Explain your thought process for mixing IR's

deathbyguitar

Power User
So I'm working on perfecting my distorted tone and I've got the amp tone just where I like it. I haven't yet mastered the art of IR mixing. Could anyone provide a few pointers or insights into your thought process? For example, when combining multiple IR's, are you just picking ones that have certain unique qualities and then just combining them? Are you high pass/low pass'ing any of them to just use certain frequencies of the IR? Any info would be helpful. The more verbose, the better! :mrgreen
 
Here's how I work with Cab-Lab 3
With the browse feature, I search for all the R121 within a library. I check them all with the "auto load" mode or whatever it is called. I usually selects two of them, one fat and dark, the other fat and neutral. That would be the "meat" of my mix.
Then, I search for all the SM57 available. Again I'll select a couple, a very bright one but not too thin, then another one, less bright. This will the "cut" part of my mix.
When it's done, I'll try different combinations of R121/SM57. I check the EQ curve in Cab-Lab, specially when I fade one IR in or out with the sliders. I always compare them to existing go-to mixes in a preset tweaked for those go-to mixes (for high gain, usually my MKIIC+ lead), not with a amp with default settings (because I won't use the amp with default settings anyway).
After that I may try to add other IRs : MD421 for a different treble content than the SM57, E906 or M160 to add some low mids when needed (I love fat low mids). I save a few different mixes, some with R121/SM57 only, others with MD412 and/or E906 and/orM160.
After that I try all those mixes again. With fresh ears, on another day, it's better. I have hundreds and hundreds of mixes in my IR test folder

Hope that helps !
 
...I'll try different combinations of R121/SM57. I check the EQ curve in Cab-Lab, specially when I fade one IR in or out with the sliders. I always compare them to existing go-to mixes in a preset tweaked for those go-to mixes...
Help me understand. Are you trying to create IR mixes with curves that are similar to your go-to mixes?
 
IR that would be alternatives to those IRs, or even better than them. If they're too different, they won't work for me. "My" sound for high gain is already pretty much defined within some global EQ curve. There's much more room for experiment/improvements for my "clean" IRs though
 
It is. But a rabbit hole I've started exploring way back in 2003, and now with experience I never stay inside for long. I've identified the IRs that works for me long ago ;) and my method allows me to get back in for very short times now, and mostly to find alternatives to what I already use
 
I'm with you Fremen. I actually load in multiple mics inside Cab Lab to start, and set them all to zero:

R121 on Cap Edge and/or Cap
M160 on Cap and/or Cap edge

SM57 Cab edge and/or off axis..sometimes an SM 58 for single coils
E906 or E609 cap edge (as an alternate to the SM 57)

MD 421 on the Cone

Plus a Room Mic
Plus a back of Cab mic sometimes

I then will bring the R121 or the M160 to 0 db...that's the baseline sound, I get that sounding right or close, may switch IRs for different locations

Then will start adding some top end, watching the EQ curve while listening, with an SM 57 or E609 or 906, usually between -10 and -3db but sometimes 0 db

Then will see if adding the MD 421 at about -5db to -3db adds anything good to the sound..for certain cleans I may go up to 0 db, and I may subtract some of the R121 or M160 at this point to balance things

I'll see what it does to add a Room U47 mic at 0-db and -5 db and -10 db to the sound...

If the sound needs bottom, I'll add a "Cab Back" in, watching the bottom endif the EQ curve.

That's the basic meat and potatoes way.

Often I'll find something that sounds GREAT as a guitar by itself mixed played live perhaps, BUT will not sit well in an actual recording or mix. This is when I find blending the off-axis mics can thin a sound out to help it "sit" better or give it definition versus other guitars. Those "James Brown" guitars sounded thin by themselves but great together in a mix!

The key is, you have use your ears and not solely rely on your eyes ands the EQ curve in Cab Lab, but that EQ curve is very useful o see what mic is doing what to the overall sound -- you get a quick feel for it.
 
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