Getting started with IR's

kavevester

kavevester

Inspired
I have bought a lot of IR's and (must be my fault) can't see the big difference between them. Oh yes they do sound different but it seems as if this can be equal dialed in using the eq./filter/param. eq. etc. This is of cause wrong and just need a better understanding of how to use them.

Gear: Axe fx2 MK1/Music Man JP6 BFR/Atomic active CRL's/.

1. Choose a cap I like -> 4x12 Recto Standard OS Slant Cabinet
2. Choose a amp in Axe-> 237 USA PRE LD2 RED (guess this represents the TriAxis red channel)

Should I then get a sound emulating this setup of gear? It dos'nt sound very good.. Should I dial the Amp in a certain way or is it just like working with normal amps - dial until you get high or?

In other words when trying out different IR's do any of you have a procedure for testing that IR? (choice of amp/settings)

Moving towards Ownhammer's Heavy Hitters Collection but have a feeling I just end up with a lot of IR's once again bringing a lot of useless cabs into my system.

Clean sound issue:
I would like to dial a perfect amp/cab to use with my Fender S (master build Jason Smith) to really bring out the sound in this fine instrument but feel like i am far away from choosing the right setup in Axe and with all these IR's out there. Should the best selection be a Fender amp in the Axe and a Fender IR from somewhere? The problem is also that you can only try this out for a certain amount of time (hearing wear out) but with all these factors it will take, feels like, forever. Almost going for a real amp - Fender Deluxe or something to get going..
 
Ir's make a huge difference and it goes way beyond what you can do with eq imo. For example you can add highs to a darker ir but it won't sound as natural as just using a brighter ir. It's a personal preference for sure but it sounds like you need to crank the volume up a bit maybe and spend some quality time auditioning. Not sure what you are after but there are a ton of great IR's out there. The new Zilla cab pack is extremely versatile and natural sounding so that could make you happy.
 
Some amp models need basic tone stack changes from default to sound good to me. Others sound okay at defaults.

Try using the factory presets as a guide to the different amp models and cab combinations. The FAS / team people that created these spent some time looking at the IR's and cab settings.

Here is what I do to check out different amp models.

1. Find a factory preset, usually in the lower numbers, that uses that model.

2. Make a set of standard amp block advanced parameter tweaks to open the amp up.
a. On the amp block speaker page turn XFormer Match down to around .7
b. On the amp block dynamics page turn Preamp Dynamics up to around 2.
c. On the amp block dynamics page turn the Output Comp up to around 0.5 to 0.7
d. On the amp block dynamics page change the Output Comp type to feedback.

3. Add a GEQ block after the Cab block.
a. Type 5-band Passive
b. Master Q 0.7
c. Low mid +2, mid +4, high mid +2
d. Strum fairly hard and reduce the GEQ level if the preset is clipping.

4. Crank up your monitors to a decent level. I prefer to crank my monitors vs. changing the gain staging of the preset. Note that you need to be careful with the added GEQ to not introduce clipping.
 
aziz said:
Just use the amps at default settings and scroll through IR's, and vice versa.
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For me this doesn't work for all amp model types as the defaults, everything at noon, don't sound very inspiring to me on some amp models.

I make some basic tweaks, THEN, scroll through the IR's.
 
Tahoebrian5 said:
Ir's make a huge difference and it goes way beyond what you can do with eq imo. For example you can add highs to a darker ir but it won't sound as natural as just using a brighter ir. It's a personal preference for sure but it sounds like you need to crank the volume up a bit maybe and spend some quality time auditioning. Not sure what you are after but there are a ton of great IR's out there. The new Zilla cab pack is extremely versatile and natural sounding so that could make you happy.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link for the Zilla cap pack? Just googled it but came up with normal speaker caps
 
kavevester said:
Ok thanks' everyone... Dig into Ir's more detailed then seek and you shall find I guess :)
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If you really don't have any sonic goal in mind other than to find some good IR's, it is basically random chance when you audition.

It's much better, in my opinion, to have a result or goal first, then try to match up to the goal.

Our hearing and perception is designed to pick out differences between sounds.

So identifying the difference between where you are IR wise vs. your goal is the game.
 
barhrecords said:
If you really don't have any sonic goal in mind other than to find some good IR's, it is basically random chance when you audition.

It's much better, in my opinion, to have a result or goal first, then try to match up to the goal.

Our hearing and perception is designed to pick out differences between sounds.

So identifying the difference between where you are IR wise vs. your goal is the game.
Click to expand...

I do have a sonic goal that of a Strat sounding like Knopfler in clean and SRV in chrunch/mid gain and John Petrucci in lead/hi gain. For that I bought those two guitars.. So I'll try with some fender amps (deluxe, twin etc) for the clean with some different IR's found in an amp like that and the same goes for the lead sound. Do you mean that i need to have the sound i like as a reference and adjust until?
 
kavevester said:
I do have a sonic goal that of a Strat sounding like Knopfler in clean and SRV in chrunch/mid gain and John Petrucci in lead/hi gain. For that I bought those two guitars.. So I'll try with some fender amps (deluxe, twin etc) for the clean with some different IR's found in an amp like that and the same goes for the lead sound. Do you mean that i need to have the sound i like as a reference and adjust until?
Click to expand...

For those tones, do some forum searches. I know @groovenut has what I think is pretty definitive SRV along with some presets / vids. Also, @ML SOUND LAB has some definitive Petrucci presets, vids, IR packs and how to's.

I find Knopfler's clean tone on Sultans, to be deceptively hard. His touch is so deft. The stem I have sounds really compressed and has more efx than I thought. But his touch and use of ghost notes and dynamics is off the chart. That to me contributes so much to his sound.

I do love the Sultans record though and his tone.
 
The Zilla pack is on the fractal store page. Based on the tones you are chasing noted above, you might be better to do some research first.. but the Zilla pack is great and IR's are cheap imo so cant go wrong either way.
 
kavevester said:
I do have a sonic goal that of a Strat sounding like Knopfler in clean and SRV in chrunch/mid gain and John Petrucci in lead/hi gain. For that I bought those two guitars.. So I'll try with some fender amps (deluxe, twin etc) for the clean with some different IR's found in an amp like that and the same goes for the lead sound. Do you mean that i need to have the sound i like as a reference and adjust until?
Click to expand...

I get a great Knopfler tone using the Vibrolux amp with the matching Factory Cab (1x12 Brown M160, or the 2x10 Vibrolux Mix). The key for me is putting a compressor in front of the amp and playing with the fingers to get that Knopfler-type attack to the notes.

But also don't be afraid to experiment. I've been having fun lately swapping out the default preamp from the Vibrolux to the Badger 30 and using a cab created from a tone match of my DI'd guitar sound.

Are you playing live / with a band or for yourself? I'm constantly surprised by how 'thin' isolated guitar tracks sound on their own but they sound great once they are mixed in with the rest of the band. As @barhrecords said, the Sultans iso track you can find on YouTube is really eye (or ear) opening.
 
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