My Sound Settings

[@ilikepie5733]

As you were playing, I tried to identify each song as fast as I could. "Stranger in a Strange Land" took about a millisecond - you *nailed* that entrance.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey thanks so much man!

[@bilectal2288]

Absolutely amazing guitar tone, thank you for sharing your settings with everyone❤️

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I'm really glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@ghastlynavigator]

Thank you Nico! Your tones are always spot on for the particular song and album you are playing. UP THE IRONS 🤘

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's always interesting to me because the settings I use are almost always what I show in this video regardless of which song I'm playing. Glad it sounds good though 😊 Cheers!

[@teemuk1225]

I mostly play bass but still, I'm always super happy when u upload a new video! U are definitely one of my favourite yt channels!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Kiitos! That's so nice of you to say and I really appreciate your kind encouragement. 🙏🤘

[@RicardoRivera-vh3ol]

Great explanation on how you get your sound. Even an analog guy like myself understood everything you presented. Thank you!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's so great to hear (read...whatever 😄) thank you!!

[@kili1985]

Another proof that keeping the chain simple is mostly absolutely enough! Thanks Nico!

[@reneotten7376]

Proving again that talent is in the fingers and not in the gear 😃 I love your channel, keep going 🤘

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you very very much!!

[@MrMvidz]

Great stuff to disclose one of the elements to your excellent sound, the other key is of course your excellent technique as a guitar player!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Much much appreciated. Thank you!

[@MatteoAn93]

Thanks for the REVELATIONS :D

[@southfb]

Thank you for this video Nico! You can’t imagine how much i was waiting for someone who explain how to reach a good sound that fits with Iron Maiden in BiasFx2. Cheers!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! I am glad you found it helpful!

[@Teh3aZ]

Thank you for this Nico 🙏 If you could share your reaper settings and mixing steps would be awesome too!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That will be a video later on for sure!

[@alialiev6098]

Finally! First time I really noticed the tone was when I watched the video about riffs from "Powerslave". Just awesome! Thanks a lot, Nico!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thanks so much! Cheers 🤜🤛

[@willman100]

Killer tones. I didn’t think software was able to pull that off. Great tutorial.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! And yeah plugins have come a long way... To the point where I barely turn on my tube amp anymore. I get so much more out of this!

[@Z17xMachine]

Just found your channel the other day. Gotta say, you sound terrific. I play bass and Iron Maiden is my favorite band since 1988. I was 11 years old. I found your channel looking up reviews of Dave's signature guitar. Just so you know. I began playing guitar in 1986 and quickly switched to bass in 1990 as my band couldn't find a bass player. I'd rip with you any day of the week Nico. Keep blazing! Love your set up!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey thank you for taking the time to leave some kind words. It's very much appreciated!! Your story is how a lot of great musicians got started on their main instrument. I guess because it takes a special passion for music before anything else to switch to a different instrument for the sake of the band. Cheers! 🤜🤛

[@UltraPvnk]

YESSSSSS!!!!!!! Thank u and GBY! Up the Irons! (Suhr is 2d away from arriving)

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

You're very welcome! Cheers on that Suhr, sir! 🙂🤘

[@quantumimmortality551]

i'm stupid, i haven't been using a DI box for years!! just plugging directly into my interface. Thanks!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It's probably not necessary if you have the "Instrument" button pressed. I still find it helps a bit, but I can't objectively say it does in any real measurable way.

[@chaoticmel0dy867]

Very helpful video ,the sound is awsome.Good work there!!!

[@mathias6423]

Thanks for this video Nicko, I downloaded this program and followed your tips and added a bit more chorus to get a tone closer to the Somewhere In Time Album which I love. I tried this with my PRS guitar to play the "Stranger in a strange land" song and got the closest to that sound I have ever been. Thank you, really! I can not even imagine how good this will sound when I have the Dimarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup in my PRS combined with Bias FX 2 with these settings :D

[@MrGodstabber]

Thank you , it s very generous from you to share this knowledge. And yes, as many people said, you also need to be a great guitar player to get the best out of those presets !!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Glad you found it useful and I'm always happy to my share info like this. That is the whole purpose of this channel after all 😃 Cheers!

[@ricperry8743]

Great. Thanks.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

My pleasure!

[@ricardo_leoni]

Tks for sharing this amazing job. You rock man! You’re the best! Up the irons 🤘🏻

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you so much! I hope it'll be helpful 🤜🤛

[@LuisMiguelCostaVideos]

love those yellow woofer monitors!

[@peterk4626]

Really really interesting this. I love hearing about peoples sound setups. My favourite has to be the Somewhere In Time / Seventh Son settings you use, something about that just sounds epic....just like the albums :) I currently have a Boss Katana 100 mkII, still fiddling with it to get it right, I might see if I can match some of your settings.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It's amazing what difference a little change in settings like that can make eh? For sure you can get some good crunch sounds out of a Boss Katana... My advice is always to start with less gain and a bit more mid than you think you need and tweak it from there! 😃

[@andrewarmitage2565]

Another great video Nico, very interesting and informative. Credit to Sara too, these videos are very professional looking. Also, nice to see you picked out a good selection of Maiden tracks to highlight what you were saying. Excellent! Please keep up the great work. Up the irons!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you from us both 😊 Really happy to read you enjoyed the video! Cheers man 🤘🤘

[@mrc2662]

Another fab video. Though must admit, as a total gear nerd, I’d love you to do a deep dive into the band’s actual gear and tones, I love that stuff!

[@jebus571]

Bias FX 2 is excellent, it's been on sale for a while too. Well worth it

[@Stratman70]

Great vid. Thanks. You pretty nailed the sound. I think Maiden had their best guitar sound on the Powerslave album. Very organic sounding.

[@mathias6423]

I like the guitar sound on almost every album, If I had to pick one that I do not like as much as the other albums when it comes to guitar sound It would be the first Iron Maiden album. My favorite guitar sound is the Seventh Son and Somewhere in time era when they added a bit more chorus and some extra tremolo work with the whammy bar =) Brave New World and Dance Of Death I also love the guitars on . I have actually never sat down and listened to the Blaze Bayley era of Iron Maiden, I could not even name a song from those albums if you were to ask me except for, maybe Clansman and something with Sign Of Cross something :P But other than those two songs I do not know the albums with singer Blaze Bayley at all so I could not mention anything about the guitar sound from those albums. Powerslave as you mentioned has a great guitar sound and is a great, solid album overall! The intro to 2 minutes to midnight is a great place to start when sitting with your guitar and a plugin in the computer and you want to start creating a good, basic, distortion tone for playing Maiden songs. Same thing with the intro to Wicker Man from Brave New World, I feel like that is also a good, basic guitar tone to mimic with a good plugin for playing Maiden.

[@SonnetGomes]

Sounds Great. Thank you for sharing your setup. If I have not seen it, I honestly would have thought you used actual amps and cabs to get the Maiden guitar tone.

[@Thirteen31Music]

Love your channel man, really inspired me to try to transcribe / learn some more Maiden licks.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's so awesome to hear (err... read) 😃 Cheers man!! 🤘🤘

[@BONJOEY99]

Hi, love your channel.I am a huge Iron Maiden fan and you give a lot of great information on everything Maiden keep up the great work and thank you.

[@freddyferrillo9704]

AGREED!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you very much!! 😊 Cheers man 🤜🤛

[@andycpd6669]

Awesome video thank you, I love the bias fx 2, I connected it to my spark amps aux and it sounds amazing

[@Nghilifa]

Great stuff, I've got Bias FX2 as well, I really enjoy it. I've also got a Marshall JVM410h, and although it's more intuitive to use that when I'm practicing, I don't ever use it for recording. It's just too much of a hassle to have to deal with microphones, mic preamps and all that jazz. Bias FX2 is also great for whenI want to practice silently, as I've also got monitoring headphones. I fully agree with your direction in terms of talking about songs and their structure, recurring themes and all those little details that make them unique instead of going down the rabbit hole of tone. There's so many variables when it comes to tone (amp-settings, microphone choice and placement, microphone preamps, the skills of the engineers and producer, how the album is mixed and mastered etc), so focusing on the intricacies of the songs, and how they're played, as you've done so far has been very entertaining and edifying as well. Cheers!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That last part you wrote is exactly right!!! We're not gonna replicate all that equipment, experience and know-how and all the happy accidents with any software or hardware so... Getting a sound that feels good and focusing on the music, this is the way 😁

[@CC-qb9sm]

Great comment and response!

[@AndyTheRoo]

Thanks Nico. You're a legend mate!

[@dannyfussell5752]

Absolutely brilliant as always I appreciate you for all of the great information brother you have helped expand my playing in so many way maiden has been my favorite band ever I got the first album when I was ten and I'm so glad the guys are still putting out great music with a great message and a visual journey through all the years God bless you NICO and up the irons

[@dr.franciscotorresmarquezc7352]

Great vid and info, I'm using Mooer prime 1 and I get very good sounds (played live with an oficial Maiden tribute here in Chile). Last gig 1000 people, wireless straight to the sound board, no amp used. Great sounds, engineers were astonished for the price cheap and good quality. Keep it on. Great Bias Fx I use it as well in my house. Cheers from Chile 🇨🇱

[@Fardo.blatter]

Great Nico! Thank you for listening to our requests 😁👌🏻

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Cheers man! 🤜🤛

[@bghammock]

Very informative. I've been trying to start sticking my toe into the realm of DAWs and this is a great primer!

[@guitarstorms]

Thank you for this...

[@ryos.5974]

Thanks for the tone settings! I've been trying to get a vaguely close tone for a while now... unfortunately single coil Chinese Copystrat at mid-bridge position povertybucker into Boss Katana Mini recorded with a phone mic (otherwise known as the "I'm Poor but I Got a Katana Mini For Christmas" setup) isn't exactly conducive to a brilliant tone. The first step might be a single size humbucker in the bridge... which could cost as much as the guitar did.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I still have a cheap Line 6 Spyder 15 that I keep in the living room so sometimes I will plug straight into that...and it sounds just fine! Boss Katana kills that so you should be able to get some pretty good sounds out of it. Definitely better to get a better guitar than to upgrade that one but you don't have to spend a lot to get something good nowadays. Guys like Darrell Braun and Marty Schwartz have done some great presentations on their channel of very affordable guitars... I've even been tempted to buy some of them! A lot of it is in how you play though... You should focus on copying the sound of things like pick attack and vibrato more than anything else. Keep playing!!

[@ryos.5974]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks for the encouragement! Tone is indeed (at least partially) in the hands and you playing my Strat-shaped firewood would sound 100x more Maiden than me mucking around with your signature Strats. Now I'm off to one of your beginner-friendly tutorials again...

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

@@ryos.5974 I firmly believe that the point you're at right now is the one you're going to one day want to go back to... This is the most magical stage in the musical journey. When things start to unlock for you and you can feel improvements almost every time you practice. Every time you pick up the guitar you learn something new, even something small... Enjoy it, man! There will be plenty of time for gear later on and that will be another big adventure 🙂

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast = some of the most thoughtful and helpful replies on KZbin can be found right here! I totally agree about enjoying the journey, was thinking that same thing when one of the other commenters mentioned that they were a long way from your level of expertise.

[@jasondesjardins7371]

Another great video, Nico. Your channel is absolutely terrific. I get a lot out of it.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Seriously man...I am so glad to hear that!! 🤜🤛

[@zumgugger]

Thanks Nico!

[@mathias6423]

Nicko, have you tried Amplitube 5 and Guitar rig 7 pro or any earlier versions of these popular programs ? If so what do you think of them compared to Bias FX 2 ? I have a Positive Grid Live 150 watt amp for when I am playing live which is sooo damn good, I also have a Positive Grid Spark Mini for playing in my apartment, and bringing to the campfire or friends houses, awesome sound for such a small amp/speaker. So I am well aware of Positive Grid and how awesome products they make, I am now looking for a program to buy to my computer for amp sims, effects and stuff like that , to record with in Pro Tools. I am right now choosing between Bias FX 2, Amplitube 5, and Guitar Rig 7 Pro. I have right now the same Jackson SDX like you but with Dimarzio Super D instead of Duncans like you have, I also have a Focusrite Scarlett Solo (4th Gen) so similar to your soundcard then. I now need to buy a good guitar plugin software. How important is that Radial "DI BOX" that you did not even put in your video description that you plug in your guitar to before you plug into your Focusrite Scarlett soundcard ? I have never heard of that "DI BOX" product, what difference do I get with that product, if you were to describe even easier than in the video in short for a beginner that started playing guitar actively this year ? Thank you and sorry for "newbie" questions, I am very new to all this with connecting instruments to the computer.

[@ijaudkoceng]

I'm still using Pod HD Desktop (black bean) since my PC doesn't have that much processing power for modern plugins, might try your settings there

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I still own the original red bean POD that I bought when it was next level stuff back in 2000. It's still sounds surprisingly good to me! I think presets 6A and 6C are very good as they are or with a few little tweaks.

[@stevenbruno2752]

Thanks Nico - appreciate the explanation!

[@ChristopherJWalton]

Really interesting video.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Many thanks!

[@slayerfog]

Nico, thanks for this. You need more subscribers. I have the exact same setup as you, except for the interface, mine is a cheap Behringher UMC202. Not sure if I need to upgrade to a 2i2.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's super nice of you to say, thank you! If you don't have any driver issues and everything is working fine, I don't think there would be a need to upgrade but you should definitely get a DI box because that makes a big difference. Unless you upgrade to an interface with a built-in preamp.

[@CC-qb9sm]

Top notch video! I look forward to the other future related videos mentioned in these threads. I’d also be very interested to see a video on your pre-Somewhere in Tme settings if you get a chance. Smith/Kotzen in Vegas tonight. I so want to be there! Didn’t wanna “take my chances” on cancelled flights!! Work commitments have made it a little tough to get away as well.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! And yes there will me more sound videos in the future... I just have to spread them out because not everyone who follows the channel plays guitar so I want there to be something for everyone 🙂 We were really thinking of going to the Vegas show but then with all of the restrictions, flight cancellations and risk of getting stuck there for a bit if we end up testing positive after the flight... We opted not to. But we do have tickets to the London show and we'll keep our fingers crossed because a lot can change between now and March.

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast - Thanks as always for the thoughtful reply. No worries on spreading the videos out, that’s part of the fun of your channel is the variety! Wishing you the best that things go well for the London show! Some of the video clips of them playing just look like so much fun, seeing them up close and personal like that, so cool! Sending along a clip from the lesser-known and smaller subscription base Adrian Smith channel (guessing you already knew about this channel, but let me know either way!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKTIgYRnjKeNoJo

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I do know that channel... we follow each other on Instagram 🙂 Great stuff! That's a great clip too... Adrian is really at the top of his game here and I am loving the collaboration with Richie!

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast - I love the collaboration as well! A month or two ago I actually renamed my Smith USA Jackson “Scars” (I name all my guitars). 🤘

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast - Hoping things are looking good for London for you Nico!!!!

[@gyslainbeauchamp9241]

As i heard 7th son,i was ready for agressive rhythm🤟🇨🇦

[@Blood-Libel]

thx Mate - great video as always

[@giannidigiacomo]

Excellent. Great vid. Only question I have is, do you convert the songs to MP3 and record over them in the DAW and sync video to audio later? I have yet to try this, cus it’s hard to get the MP3 files these days. Love your stuff!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! I will make another video about that later on but the short version is I ripped the CDs to my drive so I have the songs on hand... When I am making a cover, I just drop the wav file into the DAW, record all of the guitar tracks during the various takes when filming... Mix it, export as WAV file and sync to the video in Premiere Pro.

[@giannidigiacomo]

@@LicksOfTheBeast I love that so much, mostly because my biggest issue is not stealing MP3s off of KZbin. Still supports the artists work.

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast = I look forward to the future video!

[@danielgonzaleztejedor9486]

I was surprised by how you managed to catch the Piece Of Mind tone, wich I find pretty special and never used again by IM though they surely kept using same gear for years.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

For some of the Piece Of Mind stuff I used a preset that someone made which is a pretty good match of that album's overall sound. On the cover of Still Life I just used my regular settings though.

[@mephisto656]

2 years later the bias fx 2 is much more expensive. sign of the times lol. Anyway, great video as always!

[@Zooooman]

this is awesome. thank you

[@RonStraat]

Hi Nico, love your channel! Keep up the great work. I understand that your using archetype Petrucci now and i was wondering what setup you use to create your current sound? I hope you find the time to explain your archetype Petrucci setup because I love your tone!! Keep on rocking Nico and up the Irons!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you very much!! With Neural I am still trying different things so I've been using different presets and tweaking them a bit. I will often use a different preset or a differently tweaked version of a preset for each guitar part. I will still use Bias for Somewhere In Time stuff because I just like the way it sounds for that but otherwise, I am pretty much using the Petrucci plugin for everything!

[@r.v.g.1679]

hi as always great vids. do you ever use a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver? instead of the Tube Screamer? thanks.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I do use the blues driver but usually not for Maiden. It's a great sounding drive pedal!

[@benitocharland4028]

Very well explain. I’ m starting with digital stuff. Did not understand if i really need to match BIAS AMP? not a fan of dry guitar either loll

[@torrezani]

Oh man great video thanks!!

[@FL_Cordis]

Thanks ALOT!

[@federicosibilla7037]

This is great, Nico!! Just out of curiosity, what monitors/speakers are you using?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Many thanks! I am using KRK Rokkit 5s

[@ironhazzard]

Wow. Many thanks for sharing, Nico! I've been wanting to start up using the software i use again once i have my garage cleaned so i can set up a playing/studio corner. What's your opinion on Line 6 Pod Farm? Its pretty old, and I've never considered upgrading until now. I use to use it all the time for maiden covers. Could never get the courage or software to start uploading any covers in the past, but i want to start sometime in the future for a different band. You are the master of Maiden world as far as I'm concerned. Up the irons!!!🤘🤘🤘🤘 🎸 🎸 🎸

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hey thank YOU! I have never tried the Pod Farm but I still own the original Pod and I've even used it to record a few covers on Instagram a while back 😊 I think Bias is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. I also hear good things about Amplitube 5 so that could be worth checking out as well. Maybe dwnload both trial versions and see what you prefer! The good thing about sharing covers online is it forces you to practice, refine certain things and play at your best. And it's there for future reference when you want to see what kind of progress you've made. Nobody has a monopoly on covers of any band 😊

[@metalinsights9664]

As someone who has spent years studying and trying to recreate Maiden's studio tones with a simple amp + SM57 setup, I just want to mention how difficult those tones are to recreate, should you ever decide to go down that rabbit whole. I find the Piece of Mind tone near impossible to even approximate. Lately, I've been using Live After Death, which has a simple close-miked tone, as a reference, and it has been super easy. SM57 pointed at the center of the speaker, about an inch off the grille, amp controls around noon, and that's it. What makes the studio tones, especially the tone on Piece of Mind, difficult to nail is that they have such a high amount of midrange and that they sound very tight and open, which is difficult to achieve with a close mic. Unfortunately, there is very little info on Martin Birch's techniques, and what little info there is, is not detailed enough to be very useful.

[@danielnewlove6221]

I share and feel your pain my friend, Maiden sounds are hard to nail

[@metalinsights9664]

@@danielnewlove6221 I could not agree more with you.

[@antropomorfizacja]

finally , thanks

[@xypher2]

I use the same audio interface and bias fx2. I do not understand how the pro D2 DI box helps as I've not used di boxes. The 2i2 has a preamp inside so what advantage does this additional component provide? Less noise? Thank you for explaining.

[@southfb]

Yeah, i have the same doubt

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

The simple and practical explanation is that with a DI box you get more volume, a fuller sound and less noise/cracking. For a more comprehensive explanation, there are tons of articles you can find on the subject... Here's a pretty good one that explains it well and concisely: www.fender.com/articles/tech-talk/why-you-should-consider-using-a-di-box

[@primitiveknot3480]

Massively helpful video and nice to see you use Reaper! It's never occurred to me to use a DI box in addition to my scarlett interface - would you say it makes much difference?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! Reaper is everything you need in a DAW... I am super happy with it! A DI box makes a huge difference if your interface does not have a built in preamp. I had to keep the gain on the interface at 0 to not get noise and distortion in the signal. Adding a DI box made it much cleaner and fuller sounding.

[@Nghilifa]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Ahh, I'll definitely try that out. I've also got a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen, and it's somewhat of a b*tch to make sure that I don't get any noise and distortion in the signal, thanks a bunch for that tip.

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast - Way helpful. Thanks 🙏

[@MiRiShahaj]

Thanks Nico, great content as always. Just a question, what is the name of the song that starts at 07:40? Grazie mille!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you!! That's the riff from Lord of Light (from AMOLAD). Cheers 🤜🤛

[@MiRiShahaj]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Grazie Nico

[@alexanderwheeler4827]

You lost me at 2:40 but I get it, it works for you and many others. Great channel

[@ChrisRojas78]

Hi, great channel!, I would like to know what pickups do you use in your guitars

[@andycpd6669]

This is awesome, did you upload your settings on to the cloud

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yeah it's the only one under Licks Of The Beast.

[@dmitriciccarelli4082]

Seems super economical. You don't have to commit to buying gear you may not like down the road. And the stuff you really do like you can go buy it.

[@Flaming676]

Super video, explaining your settings! I had asked you on another video about this exactly. Thank you very much! By the way, does not your audio interface have a Hi Z input for instruments? I asked you this because you said you use a Di box before plug your guitar to the audio interface.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It does if you press the "instrument" button, but I find it still sounds a bit better with a DI box. In theory, there shouldn't be a difference so whether that is actually the case or it's just my subjective impression, I really don't know. But it does seem better to me 🙂

[@Flaming676]

@@LicksOfTheBeast I understand. I will check it out myself too. I have a DI Box from the days I had another audio interface without Hiz Z input. So I had to use it. Thank you for your replies!

[@ProfeOz]

First! Cheers from Mexico!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Cheers! 🤘🤘

[@maiden4greece572]

Awesome sound ...

[@milobernardi7324]

Ciao Nico, splendido video. Leggevo da più parti che Dave usa il phaser durante i suoi assoli... Ti risulta? Io sono dubbioso a riguardo...

[@mathias6423]

Hey Nico! I have been meaning to ask you, why did you choose Reaper Audio as your DAW program and not Pro Tools as an example that is more commonly used and almost a standard in studios worldwide ?? Is it easier to learn or cheaper to buy or what is the main reason ? I just got my Focusrite and I am looking at the different DAW programs. Also I have noticed in more recent videos that you started to switch out the FX 2 plugin for the Neural DSP, perhaps you will show us how you are dialing in your settings in the Neural plugin like you did with the Bias FX 2 here. Your Stranger in a strange land intro solo here with the extra chorus on was spot on 🤘

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It does pretty much everything ProTools does at a fraction of a fraction of the cost 🙂 Whatever actual real world differences there may be (if there even are any) would be far beyond what I will ever need. As for the plugins, I still use Bias too but I have been using the ones from Neural more often. I don't always use the same settings but it's mostly stock presets with only minor adjustments like maybe turning down the gain a bit here and adding a little more mids there. I'm not trying to replicate their actual sounds...I just go for a sound that makes sense with the song I'm playing or explaining.

[@mathias6423]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks for answer. Yeah I got a cheaper version of Ableton Live with the Focusrite Scarlett I am trying out as well as a free verison of Pro tools called intro. I will look up if Reaper has a trial version I can try as well before deciding which one to buy. Pro tools have their solo or artist versions that I can use for some months for 10-30 € a month which I am considering trying out before going all in and buying a DAW. I think Neural DSP has the best quality I have heard so far, especially the John Petrucci Archetype. It has almost everything you will ever need from amps to effects. Really good package.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

@@mathias6423 All I can say is Reaper costs $60 USD (one-time fee) for a full license intended for personal use. A commercial license is around $200 but even tha's MUCH cheaper than everything else and it's not lacking anything. 😊

[@mathias6423]

@@LicksOfTheBeast That is def interesting. I will try it out for sure, thanks Nico! Btw can Reaper open VST plugins or do they have their own "file format" ?

[@gyslainbeauchamp9241]

Im using hybride 9to46 too,i need to try jazz 3 guitar Pick

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Essaye le Jazz III XL... Le Jazz III de base je le trouve un peu trop petit. 🙂

[@gyslainbeauchamp9241]

@@LicksOfTheBeast bravo pour le français 👍

[@ScottDMoore]

So DI for the video... What monitors etc do you use?????

[@xebbz]

Hi Nico, Thanks for this great video! One question: it’s better to use a XLR-XLR or a XLR-TRS cable to conect the DI Box to the Scatlett? I’m asking because the preamp settings on the interface will change…

[@fransis4448]

and when you play live?

[@vesatschernij2782]

Hi there. Finally I found someone keeping everything simple. I'm pretty new to this playing guitar without amplifyier etc. It makes everything so much simple but there seems to be also things that need to be solved. Like always! I've been reading a lot about signal handling from a guitar with no preamped mics. In my case a Fender Strat. I'm plugging it into a Yamaha UR44C interface which comes with possibility to +48V phantom power. I'm not using that (so far) however I have found out that many are using active DI boxes with electrical guitars lacking preamped mics. You are recommending a passive DI box? Is that because your guitar has preamped mics (or some other reason)? What would you do in my case?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! With your interface, you won't need a DI box if you use inputs 1 and 2 (hi-Z). Just keep the gain on 0 so as not to add preamp gain and you should have no issues with any plugins. You might have to raise the input level on the plugin just a bit with some plugins, but that's about it.

[@TheBoondoggler]

What is the benefit of going into a DI and then going into the audio interface? I thought most audio interfaces already have a preamp and impedance exchange, ostensibly eliminating the need for an additional preamp before the interface. I have a Focusrite Scarlet 18i20 and I'm curious to find out if I should purchase an additional DI as well, thx

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

If you press the "instrument" button on the interface, there really isn't the need for a DI - especially not on the 18i20. On my smaller 2i2, however, I find it sounds a little better to my ears with the DI box. But no, I don't think you need to add a DI at all. 🙂

[@TheBoondoggler]

@@LicksOfTheBeast ah, understood, thanks!

[@mathias6423]

I was also wondering about this, most videos I have seen, ppl just plug in their guitar directly into the Focusrite and then into the computer, nothing else. So when I saw this I was like "shit, what more do I need to buy" :D I hope the difference without the DI or whatever you cal it is not too big

[@mladen1982]

10 times like from me!!! All the best!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

🙏🙏🙏

[@gmr9701]

Thinking of getting Bias FX 2 Standard edition, your setup is really solid sounding. Just got myself a Scarlett Solo, now I need to choose a good plugin

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Bias FX II is great as is the latest Amplitube. Both offer a very wide range of sounds. I have also started using the Neural John Petrucci plugin and it's ridiculously good!

[@gmr9701]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Yeah but Neural is a bit more pricey, besides, I'm mostly a Maiden guy. Was thinking on downloading the bias demo to see if i can emulate your tone

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

@@gmr9701 try it out! It's a very powerful plugin... And there are some presets you can download that emulate the overall sound of different Maiden albums. The piece of mind one is pretty cool!

[@gmr9701]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Copied your patch step by step and it sounds nowhere near as yours. Dunno if its because im using shitty headphones or the sound quaility is better through the daw, im currently on the standalone mode and it sounds really bad

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

If you're using headphones, make sure the impedance is lower than 200 ohms and you will need a DI box as well. Without one the sound tends to be thin and noisy.

[@ilredeldeserto]

sarebbe bello un video con la spiegazione dell'altro preset che usi per i primi album e sentire alcuni riff =) Invece ti volevo chiedere, quale dei 3 bundle di bias fx2 usi? E secondo te ci sono molte differenze? Dal vivo in live invece cosa usi?

[@rafaarts6751]

Do you use a usb or midi pedal to switch presets as well ?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Nah. I just use different tracks for different sounds

[@OldGuitarMan]

What DAW do you use to mix your guitar and song backing tracks together? I’ve never really figured all that out, how to record covers or whatever properly using plug-ins and DAWs and a PC or iPad, plus video editing software, etc. Help me! 😁😇😄 Come to my house and set it up for me. I live in West Virginia. It’s not that far. What?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

😄😄 Hey man, let me tell ya.... It's 3⁰F in Toronto so West Virginia sounds pretty good right now! I use Reaper - it's an excellent DAW and it is super cheap too. I will make a video about all that stuff too at some point but there are some really great tutorials on KZbin!

[@CC-qb9sm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast - I look forward to those videos

[@OldGuitarMan]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks! 👍🏻 On another topic, two years ago the Adrian Smith USA Jackson was $1999 (US) and now it’s $3199. 😄🙄 Love how the prices of guitars have skyrocketed…along with everything else. High demand, low supply, high price - our new normal in the West, it seems.

[@gg-dw1yq]

what speakers and how did you connect them ? always left out by everyone !

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I use KRK Rokkit 5 monitors connected to the interface via 1/4" balanced cables but I record direct so you never hear those in the videos.

[@d-_-b-Phil]

Do you know if your preset is locked for a certain license in Bias FX 2? (standard/pro/elite) And since you've used Tonecloud can you tell me if there is such a thing as not being able to use a preset because it was made with elite and/or imports stuff from Bias Amp 2? I'm thinking about buying just the FX 2 standard (the cheapest one) and I wonder if I'm gonna miss out on a lot of user made tones this way. Cheers!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hmmmm I thought the downloadable tonecloud stuff was available to all licenses but I'm not 100% sure. I have been using the Neural DSP Petrucci plugin almost exclusively lately...but I see Bias has some new updates so I'll have to check that out!

[@joeverastegui8399]

I was just wondering if you enjoy Nylon Maiden by Thomas Swijsen as much as I do? Cheers! Up The Irons!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Great player! I saw the work he did with Blaze and it's phenomenal!

[@mpexus]

Did you noticed any difference with and without the DI Box? I'm using a Focusrite for years and never used a DI box to connect to it so I got curious.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Oh absolutely! Without the DI box, I was getting a lot of noise and distortion. I had to keep the channel Gain at zero to keep it clean. DI box makes it sound cleaner and bigger.

[@deeforty]

Hi mate, I've read in the comments you use a Di box? So you go,... Guitar>Di box>interface>bias?... I've had bias fx 2 for years and have found it abit thin sounding, thought it was just my interface, should I get a do box?

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

You definitely should! It used to sound thin for me too until I tried the DI box.

[@deeforty]

@@LicksOfTheBeast ahhh I see, so the signal chain above is correct yes? Appreciate the replies mate, you deserve your success.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yeah, that's the correct order. It really does make a big difference as you'll get less noise and a fuller, broader sound. Good luck! 🤜🤛

[@deeforty]

@@LicksOfTheBeast I'll definitely try that, cheers man,

[@Blaze-vp6yn]

Does someone know what this roughly translates to with a NUX Mighty Plug Pro? It doesn't seem to have the same amp models available and also not sure which IR would fit best.

[@michaeldean7220]

Your comparing Apples to oranges. No translation at all.

[@jorgeluismedina1548]

why don't you use a distortion pedal on your set up? Pd: i am a begginer

[@JustRockMySoul]

My guess is that, because distortion changes the signal too much compared to a drive pedal, which is basically only gain, making the original signal louder. Iron Maiden's sound is heavy, but not necessarily heavily distorted, it mostly comes from a lot of gain, which would explain the steadiness of tone and the sound being that delicate even at that high volume. But I'm no expert either.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Basically, it's what @JustRockMySoul said 🙂 but also it depends on the amp you start with. The gain channel of the Mesa Mark V doesn't require a distortion pedal. As you saw in the video, I actually keep the gain on both the amp and pedal fairly low with this setup. Other amps, you might have to turn the gain up a bit more to get it sounding the way you want. When you're a relative beginner, it's natural to want to play with more distortion as it's harder to get things sounding right without it as playing with less gain is far less forgiving. But technique will make up for a lot of that as you go along in your guitar journey and your tone will improve as a result. Cheers!

[@milobernardi7324]

Do You have standard or professional Bias FX 2 ? Thanks

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I have the Elite version. I've been using Neural DSP Petrucci for the last little while and it's really good! I'm also trying a few other things out... Plugins are getting so good! 🙂

[@ealdydar]

Is it just me? Every time i open Bias FX2 i use my main preset i use everyday. Problem is i find myself tweeking it every day. Every time i open Bias FX2 it looses something and sounds different.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hasn't happened to me... That does seem like an odd problem though 🤔

[@stevojohn]

Have anyone tried the Apogee JAM 96k? Any good?

[@bbc_nanm]

how get tone helix or zoom effector??

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I'm not familiar with either platform but I would think that using a similar signal chain could be a good place to start. Then you could adjust from there 😊

[@bbc_nanm]

@@LicksOfTheBeast mesa mark3??

[@ciaran_g]

I use Bias FX too and think it is amazing. Check out my Rime of the Ancient Mariner cover on my channel and let me know what you think!

[@davidmarshall385]

greetings from minnesota neighbor lmfdao im scared of floyd rose stay away lmfdao such a pain in ze neck howmuch is a 16 gb computter 5 grand im guessing lmfdao i dunno i have a lap topy lool jp dt monster player lynch slayer preist dokken cant leave out dime jimi ace randy manny others includeing you to inspire me i just use a marshall with a sm58 works for me im not into effects i shew them away just slice youre head off tone will do best regards hardcore dave