Stereo Tonematching Example and Preset for Frusciante Fans

[qwerty42]

I posted this on TGP but thought I'd share here too. I've been experimenting with making stereo tonematches with Helix, and I'm getting some pretty awesome results. In a nutshell, using original studio stems as reference, you set up paths for the L&R channels in Helix that get as close as you can to the original. Matching the gain characteristics, proximity traits (near mic or distant), and roughing out the EQ is most important here. Next you run the L&R channels of the original stems through a good matching EQ in your DAW (I use Izotope Ozone, it works great), and then independently run the L&R channels from Helix through the match EQs to generate the matches. Lastly, you sweep the L&R eqs, record the output, and generate MPT IRs for the L&R channels. Put those IRs on Helix, drop them into the end of your chain, and presto.
 

Here's a tone I really like and had been trying to match with other tools for a long time -- the outro guitar of Sir Psycho Sexy by RHCP. Here's the Helix patch in a mix -- the first section is the original studio recording, the second section is Helix Patch B, and the third section is Helix Patch A.

 

 

Here's the tone isolated. First is original; second is Helix Patch B; third is Helix Patch A.

 

Here are the patches and tonematch IRs for anyone who wants them: https://www.dropbox.com/s/26dx0exib36i3ck/SirPsychoOutroHelix.zip?dl=1
The guitar used was a 2019 American Pro strat, all stock, neck pickup, volume knob ~6.5, tone knob ~9.1. These settings are very important. This guitar has a treble bleed circuit from the factory, so if yours doesn't, you'll have to crank the tone knob to 10 probably.
 

P.S. the Helix Patch B and A just have different amounts of compression on each channel. The original studio recording is heavily compressed and Patch B is closest to that, though still not quite there. Patch A probably 'feels' better to play through for all you 'feelers' out there ;) 

[eomahony08]

Thanks, sounds great!