How Metallica Survives From Switching Their FX System, Technician Opens Up…

Thrash metal legends Metallica recently made waves in music by switching from analog to digital guitar effects systems. After decades of relying on traditional stompboxes and rack units, the band adopted Fractal Audio‘s Axe-Fx III as their main guitar FX solution. This massive change didn’t come without its challenges, as Metallica‘s long-time guitar tech revealed in a new interview.

Mick Hughes has been handling guitars and effects for Metallica since 1984, making him uniquely qualified to speak on the band’s rig evolution. In a discussion with Ultimate Guitar, Hughes opened up about the hurdles posed by implementing the Axe-Fx live. However, he says the revolutionary tones made possible by the unit make it more than worthwhile.

“The biggest challenge was the snapshots and scenes, I think, for the band,” Hughes revealed. “They’ve got to get used to using those.”

For the uninitiated, the Axe-Fx III allows users to save presets known as “scenes” that contain entire signal chains. This enables quick switching between radically different tones with just one foot tap. According to Hughes, it took some time for Metallica‘s members to adjust to this workflow.

“I don’t want to say they struggled with it, but there was a learning curve, definitely,” Hughes explained. “Because for years and years, they would just hit a pedal and turn it on and off. Now it was scenes and snapshots, and that took a little bit of time for them.”

However, Hughes maintains that the effort was well worth it. Thanks to the near-unlimited tone-shaping options afforded by the Axe-Fx, he says Metallica‘s guitar tones are better than ever before.

“Hetfield’s tone now, I think, is the best it’s ever been. The clarity is unbelievable. It’s very organic sounding, but it’s very tight,” Hughes revealed.

He also highlighted the unit’s consistency: “Every night, it’s exactly the same. It makes my job a hell of a lot easier, I’ll tell you that.”

According to Hughes, dialing in the perfect tones on the Axe-Fx took significant trial and error. “We spent a lot of time with Fractal in the studio, creating scenes, creating presets and sounds,” he recalled.

Hughes also revealed that the band’s switch to solar power for their Fractal Axe-Fx amp modellers provided 100 percent consistency and opened up new possibilities for how the band could work. This move marked a significant shift in the band’s approach to their music and performance, and they have not looked back since.

This detailed effort paid off, as Metallica‘s 2019 WorldWired tour marked their first-ever show run without an amp backstage. Thanks to the Axe-Fx, direct tones were robust enough to handle even stadium gigs.

“The direct tones just sound that good,” Hughes said.

Still, change has been challenging for a band so steeped in tradition. Hughes admits it could take years before Metallica fully embraces the Axe-Fx’s potential.

“It’s hard to teach old dogs new tricks, you know what I mean?” Hughes said lightheartedly. “They’re very set in their ways, obviously.”

Even so, Hughes says Metallica understands the need to move forward. He thinks they’ve turned a corner after forming opinions during Metallica‘s WorldWired tour.

“I felt that they were 100% convinced on the Axe-Fx,” Hughes said. “I really feel like we’ve finally gotten there with that.”

He concluded optimistically, predicting big things for Metallica‘s guitar tones.

“I think in the coming years, it’s just going to get better and better,” Hughes said.

With a revolutionary new FX system, Metallica continues to push boundaries decades into their legendary career. Metallica‘s tech insights reveal an exacting quest for the ultimate guitar tone. For Metallica’s millions of fans, the payoff should prove worth the wait…

Watch and listen to the whole interview below!