uncle

[@dntinpalevo]

Why use pedals when you can just lower the bass on your amp?! Unless of course, your bass on the amp is set to 0 and still you want even less.

[@FEAROWNAGE]

I liked the SD-1 better

[@bradkillingsworth4137]

This video is sponsored by Kyle Bull 😅😅

[@Amish_Trivedi]

The day after Thanksgiving? Brutal-

[@RobinErhage]

change the speakers guys

[@petermgruhn]

I need an A-B test. I can't hear a thing, too deaf or stupid or something.

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

Since you're almost always just a tiny little bit out of tune, I'm guessing you detune quickly by ear before recording. Am I right?

[@shawncarson4109]

This video would be more useful if it was cut into sections. Maybe there's nothing for me to learn hear anyway but I'm not going to click around every couple minutes of video to hopefully find something I didn't know.

[@MrTherocker101]

pull harder at the beginning.

[@yowild9629]

put on slinkier strings play with 0.7 ish pick & put higer the gain but roll back the volume on guitar there are optimal vibration on strings where the tension dose not buzz but buzzes when played too strong like gain on amps on the adge of brake up add controll on your playing & play more a poor mans way of efcelence

[@kjhammersteinMusic]

String gauge! 🤣

[@camilodonoso4978]

its so weird to watch another lefty play guitar

[@luckybait]

Will this work on my girlfriend???

[@0megalul309]

No Botox needed

[@roadfordays]

The solution to "too much" low end is stop being a wimp. We stopped playing Rickenbackers in rock music for a reason.

[@GhettoGinny]

Use a DiMarzio D-Activator in the bridge. That is miraculous!!!

[@billhillard]

Well explained Mr. Bowcott. I do not interact with a lot of other guitarists about gear, and what I use, etc., and I always find it weird when someone else's common knowledge is what I though my secret was. With my gear and tone I am always thinking, "Well, I HOPE that no one else ever discovers the SECRET to my tone!" And then you find out that there are tutorials on it. Well, as I go with my band to record the debut of our new project I do not have to worry about anyone discovering any of my "secrets". Well at least no one has discovered my other secret, "downtuning". That will remain mine alone! 😁❤‍🔥🤘

[@kzdcs9574]

wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much gain