Metal guitar tones

Researched amp settings for 243 metal songs — then adapted to your gear.

Starting point for Metal tone: gain 7.5 · bass 6 · mid 5 · treble 7 · presence 6 (out of 10)

Most-used amps: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (×19) · high-gain amp (×12) · high-gain profiler (×9) · Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (×8)

Amp settings for this genre

Genre-specific EQ cheat-sheets — averaged dials plus the famous tones for each amp.

AmpegBognerDiezelENGLLaneyMarshall DSLMarshall JCM800Marshall JCM900Marshall Plexi (Super Lead)Mesa/Boogie Dual RectifierMesa/Boogie Mark SeriesOrange RockerverbPeavey 5150 / EVH 5150Peavey 6505Randall RG-100ES

Metal subgenres

Glam MetalHeavy MetalMetalcoreNu MetalPower MetalProgressive MetalThrash Metal
🎛️ Dial any of these in for YOUR rig — free →
Master of Puppets — MetallicaEnter Sandman — MetallicaMy Own Summer (Shove It) — DeftonesCreeping Death — MetallicaFloods — PanteraUnholy Confessions — Avenged SevenfoldSeek & Destroy — MetallicaCowboys from Hell — PanteraOne — MetallicaFade to Black — MetallicaAerials — System of a DownSomewhere I Belong — Linkin ParkParanoid — Black SabbathFloods — PanteraDiamond Eyes — DeftonesNothing Else Matters — MetallicaToxicity — System of a DownHoly Diver — DioRide the Lightning — MetallicaSymphony of Destruction — MegadethWalk — PanteraChapter Four — Avenged SevenfoldMr. Crowley — Ozzy OsbourneSunami Style — SunamiEntombed — DeftonesIron Man — Black SabbathFloods — PanteraIn Dying Days — As Blood Runs BlackDigital Bath — DeftonesPlanet Caravan — PanteraClairvoyant Disease — Avenged SevenfoldDuality — SlipknotEpidemic of Hate — Dying FetusIn My Darkest Hour — MegadethPassenger — DeftonesRepulsive In It's Splendid Beauty — CrowbarMinerva — DeftonesBlind — KornCemetery Gates — PanteraPraise the Lord (Opium of the Masses) — Dying FetusHand Of Blood — Bullet for My Valentine浄土独唱 — IsilielRat Salad — Black SabbathDirt — Alice in ChainsIn My Dreams — Dokken...And Justice for All — MetallicaSecond Heartbeat — Avenged SevenfoldSleep Walk — DeftonesThe Best of Times — Dream TheaterHangar 18 — MegadethHole In the Earth — Deftones5 Minutes Alone — PanteraSonne — RammsteinFor Whom the Bell Tolls — MetallicaDecapitation Fornication — Infant Annihilatorthe great southern trendkill — PanteraNot Good Enough for Truth in Cliche' — Escape the FateStream of Consciousness — Dream TheaterClown — KornThis Love — PanteraNo More Tears — Ozzy OsbourneThe Devil In I — Slipknothail to the king — Avenged SevenfoldIn the End — Linkin Park...And Justice for All — MetallicaHard Lines, Sunken Cheeks — PanteraPull Me Under — Dream TheaterWaking the Demon — Bullet for My ValentineMy Curse — Killswitch EngageFlying Whales — GojiraPeace Sells — MegadethLullaby of a Deadman — Kevin Sherwood, Corey Redgrift & Elena SiegmanBattery — MetallicaWith You — Linkin ParkSir This Is A Cutthroat Fashion — Her Words KillPsychosocial (Live) — SlipknotFreezing Moon — Mayhem115 (Remastered) — Kevin Sherwood & Elena SiegmanFalling Away from Me — KornWherever I May Roam — MetallicaBlack No. 1 — Type O NegativeComing Undone — KornRevenant — Loathe & NOWHERE2RUNStory to Tell — DeathGently — SlipknotEverytime I Die — Children of BodomSweet Dreams (Are Made of This) — Marilyn MansonOutside — StaindNo More Tears — Ozzy OsbourneHomicidal Retribution — Dying FetusKimdracula — DeftonesPeace Sells — MegadethNight Terror — Dream TheaterIn My Dreams — DokkenEpitaph — NecrophagistCuntcrusher — Infant AnnihilatorSign Of Life — Motionless in WhiteI Won't See You Tonight, Pt. 1 — Avenged SevenfoldIt's On! — KornShattered By Broken Dreams — Avenged SevenfoldNo More Tears — Ozzy OsbourneKILL CAP — SpeedThe Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) — Iron MaidenHangar 18 — MegadethBlack Sabbath — Black SabbathBack for More — RattWaffle — SevendustFloods outro — PanteraThe Ultimate Sin — Ozzy OsbourneUnfamiliar — CurrentsThe Blue — Acid BathBuried Alive — Avenged SevenfoldWe Die Young — Alice in ChainsWelcome to the Family — Avenged SevenfoldGot the Life — KornSuicide Messiah — Black Label SocietyChop Suey! — System of a DownAltars of Apostasy — Heaven Pierce HerDead Skin Mask — SlayerThe Grudge — ToolOne Step Closer — Linkin ParkPapercut — Linkin ParkThat Was Just Your Life — MetallicaRust — Black Label SocietySpheres of Madness — DecapitatedDead Memories — SlipknotMy Curse — Killswitch EngageThe Four Horsemen — MetallicaPink Maggit — DeftonesBattle-Axe — DeftonesLike Light to the Flies — TriviumI Don't Wanna Be Me — Type O NegativeCowboys from Hell (Live from Monsters In Moscow Festival, 1991) — PanteraPreludio Obsesivo — Rata BlancaDancing Dead — Avenged SevenfoldCemetery Gates — Panteradorisu karano tegami — deadmanHangar 18 (2004 Remix) — MegadethAtba'a Al-Namrood — Al-NamroodGifted Every Strength — LoatheBlood Eagle — PeripheryTwo Towers — Fit for An AutopsyLa Valse Du Temps — LANDMVRKSTaion — the GazettEEvil Never Dies — Judas PriestBury Me With My Screams — TriviumOff the Heezay — A Trust UncleanGone Away — Five Finger Death PunchHoney Bucket — MelvinsHonor Never Dies — HatebreedBlackest Eyes (Live) — Porcupine TreeThe Power in Belief — ICE NINE KILLSPlaster 2 (Figure.09 Demo) — Linkin ParkCryoshock (feat. Mel Rose) — MechinaA Dying Machine — TremontiScars — I PrevailRevolution Is My Name (Radio Edit) [2020 Remaster] — PanteraBlackest Eyes — Porcupine TreeForgotten — Linkin ParkYour Treachery Will Die With You — Dying FetusCemetary Gates — PanteraSchism — ToolLateralus — ToolForty Six & 2 — ToolB.Y.O.B. — System of a DownHypnotize — System of a DownLonely Day — System of a DownBefore I Forget — SlipknotWait and Bleed — SlipknotSulfur — SlipknotThe Trooper — Iron MaidenRun to the Hills — Iron MaidenDown with the Sickness — DisturbedDu Hast — RammsteinRaining Blood — SlayerBleed — MeshuggahWar Pigs — Black SabbathHighway Star — Deep PurpleBreaking the Law — Judas PriestFear of the Dark — Iron MaidenHallowed Be Thy Name — Iron MaidenBFG Division — Mick GordonLive and Learn — Crush 40The Rumbling — SiMFREEZE ME UP — SiMCAFO — Animals as LeadersThrill — BAND-MAIDRules of Nature — Metal Gear RisingOmen — CrossfaithAntisocial — TrustGimme Tha Power — MolotovFeed the Fire — coldrainUlitsa Roz — AriaIgra s ognyom — AriaFukagyaku Replace — MY FIRST STORYCirice — GhostCircle With Me — SpiritboxThrone — Bring Me the HorizonPopular Monster — Falling in ReverseWatch the World Burn — Falling in ReverseTornado of Souls — MegadethCrazy Train — Ozzy OsbourneCemetery Gates — PanteraMr. Crowley — Ozzy OsbourneEnter Sandman — MetallicaSad but True — MetallicaN.I.B. — Black SabbathMegalovania — Undertale (Toby Fox)One Winged Angel — Final Fantasy VIIPsychosocial — SlipknotUnsainted — SlipknotKilling in the Name — Rage Against the MachineGet the Funk Out — ExtremeLaid to Rest — Lamb of GodSepsis — Lamb of GodDe Oppresso Liber — Five Finger Death PunchDr. Seuss Is Dead — Acid BathGraveflower — Acid BathScream of the Butterfly — Acid BathTake My Bones Away — BaronessBlack Star — Yngwie MalmsteenScarified — Racer XHeathen Days — Rob ZombieAt Dooms Gate — DOOM (Mick Gordon)BFG Division — DOOM (Mick Gordon)Rip and Tear — DOOM (Mick Gordon)Bulls on Parade — Rage Against the MachineBeautiful Lie — EvanescenceThe Great Wolf In The Sky — MoonspellSpirit Helper — EnslavedAce of Spades — MotorheadStricken — DisturbedI Stand Alone — GodsmackAwake — GodsmackThe Red — ChevelleThe Drapery Falls — OpethHammer Smashed Face — Cannibal CorpseNemo — NightwishIce Queen — Within TemptationTwilight of the Thunder God — Amon AmarthOnly for the Weak — In FlamesBlinded by Fear — At the GatesNemesis — Arch Enemy

Metal amp settings — FAQ

What are the best amp settings for metal?

Averaged across 243 researched metal tones: gain 7.5, bass 6, mid 5, treble 7, presence 6 (out of 10). Start there, then fine-tune by ear and adapt to the amp you actually own.

What amp is best for metal?

The amps most used across these metal tones are Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, high-gain amp, high-gain profiler, Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+. You don’t need the exact amp — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials any metal tone for the amp and guitar you already own, free in the browser.

How do I get a metal guitar tone with the gear I have?

Start with gain 7.5, bass 6, mid 5, treble 7, presence 6 (out of 10), then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for your specific amp, guitar and pedals so it sits like the record — free, no new gear.