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LEAD MODES:
(Continued)
GREEN:
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this mode, making sure it had the softest, sweetest clip possible from a group of tubes. We put it up against
the tastiest vintage snakeskinned
Mark I’s
, Deluxes, Super’s, JTM 45’s and any other vintage classic we could borrow or rent and
found that Green was in
most
cases the better sounding of the bunch and in all cases a better feeling on the strings was totally
evident. Because it is called a Lead mode, don’t be afraid to dial up some low gain threshold of distortion sounds in
LEAD 1 Green.
It shines at these settings as well. It’s no wonder this mode has become one of the standards by which we judge other circuits...it is
inherently sooo right.
LD 1 YELLOW: The basic architecture of this mode is identical to LEAD 1 Green so all the same qualities, attributes, and tips apply.
However, several different parts switch in when
LEAD 1 Yellow is selected that give it a personality all its’ own.
First,
more gain is added in an early cathode stage which tightens and focuses the sound. This produces a more saturated qual-
ity that greatly enhances the sustain factor of a given note. Then, a boost in the medium midrange through medium treble regions
is added. This changes the envelope of the attack making it less bright and more bold, and you could say, beefy. At the same time,
these two working in conjunction with each other, give this mode a smoother more liquid sound when notes are held out. This is es-
pecially true when the
Treble and Presence are set low, say 5.0 or below. Basically the overall voice of LEAD 1 Yellow is darker,
warmer and smoother than LEAD 1 Green. “Fusion” players love this mode because single note lines sing and soar. The tone is so
wide it needs very little processing to produce a lead voice unrivaled in its authority. Yellow works great for more ominous rock solo
tones as well-and if you really want to get out there, try setting the GAIN control and LEAD 1 DRIVE control high say
8.0 and dial in
the Dynamic Voice. Some really crazy and truly huge crunch tones are produced in this way. Be careful with the Bass in this mode
though. It is easy to make the sound tubby or flatulent with the BASS control set above
4.5 in a high Gain / Drive configuration in
Lead 1 Yellow.
The upper range of settings on the BASS control are specifically tuned and adjusted for use with LEAD 1 Red.
LD 1 RED: This aggressive mode shares much of the circuitry with both Lead 1 Green and Yellow and then adds extra focus and
punch in the upper midrange. This mid-forward voicing lends a more urgent, tight character to the mix and is perfect for showcasing
Lead 1’s heavier side. Because of this added midrange, the Red mode slices through a mix in the sonic region where the rock snare
lives and is especially great for crunch rhythm in either classic or modern gain realms.
Another attribute of this EQ’ing is that higher settings of the Bass control remain tighter and track better at higher gain settings than
in the other two Lead 1 modes. This additional bump in the mid frequencies also allows more Treble to be dialed in which increases
the gain without sounding thin. Try setting the GAIN to 8.0, BASS on 6.5, the TREBLE on 7.0 and LEAD 1 DRIVE on 6.0 to audition
this scheme.
Spend some time working with these four controls to better learn their relationship, keeping in mind that in all the LEAD 1 modes,
a smoother more tuneful saturation occurs with the GAIN set higher (usually not much below 7.0 for crunch rhythm or lead work)
or equal to the LEAD 1 DRIVE. For lower gain work, try reducing the LEAD 1 DRIVE first as it will likely produce a warmer, more
focused clip.
LD 2: In this group of three modes we pay tribute to a different type of circuit altogether. The LEAD 2 group of modes use architec-
ture that we refer to as a post-tone control gain circuit. In 1980
MESA
revolutionized guitar amplification by introducing the first
dual mode footswitching amplifier, the
Mark II
. This patented “rear end” lead circuit changed the way we think about guitar amps
by ushering in the era of amps with a dedicated lead sound that could be switched to
without
touching the knobs or interrupting the
clean mode or channel. Fourteen years and several generations later,
TriAxis obviously brings this idea to its’ fruition. To this day this
revolutionary circuit remains the sonic backbone of our amplifier design concept. With heralded veterans of this design the
Mark
II-B, II-C+, Mark III, and Mark IV.
..the rear-end lead legacy lives on...stronger than ever! It is in
LEAD 2 that we celebrate
these classic lead sounds and offer up a couple variations on the theme.
Again, these are the more articulate and focused lead
sounds. Some players that grew up playing non-
MESA
amplifiers may find these dry and stiff at first, but have patience, and you
will come to enjoy these modes. There is simply
less “slop around the note” in these modes making them a sort of magnifying glass