Is noise important?

Is noise an important part of realistic analog tone?

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 27.3%
  • No

    Votes: 16 72.7%

  • Total voters
    22

Sacha

Inspired
Whenever the real amp vs modeler comparisons are posted, it makes it easier to tell (with high gain at least) the real amp since it will have more noise. My question is does this noise have an affect on the tone when playing? Does it make an improvement? Should it be included (at least optionally) for maximum realism?

I can see the argument that noise is not desirable; but most of the cutting edge analog modelling plugins these days seem to include 'undesirable' features from that world like noise, cross-talk, distortion etc.

Could more noise be another step towards more realism?
 
Why make a public comment referring to a private email? Calling out someone who spent the time to respond to you personally brings your agenda into question.

I'm not calling anyone out, and I have no 'agenda', don't be a drama queen. I'm just another dude on the internet that likes blabbing about gear and tone. Fractal replied to the post then deleted it, I got an email with the content of the reply anyway since I was subscribed, that's all!
 
For me personally, I like as little 'noise' as possible. The AxeIII gives me fantastic tones and I'm just not that obsessive about getting the exact sound as a real amp.
The ultimate goal for me is to play well rather than fussing over the intricacies of whether or not my tone sounds like a Fender or Marshall or whatever else. I've never had anyone come up to me from the audience and say 'hey, great playing but your amp doesn't sound real'.
The audience doesn't give a rats ass and frankly neither do I, at least not to the e nth degree so I didn't bother to vote either way.
 
Well I have pretty sensitive hearing and I can't STAND noise!!!

I spent a LOT of time and resources and research and experimentation to minimize noise, why on earth will I want that back?!?!

Sorry, I'm not of the same mindset there. If it's implemented, please FAS, have an 'off switch' because I do not want any!!!

One of my favorite things about the iii is how QUIET it is!!! It's a dream come true for someone who has spent most of their musical life fighting the noise!!! Sorry if I'm passionate about this, I have spent too much time and effort and resources to get rid of 'noise', so I AM passionate about it, so no damned 'noise' in my modeling thank you very much!
 
A guitar is noisy. A guitar amp is noisy. An old Neve or SSL desk is noisy. An old tape deck is noisy. (There is a lot of other "musical" artifacts and defects in old gear - cross talk, saturation ... but let's focus on the noise here).

All that noise has been a - slight - part of those classical records must of us have as a reference for guitar sound and how music should sound.

You can remove almost all that noise with modern tech and then you would have something slightly different sounding. Better or worse? YMMV. But it's definitely different.

There is a reason that there is a huge market for DAW plugins that recreate console emulators and tape artifacts. Used with taste they do add that little extra to the overall sound.
 
A guitar is noisy. A guitar amp is noisy. An old Neve or SSL desk is noisy. An old tape deck is noisy. (There is a lot of other "musical" artifacts and defects in old gear - cross talk, saturation ... but let's focus on the noise here).

All that noise has been a - slight - part of those classical records must of us have as a reference for guitar sound and how music should sound.

You can remove almost all that noise with modern tech and then you would have something slightly different sounding. Better or worse? YMMV. But it's definitely different.

There is a reason that there is a huge market for DAW plugins that recreate console emulators and tape artifacts. Used with taste they do add that little extra to the overall sound.

I'm sorry, but my guitars, pre amps, interfaces etc are NOT noisy. I have gone through great lengths to double shield, 'star' ground, replace components and re-wire nearly everything, so that there is almost NO NOISE. My noiseless pickups alone cost the price of some people's guitars and my interfaces and amps all boast a low noise floor, low total harmonic distortion and great signal to noise ratio, so no, not everyone's guitars and amps are noisy. I have played in the past with orchestras, ensembles and musical theater where you can hear a pin drop at times, and that wonderful 'noise' is not desirable there, sorry.

Before the axe 3 I would literally NOT play a gig without my decimator pro rack G.

I have listener to 'remasters'of the classics and it's one of the first things I notice - the 'cleaner' sound.

I'm honestly happy if you guys love that, but I and several others DON'T, and if you want some of that wonderful noise and artifacts and aliasing, get a POD or BOSS - those things are WONDERFUL little noise boxes
 
I'm honestly happy if you guys love that, but I and several others DON'T, and if you want some of that wonderful noise and artifacts and aliasing, get a POD or BOSS - those things are WONDERFUL little noise boxes

No need to get salty dude; just trying to have a discussion. Aliasing doesn't exist in analog so that's pretty obviously not what I'm talking about. Some people think some of the artifacts present in analog equipment are desirable or at least beneficial to the overall emulation. Without other, special types of noise (dither) we would not be able to properly reconstruct an analog signal in digital. I also suggested in my original post that if it WAS something that added to the realism, it would be optional.
 
There is one instance of noise I really love: on the Black Crowes’ Southern Harmony and Musical Companion you hear the flick of the stand by switch followed by a 60Hz AC hum. Once I hear that, in my mind I immediately hear the guitar coming in, the snare resonating with it, in my mind that’s beautiful.

But that’s it. No, I don’t think noise is important. You can have all of mine.
 
No one needs noise in a recording unless your talking about tape saturation emulation. Myself I never heard a tape emulation plug-in that sounded like real tape
 
Back
Top Bottom