Decent Tone but totally dynamically flat, doesn't sound like a guitar?

I'm on the Axe III, and I primarily just tweak factory presets to taste, so not sure if this will help. Lacking dynamics can mean too much gain. From what I've read, certain amps lose their "tightness" if you use too much MV. So I'd check that, and also try backing down the drive, or eliminating it, if you're using a Drive Block. Compared to the FoB song, it sounds to me like you have too much gain, therefore not enough definition to your tone.
 
what Im using is a pimped out strat with a Humbucker. It can do rock better than most other strats Ive encountered
Thanks for the Question!
I'm on the Axe III, and I primarily just tweak factory presets to taste, so not sure if this will help. Lacking dynamics can mean too much gain. From what I've read, certain amps lose their "tightness" if you use too much MV. So I'd check that, and also try backing down the drive, or eliminating it, if you're using a Drive Block. Compared to the FoB song, it sounds to me like you have too much gain, therefore not enough definition to your tone.
Majesty! I appreciate the reply.
when you are talking about gain here how would you tweak it?
say Ive got a knob for the following
-input drive
-Input trim
-master volume
-master volume trim
-axe edit Level

Are we talking something else entirely?
 
I'm on the Axe III, and I primarily just tweak factory presets to taste, so not sure if this will help. Lacking dynamics can mean too much gain. From what I've read, certain amps lose their "tightness" if you use too much MV. So I'd check that, and also try backing down the drive, or eliminating it, if you're using a Drive Block. Compared to the FoB song, it sounds to me like you have too much gain, therefore not enough definition to your tone.
Ive just backed the MV down as well as the input drive. Noticeably better. Thanks!
Anything else to add?
 
Ive just backed the MV down as well as the input drive. Noticeably better. Thanks!
Anything else to add?
just keep in mind that on a real amp, if you turn the master volume all the way up, it gets insanely loud and there's no way to bring it down - because you've turned up the MASTER volume.

on the Axe, we can get away with tons of gain because we can simply reduce the LEVEL knob in the Amp block. so you may have way more gain from all of the knobs you mentioned without realizing it. with a real amp, you'd be evicted :D
 
Can you post your preset? I won't be able to check it out until later today though. However, if you're not already, I would start by using one of the Mesa Rectifier amps. In the Axe II stock presets, there are 2 that use a Rectifier. I don't remember the preset numbers but, I think they're within the first 20 presets.
 
just keep in mind that on a real amp, if you turn the master volume all the way up, it gets insanely loud and there's no way to bring it down - because you've turned up the MASTER volume.

on the Axe, we can get away with tons of gain because we can simply reduce the LEVEL knob in the Amp block. so you may have way more gain from all of the knobs you mentioned without realizing it. with a real amp, you'd be evicted :D
Great point man thanks a ton!
 
Can you post your preset? I won't be able to check it out until later today though. However, if you're not already, I would start by using one of the Mesa Rectifier amps. In the Axe II stock presets, there are 2 that use a Rectifier. I don't remember the preset numbers but, I think they're within the first 20 presets.
Post a preset? that would be awesome! How do I go about doing that?
Ill try to work it out.
 
I'd definitely consider playing with the cab preamp types, and lightly distorting them. This was the key for me to making dynamic but huge distorted tones.
Edit: I should add, I wasn't adding preamp distortion on top, I was using less amp gain and getting the rest of the saturation from the preamp.

Definitely post the preset, and I'll definitely take a look.
 
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I'd definitely consider playing with the cab preamp types, and lightly distorting them. This was the key for me to making dynamic but huge distorted tones.
Edit: I should add, I wasn't adding preamp distortion on top, I was using less amp gain and getting the rest of the saturation from the preamp.

Definitely post the preset, and I'll definitely take a look.
I figured it out. Let me know what you think!
 

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Sounded like a phasing issue. It's the sound I get when recording with the fx loop in reaper while monitoring both through the axe and through Reaper at the same time. Either that or you have cabinet modelling turned off perhaps.
 
Sounded like a phasing issue. It's the sound I get when recording with the fx loop in reaper while monitoring both through the axe and through Reaper at the same time. Either that or you have cabinet modelling turned off perhaps.
Thanks for the reply Bossman!
Im a total newb with this so lets say it is a phasing issue. How would you go about trouble shooting it? Cab modeling is active.
 
I think it sounds pretty good already! A little dark for my tastes, but it's certainly about as dynamic as I would expect out of a mid-gain tone. I made a few tweaks (added some mic-pre saturation, tweaked a few values to brighten it slightly, adjusted the room values, etc), let me know how you like it.
 

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I think it sounds pretty good already! A little dark for my tastes, but it's certainly about as dynamic as I would expect out of a mid-gain tone. I made a few tweaks (added some mic-pre saturation, tweaked a few values to brighten it slightly, adjusted the room values, etc), let me know how you like it.
Thats a large improvement! way more clarity!

What are these room values youre referring to?
If I wanted a darker tone but wanted to maintain most of the clarity how would you go about it?

Thanks so much for the Time!
 
Thats a large improvement! way more clarity!

What are these room values youre referring to?
If I wanted a darker tone but wanted to maintain most of the clarity how would you go about it?

Thanks so much for the Time!
I'm glad you like it!

I saw you tweaked some of the room values in the cab block, so I used a trick I found on the forum a while ago to make it mimic the way our ears are spaced.
A dark yet clear sound might be best done tweaking compression and using even less gain. I'm not sure there's a way to EQ that result, as they're kind of opposites. Bigger transients might help with clarity, however.
 
I'm glad you like it!

I saw you tweaked some of the room values in the cab block, so I used a trick I found on the forum a while ago to make it mimic the way our ears are spaced.
A dark yet clear sound might be best done tweaking compression and using even less gain. I'm not sure there's a way to EQ that result, as they're kind of opposites. Bigger transients might help with clarity, however.
What trick did you use?? I'm always tweaking trying to get my presets to sound more organic, and the biggest improvement was figuring out how to use the Room controls, but I just go by ear so I'd love to know what trick you used!
 
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