Slipknot guitarist Jim Root recently shared insights into the struggles of sharing guitar duties with Mick Thomson and what it’s really like to navigate the complexities of being in a nine-piece band.
In a recent conversation with The Captain of Andertons Music, Root discussed the balance required when two guitarists must complement each other’s sound. He explained how playing in a band with two guitars demands compromises to avoid frequency clashes. “He goes for what he wants as a sound, and then I go for whatever can complement that,” Root explained, adding, “That’s one of the cool things, but it’s also a bit of a downfall in a two-guitar band. You have to avoid frequency masking or two guitars that sound exactly the same. It’s better if they’re a bit different.”
Root went on to explain how, despite personal preferences for tone, each guitarist must adjust to fit into the overall sound. “You kind of sacrifice having what you would normally want as your actual tone,” he said. “But you have to do that in a band like this with this many guys. You’ve got to make sure things cut through the mix and occupy the right frequency range. Guitars are meant to sit in a certain spot.”
Reflecting on the band’s earlier days, Root noted how things have changed over time. In the beginning, more individual freedom was allowed, but it was a challenge to find balance, especially with every member pushing to be the “most metal.” “When we first started touring, the big thing was the sub cabinets and everyone playing seven-string guitars,” Root recalled. “Now you’re getting guitars down into bass territory, and that’s where the bass should be occupying.”
Root also reflected on how their contemporaries in Korn dealt with similar frequency challenges, particularly regarding bassist Fieldy’s tone. “Korn’s bass tone is really clicky,” Root explained. “What else is Fieldy supposed to do? Guitars are taking up all the bass frequencies, so to make the bass cut through, he probably has to push a lot of mids and highs.”
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