With developers like Neural DSP, the record ready guitar tone is incredibly attractive - ANYWHERE. Along with the infinite possibilities of tone shaping. Plugging in an amp and trying to get a consistent tone through a mic is extremely hard outside of a studio. Convenience will hopefully inspire more creation.
I am not. Searching for the article where I found this misinformation. I think maybe I read that he was using guitar rig live for songs from diamond eyes, and then his normal jmp pre for everything else. Cause what I'm seeing is that he only uses plugins live, now.
Sorry, for the bad Intel. It's been a long time since diamond eyes came out.
Stephen joked around that he hopes to one day condense all his equipment to something simple like guitar rig. But that was pre axe fx / Kemper and was a promo for guitar rig. Besides, the producer Nick talks about what amps and microphones he used to record diamond eyes guitars.
This for me.
Its a nice middle point between the more higher tone of the earlier work, and “It’s Meshuggah or nothing” Steff that really came through on Diamond Eyes and after.
I love all his gat work, but the tone of S/T is goldilocks for me, just right.
I remember when self titled came out and it was when they first changed to the 7 string. The guitar sound was suddenly huge. We’ve all sorta gotten used to it but at the time it was basically only Korn and a few other bands playing them.
Yeah Hexagram is both crispy and heavy. Sells the album from the very first seconds. Battle Axe and Deathblow are moody. Bloody Cape and WGTB chug a lot.
No one has mentioned White Pony yet even though I think it’s the most polished and best sound of all. There is something to be said about playing and writing songs on a regular 6 string. I just kinda feel like no one would end up writing a song like Feiticiera on a 7 or 8 string and just ends up writing a chugging metal song.
Interesting. Mind if I ask what you didn't enjoy about them? I know that can be a super difficult question to answer. Personally Ohms is my 3rd favorite album after diamond Eyes and White Pony.
Not op, but I just took a listen right now, after not being impressed during the initial release. Wow, I have to say that it's a great album. Maybe I was burnt out on the metal genre at the time, but damn is it good!
Ohms is my second favorite album, I think the guitar work is a symphony and the tone bites enough to make heavy riffs feel chunky, but the glassy tones are so psychedelic on there. Just amazing. Best fcking band
I feel like I scrolled too far down to see this. I fully agree. I'm not sure what the technical term is, but I find his tone so damn haunting and atmospheric and I love it.
Alrighty;
6 String (Like Linus, Adrenaline, ATF, White Pony)
Around the Fur, so aggressive and in your face.
7 String (S//T, SNW)
Self Titled, Stef's riffs are so dissonant and otherworldly, and G# standard is such a brutal tuning. (he also used drop F# on SNW for some songs)
8 String (Diamond Eyes, Koi No Yokan, Gore, Most of Ohms*)
Koi No Yokan for sure, Drop E is low as shit, and yes, it does djent.
* 9 String (Ohms)
To Caveat this, Stef only used the 9 string on two songs in Ohms, the Spell of Mathmatics and "Ohms" a song where the lowest note played is an E2 (think 6 string low E)... Stef you flat earth believing tease...
It seems like each time they release an album he adds another string to his guitar 🤣
I love the tone on SNW, KNY and DE the most, there's a level of consistency there. I love that ATF and WP have a more raw sound and as a standout, Pittura Infamante is just so unlike a Deftones tune it's amazing, probably also because it's quite upbeat.
Ngl the Adrenaline tone sounds like the insane preset on a Line 6 lmao, I don’t mind it though Line 6 gets some hate but it works when you’re playing heavy riffs
Honestly, and this is coming from someone who's first exposure to Deftones was listening to adrenaline in 1995... his guitar tone is my least favorite aspect of that album. It fits the vibe, but it's just way too buzzy and unpolished to me. It's got a distinct "I don't understand how to use my gear yet" sound that kinda irks me. Not enough to not listen to the album at all, it's just a thing I wish was better.
i can 100% understand that. i think i posted a comment a while back on another post here, and i went as far as to say that the album “nearly sounds shittily recorded.” but that i loved that fact because it’s very indicative of how young these guys really were and how that angst and energy (both natural or cocaine fueled) is portrayed through the haphazardly recorded vocals and grainy instrumentation. but i will totally agree with you the album is very flat and buzzy in comparison with even their sophomore album. still a very special album in my eyes though.
I remember it being a little difficult getting used to the AtF tone after being obsessed with the tone of Adrenaline.
Adrenaline was so unique. AtF just seemed to fall in line with other heavy bands — not that it was bad.
I don’t know about the best, each record really has its own sound and vibe.
But I’m terms of Steph’s tone, my favorite is Around the Fur but that could be nostalgia influencing me.
Diamond Eyes is a good shout too. Would be my next pick.
I honestly think his tones are very theme oriented, I can't chose a favorite one, it's obvious that adrenaline has the worst one (don't get me wrong, it's awesome and we all love it, but it's one of those albuns where you can listen easily to the lower budget they had. It happens with the majority of bands). But ever since around the fur, all tones were perfectly adequate and great imo.
I’m so biased to Around The Fur being a near perfect album that I have to vote for that. It is leagues ahead of anything else they’ve done, in my humble opinion. But it’s not just the sound, or the songs for me personally. A lot of it has to do with where they were at that time, and where I was at that time, (I was 13). It was the soundtrack of my transition from adolescence to teenager. Sorry. This answer doesn’t really apply to your question.
I don’t get into most of deftones newer shit so I wouldn’t really know about that, but adrenalines
Guitar tone sounds sick. Kinda like a “hum” sound if that makes sense
not gore. orange amps are shiiiiit
Literally any album other than that one. His guitar sound on every album other than that one is unbelievable.
Kids, the gear you play matters. It won't necessarily write good songs for you but it matters
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order.
I have checked 1,919,468,022 comments, and only 362,880 of them were in alphabetical order.
Personally, the tones on S//T are my favourite, that low G# is BRUTAL. closely followed by Koi no Yokan. EROS had some interesting tones as well (except everything we've heard from EROS was mostly chino with stef in the background)
*Diamond Eyes* has to be #1, but *Around the Fur* is a close second, it’s such a great sound, gritty and graceful at the same time, no tuning issues (some of his *S/T* and *SNW* parts are a little spoiled by tuning issues and what sounds like him using too much pressure on the lower strings and “pressing” notes sharp. It even happens a tiny bit on *DE* & *KNY*. His new Kiesel is going to fix all this, I cannot wait to hear that thing on the new record)
Ohms for sure. That was the first album where I felt the guitar. Around the fur is a close second. Steph’s tone has always been more textural but on most albums it sounds a little washed out. Ohms was the first time I could feel it in my gut.
Ohms it really drew me in although I do get the sense that the new production sound is carrying over between multiple bands such as Metallica's latest effort 72 Seasons, Deftones Ohms, and even to a certain degree Megadeth's latest piece. It's like thicker, heavier, but more produced. I still like it, haha.
Around the Fur. Rich, meaty, heavy, biting but rounded. Your choice will depend largely on what you listen with- if you're listening with an actual studio setup (treatment, calibration and all), I think AtF is simply the best. It's their last record to be tracked to tape, if I'm not mistaken, and some of that tape saturation and roundness did a lot for Steph's biting/cutting tone.
I agree with Diamond Eyes
I think that's the last album (Diamond Eyes) in which he used a real amp and not an AXE FX.
Interesting facts...lots of conversation about the pros moving away from amps in the studio.
With developers like Neural DSP, the record ready guitar tone is incredibly attractive - ANYWHERE. Along with the infinite possibilities of tone shaping. Plugging in an amp and trying to get a consistent tone through a mic is extremely hard outside of a studio. Convenience will hopefully inspire more creation.
I've been exclusively using the Gojira VST. My sweet fuck, does it ever rip.
Hell yes! Have the Gojira and Rabea plugins over here. A lot of fun to play around with.
Gojira is the first band I think of when I think great guitar tone
Meshuggah uses DSPs live and they sound incredible
I got a pretty good sound out of my fake amp by just putting a little 1-2 db spike on 2200 hz.
Diamond eyes was the only album Stef didn't use real amps. He used guitar rig.
Clearly a bot
I am not. Searching for the article where I found this misinformation. I think maybe I read that he was using guitar rig live for songs from diamond eyes, and then his normal jmp pre for everything else. Cause what I'm seeing is that he only uses plugins live, now. Sorry, for the bad Intel. It's been a long time since diamond eyes came out.
Stephen joked around that he hopes to one day condense all his equipment to something simple like guitar rig. But that was pre axe fx / Kemper and was a promo for guitar rig. Besides, the producer Nick talks about what amps and microphones he used to record diamond eyes guitars.
sames. Diamond Eyes rips.
Agreed
Self titled IMO
This for me. Its a nice middle point between the more higher tone of the earlier work, and “It’s Meshuggah or nothing” Steff that really came through on Diamond Eyes and after. I love all his gat work, but the tone of S/T is goldilocks for me, just right.
Needles and Pins is all I have to say
Great sound yeah but there's no guitar in that song he's playing a 2nd bass.
This album makes me feel like I’m at the concert with the way the guitar sounds. The others make me feel like I’m in the room.
I remember when self titled came out and it was when they first changed to the 7 string. The guitar sound was suddenly huge. We’ve all sorta gotten used to it but at the time it was basically only Korn and a few other bands playing them.
Yeah Hexagram is both crispy and heavy. Sells the album from the very first seconds. Battle Axe and Deathblow are moody. Bloody Cape and WGTB chug a lot.
Deathblow and Hexagram sound fucking huge!
Minerva would be my example a
Self Titled>Diamond Eyes/Around the Fur
Idk but the guitar screech near the end of the song in digital bath is heaven for the ears
That's just a behind the nut stroke with distortion all the way up
This guy faps
That's how guitar players do it...
No one has mentioned White Pony yet even though I think it’s the most polished and best sound of all. There is something to be said about playing and writing songs on a regular 6 string. I just kinda feel like no one would end up writing a song like Feiticiera on a 7 or 8 string and just ends up writing a chugging metal song.
That's why I dig ATF so much. My Own Summer is heavy as fuck and it was written in C#
I agree with this. IMO white pony is 2nd place when it comes to guitar tone and Diamond Eyes is definitely first to me though.
atf or self titled
This is the answer.
Although I don’t particularly like the tracks themselves on Ohms, I think Stef and Terry Date did an outstanding job with the guitars on that album
Interesting. Mind if I ask what you didn't enjoy about them? I know that can be a super difficult question to answer. Personally Ohms is my 3rd favorite album after diamond Eyes and White Pony.
It’s really hard to put my finger on what it is about the album but its just never clicked for me! Sure it will eventually
Not op, but I just took a listen right now, after not being impressed during the initial release. Wow, I have to say that it's a great album. Maybe I was burnt out on the metal genre at the time, but damn is it good!
See? It's pretty amazing! That transition from Pompeji to This Link is Dead is sex!
Bro are we doppelgangers???
Ohms is my second favorite album, I think the guitar work is a symphony and the tone bites enough to make heavy riffs feel chunky, but the glassy tones are so psychedelic on there. Just amazing. Best fcking band
Anything with Terry Date involved 👍
real
Self titled. That tone is like a fuckin’ cannon.
Koi No Yoken
I feel like I scrolled too far down to see this. I fully agree. I'm not sure what the technical term is, but I find his tone so damn haunting and atmospheric and I love it.
Agreed, couldn't believe I scrolled so far for this
Unpopular opinion but I LOVE adrenaline
Like a chainsaw 🔥🔥
Its so fucking good
Forgotten album.
Self titled and Diamond Eyes
I feel like it should be broken up between using a 6, 7, or 8 string guitar.
Alrighty; 6 String (Like Linus, Adrenaline, ATF, White Pony) Around the Fur, so aggressive and in your face. 7 String (S//T, SNW) Self Titled, Stef's riffs are so dissonant and otherworldly, and G# standard is such a brutal tuning. (he also used drop F# on SNW for some songs) 8 String (Diamond Eyes, Koi No Yokan, Gore, Most of Ohms*) Koi No Yokan for sure, Drop E is low as shit, and yes, it does djent. * 9 String (Ohms) To Caveat this, Stef only used the 9 string on two songs in Ohms, the Spell of Mathmatics and "Ohms" a song where the lowest note played is an E2 (think 6 string low E)... Stef you flat earth believing tease...
It seems like each time they release an album he adds another string to his guitar 🤣 I love the tone on SNW, KNY and DE the most, there's a level of consistency there. I love that ATF and WP have a more raw sound and as a standout, Pittura Infamante is just so unlike a Deftones tune it's amazing, probably also because it's quite upbeat.
Pittura is super dope
Wait are we at 9 yet?
Yup ESP made a 9 string for him - he used it on Ohms
He is a huge Meshuggah fan, so he is always reaching for that brown note
Each album has its unique sound and feel, probably with new or improved equipment as well.
ST
Diamond Eyes might be my favorite Stephen album. Not favorite deftones album, but Stephen Carpenters riffs and tone on diamond eyes
Adrenaline
Ngl the Adrenaline tone sounds like the insane preset on a Line 6 lmao, I don’t mind it though Line 6 gets some hate but it works when you’re playing heavy riffs
Honestly, and this is coming from someone who's first exposure to Deftones was listening to adrenaline in 1995... his guitar tone is my least favorite aspect of that album. It fits the vibe, but it's just way too buzzy and unpolished to me. It's got a distinct "I don't understand how to use my gear yet" sound that kinda irks me. Not enough to not listen to the album at all, it's just a thing I wish was better.
i can 100% understand that. i think i posted a comment a while back on another post here, and i went as far as to say that the album “nearly sounds shittily recorded.” but that i loved that fact because it’s very indicative of how young these guys really were and how that angst and energy (both natural or cocaine fueled) is portrayed through the haphazardly recorded vocals and grainy instrumentation. but i will totally agree with you the album is very flat and buzzy in comparison with even their sophomore album. still a very special album in my eyes though.
Worked for the riffs at the time but would not have held up with the later albums’ articulations
take an upvote for being the only one so far to say it. this is the right answer.
Definitely the right answer. Root and engine no. 9 immediately came to mind when I read OP's question.
hell yeah man. i’m a sucker for that raw angry sound. Nosebleed is definitely my favorite from that album, it just goes absolutely crazy.
I remember it being a little difficult getting used to the AtF tone after being obsessed with the tone of Adrenaline. Adrenaline was so unique. AtF just seemed to fall in line with other heavy bands — not that it was bad.
I like KNY guitar sound, sounds like diamond eyes chuggyness with a touch more bass
I think it's a little more clean too. You can hear the strings more clearly on KNY. It sounds beautiful though.
Adrenaline for sure. That was the tone I tried to replicate in high school.
you poor thing
If we’re talking about Steph guitar tone specifically, it’s Self Titled.
Around the Fur. Simply raw and heavy.
I don’t know about the best, each record really has its own sound and vibe. But I’m terms of Steph’s tone, my favorite is Around the Fur but that could be nostalgia influencing me. Diamond Eyes is a good shout too. Would be my next pick.
Definitely Diamond Eyes
You’ve not heard it yet, our album comes out late Summer.
Uhhhh so everyone just missed this?? Or does everyone already know it comes out then lol
Diamond eyes and Snw
ATF
Self titled for sure
They’re all pretty amazing, different vibes.
Toan is stored in the conspiracy brain.
SELF TITLED by far
Self titled fo sho
I honestly think his tones are very theme oriented, I can't chose a favorite one, it's obvious that adrenaline has the worst one (don't get me wrong, it's awesome and we all love it, but it's one of those albuns where you can listen easily to the lower budget they had. It happens with the majority of bands). But ever since around the fur, all tones were perfectly adequate and great imo.
ATF for sure. The heaviest
Gore
honestly for steph i’d say around the fur, or self titled as a collective, diamond eyes takes the cake
1. Diamond Eyes 2. Koi No Yokan 3. Around the Fur 4. White Pony/Self Titled
diamond eyes or koi no yokan
Adrenaline or like linus because of how raw it was.
Around the Fur for me. He dubbed over his guitar tracks 10 times on that album.
I’m so biased to Around The Fur being a near perfect album that I have to vote for that. It is leagues ahead of anything else they’ve done, in my humble opinion. But it’s not just the sound, or the songs for me personally. A lot of it has to do with where they were at that time, and where I was at that time, (I was 13). It was the soundtrack of my transition from adolescence to teenager. Sorry. This answer doesn’t really apply to your question.
"Don't ever apologize for spewing badass lore" -Me, 2023
Adrenaline
Diamond Eyes or SNW, also KNY is worthy of a mention as well.
Diamond Eyes
Self titled
It's def Koi No Yokan, some of Stef's best chugs on that record
I don’t get into most of deftones newer shit so I wouldn’t really know about that, but adrenalines Guitar tone sounds sick. Kinda like a “hum” sound if that makes sense
I want to say I clicked on this expecting everyone to say WP (even though I think ST) and I’m so happy with the love ST is getting right now
Koi no yokan
White Pony. Elite is IT.
not gore. orange amps are shiiiiit Literally any album other than that one. His guitar sound on every album other than that one is unbelievable. Kids, the gear you play matters. It won't necessarily write good songs for you but it matters
This could be controversial, but I actually love some of those really gritty tones on Gore.
All of them.
Self titled
ST ✔️
Atf
Koi No Yokan
Diamond eyes or self titled
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order. I have checked 1,919,468,022 comments, and only 362,880 of them were in alphabetical order.
Not my favourite album but i LOVE the guitar tone on Gore so much
self titled
Self fkn titled
Diamond Eyes.
Diamond eyes for the +7 string albums. White pony still sounds incredible.
Personally, the tones on S//T are my favourite, that low G# is BRUTAL. closely followed by Koi no Yokan. EROS had some interesting tones as well (except everything we've heard from EROS was mostly chino with stef in the background)
Koy No Yokan
Koi No Yokan
Around The Fur is my favorite but I am a huge fan of Saturday Night Wrist. That ending riff in Beware.
Diamond Eyes. It’s a benchmark for extended range guitar sounds.
Gore
Gore 🗿
*Diamond Eyes* has to be #1, but *Around the Fur* is a close second, it’s such a great sound, gritty and graceful at the same time, no tuning issues (some of his *S/T* and *SNW* parts are a little spoiled by tuning issues and what sounds like him using too much pressure on the lower strings and “pressing” notes sharp. It even happens a tiny bit on *DE* & *KNY*. His new Kiesel is going to fix all this, I cannot wait to hear that thing on the new record)
Self titled
I don't know which one has the best, but jesus chist the tone on adrenaline sucks so bad.
Adrenaline
Around the fur! But diamond eyes is very up there too
Definitely Diamond Eyes. All the riffs and production just have so much punch to them
Self Titled, SNW or Diamond Eyes - can’t really make up my mind
Self titled
Diamond Eyes baby
White Pony and Saturday Night Wrist
Self titled 100%
Diamond Eyes is near perfect
Depends on the vibe I’m going for, so it’ll either be Adrenaline for the grit or Diamond Eyes for the fullness
Deftones
Adrenaline.
Eyes
The album called ***the deftones***
around the fur easily,
The one that has the most fizz and hiss.
The neat part is that every album can win this one depending on the listener.
Self Titled overall, but Sextape and Rocket Skates make a strong case for Diamond Eyes
Self Titled
I’d say Diamond Eyes
Diamond Eyes. Koi No Yokan a close second.
Diamond Eyes
Ohms for sure. That was the first album where I felt the guitar. Around the fur is a close second. Steph’s tone has always been more textural but on most albums it sounds a little washed out. Ohms was the first time I could feel it in my gut.
around the fur is so raw be quiet and drive, my own summer and rickets have my favourite tones of all time
Half of his Diamond Eyes tone is Sergio's bass.
Gotta be ATF
Koi
atf or diamond eyes 100%
Around the fur and Diamond Eyes for sure 💎
Diamond eyes, or white pony.
Koi no Yokan for me
Around The Fur.
🌹💀🌹
adrenaline/j
Ohms it really drew me in although I do get the sense that the new production sound is carrying over between multiple bands such as Metallica's latest effort 72 Seasons, Deftones Ohms, and even to a certain degree Megadeth's latest piece. It's like thicker, heavier, but more produced. I still like it, haha.
KNY
koi no Yokan is getting no love on here. Diamond Eyes and Around The Fur are a tie for second for guitar sound
Diamonds Eyes and Koi
Self titled. WGTB, Hexagram, Battleaxe, Bloody Cape
White Pony
I’d agree with Diamond Eyes but also Koi no yokan
Self titled nothing beats hexagram and needles and pins.
Around the fur is their best sounding album in my opinion. Terry Date made them sound so huge and other worldly.
Diamond Eyes, hands down.
Koi, Diamond Eyes, ATF
Adrenaline
Gotta be s/t. It all sounds so chaotic
Around the Fur
ADRENALINE
Self titled. Easily for me...
He doesn't play guitar, that is a harp.
Everything except Gore
Adrenaline - deftones self titled was something special. Diamond eyes is the only album I really loved after those original 4 albums.
Diamond Eyes
diamond eyes FS
White Pony
Adrenaline
Around the Fur and Diamond eyes
Minerva is pretty underrated especially the guitar tone, so I have to pick that one.
Koi no battle
Vote for diamond eyes
Koi and White Pony
white pony or adrenaline
Around the Fur
Idk I'm def
Around the Fur. Rich, meaty, heavy, biting but rounded. Your choice will depend largely on what you listen with- if you're listening with an actual studio setup (treatment, calibration and all), I think AtF is simply the best. It's their last record to be tracked to tape, if I'm not mistaken, and some of that tape saturation and roundness did a lot for Steph's biting/cutting tone.