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rhythm guitar from “face the truth” by john norum | ToneDB

face the truth

john norum

rhythm guitar

75% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A driving and powerful hard rock rhythm guitar tone with a balanced EQ, moderate gain, and a touch of chorus to add width.

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Recording Notes

  • The guitar was likely recorded with a dynamic microphone placed close to the speaker cabinet.
  • The chorus effect adds a subtle layer of depth without being overly pronounced.
  • The amp settings likely favored a mid-heavy EQ to cut through the mix.

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Stratocaster-style guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position for a thicker tone.
  • Use a Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain amp and dial in a moderate amount of overdrive.
  • Position a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis.
  • Add a subtle chorus effect to thicken the sound and create a sense of width.
  • Experiment with EQ to balance the tone, focusing on a strong midrange presence.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Squier Classic Vibe '70s Stratocaster HSSShop on Reverb$400-450

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

HSS configuration provides the humbucker bridge pickup needed for this thicker hard rock rhythm tone while maintaining Strat characteristics

Marshall DSL40CRShop on Reverb$650-750

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

Modern Marshall tube amp that captures the JCM800's mid-heavy EQ and moderate gain characteristics essential for this driving rhythm tone

Neural DSP Fortin Cali SuitePlugin Boutique$100-130

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

Digital recreation of classic Marshall tones with precise EQ control for achieving that balanced, mid-heavy hard rock sound

Boss CE-2W Waza CraftShop on Reverb$180-200

Alternative to: Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble

Faithful recreation of vintage Boss chorus circuits that provides the subtle width and depth without overpowering the core tone

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-120

Alternative to: Shure SM57

Still the industry standard dynamic mic for recording guitar amps, perfect for capturing the close-miked cabinet sound

Sources

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