MisterE
Fractal Fanatic
With so much choice of amp blocks in the Axe-FX II, choosing gets harder with each firmware upgrade.
I want a simple bank for live use with 5 amps:
So I started categorizing the amp blocks.
Then I started choosing eight amp blocks for each category.
I do this by using reamping in Reaper.
This is very easy. I make regions, named after the amp blocks and insert a midi track to automatically switch presets.
I record a guitar piece, trim it to the length of the regions, copy it to all regions.
Then I record the clips of the various amp blocks using reamping.
Next I render the clips.
In Reaper, there's an option to automatically split the clips and name them using wildcards & user defined fields.
This is the same method I used for recording the clips for the amp list for the latest firmware releases.
I've done the first three and have now arrived at the mid gain amps.
I used the same cab for all amp blocks - one from the Ownhammer Mix collection, a V32 with a R121.
So I thought this would bring out the difference in the amp blocks.
I recorded the first clip with my Blue Pointy Thing, a superstrat model with a JB Humbucker.
To my surprise, except for a few amps, most sounded remarkably similar.
So I had to look for other ways to differentiate between the amps.
One thing I look for in a mid gain amp is a full rhythm sound with the guitar full on, but a sound that cleans up nice when turning down the volume.
So next I recorded a clip with the volume on my guitar way down.
I noticed two things,
Not every amp cleans up as nice or the same even though you can hardly hear any difference with the volume full on
Some amps sound louder than others even though they sound just as clean.
So now I had something to work with.
Next I tried with a strat with the volume on about 7, because it cleans up faster.
So I found some remarkable results.
But I'm not there yet.
I can understand why guitarists keep gassing for amps.
I do it to, but it's all in one box :encouragement:
To be continued
I want a simple bank for live use with 5 amps:
- clean
- low gain
- dirty
- mid gain
- high gain
So I started categorizing the amp blocks.
Then I started choosing eight amp blocks for each category.
I do this by using reamping in Reaper.
This is very easy. I make regions, named after the amp blocks and insert a midi track to automatically switch presets.
I record a guitar piece, trim it to the length of the regions, copy it to all regions.
Then I record the clips of the various amp blocks using reamping.
Next I render the clips.
In Reaper, there's an option to automatically split the clips and name them using wildcards & user defined fields.
This is the same method I used for recording the clips for the amp list for the latest firmware releases.
I've done the first three and have now arrived at the mid gain amps.
I used the same cab for all amp blocks - one from the Ownhammer Mix collection, a V32 with a R121.
So I thought this would bring out the difference in the amp blocks.
I recorded the first clip with my Blue Pointy Thing, a superstrat model with a JB Humbucker.
To my surprise, except for a few amps, most sounded remarkably similar.
So I had to look for other ways to differentiate between the amps.
One thing I look for in a mid gain amp is a full rhythm sound with the guitar full on, but a sound that cleans up nice when turning down the volume.
So next I recorded a clip with the volume on my guitar way down.
I noticed two things,
Not every amp cleans up as nice or the same even though you can hardly hear any difference with the volume full on
Some amps sound louder than others even though they sound just as clean.
So now I had something to work with.
Next I tried with a strat with the volume on about 7, because it cleans up faster.
So I found some remarkable results.
But I'm not there yet.
I can understand why guitarists keep gassing for amps.
I do it to, but it's all in one box :encouragement:
To be continued
