Stephen Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Stephen Carpenter (born August 3, 1970 in Sacramento
, California
) is an American musician known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the alternative metal
band
Deftones
. His guitar technique makes use of both ringing open strings and dissonant
chord voicings, as well as stock power chords in polyrhythms. Carpenter is a noted 7 and 8 string guitar player, being influenced by such bands as Fear Factory
and Meshuggah
.
.
When Carpenter was 15 years old, he was hit by a car while skateboarding. He used a wheelchair for several months. It was at this point that he began teaching himself guitar by playing along with bands such as Anthrax
, Stormtroopers of Death
and Metallica
. It has been reported that the driver paid Carpenter a cash settlement that allowed the band to purchase equipment, but drummer Abe Cunningham commented in an interview that this was "a myth about how our band was started."
Carpenter attended McClatchy High School with future band mates Chino Moreno
and Abe Cunningham
. They were childhood friends and remained friends through the skateboarding
scene in Sacramento. When Moreno found out Carpenter played guitar, he set up a jam session with Cunningham and the three began playing regularly in Carpenter's garage circa 1989.
After playing with several bassists, the band settled on Chi Cheng
and within two years the band began playing club shows and later expanded their playing territory to San Francisco and Los Angeles where they played shows alongside bands such as Korn
.
Carpenter is known for his habit of smoking marijuana, and he is vehemently against its prohibition laws. He has stated in an interview that it helps him with musical creativity and writing.
His relationship with Deftones lead singer and band mate Chino Moreno
has been recorded as being fraught at times. Apparently, recording of Saturday Night Wrist was protracted due to their "warfare". With regards to musical tastes, Saturday Night Wrist being described as "more aggressive" equated to it being "more aggressive for him [Chino]"; Carpenter said he'd "definitely be glad to take it to the next level, but that's asking too much right now."
, Fear Factory
, Metallica
, Slayer
, Anthrax
, and Faith No More
are some of his influences. He also draws influence from Depeche Mode
and Led Zeppelin
, which can be heard on more subdued tracks. He has also stated that his favorite album of all time is Chaosphere
by Meshuggah, saying: "The most brutal record I've heard, from second one to second last. It left me wondering where the hell I'd been the whole time." Whilst recording Diamond Eyes, he claimed that the only artist he listened to was American rapper Tech N9ne
.
which is a mix of metal/electronica/drum & bass & dub. The group is made up of producers Richie Londres
& AJ Cookson based in London with Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill providing percussion alongside Dan Foord formerly of UK math metal band Sikth
. The group have released a collection of remixes of artists like Tech N9ne & Saul Williams as well as original tracks Carrion & Unidose. The group released 2 official Deftones remixes in December 2010 namely Diamond Eyes & You've Seen The Butcher. Richie Londres
& AJ Cookson recently released the groups debut ep Initium which features suicide girls Gogo Blackwater on the cover.
Carpenter is also involved in another project known as Kush
, featuring Christian Olde Wolbers
and Raymond Herrera
from Fear Factory
and B-Real
from Cypress Hill
.
Stephen also plays other instruments. Stephen has been known to play keyboards alongside Frank Delgado when Deftones perform the song "Beware" from their album Saturday Night Wrist
. He contributed keyboards and ambiance textures on the song "Teenager" from the White Pony album. Stephen plays a black Fender
bass through his guitar amp on the songs "Xerces" and the heavy ending to "Beware" from Saturday Night Wrist, and still plays that bass through a guitar amp on the song "Needles and Pins" from their self titled album. Also, in multiple interviews he has disclosed that he plays drums on the instrumental track "U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,A,B,Select,Start" from Saturday Night Wrist, and also drummed on the track "Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event" from Deftones' self-titled album
.
Carpenter has stated that as a musician and songwriter, his ideas become more solidified with the use of a drum beat prior to adding other instruments. Because of this, he is usually the first person to complete his song ideas, which he then presents to other band members.
, Marshall Amplifiers, GuitarRig
and EMG
pickups
. He has been a major endorser of ESP
since the mid-1990s with a number of signature six (now discontinued), seven, eight string and baritone models in production.
Carpenter currently uses Ernie Ball
.011-.059 gauge strings. He also uses Dunlop
1 mm Tortex picks which are black with a custom logo.
On tour, Carpenter carries 14 guitars using 7 main guitars,with the rest being used as back ups in different tunings. Carpenter used six string guitars in E standard
for Adrenaline
, drop D♭/C# for Around The Fur
and drop C
for White Pony
. He then switched to using 7 string guitars, using G# standard for the self-titled album
and drop F# for Saturday Night Wrist
. On the latest Deftones album Diamond Eyes
, Carpenter used an 8 string in F# standard tuning.
Since transitioning from a 6 string to a 7 in late 2000, in live performances Carpenter plays the songs originally played on a 6 string guitar on a 7 string with the two highest strings tuned to the same note (ex. EADGBEE for Adrenaline), after discovering that Limp Bizkit
guitarist Wes Borland
did this to some of his 7 string guitars. Carpenter does this because it was harder for him to play a regular 6 string after getting used to the wider neck and longer scale length of his signature 7 strings. The song Rocket Skates
from Diamond Eyes is played on an 8 string, although Carpenter does not make use of the low F# string. In order to prevent confusion between rigs while touring, Carpenter has two identical rigs, one for U.S. tours and the other for foreign countries.
Carpenter is also a user of Native Instruments' Guitar Rig, a software program designed to emulate amplifier and effect set ups.
Note: Carpenter's many BOSS effects have since been replaced by MXR pedals
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is an American musician known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
. His guitar technique makes use of both ringing open strings and dissonant
Consonance and dissonance
In music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance , which is considered to be unstable...
chord voicings, as well as stock power chords in polyrhythms. Carpenter is a noted 7 and 8 string guitar player, being influenced by such bands as Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
and Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
.
Early life
Stephen Carpenter was born on August 3, 1970 in Sacramento, California to a North American father and a Mexican mother. With his family consisting of his mother Maria and his sister Marci. He grew up in the Sacramento area and pursued many hobbies, including skateboardingSkateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
.
When Carpenter was 15 years old, he was hit by a car while skateboarding. He used a wheelchair for several months. It was at this point that he began teaching himself guitar by playing along with bands such as Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Stormtroopers of Death
Stormtroopers of Death
Stormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. It has been reported that the driver paid Carpenter a cash settlement that allowed the band to purchase equipment, but drummer Abe Cunningham commented in an interview that this was "a myth about how our band was started."
Carpenter attended McClatchy High School with future band mates Chino Moreno
Chino Moreno
Chino Moreno is an American musician. He is best known as the lead singer and contributing guitarist of Deftones. He is also a member of the side-project bands Team Sleep and Crosses....
and Abe Cunningham
Abe Cunningham
Abe Cunningham, , is an American musician, he is the drummer of the alternative metal band Deftones. He is known for his use of ghost notes and other technical drumming techniques.-Biography:...
. They were childhood friends and remained friends through the skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
scene in Sacramento. When Moreno found out Carpenter played guitar, he set up a jam session with Cunningham and the three began playing regularly in Carpenter's garage circa 1989.
After playing with several bassists, the band settled on Chi Cheng
Chi Cheng (musician)
Chi Cheng, is a Chinese American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American band Deftones.-Personal life:...
and within two years the band began playing club shows and later expanded their playing territory to San Francisco and Los Angeles where they played shows alongside bands such as Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
.
Carpenter is known for his habit of smoking marijuana, and he is vehemently against its prohibition laws. He has stated in an interview that it helps him with musical creativity and writing.
His relationship with Deftones lead singer and band mate Chino Moreno
Chino Moreno
Chino Moreno is an American musician. He is best known as the lead singer and contributing guitarist of Deftones. He is also a member of the side-project bands Team Sleep and Crosses....
has been recorded as being fraught at times. Apparently, recording of Saturday Night Wrist was protracted due to their "warfare". With regards to musical tastes, Saturday Night Wrist being described as "more aggressive" equated to it being "more aggressive for him [Chino]"; Carpenter said he'd "definitely be glad to take it to the next level, but that's asking too much right now."
Musical influences
Carpenter has stated that he mostly listens to rap, but outside of rap, MeshuggahMeshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
, Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, and Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
are some of his influences. He also draws influence from Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, which can be heard on more subdued tracks. He has also stated that his favorite album of all time is Chaosphere
Chaosphere
-Re-release bonus tracks:-Personnel:Meshuggah* Jens Kidman - lead vocals* Gustaf Hielm - bass* Tomas Haake - drums, vocals * Mårten Hagström - rhythm guitar...
by Meshuggah, saying: "The most brutal record I've heard, from second one to second last. It left me wondering where the hell I'd been the whole time." Whilst recording Diamond Eyes, he claimed that the only artist he listened to was American rapper Tech N9ne
Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates , better known by his stage name Tech N9ne , is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film,...
.
Side projects
Carpenter is a founding member and plays guitar in a project called Sol InvictoSol Invicto
Sol Invicto is a project which involves Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter with producers Richie Londres & AJ Cookson as well as Eric Bobo .-History:...
which is a mix of metal/electronica/drum & bass & dub. The group is made up of producers Richie Londres
Richie londres
Richie Londres, is an English musician, hip hop record producer, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist and runs Altered Beats Records. Londres has worked with Deftones and Cypress Hill on various projects...
& AJ Cookson based in London with Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill providing percussion alongside Dan Foord formerly of UK math metal band Sikth
SikTh
Sikth were a progressive metal band from Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.-Early days:SikTh formed in late 1999, but consolidated their line-up in March 2001...
. The group have released a collection of remixes of artists like Tech N9ne & Saul Williams as well as original tracks Carrion & Unidose. The group released 2 official Deftones remixes in December 2010 namely Diamond Eyes & You've Seen The Butcher. Richie Londres
Richie londres
Richie Londres, is an English musician, hip hop record producer, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist and runs Altered Beats Records. Londres has worked with Deftones and Cypress Hill on various projects...
& AJ Cookson recently released the groups debut ep Initium which features suicide girls Gogo Blackwater on the cover.
Carpenter is also involved in another project known as Kush
Kush (band)
Kush is an American rap metal band formed in 2000 by rapper B-Real, Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter and former Fear Factory members Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers.-History:...
, featuring Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers , is the guitarist of the metal band Arkaea. He is the former bassist and guitarist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and is now in Beowülf.-Biography:...
and Raymond Herrera
Raymond Herrera
Raymond Herrera is the drummer for industrial metal band Arkaea. He is a former member of the industrial metal band Fear Factory and Mexican death metal band Brujeria.-Biography:Herrera has been an avid gamer all his life...
from Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
and B-Real
B-Real
Louis Freese, better known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper of Cuban and Mexican heritage, and a film and TV actor...
from Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
.
Stephen also plays other instruments. Stephen has been known to play keyboards alongside Frank Delgado when Deftones perform the song "Beware" from their album Saturday Night Wrist
Saturday Night Wrist
Saturday Night Wrist is the fifth studio album by American metal band Deftones. It was released on Maverick Records on October 31, 2006. Despite early contributions that were later scrapped, Saturday Night Wrist marks the departure of mainstay Deftones producer Terry Date.The band's fifth album...
. He contributed keyboards and ambiance textures on the song "Teenager" from the White Pony album. Stephen plays a black Fender
Fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
bass through his guitar amp on the songs "Xerces" and the heavy ending to "Beware" from Saturday Night Wrist, and still plays that bass through a guitar amp on the song "Needles and Pins" from their self titled album. Also, in multiple interviews he has disclosed that he plays drums on the instrumental track "U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,A,B,Select,Start" from Saturday Night Wrist, and also drummed on the track "Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event" from Deftones' self-titled album
Deftones (album)
Deftones was well received by critics earning an aggregate rating of 74 on Metacritic. The music website Sputnikmusic gave it a perfect score and praised the band for have returned to their heavy sound without leaving behind their experimental side, lauding also Moreno's abstract lyrics and the...
.
Carpenter has stated that as a musician and songwriter, his ideas become more solidified with the use of a drum beat prior to adding other instruments. Because of this, he is usually the first person to complete his song ideas, which he then presents to other band members.
Equipment
Carpenter is currently endorsed by ESP GuitarsESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
, Marshall Amplifiers, GuitarRig
Native Instruments
Native Instruments is a technology company that develops software and hardware for music production and DJing. The company has originally been identified mostly with software instruments, but has also expanded to various other music equipment segments in recent years.Current products of Native...
and EMG
EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of a company based in Santa Rosa, California which manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Founded in 1976, the company was originally called Dirtywork Studios. The name was changed to "Overlend" in 1978 and then to the current name in 1983...
pickups
Pickup (music technology)
A pickup device is a transducer that captures mechanical vibrations, usually from suitably equipped stringed instruments such as the electric guitar, electric bass guitar, Chapman Stick, or electric violin, and converts them to an electrical signal that is amplified, recorded, or broadcast.-...
. He has been a major endorser of ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
since the mid-1990s with a number of signature six (now discontinued), seven, eight string and baritone models in production.
Carpenter currently uses Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
.011-.059 gauge strings. He also uses Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing
Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known colloquially as Jim Dunlop, is a manufacturer of musical accessories based in Benicia, California. Originally founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop, Sr., the company has grown from a small home operation to being a large manufacturer of music gear for over 40 years.- Way...
1 mm Tortex picks which are black with a custom logo.
On tour, Carpenter carries 14 guitars using 7 main guitars,with the rest being used as back ups in different tunings. Carpenter used six string guitars in E standard
Standard tuning
In music, standard tuning refers to the typical tuning of a string instrument. This notion is contrary to that of scordatura, i.e. an alternate tuning designated to modify either the timbre or technical capabilities of the desired instrument.-Bowed strings:...
for Adrenaline
Adrenaline (album)
-Personnel:Deftones*Chino Moreno – vocals*Stephen Carpenter – guitars*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drumsProduction*Kim Biggs – art direction*Victor Bracke – cover photo...
, drop D♭/C# for Around The Fur
Around the Fur
-Band members:*Stephen Carpenter – guitar*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drums*Chino Moreno – vocals-Additional personnel:...
and drop C
Drop C tuning
Drop C tuning can be used to refer to two different alternative guitar tunings:* CGCFAD - The most commonly intended meaning of Drop C, though the term is incorrect...
for White Pony
White Pony
White Pony is the third studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones. Released in 2000, it marks a significant growth in the band's sound, incorporating New Wave and shoegaze influences with the alternative metal edge the group had become known for...
. He then switched to using 7 string guitars, using G# standard for the self-titled album
Deftones (album)
Deftones was well received by critics earning an aggregate rating of 74 on Metacritic. The music website Sputnikmusic gave it a perfect score and praised the band for have returned to their heavy sound without leaving behind their experimental side, lauding also Moreno's abstract lyrics and the...
and drop F# for Saturday Night Wrist
Saturday Night Wrist
Saturday Night Wrist is the fifth studio album by American metal band Deftones. It was released on Maverick Records on October 31, 2006. Despite early contributions that were later scrapped, Saturday Night Wrist marks the departure of mainstay Deftones producer Terry Date.The band's fifth album...
. On the latest Deftones album Diamond Eyes
Diamond Eyes
Diamond Eyes is the sixth album by American Alternative metal band Deftones, released worldwide on May 4, 2010 through Warner Bros. and Reprise Records...
, Carpenter used an 8 string in F# standard tuning.
Since transitioning from a 6 string to a 7 in late 2000, in live performances Carpenter plays the songs originally played on a 6 string guitar on a 7 string with the two highest strings tuned to the same note (ex. EADGBEE for Adrenaline), after discovering that Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
guitarist Wes Borland
Wes Borland
Wesley Louden Borland is an American musician and artist, best known as the guitarist for the band Limp Bizkit. He has been in several other bands as well including: Black Light Burns, The Damning Well, Goatslayer, Big Dumb Face, and Combichrist...
did this to some of his 7 string guitars. Carpenter does this because it was harder for him to play a regular 6 string after getting used to the wider neck and longer scale length of his signature 7 strings. The song Rocket Skates
Rocket Skates
"Rocket Skates" is a song by the American alternative metal band Deftones. It is the first single released from Deftones' sixth studio-album Diamond Eyes, and twelfth single overall. It is also the first single released without bassist Chi Cheng, who was in a coma during the time of recording...
from Diamond Eyes is played on an 8 string, although Carpenter does not make use of the low F# string. In order to prevent confusion between rigs while touring, Carpenter has two identical rigs, one for U.S. tours and the other for foreign countries.
Carpenter is also a user of Native Instruments' Guitar Rig, a software program designed to emulate amplifier and effect set ups.
Guitars
- ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Stef SRC-7 - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Stef B-7 - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Stef T-7 - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Stef B-8 - LTDESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
SC-608B - LTDESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
SC-607B - LTDESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
SC-207 - LTDESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
SC-200 (discontinued)
Amplifiers & Cabinets
- Fractal Audio Axe-FXFractal Audio Axe-FXFractal Audio Axe-Fx is an all in one electric guitar preamplifier/effects processor made by Fractal Audio Systems LLC., in Plaistow, New Hampshire. The processor is a two-space rack unit. The first version, called simply Axe-Fx, was introduced in 2006. Axe-Fx Ultra was introduced in 2008...
Ultra - Marshall JMP-1 Midi Pre-Amp
- Marshall 9200 (Or EL34 100/100) Dual MonoBlock Power-Amp (x2)
- Marshall 1960B 4x12 Cabinets (x2)
- ISP Technologies Vector SL 600watt 15" Subwoofer Cabinets (x2)
Effects
To avoid problems with pedals being damaged during live performances, Carpenter now keeps his effect pedals and rack-mounted effects in a rack along with his pre-amp, which he controls through a pedalboard onstage. The pedal controller, built by Bob Bradshaw at Custom Audio Electronics, allows him to change between different effect pedals and pre-amp settings.Note: Carpenter's many BOSS effects have since been replaced by MXR pedals
- BehringerBehringerBehringer is an audio equipment company founded by Uli Behringer in 1989, in Willich, Germany. Behringer was listed as the 14th largest manufacturer of music products in 2007. Behringer is a multi-national group of companies, with direct marketing presence in 10 countries or territories and a...
Intelligate Noise Gate - TC ElectronicTC ElectronicTC Electronic is a Danish audio equipment manufacturer.Its current product ranges include guitar effects, bass amplification, computer audio interfaces, audio plug-in software, live sound equalisers, studio and post production equipment, studio effect processors and broadcast loudness processors...
2290 Dynamic Digital Delay - Electro-HarmonixElectro-HarmonixElectro-Harmonix is a New York-based company that makes high-end electronic audio processors. The company was founded by Mike Matthews in 1968. They are most famous for a series of popular guitar effects pedals introduced in the 1970s and 1990s....
Bass Micro Synthesizer - KorgKorgis a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
DTR-1 Rack Tuner - Rocktron Intellifex
- Z.Vex Fuzz FactoryZ.Vex Fuzz FactoryThe Z.Vex Fuzz Factory is a fuzz box made by the American inventor and musician Zachary Vex of the Z.Vex Effects company.The Fuzz Factory is based on, yet vastly expands the tonal palette of, classic fuzztone designs from the 1960s...
- Z.Vex Seek Wah
- Z.Vex Machine
- DigiTech WhammyDigitech Whammy-Overview:The WH-1 Whammy pedal, the original whammy, first engineered and manufactured in 1989 by IVL Technologies and discontinued in 1993, remains the most sought-after.-Controls:...
- Ernie BallErnie BallErnie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
Volume Pedal - Custom Audio ElectronicsCAECAE may refer to:In aviation:* CAE Inc., a Canadian maker of flight simulators* Columbia Metropolitan Airport, in West Columbia, South Carolina, United States...
RS-10 Custom Audio Controller (w/RS-10 Expander Module) - Custom Audio ElectronicsCAECAE may refer to:In aviation:* CAE Inc., a Canadian maker of flight simulators* Columbia Metropolitan Airport, in West Columbia, South Carolina, United States...
4x4 Audio Controller (x2) - Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz
- Boss TR-2 Tremolo
- Boss BF-3 Flanger
- Boss DD-6 Digital Delay
With Deftones
- AdrenalineAdrenaline (album)-Personnel:Deftones*Chino Moreno – vocals*Stephen Carpenter – guitars*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drumsProduction*Kim Biggs – art direction*Victor Bracke – cover photo...
(1995, MaverickMaverick RecordsMaverick Recording Company is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:...
/Warner Bros.Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
) - Around the FurAround the Fur-Band members:*Stephen Carpenter – guitar*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drums*Chino Moreno – vocals-Additional personnel:...
(1997, Maverick/Warner Bros.) - White PonyWhite PonyWhite Pony is the third studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones. Released in 2000, it marks a significant growth in the band's sound, incorporating New Wave and shoegaze influences with the alternative metal edge the group had become known for...
(2000, Maverick) - DeftonesDeftones (album)Deftones was well received by critics earning an aggregate rating of 74 on Metacritic. The music website Sputnikmusic gave it a perfect score and praised the band for have returned to their heavy sound without leaving behind their experimental side, lauding also Moreno's abstract lyrics and the...
(2003, Maverick) - Saturday Night WristSaturday Night WristSaturday Night Wrist is the fifth studio album by American metal band Deftones. It was released on Maverick Records on October 31, 2006. Despite early contributions that were later scrapped, Saturday Night Wrist marks the departure of mainstay Deftones producer Terry Date.The band's fifth album...
(2006, Maverick) - Diamond EyesDiamond EyesDiamond Eyes is the sixth album by American Alternative metal band Deftones, released worldwide on May 4, 2010 through Warner Bros. and Reprise Records...
(2010, Warner Bros./RepriseReprise RecordsReprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
) - Eros (currently unreleased)
Guest appearances
- "Savory" - from SoonSoon (EP)Soon in an EP released in 1997 by American rock band Far.It contains two songs later released on their 1998 release "Water & Solutions", an acoustic version of a song released on their earlier release "Tin Cans With Strings To You", and one song previously unreleased...
by FarFar (band)Far is a band from Sacramento, USA.-Releases :After a number of local releases including their first demo tape Sweat A River, Live No Lies and two independent albums Listening Game and Quick they signed to Epic/Immortal Records and released their first major record, Tin Cans With Strings To You...
(1997) - "Rizzo" - from Pass Out of ExistencePass Out of ExistencePass out of Existence is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Chimaira, released on October 2, 2001. According to vocalist Mark Hunter, as of 2003, the band has sold 44,000 copies of the album in the United States....
by ChimairaChimairaChimaira is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology...
(2001) - "The C.I.A. is Still Trying to Kill Me" - from The Future Is NowThe Future Is NowThe Future Is Now is the debut album from New York hip hop group Non Phixion, released in March 2002 on Uncle Howie Records. The album garnered acclaim among critics and fans, and is considered to be an underground classic...
by Non PhixionNon PhixionNon Phixion was a New York-based hardcore hip-hop group.-History:In late 1994, MC Serch took his protege Sabac and teamed him up with DJ Eclipse and Ill Bill, thereby creating the group known as Non Phixion. Within six months Goretex, a childhood friend of Ill Bill, had joined the crew after...
(2002) - "By_Myslf" - from ReanimationReanimationReanimation helped the many underground hip-hop artists that it featured reach a larger audience, as well as changing the nature of the work so significantly that it could be considered an entirely new album...
by Linkin ParkLinkin ParkLinkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
(2002) - I'd Start a Revolution (If I Could Get Up in the Morning)I'd Start a Revolution If I Could Get Up in the MorningI'd Start a Revolution is the first studio album by pop/rock singer-songwriter Aimee Allen. Originally recorded under Elektra Records in 2002, I'd Start A Revolution was dropped and never released when the company merged with Atlantic Records later that year...
by Aimee AllenAimee AllenAimee Allen is an American pop/rock singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. She is known for her work on the dance song "Cooties" made for the soundtrack of the 2007 version of the movie Hairspray...
(2003) - Blue-Sky ResearchBlue-Sky Research- Notes :* "Calling" was released in late 2005. It was used by the WWE as the theme song for their Unforgiven pay-per-view event in 2005.** Received radio airplay on June 27, 2005.** Music video premiered on MTV.com....
by TaprootTaproot (band)Taproot is a four-piece rock group from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are most known for their hit single "Poem" , as well as a number of other singles from 2000 to the present.-Pre-formation:...
(2005) - "If I Could" - from All 6's and 7'sAll 6's And 7'sAll 6's And 7's is the twelfth studio album of American rapper and songwriter Tech N9ne, and was released on June 7, 2011, on Strange Music...
by Tech N9neTech N9neAaron Dontez Yates , better known by his stage name Tech N9ne , is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film,...
(2011)