Hi all,
I have always liked to tweak Petrucci type tones, ever since the Axe Fx Standard days. When I got an AX8 years ago, I tried out the factory 4x12 Petrucci V30 Mix and thought it was rubbish. It was dark and difficult to dial in with, and I couldn't believe it was a capture of Petrucci's setup. I was disappointed
Well, since getting the Axe III I have been trying out settings Petrucci has posted to YouTube and Instagram with the JP2C model to see how accurate it is to copy settings from real amps to the Axe III models.
After seeing a recent video from Leon where he used the 4x12 Cali Lead 80's MIX, I remembered about the long forgotten Petrucci IR and decided to try it out again. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, or maybe it is the now greater availability of raw YouTube clips of Petrucci's sound, but this IR definitely delivers a modern Petrucci type tone (minus beard, biceps and control over the speed the earth rotates of course).
I built a preset using (almost) the exact settings from the following series of videos (this is the first CLEAN video, but there is a Crunch and Solo vid too):
And I'll be damned if it doesn't sound really close to the YouTube clips.
The few changes to the settings I did make were to add some gain enhancer (playing at low volume it really helps to match the gain amount and character from those live vids), tweak the graphic eq slightly to better match up the settings in the video description to the relative pot positions on the amp in the video, and adding some input drive where necessary to emulate the pulled position of the gain switch on the real amp (as best as I can work out through research and using ears).
One important change which I only just learnt from a recent video from Leon (thanks again @2112 ) was to increase the Low Cut in the Input EQ of the Amp Block. I don't know why I haven't messed with the Input EQ before but this setting is a game changer - at least for me. It tightens up the low end perfectly and removes the need to make any low cuts in the cab block. It just makes the amp respond perfectly when palm muting and is going to be a mainstay I think for me from now on with heavy tones. This setting change is just brilliant!
Adding in a little 'Room' in the Cab Block also sounds great (can probably add more than I have in the attached preset).
Anyways, if you want to try the preset I have attached it below. Scenes 1-3 are settings from the videos. Scenes 4-7 are some other fun stuff I have built upon the base Scenes 2 and 3.
I have read a lot of discussion on the forum over the years which has not spoken positively about the Petrucci IR. As I said, I don't know what has changed here (maybe Firmware 10, or the introduction of the JP2C model, or the gain enhancer and other goodies?) or the availability of isolated tone clips and settings of JP's newest sounds showing just how dark his tone really is, but to me this IR now works well for the JP modern sounds. More likely, I have come to understand and appreciate tone better over the years and the Petrucci IR has always been great He really does have a very dark tone these days!
One lesson here is to not be afraid to crank the controls if it sounds good. Petrucci has the 6600hz slider pretty high in these vids. I usually have it set at 1.8 but have it around 7 in this preset as per around what I think Petrucci actually has it set at. Makes sense - he mikes his cabs dark so crank the high eq! Cliff has a great tech notes on this I need to remind myself of - the range of the controls in the Axe are there to be used! If it sounds good, it is good.
A more traditional, and brighter, sound can be achieved using the YA factory cabs from the Recto ST set. I like to use the 57 C and the 121 BRT. Try that too if you like., but not with this preset unless you do some significant tweaking to darken the settings (especially the Graphic EQ) to compensate otherwise it will be disgustingly shrill.
Hope it is useful to someone, especially those that like me long ago abandoned the Petrucci IR.
Cheers
I have always liked to tweak Petrucci type tones, ever since the Axe Fx Standard days. When I got an AX8 years ago, I tried out the factory 4x12 Petrucci V30 Mix and thought it was rubbish. It was dark and difficult to dial in with, and I couldn't believe it was a capture of Petrucci's setup. I was disappointed
Well, since getting the Axe III I have been trying out settings Petrucci has posted to YouTube and Instagram with the JP2C model to see how accurate it is to copy settings from real amps to the Axe III models.
After seeing a recent video from Leon where he used the 4x12 Cali Lead 80's MIX, I remembered about the long forgotten Petrucci IR and decided to try it out again. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, or maybe it is the now greater availability of raw YouTube clips of Petrucci's sound, but this IR definitely delivers a modern Petrucci type tone (minus beard, biceps and control over the speed the earth rotates of course).
I built a preset using (almost) the exact settings from the following series of videos (this is the first CLEAN video, but there is a Crunch and Solo vid too):
And I'll be damned if it doesn't sound really close to the YouTube clips.
The few changes to the settings I did make were to add some gain enhancer (playing at low volume it really helps to match the gain amount and character from those live vids), tweak the graphic eq slightly to better match up the settings in the video description to the relative pot positions on the amp in the video, and adding some input drive where necessary to emulate the pulled position of the gain switch on the real amp (as best as I can work out through research and using ears).
One important change which I only just learnt from a recent video from Leon (thanks again @2112 ) was to increase the Low Cut in the Input EQ of the Amp Block. I don't know why I haven't messed with the Input EQ before but this setting is a game changer - at least for me. It tightens up the low end perfectly and removes the need to make any low cuts in the cab block. It just makes the amp respond perfectly when palm muting and is going to be a mainstay I think for me from now on with heavy tones. This setting change is just brilliant!
Adding in a little 'Room' in the Cab Block also sounds great (can probably add more than I have in the attached preset).
Anyways, if you want to try the preset I have attached it below. Scenes 1-3 are settings from the videos. Scenes 4-7 are some other fun stuff I have built upon the base Scenes 2 and 3.
I have read a lot of discussion on the forum over the years which has not spoken positively about the Petrucci IR. As I said, I don't know what has changed here (maybe Firmware 10, or the introduction of the JP2C model, or the gain enhancer and other goodies?) or the availability of isolated tone clips and settings of JP's newest sounds showing just how dark his tone really is, but to me this IR now works well for the JP modern sounds. More likely, I have come to understand and appreciate tone better over the years and the Petrucci IR has always been great
He really does have a very dark tone these days!One lesson here is to not be afraid to crank the controls if it sounds good. Petrucci has the 6600hz slider pretty high in these vids. I usually have it set at 1.8 but have it around 7 in this preset as per around what I think Petrucci actually has it set at. Makes sense - he mikes his cabs dark so crank the high eq! Cliff has a great tech notes on this I need to remind myself of - the range of the controls in the Axe are there to be used! If it sounds good, it is good.
A more traditional, and brighter, sound can be achieved using the YA factory cabs from the Recto ST set. I like to use the 57 C and the 121 BRT. Try that too if you like., but not with this preset unless you do some significant tweaking to darken the settings (especially the Graphic EQ) to compensate otherwise it will be disgustingly shrill.
Hope it is useful to someone, especially those that like me long ago abandoned the Petrucci IR.
Cheers
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