10.03 Gig Report

[Scott Peterson]

Well, in light of 10.03 I totally stripped down my presets and rebuilt everything from scratch. The routing, the signal flow, the effects, the template I use and dialing up amp and cab tones from scratch. I basically started over from scratch given the new firmware required it on the amp blocks anyway. I took it as an opportunity to re-approach, rethink, and rework it all again fresh.

This week was the first gig using these 'reboot' tones based off 10.03.

Right now, I can honestly tell anyone straight up... this rig has never sounded better IMHO. Even through a bad IEM experience (lost my left custom ear bud (I have no idea where it is) and then the right one broke... at sound check no less (they are from 1998... but still...) the guitar tones were some of the best I've ever gotten from any gear. Though I had to wait to hear playback to make that judgment.

I have some work to do to re-level my cleans and distortions yet, but man... the reference recording from this morning's P&W sets were just something else.

I don't hold to the typical 'convention' of chorused, delayed Vox AC-30 tones. They sort of 'let me go' off into tonal directions let me 'personalize' it. Used my Trainwreck, JCM800, CA3+ RHY, Bogner Red today and it was outstanding. I had to fight through the IEM's and a few times pulled them off in disgust - when they work, they are ok; then they don't... ugg. Freaking hate them. Using stock ear socks over with them that just do not seal right leads to shrill awful monitoring of everything - not just guitars.

I have always been more a 'pure' tone guy and eschew the overly effected pablum that passes for guitar parts in this genre and style of playing. I approach it as a straight up rock/pop player.

My IEM was a buzzkill on the moment... but soldiered on and they let me hear playback of soundcheck and services, though they will not allow me to share them. But it's a good way to 'check' what I *think* I hear and do versus what I really DO sound like. These tones just sat better, had more life and 'juice', better dynamics and were more 'pure' than I've heard. I am just tickled.

Once I get my monitoring situation squared back up (taking my powered monitor next week till I get my IEM setup fixed), I am going to have some serious fun playing.

I'll detail out some of these patches as I have in the past, but it'll be a bit more detailed and longer process due to what I have done.

 

[xpenno]

Great stuff Scott! I have my first rehearsal with 10.03 tomorrow and I can't wait! No more Hi-Cut filters for me

 

[Dramelot]

Scott,
Are you still rolling off your global eq at 63 and 8k ?

Just finished my upgrade, getting ready to see what happens

 

[Scott Peterson]

Scott,
Are you still rolling off your global eq at 63 and 8k ?

Just finished my upgrade, getting ready to see what happens

No, I never did.

I have a PEQ set up in the chain that I can activate via cc that is usually at 120Hz on the low and 6kHz on the high end. I do NOT use it unless I am in a 'full' band context, usually if I feel the guitar isn't cutting.

 

[Sixstring]

A total rework of all your presets? or was it just a few minor adjustments within each of the amp blocks in presets you use the most, which last I saw over @ TGP were quite a few :?

 

[Scott Peterson]

A total rework of all your presets? or was it just a few minor adjustments within each of the amp blocks in presets you use the most, which last I saw over @ TGP were quite a few :?

Total - and I mean TOTAL - rework of my entire signal chain. I rethought everything and tried all sorts of different templates before deciding on what to go with and why.

I am using a lot more of what the Ultra offers now, in terms of using drive1 & filters as 'stackable' boosts. I'm not done working on it, but once I am I will do a full blown breakdown. It might 'look' complicated, but it's not. It just offers you usable and practical options for different situations within just one preset. Trust me, I'm not a complicated guy. :lol:

 

[Deltafit]

Great report Scott but i gotta say, starting all your patches from scratch...your a braver man than me

I've got my first gig this weekend with 10.3 so i might do a report also.

 

[Sixstring]

A total rework of all your presets? or was it just a few minor adjustments within each of the amp blocks in presets you use the most, which last I saw over @ TGP were quite a few :?

Total - and I mean TOTAL - rework of my entire signal chain. I rethought everything and tried all sorts of different templates before deciding on what to go with and why.

I am using a lot more of what the Ultra offers now, in terms of using drive1 & filters as 'stackable' boosts. I'm not done working on it, but once I am I will do a full blown breakdown. It might 'look' complicated, but it's not. It just offers you usable and practical options for different situations within just one preset. Trust me, I'm not a complicated guy. :lol:

Wow... I guess I just don't have the patients to rework all my presets at this point and I know some of them do need to be reworked but the whole signal chain... not right now. Are P&W set this morning went pretty good but I did notice in a playback that my tone was sounding like it had to much gain (moded AC30TB) so I have to revisit that which I use quite a bit.

 

[Dramelot]

Sorry my memory failing,, on the global Scott
Updated, not a big difference to me, (Just studio monitoring for now)
I like a throaty tone.
But adjusted up the presence on some of my patches,, not too shabby.

 

[dk_ace]

I reworked my amp sounds this week for 10.03, but not the overall patch layout (I will be doing that soon though).

My results mirror yours in that I'm getting the best tones with 10.03 that I've gotten from any rig I've ever owned or used. I'm speechless at how good it is.

I gigged it Sat night and then at a P&W set Sun morning. I made a few small tweaks in the band context (mainly leveling volumes between patches), but I was simply blown away at how good everything sounded. While I'm not necessarily playing the cliched stuff that a lot of players do, I am an AC-30 addict and that patch gets heavy use in church stuff. It's the best my AC-30 patch has ever sounded. Significantly better than my AC-30 for that matter, but I digress....

I used my Matcless (clean), Topboost (edgy low gain), 1987x (ACDC style drive), and Extasy Red (high gain) patches this weekend and they've never sounded better. I basically started from scratch on reworking those amp sounds, and I was done in less than an hour which included generous amounts of jamming.

D

 

[alcaldwell]

Scott,

Over the last couple of years I have integrated many of your tips and approaches into building my Axe-FX patches. Thanks for all your hard work and willingness to share! And as a guy who also tries to venture beyond the traditional AC30 P&W setup, I am thankful for this forum because there are so many guys bouncing around ideas that are outside of the norm.

We just did the song "You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards yesterday, so I got to use my FAS Modern + Lead patch with humbuckers in a church setting. And the most common response was "Wow, that was completely different than what we're used to hearing, but it sounded great!" And of course, we followed it up with a song where I was using a Blackface patch and single-coils. Followed by a Dr. Z patch song with P90s. Followed by a Trainwreck patch song..... I still use the overdriven AC30 patch as well, but only in spots where it really needs to be there.

And what I've started to do is listen to different artists who use these different amps in the "real world", and pick up their techniques and incorporate them into my playing. So it's been a great experience and has kept me out of ruts where I keep playing the same things over and over. It's a really cool journey that I'm on right now, and I have the Axe-FX to thank (blame???) for all the hours I'm spending on playing guitar.

Cheers,

-AL

 

[michl_666]

Well, in light of 10.03 I totally stripped down my presets and rebuilt everything from scratch. ...
I'll detail out some of these patches as I have in the past, but it'll be a bit more detailed and longer process due to what I have done.

Hi Scott,
thanks for sharing! It's not the first time I benefit from your shared thoughts.

My short story on 10.3:
I haven't heared that great difference through my headphones and at low volumes at home after updating to 10.3. But I thought there was a subtle improvement. Then I couldn't resist to remove the PEQs after my cabs and well ... I felt the need for some tweaking here and there and over there ... and now I hope that my tweakings (at low volume :roll: I know that I shouldn't do that ) haven't killed my sounds completely. Cause I have only 1 rehearsal tonight and gig on Saturday ... :mrgreen: But I'm not scared.
Feels like in the old days. Tweaky tweaky :lol: ...

The release notes seemed to be so innocent ...

It's odd. I have been actually quite satified with my results. But if there is a chance to improve ... I take it ... And I'm sure that I will get what is promised ... :twisted: ... sooner or later ...

Thanks to da MASTER, Cliff, da MAN!
Watch out! Room for improvement is getting tight! :lol:

 

[Sidivan]

Man, I didn't update to 10.03 because the patch notes didn't seem like something I needed/wanted. Perhaps I shall give it a go.

 

[yek]

and now I hope that my tweakings (at low volume :roll: I know that I shouldn't do that ) haven't killed my sounds completely. Cause I have only 1 rehearsal tonight and gig on Saturday ...

You're doomed. :mrgreen:

 

[dk_ace]

Man, I didn't update to 10.03 because the patch notes didn't seem like something I needed/wanted. Perhaps I shall give it a go.

I nearly made that mistake myself. Trust me, it would be a mistake. The notes make it sound like it isn't a big deal, but it's a bigger deal than you think. The ability to fine tune the high end response as you can now takes patches to another level.

When I say I'm getting the best sounds I have EVER had with ANY rig now, I'm not joking. That's coming from a guy who was totally happy with his sounds on the last firmware.

D

 

[musicianof1]

So from what I'm reading adjusting the HF resonance in 10.0 from 5.00 to 2.52 is not the same sound that you'll get in 10.03 correct?

 

[MusicManJP6]

So from what I'm reading adjusting the HF resonance in 10.0 from 5.00 to 2.52 is not the same sound that you'll get in 10.03 correct?

Correct.... there is more going on than that in 10.03.

I too can confidently say that I'm getting the best tones out of my AXE rig than any of my Mesa rigs put together. It's mind boggling!!

 

[luitanent_dan]

So I also upgraded to 10.03.. a couple of questions:

1. Does anyone still set their HF to 2.52?
2. Does anyone still set a PEQ at the end of the chain like YEK? (Rolling of the highs and lows)
3. What else has changed in the amp settings for you since updating?

 

[michl_666]

and now I hope that my tweakings (at low volume :roll: I know that I shouldn't do that ) haven't killed my sounds completely. Cause I have only 1 rehearsal tonight and gig on Saturday ...

You're doomed. :mrgreen:

I know ...

Little update: rehearsal went very well. Little adjustments in volume, gain and low cut were all I had to do. Far from being lost ...
And it sounded killer. I thought that this bridge pu on my strat actually was too picky. Now I know it is not. It works very well with low gain AC30 and cleaner stuff (which has never been the case).

I'm really happy. Like so many times before but even more. Will there ever be an end of the progression of excitement? How bad was it actually on former fw?

Everyone should try this 10.3!

Next time Cliff states that he has fixed some minor issues which only affect certain things under very special circumstances ... don't believe him. There's always lots secret sauce in them updates. WOW!

Sorry Scott to distract from the original topic with my needless little concerns ...

 

[yek]

So I also upgraded to 10.03.. a couple of questions:

1. Does anyone still set their HF to 2.52?
2. Does anyone still set a PEQ at the end of the chain like YEK? (Rolling of the highs and lows)
3. What else has changed in the amp settings for you since updating?

This is Scott's thread, but to chime in on question 2:
After 10.03 the sole remaining purpose of the blocking PEQ blocks in my presets was to fit the guitar tone in the context of the entire mix, when playing live. As a mixing tool, not as a tone control tool. I think Scott does the same, if needed.
But as there's no global PEQ1 bypass (just per preset), I decided I'm not going to adjust all my gig presets each time. So last weekend I removed the blocking PEQ blocks from my presets alltogether (except if needed for other purposes). If the circumstances call for it, I'll use the Global EQ to shave off highs and lows to make the guitar fit better in the mix. It's easier.
I haven't posted the updated presets yet.

Questions 1 and 3:
My goal is to stay away from the advanced amp settings if possible. I keep HF Res at its default setting. Exceptions are Low Cut and High Cut. I always up the Low Cut to 100Hz at least, higher for stuff such as Plexi, Wrecker etc. And if Presence and Treble don't get me the desired top end result, I'll experiment with High Cut.