Fredrik Nordstrom’s Fredman Technique for Guitars

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. If you’re wrestling with getting that monstrous, face-melting metal guitar tone, you’ve probably gone down the rabbit hole of amps, pedals, and plugins. This quest to avoid the problem with modern metal guitar tone often overlooks one of the most critical steps: the microphone. Sometimes, the biggest game-changer is how you stick a mic in front of that speaker. Enter the Fredman Technique – a legendary dual-mic setup that has powered some of metal’s most iconic albums, and it’s simpler than you might think.

This isn’t just some internet myth; it’s a tried-and-true method developed by the one and only Fredrik Nordström back in the ’90s, famously during the recording of At The Gates’ seminal album, Slaughter of the Soul. And guess what? Fredrik himself spilled the beans on exactly how he does it, and we’re here to break it down for you.

So, What’s the Big Deal with the Fredman Technique?

At its core, the Fredman Technique is all about using two Shure SM57s – yeah, those trusty workhorse mics you probably already own – to capture a guitar cab. But it’s the way they’re positioned that makes all the difference. You’re not just randomly pointing mics; you’re strategically capturing different sonic elements and using phase to your advantage.

H3: The On-Axis SM57: Your Foundation of Punch

First up, you’ve got your “on-axis” microphone. This SM57 is pointed directly at the speaker.

• Placement: Aim it straight at the center of the speaker cone. Fredrik uses a flashlight to pinpoint this spot, and you should too. Get the grille of the mic nice and close to the speaker grille.
• What it Captures: This mic is your direct line to the aggressive punch and immediate attack of your guitar tone. It’s the focused, in-your-face sound.

H3: The Off-Axis SM57: The Secret Sauce for Width and Sizzle

This is where the magic really starts to happen. The second SM57 is your “off-axis” mic.

• Placement: Position this SM57 right next to the on-axis mic. Here’s the critical detail straight from Fredrik: it’s angled at 55 degrees relative to the speaker. Not 45 degrees, as many have believed for years, but a precise 55 degrees, still aimed at the center of the cone.
• What it Captures: This angled mic picks up a different set of frequencies and reflections. Due to its angle, it captures less of the super-direct “ice pick” highs and can introduce a bit more body or a different kind of top-end sizzle. Crucially, its position relative to the first mic creates phase interactions.

Why This Dual SM57 Setup Dominates for Metal Guitars

You might be thinking, “Two 57s, big deal.” But the combined result is often far greater than the sum of its parts, especially for heavy music.

H3: Phase: Friend, Not Foe

When you have two mics capturing the same source from slightly different positions and angles, you get phase interaction. The sound waves hit the diaphragms at slightly different times. This can lead to some frequencies being reinforced and others being slightly cancelled. With the Fredman setup, this typically results in a thicker, wider, and more complex tone that just sounds bigger. Understanding this relationship is a core skill, much like learning to phase-align DI and mic signals without plugins to get a full sound.

H3: Blending for the Perfect Tone

The beauty of the Fredman technique is the ability to blend these two distinct signals:

• On-Axis Mic: Gives you the directness, bite, and clarity.
• Off-Axis Mic: Adds the body, width, and a slightly different textural character.
  By adjusting the balance between these two mics in your DAW, you can sculpt the guitar tone significantly before you even touch an EQ. Want more attack? Nudge up the on-axis. Need more girth? Bring up the off-axis.

H3: The Shure SM57: Built for Metal Mayhem

There’s a reason the SM57 is a studio legend, especially for guitars:

• Handles High SPLs: Crank that amp to oblivion; the SM57 won’t flinch or distort.
• Mid-Range Presence: It has a natural mid-range bump that helps guitars cut through a dense metal mix. And while the SM57 is the classic choice, seeing a full guitar mic shootout can reveal other options for different flavors.
• Built Like a Tank: You could probably hammer nails with it (though we don’t recommend it).

Setting Up The Fredman Technique: Step-by-Step

Ready to try it yourself? Here’s how you can get started.

H3: Your Gear Checklist

• Two Shure SM57 Microphones: The stars of the show.
• Two Mic Stands & Clips: Or, one stand with a stereo bar or a specialized clip. Fredrik Nordström even developed his own Fredman Clip, a custom piece of gear designed to hold two SM57s at that perfect 55-degree angle automatically. Super handy if you want to nail the geometry every time!
• Your Amp and Cab: This technique works great with high-gain amps like the EVH 5150/5153 series paired with something like a Marshall 1960 or Mesa Boogie Rectifier cab – and knowing the best high-gain amps and cabinets for metal is half the battle. In his demo, Fredrik used an EVH 5153 and an original EVH head, each running into different cabinets.
• A Flashlight: Essential for finding the exact center of the speaker cone.
• Your DAW: To record and blend the signals.

H3: The Placement Ritual

1. Find Your Speaker’s Sweet Spot: Remove the front grille of your cab if you can. Shine your flashlight to clearly see the speaker cone. You’re aiming for the center of the dust cap or where the cone meets the dust cap.
2. Position the On-Axis SM57: Mount your first SM57 and point it directly at the center spot you identified. Get the mic’s grille very close to the speaker grille – almost touching, or within an inch.
3. Position the Off-Axis SM57: Mount the second SM57. Place it right beside the first mic, with its capsule as close as possible to the capsule of the on-axis mic to keep them phase-aligned. Now, angle this second mic at 55 degrees off-axis from the speaker, ensuring it’s still aimed towards that same center point on the cone. If you’re using the Fredman Clip, this angle is preset for you.
4. Check Phase: Record a short test riff with both mics. Listen back. If it sounds thin or hollow, try flipping the phase on one of the channels in your DAW.

H3: Listen and Tweak

As Fredrik demonstrated, listen to each mic individually. The on-axis mic will sound very direct and focused. The off-axis mic will have a slightly different character, perhaps a bit smoother or with a different emphasis in the mids and highs. Then, listen to them blended. Start with both faders at equal volume and adjust to taste. Small movements in mic position can make a big difference, so don’t be afraid to experiment!

Fredrik’s demo showcased these raw, un-EQ’d tones. The goal here is to get a killer sound at the source.

Taking It To The Next Level: Multiple Cabs & Blends

In the video, Fredrik actually runs two amp-and-cab setups simultaneously, each likely mic’d with this Fredman approach (or a similar dual-mic setup).

• Cabinet 1: An EVH 5153 into what he called an “angle cabinet.”
• Cabinet 2: An original EVH head into a Marshall cabinet.

This means he’s capturing four distinct mic signals (on-axis and off-axis for each cab). Blending these four sources together is what he describes as creating a “good guitar tone.” This approach gives you incredible flexibility to build truly massive, layered rhythm guitar sounds, common in modern metal production.

From Raw Tracks to Polished Metal: The Mix is Everything

Capturing great raw guitar tones with techniques like the Fredman setup is a monumental first step. But how do you take those killer tracks and make them sit perfectly in a dense, powerful metal mix? That’s where skillful mixing comes in – shaping with EQ, controlling dynamics with compression, and adding creative effects.

You’ll need to make smart decisions with your EQ to carve out space and enhance clarity, ensuring your guitars punch through without clashing with the bass, drums, or vocals. Then there’s compression, which can glue your guitar tracks together and give them that consistent, aggressive impact.

Want to see exactly how pro-level producers tackle these challenges? Imagine looking over the shoulder of engineers who have mixed bands like Gojira, Periphery, and Meshuggah as they work their magic on real session files. That’s precisely what Nail The Mix offers. Every month, you get access to the actual multi-tracks from a massive metal song and watch the original producer mix it from scratch, explaining every plugin choice, every fader move, and every creative decision. You’ll learn the secrets to unlocking your sound and mixing modern metal beyond presets.

If you’re serious about elevating your metal productions from “pretty good” to “absolutely crushing,” understanding foundational mic techniques from legends like Fredrik Nordström and Jens Bogren, or modern masters like Buster Odeholm, is crucial. And if you want to learn how to transform those perfectly captured tracks into a world-class mix, Nail The Mix is the place to be. Give these SM57 tricks a shot, and hear the difference for yourself!