I Don't Wanna Be Me Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Type O Negative
Type O Negative · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Studio recording, 2002-2003. Kenny Hickey used a rack system with A/DA preamp and MosValve power amp for the 'Life Is Killing Me' album. Guitar was a Gibson SG with Sustainiac in neck and Seymour Duncan PAF-style in bridge. Pedalboard included Boss CE-2 Chorus and Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer for filtering lows in drop tunings. Chorus effect is prominent in solo. No evidence of delay or wah in solo. Settings estimated based on genre, era, and typical use for this rig.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
- Boss CE-2 Chorus · chorus
Gibson SG → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Boss CE-2 Chorus → A/DA MP-1 Preamp → MosValve Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 cab (studio, 2002-2003)
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Tone Character
- tight and saturated
- chorus shimmer
- articulate and cutting
- filtered low-end for clarity
- singing sustain
- slightly scooped mids
- crisp attack
- modulation swirl
- not muddy despite low tuning
- medium-low reverb
Playing Technique
- Bend to pitch before adding vibrato · difficulty 4/5Push the note to its target, hold it steady, then widen the pitch from the wrist. Gain and chorus magnify an uncertain bend, so the center must be accurate before the expressive movement begins.
- Connect phrases without hiding the pick · difficulty 4/5Use legato for transitions but re-articulate important arrival notes. A completely smooth line disappears into the modulation; selected pick attacks keep the solo singing above the rhythm guitars.
- Mute aggressively around sustained notes · difficulty 3/5Use the picking palm and spare fretting fingers to silence the unused low strings. The low tuning and saturated signal can turn one sympathetic vibration into a large rumble.
- Phrase behind the fast rhythm · difficulty 4/5Let sustained notes sit slightly relaxed against the driving band instead of rushing every subdivision. That contrast gives the lead its vocal quality and stops the solo from becoming another rhythm layer.
Sources
Tone Story / Why This Tone Works
- Style and eraThe song comes from 2003's Life Is Killing Me and moves with an unusually fast, punk-like urgency inside Type O Negative's gothic-metal world.
- Kenny Hickey's voiceHickey balances low-tuned weight with melodic leads, chorus-colored texture, and broad bends that stay expressive rather than showy.
- Why the solo needs this toneSaturation provides sustain, upper mids lift the line above Peter Steele's bass, and restrained modulation widens it without losing pitch.
- Why it landsThe solo turns the song's tension into a brief melodic release while keeping the fast rhythm and dark character intact.
What Fans Are Saying About This Tone?
Listeners still gather around the song to remember Peter Steele many years later.
Vote your takeA parent described a new generation discovering Type O Negative alongside other heavy alternative bands.
Vote your takeOne of the most liked recent reactions singles out the guitar solo as the song's irresistible moment.
Vote your takeFans describe the song as strangely comforting when they feel trapped inside their own lives.
Vote your takeViewers continue to praise Dan Fogler's all-in performance in the music video.
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