Are drive level controls normalized or do they respect the real pedals?

[haloll]

For the precision drive, the real pedal says 6 on their volume is equivalent to 10 on a tubescreamer. Would this be the behavior in the axe FX as well, or is the level control standardized across all drive pedals to have the same volume range?

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Easy enough to test it....

 

[yek]

For the precision drive, the real pedal says 6 on their volume is equivalent to 10 on a tubescreamer. Would this be the behavior in the axe FX as well, or is the level control standardized across all drive pedals to have the same volume range?

Level controls are authentic.

 

[FractalAudio]

All controls are authentic.

 

[blaggers]

All controls are authentic.

To the pedal Cliff has. But may not match yours due to component tolerances (Potentiometers can have upto 20% tolerance)

 

[LiamH]

Definitely authentic in everything I have AB'd. Remember that while potentiometer values can vary a bit, their tapers can vary quite a lot. That can mean that the mid-point on the Axe FX doesn't match the mid-point on the real pedal. Ears are more helpful than eyes in identifying this!

Liam

 

[DavidCarrMusic]

I would like an option to normalise the drive outputs so they are all the same output volume, especially when auditioning a model to suit an amp running clean. Some are so loud they drive the amp into distortion (as in the real world) so I'm not sure if it's the amp's pre or the pedal.

 

[randocaster]

I would like an option to normalise the drive outputs, especially when auditioning a model to suit an amp running clean. Some are so loud they drive the amp into distortion (as in the real world) so I'm not sure if it's the amp's pre or the pedal.

Since there would always be different volume changes between pedals when you change values based on the design, I'm not sure how this could be done. Do you want them normalized with all values at 0? 5? 10? It seems where ever you would match the levels, as soon as you change the values they would react (sometimes wildly) differently.

Just like with real pedals, you have turn it on and off and find the right combo of vol/gain to get what you want. If you don't want to be jump scared, turn the level down when you load a new drive block.

 

[DavidCarrMusic]

Since there would always be different volume changes between pedals when you change values based on the design, I'm not sure how this could be done. Do you want them normalized with all values at 0? 5? 10? It seems where ever you would match the levels, as soon as you change the values they would react (sometimes wildly) differently.

Just like with real pedals, you have turn it on and off and find the right combo of vol/gain to get what you want. If you don't want to be jump scared, turn the level down when you load a new drive block.

Sorry, might not have communicated clearly enough.
Sometimes you just want to flick through drive blocks to find a great pedal tone to suit a clean amp. The volume outputs of them vary wildly so you have to adjust each one as you go, especially if you don't want the amp pre to be pushed into clipping. This can be frustrating.
If there was a way to auto compensate so all the relative output levels are the same that would save time auditioning.
A normalised and ideal (like in the pre section) function.

 

[skolacki]

Sorry, might not have communicated clearly enough.
Sometimes you just want to flick through drive blocks to find a great pedal tone to suit a clean amp. The volume outputs of them vary wildly so you have to adjust each one as you go, especially if you don't want the amp pre to be pushed into clipping. This can be frustrating.
If there was a way to auto compensate so all the relative output levels are the same that would save time auditioning.
A normalised and ideal (like in the pre section) function.

I get that. But the models are all different the same as it would be with the pedals. What you could do is do a quick setup on each drive and set the level and then save them. Then in the future you could audition quickly. Not sure it would be worth the work though. My favorite drives are all saved but I don’t use many.

 

[DavidCarrMusic]

I get that. But the models are all different the same as it would be with the pedals. What you could do is do a quick setup on each drive and set the level and then save them. Then in the future you could audition quickly. Not sure it would be worth the work though. My favorite drives are all saved but I don’t use many.

How do you save them? Like 4 channels?

 

[LiamH]

You could save them to the block libary as groups of 4 channels, each with the level normalized. Would take a little while to set up, but would be quick enough to flick through once you had.

 

[skolacki]

How do you save them? Like 4 channels?

You can save the whole block or just the current channel. I have a saved block that has my regulars already set up.

 

[Randalljax]

You can save the whole block or just the current channel. I have a saved block that has my regulars already set up.

That’s what I would do
Save a drive block of 4 favourites all leveled and call it DCM drives

 

[skolacki]

That’s what I would do
Save a drive block of 4 favourites all leveled and call it DCM drives

DCM?

 

[jeffgoobs]

I would like an option to normalise the drive outputs so they are all the same output volume, especially when auditioning a model to suit an amp running clean. Some are so loud they drive the amp into distortion (as in the real world) so I'm not sure if it's the amp's pre or the pedal.

You could put a compressor / limiter block directly after the drive block, and dial it in cleanly so it isn't squashing the tone, but instead it's limiting the output level from ever going beyond whatever threshold you've set.

 

[Randalljax]

DCM?

Sorry replied to wrong person

David Carr Music
Sorry or DC

 

[DavidCarrMusic]

That’s what I would do
Save a drive block of 4 favourites all leveled and call it DCM drives

Just imagine if there was a button you could press, that would equalise the output of all the drive pedals. You could flick through all of them and compare how different or similar their distortion is- "Oh goodness me. The Timmy sounds just like a BB. The Dist Plus is like a Blues Driver. The SSD has no sound. The 3 knob Butler is almost as good as an amp. The Metal Zone is like a wasp attack. Why are there so many tubescreamer clones?". Fun times

 

[Randalljax]

David Carr Music
Sorry or DC

Just imagine if there was a button you could press, that would equalise the output of all the drive pedals. You could flick through all of them and compare how different or similar their distortion is- "Oh goodness me. The Timmy sounds just like a BB. The Dist Plus is like a Blues Driver. The SSD has no sound. The 3 knob Butler is almost as good as an amp. The Metal Zone is like a wasp attack. Why are there so many tubescreamer clones?". Fun times

I think what others are saying that does make sense to me is that there are varying degrees of output depending on the pedal , so a tube screamer with output on 7 might be louder than a Horizon drive on 7 if all things are not equal how could you level that other than manually one by one ?

 

[LiamH]

I think what others are saying that does make sense to me is that there are varying degrees of output depending on the pedal , so a tube screamer with output on 7 might be louder than a Horizon drive on 7 if all things are not equal how could you level that other than manually one by one ?

Really importantly, the output depends on the gain/drive and tone settings, as well as the level control. If I remember right they all tend to have controls other than level in mid positions by default, which might be where people would use them, but in some cases most definitely not commonly used anywhere near the mid position as a starting point.

Makes me think setting up a few library blocks with favourite Drives pretty much levelled up and ready to go in batches of 4 might be a useful project for a rainy day.

Liam