Why Digital Amp Modeling? DINO CAZARES TELLS ALL

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00:00 - Why Dino Cazares Uses Digital Amps
01:12 - Dino’s First Amp Model
03:42 - The Most Versatile Tone Solution
04:38 - Machine-Assisted Creativity
06:40 - Iconic Tones: How Van Halen Inspired Dino Cazares
Filmed by: Mike Monto (Burning Wick Studios)
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Tags: joey sturgis, audio production, audio plugins
#dinocazares #audioproduction #fearfactory

[@trendmassacre8423]

That Demanufacture guitar tone was WAY ahead of it's time, along with the rest of the production of the album back in 1995! My son heard it a couple years back and thought it was recorded back in 2015 😂

[@alrecks619]

it still sounds fresh 28 years later, also thanks to Colin frickin' Richardson.

[@escapegulag4317]

people always credit meshuggah but never fear factory.

[@zakur0hako]

There is no one more fitting for using fully digital setup than Dino. This guy lived in the future in the 90s

[@herculesbrofister265]

Wayne Static did, too. MG series head into a 1960 cab. "They're cheap and you can get them anywhere" or something along those lines.

[@jfo3000]

@@herculesbrofister265 Yep, MG Series...I have three of them. Two for live stereo, plus a spare for live if one of those blows.

[@LeonLandgren-qt9pg]

Mg means?

[@worksofein6449]

I've been chasing the Demanufacture tone since I first heard it in '96. Now it's in a plugin I can access whenever I want. What a time to be alive.

[@lucyferina]

And the demanufacture tone was with an early Line6 amp….I remember messing around with pod farm and getting that exact tone, then many years later getting the Messhuggah tone with a severely downtuned six string guitar….

[@chrisparker5278]

I love how Dino is embracing the future for the last two decades!

[@KGAD0831]

@@lucyferina you're probably thinking Digimortal

[@hazardeur]

@@lucyferina nope, demanufacture was no line 6 and you certainly don't get a meshuggah tone with a "severely downtuned 6 string". all you get that way is a brown note

[@stevenhirsekorn3444]

Yeah but look how many hits they’ve had since then. You’re chasing a tone you heard in 1996. Why has the sound not advanced. Why aren’t all these great modern players not in vogue with the younger generation. Demanufacture sounds fucking beautiful. But why haven’t they done better to where they make demanufacture look like a joke.

[@42itous]

This is amazing. If anyone deserves a signature plugin, it's Dino. He's been the future of metal - riffs, songwriting, and sound selection - for decades now. It's fascinating to hear his tone chasing journey too (that VH S/T is the holy grail of guitar sound for so many). I'll have to check Disruptor out

[@2SICH]

Laptopcore squad🤘🏼 Dino is a legend and the plugin is amazing 🔥

[@brandontadday6288]

Dino and the guys from Meshuggah were probably some of the first people to really jump onto digital modelling YEARS before it was standard practice. Dino easily has some of the best metal guitar tones ever recorded (the production on Demanufacture and Obsolete still hold up to this day)!

[@jeleopard]

I use them as a reference ALL the time. Even his modern tones (Mechanize in particular) are still so, so fucking killer

[@dektrimusic]

Hey, Is there like Demanufacture presets, or something like that or you have to tweak a little to get a Self Bias Resistor tone?

[@8KilgoreTrout4]

Agreed! Replica album has some of the heaviest tones out there

[@brandontadday6288]

​@@dektrimusic I actually think that Toneforge Disruptor has a Self Bias Resistor preset that comes with the plugin (if I am not mistaken).

[@dektrimusic]

@@brandontadday6288 that would be exactly what I’m search for… I’ll try it out. Thanks, mate

[@THE_TOOTH77]

I was supposed to be at the show when their trailer got stolen. It sucked. But when the came back I won tickets to go in to a preshow/meet and greet. 50 people, and they did 5 songs for us. Then hung out with us for awhile before the show. I'm so happy he got it back.

[@elblopex]

dude's using digital since the 90's. That's a love story right there

[@Keepitsavage21]

Just started getting into fear factory after listing to a lot of Brujeria. Saw this dudes name and wanted to see what he was all about. This man has a vast knowledge on the metal music industry, and all its technique and skills. I get more respect for this guy every time I see a new video of him.

[@RickJames-wf2rm]

Dino, like dimebag, was always searching continuously for an improvement in his tone, he's always been ahead of the times and his tone has continuously improved over time even though his tone has always been a gamechanger, his tone on obsolete is still one of the greatest I've heard in metal

[@_MANASYt]

How about Tommy Victor? 😎

[@deskducker]

@@_MANASYt prongs riffs top of the heap

[@Autofusionchannel]

Dino is an amazing riff writer, I always loved how fear factory had this futuristic sound.

[@Stratking01]

Love Dino man, one of my early idols. He was always ahead of the game and still is, plus you know it’s Dino when you hear him play

[@Samurai78420]

So funny because Dino would sound like Dino no matter what he's playing through. Respect. 👊

[@logantherrien1633]

I remember the show in Minneapolis (1st Ave) and the band shopping for new gear after that truck was taken. My buddy could not believe Dino got that tone from a Marshall. Just brought back memories from 25 years ago.

[@duayynnneremm757]

One of my main influences growing up. My picking technique came from playing along with demanufacture back in the day

[@Derpadeedooda]

Dinos tone has always been great. So cool we can download it now

[@LeonLandgren-qt9pg]

Det är sån samhällstjänst. Its a community saver.

[@ordohereticus3427]

Art and creativity are art and creativity. I couldn’t care less what tools one uses to achieve the artistic goal. So long as the goal is achieved and the art is compelling.

[@WithDifferentEyes_Official]

So true!

[@NeoGarlick]

i really like the way of dino's thinks about amp modeling, he is right! some of my favorite guitar tones of all times comes from a modeling amp

[@Griuofficial]

What a legend! Fear Factory is an amazing band, one of a kind

[@TacoPoweredTimeTraveler]

Anyone who says producing music with a laptop is cheating and easy music has never tried it. I used to be one until I decided to give it a shot and quickly realized how complicated it is until you learn it and get good at it. It takes serious skill. People like Nik Nocturnal are just so good they make it look it easy in a 15 minute KZbin video.

[@Syklonus]

There's no such thing as cheating unless someone else is writing, playing, and mixing for you. Gatekeepers just love to shit on digital and convenience as if hardship makes a better product.

[@guitarhero9147]

Great interview. I had never heard an interview with Dino before. He is very articulate & he seems nice.

[@rockeyepunkcovers4921]

He seems cool here, but other times especially in more recent interviews he can be pretty arrogant.

[@abhayprakash6070]

Check out the coffee with Ola

[@blastbeatdown]

He somehow got a reputation for being a douche but he’s always been super cordial when I’ve run into him. One time it wasn’t even at a FF show, and he was happy to take a minute to talk to his fans, even though he was partying with people way cooler than me (Necrophagist, Decapitated guys, etc).

[@wafflemanofficial3130]

I can only imagine having a touring life for over 30 years Dino is huge

[@cyrusacre]

Still playing through my Line 6 POD HD500 Rack Mount I bought YEARS ago - the thing STILL holds up like a champ, STILL my go to, and my Kemper and Axe FXIII units are STILL collecting dust!!

[@ehgore1978]

"You gotta get creative with it" Exactly!

[@TheSpineSplitter1990]

Switched to Fractal a few years ago, had the AX8 and now the FM3. Last shows I played with my band all I brought was my FM3, 280watt Poweramp the size of a pedal all in a tough tool bag. All I had to borrow was a cab on stage. No more carrying a 70lb combo amp up stairs, down stairs etc..

[@thySerge]

Look into the Bluguitar Amp 1. 100 watt tube amp that fits in the pocket of your guitar gig bag. Put away the tool box 😉

[@TheSpineSplitter1990]

@@thySerge Bluguitar is great, but I still think it lacks some features which is why I am using the FM3.

[@HellaKwik]

A local band in Oakland, California, where I'm from, got a sponsorship from line 6 around 97. Those guys and I had mutual friends who told me what they were using and those first 2 generations of Flextone were actually pretty fucking savage for that time. That was around 98. I bought one that summer, and today I have a POD Go in a hard case that I literally take everywhere with me. It sounds absolutely killer. Though I do have conventional amps, I only use their power section to amp my Go. For 25 years I've been a digital dude, and it's only getting better. Just like Dino

[@juanvaldez4043]

I do find it funny how line 6 STILL catches heat for not “sounding as good” when they were the ones that pioneered all this tech. I still have my old spider mkii and I can get pretty much any sound I want out of it.

[@Jimboishere11]

Elite wankers mate. Line 6 have delivered the goods for years now. ✌🏻

[@xChrundleTheGr8x]

I’ve seen many producers and bands reveal that a particular tone that people loved were a Line 6 amp, a Pod tone, etc… People just repeat what they agree with. Bandwagon criticism of things they don’t know about or have no experience with.

[@resistthesystem6145]

Flextone II and HD147 were amazing amps!

[@poison7512]

Newsflash.. they didnt sound good back then either.

[@thegodless2904]

Yeah lets be real here, the early Line 6 stuff did not sound that great. Credit for the pioneering but early modelers were not nice to work with for the most part. Todays modelers however, phenomenal.

[@GrizzlyDaddams]

Got to meet him once. He went above and beyond, to chat with a smelly, drunken, 25yro, me. Very personable and down to earth, dude. Rock on, Legend! 🤘

[@davidlawson7786]

Totally agree with Dino, I love tube amps but they’re super heavy to haul around, and expensive to repair if something fails. I love gear like most metal and rock players but for the last year and half I’ve been playing through a Line 6 Spider IV 150 HD with a Line 6 stereo matching cab. Im playing in manual mode (dual rectifier model) with a Boss Super Overdrive in front and a Boss noise suppressor too. For me right now it does the chuggah chuggah thing very well. If you spend some time you can dial in a killer tone without having to invest $$$$ Fear Factory Demanufacture is my favorite FF. Dino has a machine mechanism implanted in his right arm and wrist. 🤘😎🤘

[@ericdravenX00X]

"Laptop Core" Dino just came up with a new genre... Dino is a Metal Legend no question.💀🤘

[@jeffloy4638]

I really resisted modeling for a long time. Then a friend with similar tonal preferences got a Fractal FM3 on a whim and started raving about it to me. I bought one, and now I’m hooked on digital.

[@jeremebonesaw]

Punk rock mba said Dino is just as influential as Dimebag. It's such a bold state, but so true.

[@christopherarriaga9076]

I remember hearing Fear Factory for the first time when I was a teen in the 90s. New Breed still gets me amped decades later.

[@angusorvid8840]

Going digital is a brilliant move. If I hadn't seen this video, I wouldn't have known Dino was using a digital amp. This technology is so good it just doesn't make sense to tour with a wall of amps. John McLaughlin's been going straight in to the soundboard for twenty years now. These days he's touring with an HX Stomp. He can play anything he wants and this works for him. Mark Knopfler is also using an HX or AxFx, I forget which one. But it just makes sense. When you can get the tone without the hassle and unreliability then digital makes sense.

[@BoyAditya]

Everybody's probably love his 90s tone. But I knew fearfactory from 2001 digimortal album. And when he said he use line6. I really love that sound

[@megatedassaultituary6783]

Digimortal had some great songs, idk why it is criticized just for a few nu metal elements...the rest of it is pure definitive FF lots of classic tunes like Linchpin Full Metal Contact Hurt Conveyor it was a fresh new side of FF yet so very true to their original sound.

[@Salomon_G]

@@megatedassaultituary6783 Because the songs were stripped down to be safe, short radio friendly hits. That's why a lot of people don't like it. It's the same two songs over and over again.

[@megatedassaultituary6783]

@@Salomon_G They were already writing catchy hooks and short songs since Demanufacture, if you take out all the extended repetitions, how is it any different from that, and what's wrong with being short or radio friendly? Lol Even Beatles wrote short radio friendly songs. It's not like they started sounding like nickelback. You need to be more specific. I was referring to people not liking it due to the rapping or dj scratches since nu metal was big at the time. For me I'm more of a death metal guy Soul of the New Machine being my fav album by them, and I don't hate Digimortal...so idk what makes FF fans so special thinking they 'sold out' or whatever when talking about that phase as if they were being trendy or something on the contrary they were one of the formative bands that influenced a lot of early so called nu metal, with their use of industrial samples so if anything it was totally natural for them to step in that direction.

[@jwp1180]

I'll never forget Dino's famous words to me when i met him at Van's Warped Tour in 98......"Dude, how many things are you going to have me autograph"

[@matthiaskruger556]

man, when demanufacture came out in '95 it featured a sound that was completely unheard of. it blew me away back then and still sounds modern in 2023

[@cultistsash]

Laptopcore is savage. I will use this word forever now.

[@zakur0hako]

in a weird way it doesn't sound condescending

[@Brennosguitarsandgear]

Great interview, I love the evolution story of Dino’s rigs The photos of his line 6 rigs was sick too I had a flextoneii head back in the day , and I was stoked to be able to get the digimortal tone exactly

[@WithDifferentEyes_Official]

Dino is the Man! Laptopcore - this is the way 🤘

[@megatedassaultituary6783]

laptop core eww...don't say it like that

[@LeonLandgren-qt9pg]

@@megatedassaultituary6783 ypu wil get used to it 😆. Life is awesome when you decide it is.laptopcore!

[@marknukem324]

I don’t know about any of this guitar stuff but I love Dino and I love FF. I can’t wait to hear the new album with Milo!!

[@justicia8393]

We still play & record with Line 6 POD XT Pro & Line 6 POD X3 Pro and sounds awesome.

[@floridapunkarchivist]

Saw FF open up for Iron Maiden at a small club in Ft Lauderdale called The Edge. It was in 1996 when Blaze was singing instead of Bruce but seeing them in a small venue like that was incredible. Unfortunately I wasn't familiar with FF but they had a great crowd....good times

[@MxIxTxC]

Dude I haven't heard about this guy in like 13 years when he did that video with that crazy drummer. I'm so happy rn

[@GoldenGateNum9]

Special band, Dino is my hero 🤘

[@NicolasAlexanderOtto]

Really nice guy and some interesting foresights on his part.

[@krismarchant2913]

Love it bought it early i also have genexis cazeres kemper profile id love to see him release his kemper pack and be great to see this as a standalone amazing work from the riff king

[@jerrygamez5723]

Thanks so much for the video

[@ThaPhantazm]

I used my cheap digitech pedal with amp sim with no amp for the first time live 2 weeks ago, and it A. sounded great and powerful through the cheap PA (better than the amp) B. didn't have to mess with carrying and hooking up a half-stack and head, and C. didn't have to worry about mic placement. I got a Tube MP at the end of my chain I usually use so that might've made it sound even better, but I went with a minimum pedal set up that night of Multi FX with amp sim, Distortion, and Wah. 10/10 would recommend 👍

[@declassified1]

Great interview

[@blakemoore1905]

I had a flextone 3 back in the day loved it

[@chopshop777]

As well as being one of the most awesome guitar players ever, you never get tired of listening to Dino talk, always cool.

[@soulfate2]

Fear Factory is fantastic..so original and amazing

[@paulgorhamiii9926]

Ive been a fan of Fear Factory for a long time, since around the Demanufacture era. Man is a true metal veteran, his advice and words speaks volumes, awesome to listen to a master of his craft. So awesome that he's around putting out skull crushing riffs still, cant wait for the new record with the new frontman.

[@nebularain3338]

I can hear the tube snobs absolutely fuming at every word Dino says. The thing is, he's 100% right! There's no shame in convenience, and if someone is more concerned about how the music was made rather than appreciating the compositions, then they are nothing but gate keeping hipsters. If any band was suited to digital, robotic tech it's Fear Factory, because it's literally their entire theme, and it sounds incredible!

[@darrenayles5905]

I ABOLUTELY LOVE that Dino's favorite guitar tone is EVH's 1978 tone. I LOVE VH AND FEAR FACTORY and I've been chasing that 1978 guitar tone since about 1978 LOL. Cool guy, great band. I love the gear talk. Take it easy.

[@chriscampbell9191]

It's also cool how Dino took that tone and made it his own -- detuning, different style, Ibby guitars, 7 strings, etc. Shows how you can take your favorite guitar guys tone and then make it into something originally yours.

[@Theshark15z]

I went with digital because it was cheaper. All the Tubes Amps have skyrocketed in price. It is part of the reason I use Solid State. The second reason is that the response is tighter. Also, they are easier to transport as far as not having to worry about damaging tubes. Plus, most of them, like Crate amp heads, are built like a tank. I drop one of them by accident and the thing still plays flawlessly.

[@OvertEnemy]

Great interview. Dino rules 🤘

[@johnstewart7619]

I had the Line 6 Flextone 1 (300 Watts SS if you ran it on 2 Cabs). I kept a Flextone Stack on one side of the stage, and an early JCM 2203 stack on the other. The clean tones were great, and running it in stereo with the 2203, was deafening and brutal!! Now days it’s a Diezel Herbert pedal (with some other effects), through a powered, tube, 1x12 cab. My back and drummer thanks me!! 😉😁

[@ianspeckmaier9565]

Dino looks great!

[@krailanuar]

Legendary Dino 7 String

[@trashmanzero7827]

I totally get it and especially for metal it makes sense. The irony though that all of their stuff is war against the machines is not lost in me

[@DadDrummer75]

The idea of traveling light makes a lot of sense, especially if you’re just a cover band making side money and don’t wanna get worn out hauling gear all the time.

[@KevPezJALP]

Amp modelers work amazing well. My issue is just a feel thing. When I play a modeler through a floor monitor, it’s off to me. If I played one through a guitar cab, I bet I would love it. To be clear, I’m talking Helix, Headrush, Kemper, etc.

[@StratsRUs]

Through a Seymour Duncan Powerstage to a cab.

[@KevPezJALP]

@@StratsRUs yeah, I figured that would work, just never had the opportunity to try it.

[@benjaminkrause6580]

"Triiiiiiied soooo haaaard" (Therapy for Pain lyric bit) for so many years to not become the Machine,but here we go,going Digital...

[@JEKAZOL]

I did the same! Line-6 is amazing. People used to look down on it. I made it work by removing one small band on frequency on my Eschatology recording. Not everyone could afford to record with miked Marshalls; plus, it was easy.

[@stenzeliron6818]

Awesome!!

[@marijandesin8226]

I like the idea of Dino traveling light

[@oopsydaizi3s824]

Jose is the guy who modified the amp for Dino. He also did for Steve Vai

[@3ngi_n33r]

Love this amp sim !!!

[@davepaulson287]

Hell yeah! Cant wait to check it out

[@aegisreflector1239]

All the late 90s / early 2000s Line 6 amps n tones are stellar and underrated. I still have multiple AX6, Flextone 1 and 2 and bogner spider amps

[@metalcali680]

Agree, the Bogner Spider Valve MKii is still my go to live rig.

[@fandangobrandango7864]

​@@metalcali680 mine lasted about 12 month before the DSP went on it. Sounded great, but was a common fault on them. Would never by Line 6 again.

[@kmfdm5]

my line 6 bass pods are quintessential to my sound and set up

[@VivisectorBand]

If it works it works. Dino has a great sound and being a great guitar player helps significantly. I play a Vox VT100X and the sound is incredible. The variety with the modeling capabilities really helps you in the creative process and i like being able to switch between rhythm tones ive designed live on stage.

[@lukasm4878]

Philadelphia - that explains all .

[@semicollin4517]

Never thought I’d hear this many people recommending digital. What a time to be alive.

[@ELECTRICSCARS]

Totally get his Points

[@DavidDexterMusic]

I love modelling and tube amps

[@EMPERORTITSWORTH]

I still use my Flextone II HD Line 6 for the past 20 years. They rule.

[@jonnymak1079]

😂😂😂 it Happened at the Tower theater lol on my street ...69street Upper Darby last stop in Philly ;) I snuck in all the good shows from my back all and rehursels

[@80s_kid]

Great stuff, thanks! In my opinion, the factors that most affect this type of sound are: manual skills (some people are simply more skilled/gifted at picking than others), pick attack (+ pick type), pickup, properly strings (not too loose, not too tight, not too thick, not too thin ), guitar cab & speakers with wise mic placement. The latter two is very important. Good IRs work too. Obviously you need a high gain head (or digital stuff) and some boost but this can be achieved in several ways.

[@Hexspa]

Awesome fellow

[@zsreich]

My reason to use digital is just because its so versitile, and nothing can match it for the value and price. Its nice to just have 1 unit to work with. I use a line 6 spider valve mk2 which is digital but has power tubes still.

[@dektrimusic]

LMAO Dino just created a new metal genre, Laptop Core 😂😂😂 Great video btw

[@RobSinner]

I always used amp, then went digital for some years, now I use amp+digital and the combination is wild.

[@ianrotten4453]

I've been using that EXACT head and cab for years. Too bad it too just got stolen. At least I got one of three guitars back.

[@imnick2724]

Got the flextone and use it ALL the time

[@Brutuscomedy]

I guess the album that influenced me in similar regard is "Lonely House" by Grammatrain. The feedback, distortion, wah... I think Pete used a Rotovibe, moreover. That said, while I have numerous plugins on my laptop, I plan to buy an all tube Marshall amp later this year.

[@mr.timebombman2230]

The Johnson Millennium digital amps from back in the day were the best sounding imo. They no longer make them , so if you see one for sale I'd snatch it up.

[@Davidthestratman7]

Love this guitarist. I wanna another divine herecy album

[@SUBtRONiX213]

Rumor is they are writing it. Sick line up too!

[@jesusthugmusic]

I have a katana 50, peavey piranha 6505 with orange micro cab and a pc. I still play old school more than anything. I have some good plug-ins but I'm 48 and I'm used to it. I will bypass a cab and go directly into a board quick though lol.

[@TornadoOfCards]

A lot of bands seem to get their equipment stolen in Philly lol. I remember seeing SOAD in Jersey back in 2012 and somebody stole one of Daron's SG's when they just did a show there. He was talking about it on stage asking people to keep a look out for it. He was pissed. And I've heard/read some other stories

[@trevorphilips9484]

Was it a Jose modded Marshall?

[@patientmental875]

Back in the day it was all a pain in the ass but it was fun

[@CarcPazu]

Legend.

[@txhc666]

I love the digitech gsp1101

[@rexrocker1268]

I like how at the end he’s like you know, I’m not really a shredder. I get it I see what he’s saying, but it’s like bull crap you are a shredder. You just have your own shred style.

[@Lol_Pig]

I don't care what someone uses as long as it sounds good. Sometimes they provide a method I hadn't thought of and so I incorporate it. Dino's always been a stand up guy and solid guitarist. Imho, Demanufacture is still the best album

[@johnknight9150]

To be fair, if there's one band who has a genuine excuse to use digital instead of analogue, it's Fear Factory!

[@czdot]

This is all cool but the most interesting part of this whole clip is the speaker cab he doesn't talk about at all.

[@8eight104]

tone secret probably

[@troopin]

saw an interview that said during demanufacture sessions they were struggling to get the sound, and the guitarist from bad brains let him use one of his cabs and there was the sound

[@Osoch]

I asked dino years ago and apparently its a Mesa 4x12 with V30s, miced with SM57

[@czdot]

@@Osoch you know what? That doesn't surprise me. Everyone... Drop in that Glenn Fricker's V30 IR and let's go. 😀

[@Osoch]

@@czdot yeah! I've been experimenting for years trying to get the tone but i could never get close with the IRs i had available. I guess we'll never know the exact signal chain. The tone changes a lot even between speakers within the same cab, the mic placement and angle, the preamp, all that influences the tone that's why it's so hard to get it

[@mht525]

Well said Dino. Life on the road new style. ✌️🤘 💀 🏴🇦🇺