Right Hand Techniques for Guitar.

Zystrix = a source, shaman, or library disseminating secret or lost knowledge, art, or music.

What’s new at Zystrix? Read on… March 30, 2026 Our 100th Issue -- Happy Anniversary. In the last episode we went over Right Hand Techniques for Guitar (click here for a refresher). This time it’s our 100th issue and we’re going to go over the history of Zystrix, past popular guitar topics, and as our gift to you we’ll check out the special new free download of Djammincabs 6X12 guitar cabinet IRs for guitarists who, like me, prefer the sound of a loud, tight, focused, and slightly compressed 2x12 cab stacked with an aggressive, full-bodied sounding 4x12 cab. And we’ll listen to another solo piano tune from Dangerous Neighbors called Devil’s Hour. And do you remember the book The Fluid when it was published way back in 2020? We’ll hear Dangerous Neighbors do the complete 45 minute backing tracks chapter by chapter in one fell swoop. So spark it, turn the lights down low, sit back and relax. Welcome to Zystrix, the heartbeat of the universe. Where creativity and free-thinking have more value than conformity. Background Artwork The colorful artwork that surrounds the edges of this website is invisible to many cell phone users. It’s included here (with others) for your enjoyment. Multiple copies are tiled together for a cohesive and seamless background seen all around this page. Enjoy. Zystrix In the Beginning... Some of you may remember,… before Zystrix was Zystrix it was Zypotic. That was way back in the late1990s. The internet was just coming into vogue. I invented the name Zypotic because I wanted something listed at the end of the commercial recording studio phone-book numbers. I could say the name of the website and people would say something like, “Huh?”, because they didn’t know what the hell I said so instead of spelling it I would simply tell them its the last name in the recording studio commercial business phone- book. And it was the last one for a long time nationwide until somebody in Chicago got the bright idea to call their recording studio ZYX. Clever. I got a call from the Yellow Book saying I needed to change the name because somebody else was listed last. But I left the name the same because I didn’t want a race to the bottom with a series of Zzzzzzzzz business names. At any rate, the website name was let go in 2012 and bought by another company. I figured later I probably shouldn’t have let it go, but I did, and years later I wanted a similar name and logo so I invented Zystrix. Here are the comparative logos – hmm, strangely similar. Early on I would get razzed on occasion by the slick looking metal guitar websites because I still used the retro animated style of presentation. I always liked that style, and there aren’t many websites that do that anymore (except to sell you something with a click-through). But honestly, I don’t think their slick looking websites tell metal guitar better, or at least I haven’t seen it yet. It’s just a bunch of young self-righteous punks pretending. I was playing guitar on the road when they were still shitting their diapers. And their websites are always trying to sell me something be it IRs or reverbs, and they always want my email or whatever. Sure, my stuff is homemade by me, but I use it in my projects, and after hundreds of downloads no one has ever complained. Not one. It’s hard to tell the difference from what I offer and the big-money products. The beginning of Zystrix was when I published my first book called The Fluid – Embalmed for Life. It’s still available on Amazon for fairly cheap – around ten bucks USA I think. Its about a mortician who invents an embalming fluid that brings people back to life and slowly restores their youth and strength. It also gives them extraordinary mental and physical abilities. Unfortunately it works too slowly and many people were buried alive. The mortician falls in love with a dead woman, Helen, and after their short relationship the “embalminations” (people previously dead but now alive) dig their way out of the grave and kill him and burn down his funeral home around him. His brother, who is also a mortician, oversees and is the officiant of his brother’s funeral, but his dead brother resurrects. So the story has no real ending, just another beginning. The book also has an album that goes by the same name with a song for every chapter, and it’s over 45 minutes long. If you like to hear it simply click here. Turn down the lights and prepare to be scared. Let’s move on to… Past Popular Guitar Topics The very first topic, like I said, was the book The Fluid, Embalmed for Life. It’s still listed on Amazon. For a sample of the book in PDF format click here. Soon after that the audio book was published. Early on reverbs and drum samples were the soup of the day in issue number 004. In issue #007 The invention of Djammincabs IR guitar cabs came into existence. Were the first free IR cabinets good? Well, not terrific, but I got a lot better as time went on. Besides, IR cabs are a matter of taste, they are not especially fast to make, and these are free so if you don’t like them simply erase them. Another one that was not too popular but some found it quite helpful was the topic of getting ideas from the public domain (issue #11). And by that issue the free Pendulate synth had come out and there were somewhat rare free synth patches to download and try out. The Essential Audio Mixing Tips and Tricks issue was another early popular one. It was subtitled How to Mix Like a Pro -- Secrets to A Professional Audio Mix (issue #12). I needed some slammin’ bass drum samples on a project I was working on so I gave away all the ones I made for myself in the Bass Drum Samples issue (#16). By the middle of June 2023 (issue #20-29) there were ten issues of How to Record Killer Metal and Rock Guitar. Whew. The Guitar Pedal Shootout Golden Plexi 2 vs English Man (issue #36) happened in Sept 2023 and can also be seen on “Zootube”. Then 11 Essential Audio Mixing Tips and Tricks -- The How to Mix Audio Like a Pro. The Secrets to A Professional Audio Mix arrived in October 2023 (issue #38). The first Dangerous Neighbors full-length piano album called Piano - Top to Bottom was published as a free download April 29, 2024 (issue 51). In Sept 2024 it was the epic Zystrix Mastering Issue… The Best FREE Plugins for Mastering 2024 (issue #60) including the best of the best for EQ, compression, limiting, tube and tape emulation, reverb, delay, and honorable mentions. On Sept 30, 2024 The Best FREE Synthesizers for 2024 was published. It’s another epic issue. And the Honorable Mention Synthesizer List might surprise you. This list is big, so prepare yourself. And if you get bored, I warned you. (issue #62). On December 9, 2024 Zystrix introduces… Guitar Pickups - - Third and Final Part (issue #67). If you want to read it from the beginning (like any of these multi-issue offerings) simply go to the last page (the link above) and on that page hit the upper left arrow or the backwards running wrist-watch to go back issue by issue to the beginning. In December of 2024 How to Sound Like Jimi Hendrix was a fairly popular (issue #68). January 6, 2025 saw the Metal Guitar Pedal Essentials. These are the 5 pedals that would be part of a stripped down metal guitar rig – the least amount of gear for the biggest bang for the buck (issue #69). This issue from June 09, 2025 Guitar Tunings for the Metal Guitarist (issue #80) was very popular for guitarists learning new tunings or for the seasoned guitarist looking for new ground. July 7, 2025 saw the Invent Your Own Metal Amp Sound from Pedals (issue #82). It’s amazing how many amp sounds can be had by simply using pedals you may already own. August 4, 2025 saw How to Double Track a Guitar the Easy Way (issue #83) by shifting tracks to create a two-guitar sound. Another issue that was extra popular was one in February 2026 called How to Create Metal Riffs. This was a two-part issue covering many topics and ideas including the public domain once again (issue #96). On March 2, 2026 Tips and Tricks for Recording Massive Metal Guitar was published recently and seems to be a winner even though it doesn’t have much of a track record. And that brings us to now… Free Djammincabs 6x12 Guitar Cab IRs These 35 guitar cab IRs are imitations of a 2x12 guitar cabinet stacked on top of a 4x12 guitar cabinet. I was aiming for the sound of a Fender Bandmaster type cabinet with a darker Marshall 1960 cab. That’s the nice thing about making your own IRs -- design them how you want. There’s nothing commercially available that I know of that’s similar to these, but they may not be something you prefer because not everyone likes the sound of a 2x12 cabinet. Compare them to your favorite commercially available IRs or your favorite “Zootube” content creator. I did and to my ear these are better. I left the lengths set to various to maximize the believability and realism. Use these IRs at your own risk. They are mono, 24 bit Wav files, at 48K. For a real sonic treat try these in a stereo configuration. The free download called the NadIR by Ignite Amps is excellent for this, although you may have another commercial brand you prefer. And for the adventurous types try a quad configuration. This can be done with the NadIR by loading it twice (two DAW tracks) and running them in parallel. In either case, make sure to check for phase issues for the maximum amount of consonant cabinet thrust because nobody likes mosquito tone. Download these IRs for yourself and see what you think. Enjoy. Devil’s Hour – solo piano by Dangerous Neighbors It’s 3AM. Some people call it the Devil’s Hour. The evil spirits of the world are at their greatest power at that time, and they are causing trouble with sleep. Fortunately sleep returns at 4AM. Click here for the MP3 version of Devil’s Hour, or watch the video. Enjoy. Conclusion Zypotic to Zystrix I hope you enjoyed this Zystrix 100th issue. A lot can happen in just a few years, let alone since the late 1990s. From Zypotic to Zystrix to whatever the future holds. And as a gift to you check out the special new free download of Djammincabs 6X12 guitar cabinet IRs. If you like them I may design some more – let me know. And the solo piano tune from Dangerous Neighbors called Devil’s Hour might be near the end of publishing singles for now and nearing another full-length solo piano album. And I hope you enjoyed the complete 45 minute backing tracks chapter by chapter for the book The Fluid. I’ve heard some people say it’s like listening to a lost Black Sabbath album. Maybe. The book is pretty dark and Gothic so I suppose the description is close enough. Anyway, it was a lot of fun to write, and especially fun to perform. Don’t touch that dial… Stay tuned next time… I haven’t found a topic to do for the next issue. It was going to be slide guitar, but that’s not really a metal technique. So if you have one you ‘d like to check out just let me know. In the meantime I’ll keep looking. Maybe I’ll see you then. JFK was a very handsome president, but he took a horrible head-shot.

ZYSTRIX POPULAR FREE DOWNLOADS The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024 It’s another epic issue, and there’s lots of FREE downloads here. And the Honorable Mention Synthesizer List might surprise you. This list is long, so prepare yourself. And if it seems like too much to take in, I warned you. Click here for the official list of The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024. The Best Free Mastering Plugins Your DAW (digital audio workstation) will be so happy. And so will you. Here are the best of the best for EQ, compression, limiting, tube and tape emulation, reverb, delay, and honorable mentions. This list is a must have with lots of downloads. Check out The Best FREE Plugins for Mastering 2024. Here’s a free download of almost one and a half hours of original neo-classical solo piano by Dangerous Neighbors. This full length album called Piano Top to Bottom consists of 18 original piano pieces with the final piece in two movements. There is a bonus track making 20 files total. This download comes in three format options: the first option is a single file MP3 containing all the tunes in one chunk similar to tape recordings. The second download option is a folder with all of the separate MP3 piano pieces named and arranged in album order similar to a CD or MP3 player. The third download option is similar to videos found on “ZooTube” with the names and times on the screen. There is also a fourth surprise version made only for “ZooTube” and it is edited down to less than 15 minutes long because of their telephone number required rule. Basically it just guides the listener here. To download any or all of these options simply click here. Enjoy. Free Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses Introducing the next generation in guitar cabinet impulse responses. Try the new Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12. All of these cab IR files are based on old, new, and boutique 4x12 cab curves. All are recorded in beautiful 24-bit 48K mono and will work on most free and paid digital convolvers. Hear the guitar IR breathe fire with pure attitude. Don’t be suckered in with high-dollar sales pitches, there ain’t no guitar IR downloads better than these. Choose from many cab sound recording styles: cone, edge, angled, arm away, inside cab, back of cab, or back of room. Djammincabs is the world leader in guitar cab IR invention -- no other guitar IR company can imitate these. Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12 makes it easier for you to design your own personalized sound -- even your own Metal IR pack. If you can’t find a cabinet or combination you like here, then you don’t like 4x12 cabinets. This guitar IR download also includes a Tactical Munitions Manual with suggested uses and detailed cab combinations. This is the best free guitar impulse download available anywhere. Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12 “Murder Your Competition.” I feel brave. I want to try them now. Here’s my email... Djammincabs for Guitar Free Guitar Impulse Responses This is the original Djammincabs guitar cabinet impulse response collection that started it all. Click here to download over 200 Free Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses. Djammincabs for Bass Guitar Download Free Bass Impulse Responses Click here to download over 200 Free Bass Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses. Best Free Guitar Impulses. The Top 11 Best Free Guitar and Bass Cabinet Impulse Responses for 2022 (in alphabetical order…) Find, download, and test the best free guitar cabinet impulse responses for 2022. FREE BASS LOOPS SAMPLES DOWNLOAD ROYALTY FREE BASS LOOP SAMPLES FREE BASS LOOPS Over 200 samples are included in the collection Download the complete collection of 24-bit bass loops here. NOTE: This download size is approximately 369 Megs. Free Pendulate Synthesizer Presets Original Newfangled Audio Pendulate synth patches/presets Click here to download over 240 Free Pendulate Synth Presets (patches) Synapse Audio Dune Synthesizer Download Over 200 Free Synapse Audio Dune 2 and Dune 3 Synthesizer Patches and Presets Click here to download over 200 FREE Synapse Audio Dune 2 or Dune 3 synthesizer patches or presets. NOTE: This synth patch download is slightly over 1 Meg in size. Free Reverb Impulse Responses This is our most popular download page. Choose from hundreds available in 48K 24 bit WAV format including many new original reverbs. CabSpace Over 400 Guitar Isolation Booth Reverbs Download over 400 Free Zystrix Original Reverb Impulse Responses, and over 200 Free Zystrix Original BONUS Reverb Impulse Responses. Download all the Alesis MIDIVerb 4 reverb impulse responses. Download all the Lexicon MPX-1 reverb impulse responses. Download all the Alesis Wedge reverb impulse responses. Download over 50 Reverb Relics from the past including oil cans. Click here to download free reverb impulse responses. Free Drum Samples Only Available from Zystrix Free Gong Samples and Sounds Free Snare Drum Samples and Sounds Free Bass Drum Samples and Sounds Free Oriental Cymbal Samples and Sounds Free Oriental Bells Samples and Sounds The Ultimate Original Drum Sounds List Download over 2000 original slammin’ rock bass drums. Download original Gongs, Cymbals, Broken Cymbals, and Bells. Download Over 200 Free Original Bass Drum Sounds and Samples. Download over 200 Original Free snare drum sounds. Click here to download Drum Kit Sounds. Dangerous Neighbors The SW Michigan Rock Band Power Trio. Free Rockin’ Music Downloads Download tunes from the 80s to today. Use the special codes on the Embalmed for Life page (see the DOWNLOAD FREE AUDIO BOOKS link below) and get free downloads for the complete album and the free horror audio book The Fluid - Embalmed for Life. Click here to download various music from the rock band Dangerous Neighbors. Download Free Synth Samples for Intros, Interludes, and Endings Listen to example #01 by clicking here (MP3 Sample) Download FREE professional quality stereo sample packs that slowly evolve over time. All samples are in 48K 24 bit WAV format and are about 20 seconds long or more. If you like suspense, psycho, outer space, or terror then this collection is for you. These range from paranoia to sci-fi, cinematic gore to strange industrial horror, and creepy creatures to insane laboratories. Click here to download all the synth Intros, Interludes, and Endings. DOWNLOAD FREE AUDIO BOOKS The Fluid, Embalmed for Life There are Free Audio Book codes for Audible downloads (must sign up). There are also free sample downloads of the book reading. There are free downloads of music samples. There is a free “Look Inside” download of the paperback. There is a free glossary of the largest list of mortuary slang in the world. The Free Dangerous Neighbors Album The Fluid, Embalmed for Life comes included as part of the audio book and parts are available here as a free download. The paperback book is available for sale at Amazon dot com. I have no control over these sales; because of the Amazon agreement I cannot offer complete paperback or complete audio books here. And for some reason most book sales go to Japan. Who would have thunk it? Click here for free audio books, book reading samples, music samples, etc. Take me back to the top of the page. Zystrix Privacy Policy THE FINE PRINT: Zystrix is a world leader in personal privacy and we take your privacy very seriously. We do not store, sell, give away, or barter with any of your personal or private information including your email, IP address, links clicked, location, habits, tastes, online activities and behaviors, or anything else considered personal or private information. 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