Controlling squealing / feedback etc.

FarleyUK

Inspired
Hi again all,

So just back from my very first band rehearsal with the FX3. I had it running stereo via two RedSound LS12 cabs, and it sounded great. I’ve been using AustinBuddy’s Live Gold presets, and they really helped.

However, one major issue I had was a LOT of major squealing and feedback. I ended up having to adjust the input gate threshold to around -45 just to try and stop it.

I was playing Plexi models, via a Les Paul with Albico 2 Pro pickups. The guitar is fully grounded and shielded with copper foil etc. and has never had issues before with Kempers, AX8 etc.

Any ideas on how to control it? I had the cabs at volume 4, and the AFX3 output at around 1 - 2 o’clock.
 
Hi again all,

So just back from my very first band rehearsal with the FX3. I had it running stereo via two RedSound LS12 cabs, and it sounded great. I’ve been using AustinBuddy’s Live Gold presets, and they really helped.

However, one major issue I had was a LOT of major squealing and feedback. I ended up having to adjust the input gate threshold to around -45 just to try and stop it.

I was playing Plexi models, via a Les Paul with Albico 2 Pro pickups. The guitar is fully grounded and shielded with copper foil etc. and has never had issues before with Kempers, AX8 etc.

Any ideas on how to control it? I had the cabs at volume 4, and the AFX3 output at around 1 - 2 o’clock.
How close were you to the FRFR cabinets?

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/..._and_levels#Tweeter_squeal_from_FRFR_speakers
 

I had that pickup squeal issue. In my case the problem was not caused from my FRFR monitors, but from the PA speakers. They were mounted over the stage, and the stage was so small that I had to play too close to one of them.

I had to rolldown the guitar vol very fast, or switch to a clean preset, as soon as I finished playing with high gain
 
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Since we know that feedback is caused when a mic/guitar/whatev “hears itself” at a high enough volume to set up an ever-increasing resonance, the laws of physics force me to ask: how f’ing loud are you playing?!? You can usually find a way to “desensitize” your guitar as you did with the gate, but there can often be sonic consequences. Then again, perhaps backing the stage volume down a notch or two will minimize the feedback issue AND preserve what’s left of your ability to hear...
 
It's funny, but this is the one thing I miss from my days of playing too damn loud...the fun of riding the wild beast of musical feedback that could quickly bite us in the butt if we let it get away.
 
Since we know that feedback is caused when a mic/guitar/whatev “hears itself” at a high enough volume to set up an ever-increasing resonance, the laws of physics force me to ask: how f’ing loud are you playing?!? You can usually find a way to “desensitize” your guitar as you did with the gate, but there can often be sonic consequences. Then again, perhaps backing the stage volume down a notch or two will minimize the feedback issue AND preserve what’s left of your ability to hear...

There is no need to play loud to have squeal caused by the speaker magnet. It is caused by the magnetic field of the speaker directly interacting with the pickup, not by the air pressure moving the strings. Muting the strings with the hands does not stop the squeal. Unlike feedback, magnetic squealing is an undesirable beast
 
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Since we know that feedback is caused when a mic/guitar/whatev “hears itself” at a high enough volume to set up an ever-increasing resonance, the laws of physics force me to ask: how f’ing loud are you playing?!? You can usually find a way to “desensitize” your guitar as you did with the gate, but there can often be sonic consequences. Then again, perhaps backing the stage volume down a notch or two will minimize the feedback issue AND preserve what’s left of your ability to hear...
Acoustic feedback relies on volume/loudness to shake the strings or pickup. You can also get feedback from a strong-enough speaker magnet.

See https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/..._and_levels#Tweeter_squeal_from_FRFR_speakers.

It doesn't have to be loud to get feedback, you just have to hit a resonant point for the guitar and strings. A 20 watt 1x12 combo at half-power that's sustaining nicely can supply great feedback from about 5-7 feet and it's comfortably loud. You just need to know where to stand.

Santana is known for his sustaining feedback. Before a show he walks around in front of his cabinet and finds where the guitar will feedback like he wants and marks that spot on the stage. Then he can stand there and hit a note and know it'll feedback.
 
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... the fun of riding the wild beast of musical feedback
On, yes! I think David Gilmour described the joy of being able to lean back into his amp(s) and having them so loud the sound pushed him forward. For me it’s always been about having the tone so right that louder just makes it feel even better.
 
I think this is either too much gain or the overall output level is peaking and clipping red. That is usually a problem mixed in with the proximity to speakers!
 
Cheers all - I also just remembered I had the output set to +10 instead of -4. Wondering if that might have had an adverse affect somehow...?

But yes, I was playing loud as the drummer hits bloody hard - thankfully I have in-ear noise cancellation plugs I use. The output wasn't clipping, but I was standing pretty close to both my FrFr cabs and one of the PA speakers; I also had a perspex screen in front of me, so I'm wondering if that might have somehow affected the feedback by it bouncing off?

I can also confirm the noise only happened if I touched the strings; thanks to the gate, I could (very carefully!) take my hands away from the strings and it would be silent; it only happened if you touched the strings or knocked the guitar.
 
Since we know that feedback is caused when a mic/guitar/whatev “hears itself” at a high enough volume to set up an ever-increasing resonance, the laws of physics force me to ask: how f’ing loud are you playing?!? You can usually find a way to “desensitize” your guitar as you did with the gate, but there can often be sonic consequences. Then again, perhaps backing the stage volume down a notch or two will minimize the feedback issue AND preserve what’s left of your ability to hear...
This is magnetic feedback not acoustic feedback. At high volumes the magnetic field from the tweeter(s) couples into the pickups enough to cause a feedback loop.

The solution is to move away from the speakers.
 
This issue can be easily solved with thick shipping blankets/pads and some duct tape. Wrap the blankets around the drummer’s head and secure with the tape... then turn EVERYTHING down a little bit 😉
 
Cheers all - I also just remembered I had the output set to +10 instead of -4. Wondering if that might have had an adverse affect somehow...?
Well... It will make the level higher. But that is all relative to preset level, Axe Fx Output knob level, how loud the speakers were set, etc
 
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