How Jens Bogren records metal guitars

Alright, let's talk metal guitar tone. That elusive, crushing, yet clear sound we all chase. It’s more than just cranking the gain; it's a careful dance of gear selection, mic placement, and a solid recording philosophy. And who better to learn from than Jens Bogren, the mastermind producer behind acts like Opeth, Arch Enemy, and Dimmu Borgir? We’re diving into some of his core approaches to capturing killer rhythm guitar tones, straight from a session at Fascination Street Studios. Forget chasing perfection; Jens is all about capturing energy and emotional delivery, and that starts way before you even hit record.

Want to see Jens put these techniques into action and explain every step of his mixing process on real-world sessions? Check out How It's Done w/ Jens Bogren, where you get to learn directly from the pros.

The Amp Trinity: Finding Your Core Rhythm Guitar Sound

Choosing the right amp is ground zero for your tone. Jens has a few go-to workhorses, and his selection process involves both technical preference and artist collaboration.

The Contenders: Jens Bogren's Go-To Amps

Jens usually has a few prime suspects when dialing in rhythm guitars:

• Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (Rev C): This isn't just any Recto. Jens favors an old two-channel, pre-500 version (Rev C), meaning it's one of the first 500 ever made. He describes it as "so dirty and nasty, gritty" and notes it "just sits so well in the mix." In fact, he estimates around 70% of his productions feature some form of Rectifier. That’s a serious endorsement!
• Diezel VH4: A modern classic known for its tight, aggressive high-gain tones. It's a frequent contender for a reason.
• MLC Subzero 100: A boutique amp from a Polish company, offering a different flavor and rounding out the options for sonic exploration.

Jens will typically try all three, listening for what best suits the track and the artist's vision.

Involving the Artist (The Smart Way)

While amp choice is a discussion with the artist, Jens has a neat trick: he focuses the artist's attention on the amp itself, not so much on the cabinet or micing. Why? Because in his opinion, a whopping 80% of the guitar sound comes from the cab and the micing. He wants that part dialed in perfectly so he can work efficiently later without constantly battling EQ.

Cabinet & Room Synergy: The Unsung Hero of Guitar Tone

Think the amp head does all the heavy lifting? Think again. The cabinet and even the room it's in play a massive role.

Fascination Street's Cab Room: Design with Purpose

At Fascination Street Studios, the cab room isn't just a closet full of speakers. The cabinets are actually flush-mounted into the wall. This isn't just for saving space (though that's a nice perk). Acoustically, placing a speaker or cab close to a wall provides better low-end return. Since low frequencies tend to be omnidirectional, this setup helps reinforce them naturally.

Jens' Top Cab Pick: The Mesa Rectifier Oversized

When it comes to rhythm guitars, Jens often leans on a Mesa Rectifier oversized cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s. Specifically, he mentions that models from the early 2000s (around 2004-2005) are particularly good years for these cabs.

Efficient Patching for Cab Exploration

To make auditioning cabs seamless, Fascination Street employs a patch bay system. Speaker cables run from the main control room and can be easily patched into any of the available cabinets. Microphone lines from the cabs are then routed to the desired preamps. This allows for quick A/B testing and finding the perfect amp/cab combination.

Mic Magic: Capturing the Aggression and Clarity

Once the amp and cab are chosen, it's all about the microphones. Jens has his favorites and some cool modifications up his sleeve.

The Workhorse Crew: SM57s and Beyond

No surprise here, the Shure SM57 is a staple. But Jens uses a couple of variations:

• Stock Shure SM57: The industry standard for a reason. It can handle high SPLs and has that characteristic mid-forward punch.
• Modified SM57 (Mercenary Audio Transformer): This version features an upgraded transformer, which Jens notes results in a "little bit more high-end transformer, which makes the low-end and also high-end a little bit more flat." This can provide a slightly more open and extended frequency response.
  Jens also points out that SM57s can sound quite different depending on their age and even batch, so having a few to choose from is always a good idea.

Vintage Flair & Modern Mods

Beyond the 57s, other mics come into play:

• Shure Unidyne III 545: An older sibling to the SM57, this mic has been a go-to for snare drum for Jens, and he's recently started using it on guitars.
• Modified Shure SM7B: The SM7B is a fantastic dynamic mic (great on vocals too!), but its bulky grille can make it tricky to get super close to a speaker cone, especially when pairing it with other mics. Jens's solution? He cut the grill out of one of his SM7Bs. This allows him to position it right up on the speaker, where he feels it often sounds best for guitars, and helps maintain phase coherence when used alongside other mics.

The "Commitment" Philosophy: Micing for the Mix

Jens takes an old-school approach to micing: he prefers to sub-mix his chosen microphones on the console, ensuring they are in phase and sound great together before hitting the recorder. He’s not a fan of recording every mic individually and "fixing it later." The goal is to capture a sound that already works. Getting this right at the source is crucial and can save you a ton of headaches with EQ adjustments down the line.

The Recording Grind: Energy, Performance, and Workflow

With the tones dialed, it’s time to capture the performance. Jens’s philosophy here is all about energy and efficiency.

DI: The Safety Net (That’s Rarely Needed)

Jens does record a DI signal in parallel, just in case a reamp is absolutely necessary. However, he states that 98% of the time, the sound he commits to during production sticks through the mix. He even mentions that he can sometimes hear small signal degradations from the reamping process compared to just plugging a guitar straight into an amp.

Performance Over Perfection: The Bogren Mantra

This is a big one. Jens is "not after perfection," he's "after the energy of things, emotional delivery."
He prefers to work in a "tape machine style" with guitars, meaning:

• Aim for full, energetic takes.
• Avoid excessive comping and editing. If a take isn't quite there, he's more likely to do another pass or mute out small problematic sections rather than chop everything up. Over-editing can suck the life out of a performance, making it sound sterile.
• Use pre-production demos as a map to guide the recording process and identify what needs to be captured or improved.

Crafting the Double Track: Building the Wall of Sound

Double tracking is standard, and Jens has a methodical approach:

• Amp Comparison: He'll often have the guitarist play the same riff through different amp setups to choose the best one for the part.
• Performer's Monitor Mix: Jens actively manages the headphone mix for the performer, ensuring they can hear themselves, the drums, and any previously recorded guitars (often kept lower in the mix for feel) at optimal levels. This is crucial for a tight performance.
• The Power of Layers: He notes that once you add the second guitar, small imperfections you might have worried about in a single track often blend in and contribute to the overall "live" feel.

Nail Your Own Metal Guitar Tones

Jens Bogren’s approach to guitar tone is a masterclass in focusing on the fundamentals: smart amp and cab choices, effective micing, and prioritizing a killer performance filled with energy. It's less about endlessly tweaking plugins and more about getting it right at the source.

These insights give you a solid foundation for your own productions. Imagine applying these principles, but then seeing exactly how Jens Bogren takes those raw tracks and sculpts them into a final, polished metal mix. With How It's Done w/ Jens Bogren, you get that front-row seat. You’ll receive professionally recorded multi-tracks and watch Jens mix them from scratch, explaining his techniques and decisions every step of the way. It’s an unparalleled way to elevate your metal production skills.

Ready to go beyond presets and truly unlock your sound? Learning from seasoned pros like Jens is the fast track to getting there.