basic question about making presets

edo

edo

Power User
Vendor
I know this sounds like a quite stupid question, but I've been using the axe for a couple months, and I generally mess with the presets at home going straight into my computer > motu 828mk2 > adam S2A monitors. I A/B between the preset I'm making and a reference tone I'm after, till it sounds about right. Then I go to the gig, I plug into the PA, and suddenly the tone I had made sounds much brighter and less full than at home. I noticed that most factory presets sound very bass heavy on my monitors, so my question is, should I make my presets with heavier bass in order to make them sound balanced through a PA?
 
Its best to dial presets in at the same SPL level as the show.

And a bonus if you can use the same speaker system for dialing them in and playing the show.
 
'Try' to get your home system to be a little closer to the live tonality - or vice versa - if you can somehow. That'll get you in the ballpark a bit more easily

Of course, there are so many variables, but it might be a slightly better approach than just 'guessing' how bright or bass heavy you should aiming for at home
 
yeah, i know that would be a nightmare.. but i have no access to a full PA other than when I play gigs, and I cant afford to mess with presets during soundchecks... so would a frfr monitor be more accurate than studio monitors for a better and more accurate result?
 
edo said:
yeah, i know that would be a nightmare.. but i have no access to a full PA other than when I play gigs, and I cant afford to mess with presets during soundchecks... so would a frfr monitor be more accurate than studio monitors for a better and more accurate result?
Click to expand...

It might help but you still have the volume difference to deal with. Google Fletcher-Munson curve.
 
If you can take a few extended sound checks and make some adjustments at the show.

Then when you get home. Listen to the presets on your home system and learn what they need to sound like.

A lot of times instead of chasing the perfect speakers, monitors, room treatments etc., you can just learn what it should sound like at lower volumes. Basic ear training stuff.

But a well treated space and good speakers make it easier to create something that translates well to many different systems. But these things cost $$. Ear training can really help and only costs your time.
 
Thats good then! Luckily i tested out all 4 ear training classes at berklee back then!!
 
Make your presets half the gain you think you need, half the treble you think you need, and they will rock.
 
Hi Edo,

I beleive you should find time and organize yourself your private sound check or a jam somewhere you can have a louder sound level through a PA or similar. I've done that and noticed that each preset made in my bedroom with my earphones, I had to tweak all over again. Not only the EQ-ing, I had to find the right gain level, etc. It's worth of it and you'll find out that the presets you tweaked loud sound most probably good again on your earphones. Instead of wasting your time (no one has a universal recipe that works with every equipment for everybody), rather invest in finding the above mentioned and have fun besides.

Cheers
Ivo
 
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I feel your pain- I'm going through the same thing right now. What sounds best through the PA at church sounds muffled and strange to me in my headphones. I'm working on it.
 
think about the difference in the amount of air between your ears and the church PA system and your ears and your headphones. not to mention everything in the church room that the sound is bouncing off of.
 
I have decent headphones, but my patches never sound right through them. I try not to adjust tones/amps/cabs with them... just effects. I use them for practicing, but put up with a less than ideal sound. Now through proper speakers, everything sounds just fine.
 
Sorry to say, but it's a bit of trial and error. Yes, an FRFR monitor will be your best friend here. In general though, just a small adjustment on the 10 band EQ of the amp block will get you where you need to be that i have found. You don't need to mess with the other amp block settings. The two or three presets that I would use, I copy them as live and home patches. Once you get it in the bag once, you can generally lock it in and not have to adjust anymore, on decent PA systems. Just make sure the soundman has given you a flat EQ on the mixing desk to start with. But, you really need a good FRFR monitor speaker to EQ against.



edo said:
I know this sounds like a quite stupid question, but I've been using the axe for a couple months, and I generally mess with the presets at home going straight into my computer > motu 828mk2 > adam S2A monitors. I A/B between the preset I'm making and a reference tone I'm after, till it sounds about right. Then I go to the gig, I plug into the PA, and suddenly the tone I had made sounds much brighter and less full than at home. I noticed that most factory presets sound very bass heavy on my monitors, so my question is, should I make my presets with heavier bass in order to make them sound balanced through a PA?
Click to expand...
 
Yes I find that running through a powered frfr speaker gets me where I need to be for a gig better than my studio monitors.
 
As others have said, there's a difference between setups, usually related to volume (Fletcher) and VERY common for those new to modelers.

What works for me was gathering all my headphones, earbuds, IEM etc. and taking them to the practice facility (of if you don't have that, some venue where you can spend some time trying things out at live volume). Find the pair that A/B's closest to your live PA sound. [ it's probably not going to be the most expensive pair :) ] You can still use your current setup to dial in presets but when you're satisfied, do a final tweak at the end with the headphones that most closely match your live sound.
 
As long as you dialed in all your presets @ the same volume on the same system, once you get to the venue, simply use the Global EQ found in the Global menu to dial out some high end and/or add some low end. You cannot save it but it stays where you set it, so remember this when you get home and nothing sounds right LOL... you'll need to reset it.

I believe though, that for your situation, this is the main purpose of the Global EQ

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-discussion/49487-wicked-wiki-13-global-eq-rescue.html
 
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