Dr. Mike Trubetskov dives into the critical role of Impulse Responses (IRs) in shaping guitar tones in metal mixes, emphasizing the selection process based on the music style and mix approach. He shares his experiences and comparisons between two lesser-known, modern metal guitar IR packs from Buster Odeholm – Impact Studios Artist Pack and Forward Audio, evaluating their qualities and impacts on the mix. Highlighting the importance of capturing a good IR at the source and avoiding post-production fixes, he meticulously reviews each IR pack’s characteristics, from their EQ curves to how they sit in a mix, offering insights into achieving the perfect metal guitar tone.

00:00 Intro

00:40 Guitar IR Examples

03:09 What Makes a Good IR? Unveiling the Criteria

04:47 Buster’s Artist IR Pack: A Detailed Review

07:10 Exploring the Forward Audio IR Pack

10:57 Final Thoughts: The Impact of IRs on Guitar Tone