This is a comparison of a custom Variax patch alongside my Jazzmaster baritone in a rough mix. The Variax is physically tuned to standard tuning (EADGBE) and is using the modeling tech to pitch shift down to match the baritone, which is tuned BEADF#B. 

For this recording, the Jazzmaster was set to use the bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan Pegasus) and volume/tone controls were set to max. The Variax was on the "Lester" bridge pickup with the tuning control set to "Baritone," also with volume/tone set to max. 

Both were recorded direct to Reaper from an HD500X using the same patch: noise gate, overdrive, Treadplate (Dual Rec), and EQ to cut the low end mud and mid-high harshness.

Both guitars were double tracked and panned hard left/right, and I did some A/B testing with each guitar on each side. For the demo posted here, each guitar has a single track and they are panned hard left and right.

If you can't tell which is which, you're not alone. I had to open the Reaper file and double check myself.

Variax vs Baritone Demo

Finally got around to recording the bass! It's a 38-35.5 inch multiscale 2-string piece of ridiculous musical hardware.

Video with playthrough and brief description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofN-YHmAD0s

Djent Bass Demo

Testing out the acoustic models and dropped tuning on the Variax. All of the bass, guitar, and banjo sounds are a Variax Shuriken. Drums are XLN Audio's Addictive Drums.

Testing Variax Acoustic Sounds

Playing with the POD HD Treadplate model.

Test12 - POD HD

It's been a while since I've released something, and figured revisiting an old tune would be a good way to get going again.

Dark sky

Hey mister with your head down, so deep in the sand
Keep ignoring all the symptoms, it's such a brilliant plan 

Just for once would you open your eyes, and lift this veil 
Or would you die defending the lie 

Hey missy with your nose high, straight up in the air 
Such extraordinary vision, please share your thoughts and prayers 

Just for once would you open your eyes, and lift this veil 
Or would you die defending the lie 

Hey mister with your head down, missy with your nose high 
You're betting on the life of your love 
And you can die defending the lie alone

Defending The Lie

Dabbling with EDM again, this time with the awesome Helm synth. On this track, everything that isn't drums is Helm. Grizzle Grazzle is what I named my bass preset.

Grizzle Grazzle

Metal track for animation project that's in the works, based on office grievance. 

Lyrics: 

Dare I go, dig deep for the truth I wonder
Take the risk that'll drag me under
Dare I go, dig deep for the truth I wonder
To find the beast that'll drag me under 

This altar of granite, stained blood, flesh, and bone
Scent of burnt offerings, familiar, unknown
What hath been wrought
The downfall of man and the bane of the old gods

Do I want to know
I need to know 

Who nuked a fish in the microwave in the break room

My final scream as I'm dragged into hell
Beware the cursed unholy mackerel

Unholy Mackerel V6

Contest entry for ML Sound Lab 2025 riff contest. First time trying to write something in 7/8.

ML Sound Lab Riff Contest

You serve no king 

They own the land, they own the mines 
More than everyone combined 
It’s still not enough 
We do their work, they get paid 
Justifying all the ways 
They reap what we sow 

They’ll be taking more
And you’ll be forced to work with less 
Than what you need, get off your knees 
You serve no king 

From circumstance, these noble sons
Right out the gate they’ve all but won 
Before they could walk 
Claim they’re deserving, learned, blessed 
Earned the crowns atop their heads 
While robbing us blind 

If they could find your stone 
They’d dig, grind, and sell your bones 

They’ll be taking more
And you’ll be forced to work with less 
Than what you need, get off your knees 

You serve no king 

No king we answer, Not now, not ever 
Consent required, Request denied    

Sycophants outside the gate 
Stretch their tongues out for a taste 
Of the boot on their throat 
What’s theirs is theirs, what’s mine is theirs 
What you think is yours is theirs 
That’s how they think it should go 

They’ll be taking more and more and more 
And you’ll be forced to work with less 
Than what you need, get off your knees 
We serve no king 

You serve no king

Knives at the ready 

Nowhere to be, every reason to leave 
How did we backslide entire centuries 
Voice from the dead, scene of the crime
Hint of a whisper asking 

Do you know what happens now
Red is flowing, knives are turning slowly 
You decide the when and the how 
Will this pain ever come to an end 

A blow from the weak, opportunity seized 
Chinks in the armor becoming wide enough to see 
Felling unsure, this can’t be right 
Memories flashing brightly 

Do you know what happens now
Red is flowing, knives are turning slowly 
You decide the when and the how 
Will this pain ever come to an end 

Nothing to see, nowhere to reach 
We’re going to fall back centuries 
Do we go back (NO)
Do we go back (NO)
Will we go back 

You don’t know what happens now
Fires glowing, knives at the ready 
We decide the when, and it’s now
This nightmare comes to an end 

You don’t know what happens now
Fires burning, knives at the ready 
We decide the when, and it’s now
This nightmare comes to an end 
Do we go back (NO)
Do we go back (NO)
Will we go back

Knives at the ready

Solemnly, once again
The pawns are lined up, ready for war
Inn the right, with just cause
Down to a man they say 

I won't falter when the time is right
I've been waiting for all my live
To break this wall 

Wires crossed in chaos 
No detonators, hand me the sledge
Waves of fire, dreams of home 
Face to the ground I say 

I won't falter when the time is right 
I've been waiting for all my life 
To break this wall 

Shoulder to boulder
Forcing this phalanx forward 
Forget the lock pick
Time for finesse is over
If I fall to break this wall down
The suffering will fall to those I love 

I won't falter when the time is right 
I've been waiting for all my life 
To break this wall 

Shoulder to Boulder

Three remastered electronic instrumentals for getting your groove on.

Couch Surfing EP

Bethesda

Doing metal-ish covers of pop songs isn't new, but it is wicked fun.

Metal cover of I Ran by Flock of Seagulls

Demo of guitar build. Two-piece pine body, Fender Tex-Mex pickups, standard 3 way switch and 250k pots. Lead track is on the bridge pickup, rhythm tracks are a combination of neck and bridge. Bass is a Fender Jazz, drums are Addictive Drums.

Knotted Pine Telecaster Demo

Testing out Beta Monkey's Double Bass Mania: Reloaded

DBM I - Reloaded

Fellow comic creator Elizabeth Fernandez (http://thecodecrimson.com/) made a comment on my blog about wanting "Robot drummers with Victorian harpsichords," and I felt obliged to comply.

Dubstep Harpsichord

I like to tune low and chug slow. Or fast. Tuning low is the key ingredient.

MikeJandreau

Popular tracks