yek
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WAH
Lately I wasn't completely satisfied with my Wah tone (slightly modified Cry Babe model). Especially when used with higher gain amp tones, where there was too much "quack" to my liking.
Here's what I did:
Dialing in compression is an art, and one which I don't really master or want to invest too much time in. The Tube Compressor type has made this a lot easier for me. I'm loving what it does to the sound, with simple settings.
Threshold -30
Compression 2.70
Attack 2
Release 20
Output Level 2.50
Be careful with the Compression parameter, because the Tube Compressor can clip easily.
Combined with a tiny bit of Output Compression in the Amp block, my clean sounds are very balanced, bold and strong.
Lately I wasn't completely satisfied with my Wah tone (slightly modified Cry Babe model). Especially when used with higher gain amp tones, where there was too much "quack" to my liking.
Here's what I did:
- I created a number of tracks in Logic, and recorded the same solo piece on each track, using a different Wah type on each track.
FWIW: I played the first solo from Pearl Jam's Even Flow, using the Euro Red model.
- I could have used the Looper for this, but I didn't because I adapt my playing to the wah.
- I then auditioned each track. It was easy to reduce the number of qualifying Wah types to these four: FAS, Clyde, Mortal and VX845. The FAS type surprised me.
- For further selection, I repeated the exercise but now with a completely clean tone, playing some porn funk ("wacka wacka").
- To my surprise, the standard "FAS" type turned out to be the best choice for me, after doing both tests. It's now my mainstay Wah. The VX845 came second.
- The entire thing took me about 30 minutes.
- Considerations: the Clyde still has a little too much "quack" for my taste when playing low notes. The Mortal is too plain. The Vx845 frequency spectrum is a little high for that "wacky wacka" thing but otherwise an excellent choice for clean-to-medium gain. On paper the 846 model should be the better wah, but I prefer the 845.
Dialing in compression is an art, and one which I don't really master or want to invest too much time in. The Tube Compressor type has made this a lot easier for me. I'm loving what it does to the sound, with simple settings.
Threshold -30
Compression 2.70
Attack 2
Release 20
Output Level 2.50
Be careful with the Compression parameter, because the Tube Compressor can clip easily.
Combined with a tiny bit of Output Compression in the Amp block, my clean sounds are very balanced, bold and strong.
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