MusicRadar

Read on to discover Rusty Cooley's studio secrets.

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James Dunkley (Peavey UK)

Chained up
The guitar is absolutely number one in the signal chain and therefore needs to be set up properly beforehand. The amplifier is next and having a flexible plug-in means you won't have any problems when dialling in the tone you want. The final part in the chain is your ears. Do you know what you're after? Have you identified the great tone you want to nail? If the answer is no, listen to your favourite commercial guitar tracks in depth before trying to create your own.

www.peavey.com

Alex Skolnick (Alex Skolnick Trio/Testament)

Simple is as simple does
I believe it's best not to include the computer in the music making process until you're absolutely ready to go with an idea. Technology can sometimes get in the way of the creative flow. I capture my rough ideas with a handheld cassette recorder and an acoustic guitar. Once that basic idea is down, I'm ready to record it in higher quality on the computer and develop it from there. I'll usually just find a good sound using Korg's Pandora, which is then run directly into GarageBand. This way, it's easy to try out complimentary guitar parts, harmonies, etc.

Computer-aided design
If I like an idea, I'll develop it on Pro Tools, which is ReWired to Reason, so that I can add drum parts. This last step is a bit advanced for me, so I have a couple professional engineers that I turn to, and they help me get up and running. It's a different process from simply playing an instrument, but I've been able to present very developed ideas to my band, including completed songs. This is obviously much better than trying to explain things verbally.

www.alexskolnick.com

Rusty Cooley

Into the blender
I use a Rocktron Prophesy preamp going into a VHT 2/90/2 power amp followed by a Diamond cab, although I've also used a Bogner Uberschall. When these are all put together, they're massive. To split the two signals, I use a Tonebone by Radial Engineering. We put a couple of mics on each cab: one straight on, but a little left of the cone, and the other at an angle. The Prophesy has a direct out, so we make use of that as well. The three tones are then blended to create some seriously crushing sounds.

Don't cut and paste
Always be prepared when you're going to record solos: that's the bottom line. I find that if I don't nail it within the first couple of takes, it just gets worse from then onwards. Also, be a pro: don't cut and paste your solos. If you can only play one lick at a time, you need to practise more!

www.rustycooley.com