VG Tutorial Part 2: Learn How to Start Your Heavy Metal Production With Virtual Guitarist IRON

 

Setting up the Sound

  • In Virtual Guitarist IRON, I picked the preset ‘Wacken’ and the style ‘Big Accents’ to define the general phrasing style and the desired sound.
  • Further on, I configured the AMP for a more heavy metal-like sound switching to ‘metal’ and tweaked the chorus and reverb function.

 

Chord Progression

  • Next, I played the chords Eb, E and G and experimented with different phrases (A#3 – G#2 – A#2 – G2 – A#2 – B and A#3 – G#2 – A#2 – G2 – A#2) over four bars. The goals is to create a contrastive rhythmical structure between longer power chord sounds, short staccato chugs and a slide.
  • Finally, I added some automation on the ‘Thrust’ and the ‘Feel’ function to support the overall sound.

Try it out!

  1. Download the trial version of Virtual Guitarist IRON  if you haven’t got the plug-in already. It’s free, and it runs for 30 days – without any limitation.
  2. Install it, open your DAW, and find Virtual Guitarist IRON in your list of virtual instrument plug-ins, and open it on a track.
  3. Download the MIDI file: VG-IRON Progressive Metal Riff – midi
  4. Drag the MIDI file to the Virtual Guitarist IRON track
  5. Download the drum loop Wav-file: Metal-Riff – Drum-Loop
  6. Drag the MP3 file to your track.

About the Author or Article

Martin Seyer is a composer, sound designer and music educator who works for the music and media industry in close collaboration with artists, directors and theatre productions.

 

Website: www.martinseyer.com