Axe-Fx III Firmware 23.05 Release

[DJD100]

I couldn't disagree more. Can you actually imagine a world where tape delay didn't have high-end loss and where BBD delays didn't crunch up at slower tempos/time rates?

Pink Floyd wouldn't sound the same. Brian Eno wouldn't sound the same. The entire history of recorded music would sound worse. I don't want to live in that world at all.

In my honest opinion, we have a recording or playback medium, and we embrace its limitations and quirks because they help to add character and emotion to the music.

Ha, you obviously never worked in a pro analog studio pre-digital, though for every complaint you listed there are digital/modeled solutions now, which eliminate every PITA I listed while achieving a similar sonic outcome.

What's more, everyone now has access to such technology without needing a large environment with large machine rooms, pro HVAC to keep it cool and quiet enough to record in, and a Tech to clean patch bays and edge connectors and De-Mag the tape machines etc, not to mention the power costs to keep it all going etc.

Instead, you can have the vast majority of it on a laptop in your bedroom, record your guitar DI'd and get great sounds without amps, a recording environment and mics, in some cases for just the cost of a laptop and some free software.

Gilmore and all would've loved today's recording realities if they had existed back in the day with out a doubt. That said, there's definitely something to be said for all the great artists who achieved so much in spite of the old technology, which was due to the creative and engineering talents of all involved in those sessions.

 

[Orvillain]

though for every complaint you listed there

They're not complaints. That is my point.

Everything you listed is a source of authenticity and character, and pretty much across the board every industry working in ape-ing those vintage aspects, are doing their utmost to replicate them to an imperceptible degree.

 

[DJD100]

They're not complaints. That is my point.

Everything you listed is a source of authenticity and character, and pretty much across the board every industry working in ape-ing those vintage aspects, are doing their utmost to replicate them to an imperceptible degree.

Ok, then they're the complaints of most all who actually worked with that technology back in the day, and for the most part we've now succeeded admirably in recreating all of the preferred elements of authenticity and character that you mention via software/modeling, without the immense downsides that I mentioned earlier along with minimal costs to the current user, so what's not to like?

Anyway, this is OT, so, sorry all, let's get back on topic.

 

[MarkX]

Turn the level down.

Thanks for the tip. The level was -4 before the update, and dropping to -24 it still clips and distorts.

 

[Orvillain]

I think all I'm really saying is... I'll take Tom Waits over Taylor Swift, any day of the week!

 

[DJD100]

I think all I'm really saying is... I'll take Tom Waits over Taylor Swift, any day of the week!

Agreed, though we can't blame the technology for how the current crop of humans choose to use it, or for the state of modern popular music and the modern popular music industry as again it's the humans calling the shots (we can blame the humans LOL!).

Back in the day, with the expenses of state of the art multi-track recording so high, the record companies and recording studios were the gate keepers so to speak, and that's gone now with viable multi-track recording and global distribution a mouse click away for all.

As usual technology is a double edged sword in that it's great that everyone has a chance, though that also raises the noise floor, ces't la vie.

 

[tysonlt]

Thanks for the tip. The level was -4 before the update, and dropping to -24 it still clips and distorts.

Which level did you change?

 

[My name is mud]

First the goal was to record a talented band with songs as they sound in their practice room. Then in the 80’s they discovered the reverb button. In the 90’s it was back to an organic sound, but they discovered compressor. And now the goal is to use all the tools in the world to help someone mediocre at first.
The big decadence to me are vocals . Everything is so auto tuned and corrected, so fake.

Noise, feedback, imperfections, slightly out of tune things … are the ingredients for rock n roll . They try to perfect everything so that’s not rock n roll anymore .

 

[rossipedia]

Probably unpopular opinion, but... I kinda like Swift. Maybe not the entire crop of her catalog, but I respect the hell out of her work ethic. She's intimately involved in the entire process of her music, from concept to songwriting to production and engineering. She's got her fanbase dialed in and knows exactly what kind of music to write that will land with them.

Ultimately, there's no good or bad music. There's only music you like, and music you don't. And there's room for all of it

 

[DLC86]

Ultimately, there's no good or bad music. There's only music you like, and music you don't.

I respectfully disagree.
You might like a child's paint, maybe cuz that's your child who made that paint for you and you're emotionally attached to it.. but you definitely can't put it on par with the Mona Lisa, there's an objective quality difference between the two which goes beyond someone's taste or emotions.

Same is for music. Most of today's pop songs are like child paints (photoshopped to make them look better), and a lot of young (but even some older) people like it simply cuz they've never seen the Mona Lisa, or they're not educated enough to appreciate the difference.
And the market prefers to sell child paints cuz they're easier to sell, and most of those "artists" easier to manage.

But obviously everyone is free to like whatever wants...

 

[stephenclark1]

Especially the changing of tracks in the middle of a song

And make sure you had the paper matchbooks to shove under the cartridge so it wouldn't drag....and who can forget trying to drop the needle repeatedly on vinyl to try to learn a guitar part.

 

[Chuck P]

Probably unpopular opinion, but... I kinda like Swift. Maybe not the entire crop of her catalog, but I respect the hell out of her work ethic. She's intimately involved in the entire process of her music, from concept to songwriting to production and engineering. She's got her fanbase dialed in and knows exactly what kind of music to write that will land with them.

I'm with you. Every generation dumps on the next generation's music, and I do too, but she's just fine with me. Her stuff is catchy and impeccably produced, she publishes at a remarkable pace, she has taken the huge stadium tour to another level, and she's probably doing more than anyone alive to keep the guitar cool. That style might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I don't see how you can't respect her whole game.

-signed, grey-bearded Swiftie

 

[State of Epicicity]

I am getting clipping on the USA JP IIC+ Green channel. The output level jumps and the are artifacts in the notes. This can be duplicated on scene 3 in the Cooper Carters Updated factory preset (attached) on 23.04 or 23.05. Reseting the amp block or channel does not correct it. After rolling back to 23.02 the amp sounds correct.

https://www.fractalaudio.com/downlo...ci-Rig-Factory-Preset-Replacements-221223.zip

Dude, you should record an example of what it sounded like on 23.02 compared to the current firmware. Cliff takes a look at all this stuff, but audio examples are way more powerful than descriptions alone.

 

[stephenclark1]

I respectfully disagree.
You might like a child's paint, maybe cuz that's your child who made that paint for you and you're emotionally attached to it.. but you definitely can't put it on par with the Mona Lisa, there's an objective quality difference between the two which goes beyond someone's taste or emotions.

Same is for music. Most of today's pop songs are like child paints, and a lot of young (but even some older) people like it simply cuz they've never seen the Mona Lisa, or they're not educated enough to appreciate the difference.
And the market prefers to sell child paints cuz they're easier to sell, and most of those "artists "easier to manage.

But obviously everyone is free to like whatever wants...

I agree but it's always been that way...old enough to have lived through Disco and now it's bro-country singing about tractors they've never sweated on or playing high school football, which we all did but some of us kind of got over that after graduating.
I was in the local Guitar Center the other day and three teen-agers were cranked at the same time down-tuned (but not in tune), Tone King Imperial, Bad Cat Cub and an old 70's Marshall sitting there and they choose the Blackstar and Spyder! I walked out feeling like I had become my father rolling his eyes!

 

[State of Epicicity]

I am getting clipping on the USA JP IIC+ Green channel. The output level jumps and the are artifacts in the notes. This can be duplicated on scene 3 in the Cooper Carters Updated factory preset (attached) on 23.04 or 23.05. Reseting the amp block or channel does not correct it. After rolling back to 23.02 the amp sounds correct.

https://www.fractalaudio.com/downlo...ci-Rig-Factory-Preset-Replacements-221223.zip

To add to what I wrote, whenever you're presenting a possible bug or just need help with a particular preset, the best thing is to post the preset, an example recording of the problem, and the dry track of your playing from that example, so that FAS can play it through the preset on their end and identify the source of the problem.

 

[stephenclark1]

I'm with you. Every generation dumps on the next generation's music, and I do too, but she's just fine with me. Her stuff is catchy and impeccably produced, she publishes at a remarkable pace, she has taken the huge stadium tour to another level, and she's probably doing more than anyone alive to keep the guitar cool. That style might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I don't see how you can't respect her whole game.

-signed, grey-bearded Swiftie

Anyone who makes sure the truck drivers get 6 figure bonus checks has her head and heart right. She didn't make the Nashville scene because she actually writes her own stuff as opposed to a group of people in a room who can only come up with songs about getting drunk.

 

[walnutzz]

Thanks for the tip. The level was -4 before the update, and dropping to -24 it still clips and distorts.

I've also noticed this. I spend most of my time in the Cooper Carter Petrucci preset, and the green channel has been low for quite some time. Simple fix for home playing was to raise the volume. With the new firmware, that has obviously been fixed, but it is sonically different now. I also dropped the level and did a soft reset of the block, but what was smooth and pristine is now quite harsh. I have had little time to tinker, however, so might just be a matter of dialing it back in.

 

[rossipedia]

I respectfully disagree.
You might like a child's paint, maybe cuz that's your child who made that paint for you and you're emotionally attached to it.. but you definitely can't put it on par with the Mona Lisa, there's an objective quality difference between the two which goes beyond someone's taste or emotions.

Same is for music. Most of today's pop songs are like child paints (photoshopped to make them look better), and a lot of young (but even some older) people like it simply cuz they've never seen the Mona Lisa, or they're not educated enough to appreciate the difference.
And the market prefers to sell child paints cuz they're easier to sell, and most of those "artists" easier to manage.

But obviously everyone is free to like whatever wants...

And many people enjoy it, even having experienced the Mona Lisa. And also, many people may have experienced the Mona Lisa and not enjoy it.

It's still subjective. It's still opinion. Whether a piece of art is good or bad can't be anything but subjective opinion. There have been plenty of paintings since the Mona Lisa that could be classified as "better" depending on what specific angle one is talking about: accuracy, color representation, quality of materials, etc. Plenty that could be considered worse.

But art is always going to be subjective. There is no such thing as objective or empirically "good" or "bad" art. A child's drawing could be considered higher quality than any of the great works of the masters, and nobody would be wrong for holding that opinion, even if it's in the minority and deeply unpopular. It's a very intimate and personal experience, and if you like a thing, nobody can tell you you're right or wrong, only you can decide that for yourself. There is literally no such thing as an "objective quality" difference, because "quality" is, by definition, qualitative, and dependent on the observer and their tastes and values and viewpoints/experience.

As they say, it's in the eye of the beholder.

(Objective vs subjective is one of those hills I tend to die on, it's all intended to be good natured debate )

 

[E-Sound]

Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Notes​

23.05

Changed Presence control taper on all 6160 and 5153 amp models to replicate the actual amp. It is advised to audition any presets that use these models and adjust accordingly.

This is awesome! Thank you Cliff!

Any chance we can get the same change for the Bogner XTC models?

Please? Pretty please?

 

[millman]

And many people enjoy it, even having experienced the Mona Lisa. And also, many people may have experienced the Mona Lisa and not enjoy it.

It's still subjective. It's still opinion. Whether a piece of art is good or bad can't be anything but subjective opinion. There have been plenty of paintings since the Mona Lisa that could be classified as "better" depending on what specific angle one is talking about: accuracy, color representation, quality of materials, etc. Plenty that could be considered worse.

But art is always going to be subjective. There is no such thing as objective or empirically "good" or "bad" art. A child's drawing could be considered higher quality than any of the great works of the masters, and nobody would be wrong for holding that opinion, even if it's in the minority and deeply unpopular. It's a very intimate and personal experience, and if you like a thing, nobody can tell you you're right or wrong, only you can decide that for yourself. There is literally no such thing as an "objective quality" difference, because "quality" is, by definition, qualitative, and dependent on the observer and their tastes and values and viewpoints/experience.

As they say, it's in the eye of the beholder.

(Objective vs subjective is one of those hills I tend to die on, it's all intended to be good natured debate )

I don’t know… if someone wrote a song in the key of C Major and added an F# Major chord in there with no Key changes I’d say it was bad. I’d also say if auto tune is necessary because the vocalist can’t carry a note or sing in Key then they need to find a new profession.

In either case the song or vocalist is objectively bad. There are such things as universal truths.

Edit: Fixed grammatical errors because I’m typing on my stupid phone…