G3 modeling thread

Johnnyh64 said:
I do find that the Axe has always had this really strong/chunky attack in the notes (great for Djent/metal tones, palm mutes, etc), but I don't particularly care for it and it seems to be replicated in all of the amp models to some extent. I could partially get rid of it with a character adjustment but not completely and decreasing pick attack parameter, etc... I am looking for that super smooth Alan Holdsworth violin like lead tone that that lets the attack kind of swell in rather than sound like a heavily compressed attack on every note. Anyway, just hoping it clears up those issues somewhat.
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That's a much more succinct way of describing what I was trying to get at I think, I hear that too on more distorted tones, the Axe seems to have a particular character of it's own that you hear on high gain sounds in particular. Not that it's a bad thing, but it seems less than 100% transparent.
 
Maximum respect to Sir Cliff for this.

I can only imagine the attention to detail and commitment to perfection that would be required to listen to the current firmware and decide it needs to be improved.

I mean: have you played with 17.4? It's totally off the chart!!
 
zack said:
I can only imagine the attention to detail and commitment to perfection that would be required to listen to the current firmware and decide it needs to be improved.
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Hehe! No kidding. What does he even listen for now? I mean, you load up 17.04 and noodle around a bit, and whaddaya hear? Excellence! What else is it supposed to do? Wash dishes?
 
FractalAudio said:
The first one is the model. The second is a 1972 50W Plexi. ... I've spent months researching and perfecting note decay. FWIW, you can NOT replicate that note decay using the common waveshaper techniques in the literature. It requires a very different type of clipping technology.
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Wow, I'm very impressed. This has just about sold me on the Axe FX II, no way you could distinguish this in a recording...

I believe the only difference is the movement of air. The breakup characteristics are similar, but you can hear the "room" more in the second clip. Even then though, I had to wait for the final results to make my decision. I would be curious to hear this same test with the Axe -> PowerAmp -> Cab vs the 50 watt Plexi to the Cab, I bet its even closer to the same.

Next feature to tackle is the modeling of how the movement of air creates and affects sound in more detail. I imagine this would take some processing power.
 
guitarcal said:
I believe the only difference is the movement of air. The brenakup characteristics are similar, but you can hear the "room" more in the second clip....Next feature to tackle is the modeling of how the movement of air creates and affects sound in more detail.
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If you're hearing the room, that's about reverb and delay, not air movement.
 
Rex said:
If you're hearing the room, that's about reverb and delay, not air movement.
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Perhaps, I guess I assumed the team re-amped the track, and applied the same reverb and delay post processing in both cases. I still believe the very slight difference is air movement, but i've been wrong before.

Even so, I'm sold and will be purchasing soon. Thanks for posting the clips FAS.
 
Sometimes it's great to live in blissful ignorance.

As a guy who's only owned a few tube amps in my life and primarily plays in the house/garage I think I miss some of these subtle nuances. When I started with my Ultra on version 6 I DID miss real tubes, but the sounds were really good at any volume and it was a practical solution for me.

Somewhere between then and now with the AXE II, the sounds have gotten to the point where its indistinguishable to my ears from the amps I've lusted after for years, and the feel is there, what more could I want? The few times I still feel "amp in room" is needed usually turning up the volume does the trick.

I suppose accuracy in the amps is more for those of you that know these amps in and out, and I don't. A few weeks ago I "discovered" The Morgan AC 20, are you kidding me?? That thing just kills for some tones I didn't know I needed until I played it. I have no idea how accurate it is and don't care, it's awesome!

Again my ignorance to the subtle nuances of how a tube amp creates it's unique tones means I currently don't feel anything is missing. BUT I love that Cliff takes a moment to explain what he's doing going forward in terms that a layman like myself gets the general idea of where he's found room for progress. After the last 7 or 8 years with this thing I have blind faith that forward is forward and it will be simply "Better". I suspect their are numerous users in the same shoes as me that just don't post. Bring on the G3.
 
rsf1977_again said:
Well, this sounds exciting! I hope there is a lighter CPU load overall somehow. There's so many high res type of things that are hard to use all on high quality at the same time when you run dual amps.
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^This. +10,000.

I'm all for improvements (and yes, I preferred the first clip, *before* I found out what it was)... but for my application, live in a noisy environment, my XL already has better accuracy than I need. However, I *really* like it when Cliff makes improvements to the effects or enhancements to the usability. And my next pet peeve is that I run out of CPU 7 times out of 10, and have to make some compromises. If G3 allows Cliff to achieve some improvements *and* lighten up the CPU load, then I would be excited beyond belief.

Cliff's improvements are hitting a performance ceiling with the CPU limitations, and I sincerely hope he gets an opportunity to offer an increase in algorithmic efficiency.
 
Cliff mentioned that there may be something weird happening in the plexi tube amp due to its age, but i think the second clip has a little more 'cheek' or 'twang' in the attack and initial decay, and i'm wondering if this could be dialed in or not.
 
I'm really surprised no one has asked the most important question yet: Is Fractal going to offer "G3 Modeling Technology" stickers to go with the new firmware? I can't have my Axe-FX II saying G2 on it now... ;)
 
RE: improvements

Compare it to the constant development in video. I remember the experience of watching a DVD for the first time (particularly given that I grew up with a 13" black & white!!!). It was even greater than listening to a CD for the first time. (No, I don't remember the DVD, but I do remember the CD... and please don't ask what recording...).

Now, compare watching a DVD for the time to watching a DVD on a HD TV for the first time. Wow! Then, add to that getting a decent home theater system. Then, 1080P. Now, it's all gone so far beyond all that, and I don't think the technology is stopping any time soon. It's pretty mind-blowing.

So, with the Axe FX, we have that level of progress (and then some!), specifically designed for the massive variety of guitar sounds that have been created (and those that have not yet, but are capable to be on the Axe FX).

And that's, in part, how it can absolutely continue to get better.

FWIW, I still have the same Pioneer Elite surround receiver, DVD/multi-disc player (not even Blue Ray), and rather cheap 1080i HDTV that I bought many years ago. I don't plan to upgrade until I have to. The sound is great, and that's what matter most to me. And, I'm more interested in continuing to practice guitar and learn the Axe FX anyway.
 
pima1234 said:
but I do remember the CD... and please don't ask what recording...
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What recording? The first CD I heard was a Telarc release of Eric Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops doing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. It was amazing because it had "digitally captured, real canon" sounds that could blow your speakers out as the dynamic range was far beyond anything ever captured on record. Listened to it on a Mitsubishi CD player that was hooked up to a McIntosh Preamp and power amp and a pair of Celestion tower speakers.

Some things you don't forget. :D

The second CD I heard was Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire II, specifically The Cricket.

After that it gets hazy, but I think the third CD I listened to was Depeche Mode's Black Celebration.
 
OmegaZero said:
I'm really surprised no one has asked the most important question yet: Is Fractal going to offer "G3 Modeling Technology" stickers to go with the new firmware? I can't have my Axe-FX II saying G2 on it now... ;)
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I did post that on the third page of the scared to update thread.
 
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First clip sounded better to me, more open, natural...then, the second clip sounded exactly like my go-to preset with the Plexi 50 High that I´ve been playing almost exclusively the last year. If the Axe only had this one model I would be happy for the rest of my life. So, how can this box get even better than the real thing? I am stoked. Thanks Cliff.
 
Dpoirier said:
^This. +10,000.

I'm all for improvements (and yes, I preferred the first clip, *before* I found out what it was)... but for my application, live in a noisy environment, my XL already has better accuracy than I need. However, I *really* like it when Cliff makes improvements to the effects or enhancements to the usability. And my next pet peeve is that I run out of CPU 7 times out of 10, and have to make some compromises. If G3 allows Cliff to achieve some improvements *and* lighten up the CPU load, then I would be excited beyond belief.

Cliff's improvements are hitting a performance ceiling with the CPU limitations, and I sincerely hope he gets an opportunity to offer an increase in algorithmic efficiency.
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Since one of the CPUs in the Axe-Fx II platform is dedicated to amp processing and one for FX, I'd speculate it wouldn't have much "effect" on the "effects" you can add to a patch even if the amp CPU was running a little higher, but perhaps Cliff can elaborate. Looking forward to this one!
 
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