Dirty Loops - Fractal Tone Tour with Henrik Linder
I use the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III because it kicks ass
The Heart of Henrik’s Sound
Henrik Linder, the bass virtuoso of Dirty Loops, relies heavily on the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III for its versatility and reliability, making it the central piece of his sound. This powerful processor allows him to achieve a wide range of tones and effects essential for the band’s complex musical arrangements. Let's break down Henrik's live and studio tones.
Overview
- Tone Tour Video
- Scroll to the top and click the top image to watch the Tone Tour video with Henrik Linder - Henrik Linder and his Fractal Journey
- Tone Breakdown
- 1. Henrik’s Live and Studio Setup
- 2. Clean Tones
- 3. Solo Tones
- 4. Special Effects
- 5. Runaway Sound
- 6. Expanding the Tone
- Socials and Dirty Loops Interview
Henrik Linder - Solo (Dirty Loops - Run Away)
Meet Henrik Linder & Dirty Loops
Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, Henrik attended the prestigious Royal College of Music with his bandmates, drummer Aron Mellergårdh and pianist/vocalist Jonah Nilsson. Dirty Loops, formed in 2008 combining Jazz fusion, funk, funk-pop, jazz, prog, has produced several key albums that showcase Henrik’s innovative bass techniques and the band's unique approach to music. Their debut album, "Loopified" (2014), features original tracks and showcases their skillful rearrangements of popular songs. Notable tracks include "Hit Me," which became popular in Japan, and their viral covers of "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga and "Baby" by Justin Bieber.
Time travel - Dirty Loops Baby (Justin Bieber cover)
Play Slap Bass Like a Beast - Scott's Bass Lessons
Current Lineup
- Henrik Linder: Bass
- Jonah Nilsson: Lead vocals, Piano/Synth
- Aron Mellergårdh: Drums
Why Fractal Audio?
Henrik’s journey with Fractal Audio began some time ago, more recently deciding to switch out his FM9 for an Axe-FX III as the heart of his rig. Henrik crafts one preset per song, varying in complexity from single-scene setups to those with eight scenes. This allows him to dynamically change tones and effects during performances without manual adjustments. His presets are designed to replicate the exact sounds needed for different parts of a song, whether it's a clean tone, a slap bass effect, or a complex solo sound.
Since we play most of the songs to a click, a MIDI goes into the MIDI in to the Axe-Fx III, then it kind of switches everything for me automatically so I don't have to worry.
Dirty Loops - Rock You
Tone Breakdown
1. Henrik’s Live and Studio Setup
I ran it in a wet-dry-wet thing which was very unnecessary. Now, when I program everything, it’s just like a stereo out. It’s much easier because the sound is more consistent.
It’s also very reliable and doesn’t break down, which is a very nice thing on tour
The most powerful guitar processor of our time
Key Albums
- Loopified (2014): The debut album that introduced their unique fusion of jazz, pop, and funk, featuring reimagined covers and original tracks that showcased their virtuosic musicianship.
- Phoenix (2020): Marked a return with a fresh and polished sound, blending intricate musical arrangements with catchy hooks and showcasing their growth as artists.
- Turbo (2021): Continued their exploration of genre-blending with more experimental sounds and complex compositions, pushing the boundaries of their signature style.
Henrik appreciates the Axe-Fx III for allowing him to create unique sounds that would be difficult to achieve with traditional pedals. He often starts with a sound in mind and tweaks it until he achieves the desired effect.
Usually I have a sound in mind. There's always a way to get there.
One notable application is his use of synth bass sounds, which he blends with his live bass signal to create rich, layered tones.
I just wanted to sound like kind of a fake Moog bass but with a BL that I blended in with the bass, so I have both of them at the same time.
Henrik Linder Interview with the FM9 - Scott's Bass Lessons
Key Singles
- Hit Me (2014): One of their breakthrough singles, known for its catchy chorus and complex instrumental sections.
- Rock You (2020): A fan favorite that combines powerful vocals with intricate musical arrangements.
- Runaway (2024): Their latest single, showcasing a matured sound with emotive vocals and intricate instrumental work, reflecting their continuous evolution as a band.
2. Clean Tones
Henrik relies on the Axe-Fx III to maintain clean tones that do not color the sound of his instrument. This ensures that the natural sound of his bass is preserved, which is crucial for certain parts of Dirty Loops' music.
The main sound I use most of the time is the very clean stuff. It doesn’t color the sound at all, which is a really nice thing.
This is a normal thing which is kind of like a little bit of EQ and then a slap sound is just a little bit of compression and a little bit of EQ, but it’s all in.
3. Solo Tones
Some of the more normal solo sounds have a little mid and a little less high and a little less bass.
4. Special Effects
In some places, I want to do a harmonic, and then there’s like, it’s a little louder and it’s like a little more mid and it’s in stereo with a delay and a little reverb on, so it pops out.
5. Runaway Sound
This is the runaway patch. It’s really noisy and loud, but it’s a unique sound that’s only in the Axe-Fx. It’s just a pitch effect with some stacked elements, and it’s used in the weird verse sections. It makes a lot of noise, but that's part of its charm.
Before I learned to program this, I used the SY-200, the Boss pedal, in combination, and that’s like the whammy sound. One of them is pitched up like two octaves and one octave at the same time into two different amps with a lot of chorus. The glitch is just a tremolo I set up to be choppy enough, and it’s a stack delay as well, so everything keeps getting louder the more you play.
6. Expanding the Tone
It has a really fast response time and doesn't make a lot of noise either; it's very silent.
I have some of the harmonizer effects, which are pretty fun, but that’s just, you know, like at the end of some songs where I just want to have an effect.
I did a mistake by tweaking it, and then it sounds kind of dope even though it resets in weird places.
I think only the Axe-Fx could do this, or at least have only one block. You could do all of this in the Plex Delay because it’s eight parallel delays. With other effects, you need to actually put four stereo delays in a chain and do a lot of work. Here, it’s just like, yeah, one push and then edit it. So that’s a really cool thing.
Dirty Loops Interview
For more on Dirty Loops, check out this interview with Rick Beato, Henrik Linder, Jonah Nilsson, and Aron Mellergårdh. Also make sure to follow Dirty Loops online.
Follow Dirty Loops online
For more insights on using the Axe-Fx III and other Fractal Audio Systems products, visit the Product Page, Fractal Audio Wiki, or Forum. To purchase your unit, head to our shop and for in-depth learning, check out Cooper Carter’s Complete Fractal Audio Master Class Series.