Song Rig

Scarlet

Misha Mansoor · Periphery II: This Time It's Personal · 2012

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Periphery's most beloved track and the definitive djent guitar tone — Misha's Axe-Fx simulation of a Mesa Boogie through a Fractal Audio speaker cab IR creates a hyper-tight, extremely high-gain sound with unprecedented note separation at extended range (7 or 8 string guitar). The 'djent' term derives from the specific chugging attack of this tone.

Signal Chain

1Periphery Signature 7-string (Bare Knuckle Aftermath pickups)
2Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II (Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier simulation)
3Mesa Boogie Traditional 4×12 (or IR cabinet simulation)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume9

Bass5

Mid4

Treble7

Presence9

Maximum gain, extremely scooped mids, very high presence — the djent tone requires the tightest possible low end with the most aggressive high-frequency transient. The aggressive presence setting makes every palm-muted chug sound like a gunshot.

Technique

How to Play It

Palm-muted extended-range chugging — the 'djent' technique uses extreme palm muting on the lowest string(s) of a 7 or 8-string guitar, producing the characteristic percussive, 'chug' sound. The muting hand barely allows the string to vibrate, maximising pick attack over sustain.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

7-string guitar with active pickups (EMG 707, Bare Knuckle Aftermath) → Fractal Axe-Fx or Neural DSP Parallax plugin → maximum gain, aggressive presence, scooped mids → practice palm muting at the bridge: the tighter the muting, the more percussive the djent attack.

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