Boosting for Solo's

count_chocolat

count_chocolat

Experienced
I normally just add a 3db boost for solo's, basically a null filter and the end of the signal chain. It works pretty good but sometimes I think an EQ change might help also.

Do any of you do any EQ modifications in addition to a volume boost for solo's?

What's your favorite recipe?
 
I usually just do a flat volume boost, but if you were to use an eq to boost particular frequencies during solos, you'd probably want to boost your mids since that's what's going to cut through the most.

But honestly, if you're going to change anything other than just volume, I personally would skip the eq changes and instead add some combination of delay and/or gain boost.
 
I use both straight up volume boost and volume with EQ boost. I find using the PEQ works best as you can taylor the freq range you want to stand out using a different sized Q value and gain.
 
I use the X/Y amp setup for solos, X being louder and tweaked for the solo sound. Can also add X/Y effects to that too. Off in the rhythm sound, on in the lead sound. And you can hear me clearly over the band when I solo :)
 
count_chocolat said:
Do any of you do any EQ modifications in addition to a volume boost for solo's?
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I usually use a parametric EQ to boost by 3-4 dB and then knock off some of the high end with a low pass. I guess you could do the same with the filter block. Either way, it gets me louder without tearing people's heads off.
 
Karl Houseknecht said:
I usually use a parametric EQ to boost by 3-4 dB and then knock off some of the high end with a low pass. I guess you could do the same with the filter block. Either way, it gets me louder without tearing people's heads off.
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How do you knock off some high end with a low pass? there is freq 1 band and freq 5 band. Which do you lower?
 
I use a different amp, cab, delay, reverb, chorus, etc. I find rhythms too scooped to sound good with just a boost, and I always want a tailored fx chain.
 
I like using an expression pedal like the Mission SP-1 or EP-1 and set the heel position for rhythm, toe for lead. Then I assign the pedal to also control parameters like amp drive, compression, delay and reverb mix. It's smooth!
 
I boost in different ways. I really like the PEQ in front of the amp (before the drive also messes with your gain in a very nice way). I set the PEQ either as MidBoost (trying to emulate the Suhr Koko Boost) or as way to tame the guitar/pickup freqs and tailor for certain amp types.
Then I also have a +2dB flat boost at the end of the row. Null filter block and that's that.
I find that sometimes I prefer the PEQ over the Drive block. And the flat boost at the end just gives me the extra kick for leads or louder passages.
The PEQ is usually set with level on 8-11ish. And I adjust the freq ranges to my liking, so I boost around 800 and let eveyother freq flat, making it a high curve with almost flat ends.
I also have some filters after the chain in some metal patches, using shelving patterns, usually highcut. And adjust to taste. Maybe and extra dB or 2.



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tgorycki said:
I like using an expression pedal like the Mission SP-1 or EP-1 and set the heel position for rhythm, toe for lead. Then I assign the pedal to also control parameters like amp drive, compression, delay and reverb mix. It's smooth!
Click to expand...

Can you post a clip, preset and Axe Edit screen shots if you get a chance?


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If you can't figure out how to get a good solo boost that cuts through with the Axe Fx II, you could always have the rest of the band stop playing while you rip your solos, then after its finished, they all start playing again... :lol
 
I use both null filters for a simple dB boost and PEQs boost where the midrange is boosted for lead tones to cut through the mix.
Mostly I have both options in front of the amp and perhaps drives in my template and a null filter after the cabs so I can choose if I just want the volume boosted or if I want to goose the front end of a drive or the amp as well.
I also sometimes have a null filter in a preset so I can adjust the output difference of two different guitars like a tele and an LP that I might bring on a specific gig.
 
I find that different presets call for different methods. On a nice crunchy plexi rhythm preset, just a bit of a volume bump and maybe a bit of delay is enough for a lead part. On a clean preset I X/Y the amp for something different and on a lightly overdriven amp I bump both the gain and the volume, either with a filter block before the amp or with the scene controller to control the amp gain. The volume boost depends a fair bit of what the rest of the band is doing depending on what song where playing. If they “give me room" as happens in most songs, 3dB is enough to stand out, but in some songs everything gets louder over the solo part and I have to bump my volume 5-6dB to stand out.

This to me is one of the brilliant things with the AFx2. I’m not forced to use the same thing all the time but can select what’s appropriate for each preset/song.
 
A null filter (a filter block in null mode) basically does nothing to the sound, but it enables the standard Axe Fx parameters such as level. If you set it at 3dB that means that you will increase the volume when the block is engaged by 3dB and by placing this after the amp and any drive pedals it will just make the sound 3dB louder. You can also use it as a clean boost before the amp if the amp is driven. Use for instance a Plexi amp with default settings and place a null filter before with a 12dB boost and you'll get a similar gain increase as hitting the boost in the amp block. And in difference from the amp boost, you can set the null filter clean boost to 6dB if you think the boost it's too much and to 20dB if you think it's too little.

So a null filter is a very handy tool that hardly consumes any CPU.
 
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