Black metal

I'm not huge on black metal, but am somewhat familiar. I would say, turn up the Treble (highs), turn down the Mids, turn up the Bass (not as far up as the highs). I would suggest experimenting with different distortion/overdrives with your guitar and amp setup. I'd use a guitar with a couple of high output humbuckers, an ElectroHarmonix Big Muff, an EQ pedal, and some Marshall or Randall amplification. I'd mostly use the amplifiers distortion and add the Big Muff for boosting solos. Of course this is just one possibility. There are many options.

Forgive my ignorance, but I have never heard of the genre called black metal. Can someone give me some examples of bands who play that genre?

Thanks for your tips 97reb, I've just started out playing so I don't know much about the equipment, but this helps tons.

ColoradoFenderBender, like I said in the first post, Burzum is one example, others; Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, Darkthrone, Emperor, Enslaved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_metal

That is funny, fragrunner. I was just about to post that same link. It is probably the most informative introduction.

Fragrunner, let us know what equipment you have, how much money you have to use for new equipment, and I'll try and let you know in what direction you may want to look.

Black Metal is not for everyone, just as Bluegrass is not for everyone.

Wow... that wiki link was a real journey into the many subgenres of metal... whoda thnuk... Troll Metal???

Black metal
Death metal
Doom metal
Folk metal
Glam metal
Gothic metal
Grindcore
Groove metal
Industrial metal
Metalcore
Neo-classical metal
Nu metal
Power metal
Progressive metal
Speed metal
Symphonic metal
Thrash metal
Alternative metal
Avant garde metal
Celtic metal
Christian metal
Classic metal
Dark metal
Epic metal
Extreme metal
NWOBHM
Post-metal
Rapcore
Stoner metal
Troll metal
Viking metal

NEO-CLASSICAL METAL!!!! :twisted:
Long live Yngwie Malmsteen!!! 8) :lol:

That is funny, fragrunner. I was just about to post that same link. It is probably the most informative introduction.

Fragrunner, let us know what equipment you have, how much money you have to use for new equipment, and I'll try and let you know in what direction you may want to look.

Black Metal is not for everyone, just as Bluegrass is not for everyone.

I only have a cheap guitar and amplifier, Ceramic guitar and Pevey amp. The amp has these settings: eq (low, mid, high), lead gain (supersat, post), voicing (bottom, edge), reverb, normal gain.

Inputs for high and low gain.

By adjusting the settings I've gotten a pretty good metal sound, but not quite black metallish... Not too far off though, but I feel like I need some piece of extra equipment.

I'm at the learning stage so I just want something cheap. I can spend like $200.

Do you think a distortion pedal might be a good idea? Perhaps like a Metal Zone?

To be honest I actually would perfer if it wasn't a pedal, so I needn't worry about using it, because I just want the same distortion on at all times.

save your money for a decent guitar or great amp. thats what i can suggest!

WHAT ABOUT SLUDGE METAL!?

I actually had a class dealing with this discussion (pretty sweet huh?), but anyhow I believe the term "Black Metal" was coined in 1982 by some band who I forget the name of, venom something maybe?, anywho, they named their album black metal or something like that. Perhaps the most famous current black metal artists are Children of Bodom (ps- I don't want to start an argument if they are/aren't black metal, as I know not enough to argue with, this is just what I read.)

Anyhow, metal has spawned into hundreds of subgenres, more than any other type of music genre. Where as other music can just be called alternative. Think of this, the band Foo Fighters, and Death Cab for Cutie are both alternative, but sound nothing alike. This is more distinctively separated in the metal genre. In fact, I think there is one subgenre that is called Swedish Melodic Death Metal.

Now, I could be wrong, but I think black metal deals with demons and devils and the sort and possibly the occult, I'm not really sure.

To summarize, metal is insane.

PPS- thanks to all who read my lame metal history post.

To summarize, metal is insane.

Metal is insane-ly cool!

fragrunner, as far as adding something else to your sound chain to make a difference, try an EQ pedal. If you don't want to add another distortion pedal, an EQ pedal can give you even more control over those highs and lows and cut the mids. The Danelectro Fish'N'Chips is going for $30 or $40. I have one and it works great. It has great reviews from many others on othere websites. In addition, you could get a distortion pedal to add to your sound chain. You would leave your amps' distortion on all the time and have the pedal set up with minimum distortion/gain and tone all the way to treble and volume adjusted accordingly. This distortion/gain pedal would be used as a slight boost for solos.

it all basically sounds the same, though, doesn't it?

@ Jason brann - What all basically sounds the same? The different Metal Genres? That would be like calling Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones basically the same. There are a lot of sound alikes, but then, there are a lot of unique bands in those genres. The fact that there are different genre listings within Metal is due to the fact that there is such a diverse amount of sounds, attitudes, and beliefs. An Italian band like Lacuna Coil doesn't sound anything like a Florida Death Metal band like Death or a Northern California progressive metal band like Zero Hour.

don't know what to tell you. every time i turn on a heavy metal sattelite station, or turn to one on the radio when i'm driving, it's the same thing. boring, overprocessed, rhythmless powerchord downstroke guitar riffs... cookie monster vocals with weak lyrics... drums focused on toms and double kick... all sounding like it's being played by 19 year olds. i'm sure that there are some that buck the trend, but saying there's variety in metal is like saying there's variety in 80's hair metal or mid 90's alternative or pop-punk or gangsta rap or boy bands. maybe there is, but who cares at this point? i can tell the difference between silverchair and the googoo dolls. doesn't mean i'm glad about it.