Knopfler's "Money For Nothing" tone match attempt

CyberFerret

CyberFerret

Power User
Knopfler was one of my main influences growing up. I haven't played with my fingers only for a long while, but FW6.0 inspired me to try and capture that iconic lead tone on "Money For Nothing".



It's close, but I feel there is still something missing there, and I would appreciate some tips from those who have more experience with tone matching on the Axe-FX II...

The preset is available at: Nothing For Money.syx

EDIT: Sorry, I should have specified the first bit is the original clip for comparison!! ;)

:ugeek

EDIT 2: Take 2 - with rolled off highs, less gain, and using a Les Paul on both pickups with bridge pickup tone rolled back to 0.



New Patch: Nothing For Money.syx
 
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mrdavek said:
Sounds good, but try backing the gain down a bit
Click to expand...

I agree it has the essence of tone, I just think you need to adjust the amp a bit. Have fun experimenting. I think this is where we are going to need a database of artist/song/amp used. At would be very helpful.
 
mrdavek said:
Sounds good, but try backing the gain down a bit
Click to expand...

scottburrow said:
I agree it has the essence of tone, I just think you need to adjust the amp a bit. Have fun experimenting. I think this is where we are going to need a database of artist/song/amp used. At would be very helpful.
Click to expand...

Cool - thanks for the feedback. I will give that a shot. I've read some reports that he used a JT45 and some that he used a Laney amp for this track. I just used the JVM OD1 model on the Axe as a starting point, but it was probably a bit TOO overdriven.

I also noticed that the signal into my DAW when I recorded was probably a bit too hot, resulting in some clipping and noise...
 
Hi CyberFerret,

Try the preset but I can't get it to work. When I check on the AXE-2 the TM block is empty (in the PROCESS tab). Tried to reload several times but that did not improve things. Weird, since I have already loaded a few TM preset. Are you on all the latest firmwares/versions of things?
 
EDIT 2: Take 2 - with rolled off highs, less gain, and using a Les Paul on both pickups with bridge pickup tone rolled back to 0.

 
PALYGAP said:
Hi CyberFerret,

Try the preset but I can't get it to work. When I check on the AXE-2 the TM block is empty (in the PROCESS tab). Tried to reload several times but that did not improve things. Weird, since I have already loaded a few TM preset. Are you on all the latest firmwares/versions of things?
Click to expand...

Not sure why that is?!? I exported the preset same as I did the other Bonamassa ones? Been a few downloads so far.

I did upgrade my Axe-Edit to 1.0.299, which was the bug fix one. Did you use the same version to pull the Preset into your Axe?
 
MFN was recorded using a Les Paul with both pickups on, and out of phase. That out-of-phase thing is a tough tone to copy without actually doing it on the guitar.
 
Another MFN tidbit: Knopfler played through a cocked wah. I'm not sure the Tone Batch block has sufficient EQ range to mimic that,
 
CyberFerret said:
Not sure why that is?!? I exported the preset same as I did the other Bonamassa ones? Been a few downloads so far.

I did upgrade my Axe-Edit to 1.0.299, which was the bug fix one. Did you use the same version to pull the Preset into your Axe?
Click to expand...

It is working now with the new preset file. Maybe the name change did it? "Nothing For Money .syx" to "Nothing For Money.syx". Weird.

Thanks a lot for sharing it is real damn good.
 
Here is my attempt, made the patch last night but you beat me to posting :)



It's my Les Paul into AxeII into DAW, I double tracked is as it is on the record as it fills out the tone a little, the original guitar was completely removed.

Spence
 
Cheers! I used a mogg file from the Internet, they aren't strictly legal but since I own three different Dire Straights albums with MFN on I think I should be ok :)

Spence
 
xpenno said:
Here is my attempt, made the patch last night but you beat me to posting :)



It's my Les Paul into AxeII into DAW, I double tracked is as it is on the record as it fills out the tone a little, the original guitar was completely removed.

Spence
Click to expand...


This is really close. Sounds like the right amp. Adding the cock wah approximating the position where Knopfler set his and then tone matching again should get it 95% of the way there I think even without the out of phase pickup thing. Nice job on what is surely one of the most elusive recorded tones out there.
 
OK, based on Andrew's supplied clip (thanks) and doing lots of post processing in the DAW, here is my third attempt at this:



It's still a bit harsh to my ears. I tried using MixIR2 to set up a multi mic 'room' setup to attempt to give it some 'space' and round off the harshness a little.
 
Rex said:
MFN was recorded using a Les Paul with both pickups on, and out of phase. That out-of-phase thing is a tough tone to copy without actually doing it on the guitar.
Click to expand...

FWIW...(..and this may seem a bit off-topic, but...) I just saw a Premier Guitar review on YouTube which seemed to indicate that the new Gibson Les Paul Standards are coming stock with lot's of push-pull pots, one of which (I believe?) is the whole "Peter Green/Jimmy Page/Gary Moore out-of-phase" wiring/setting too!

Therefore, that could be the ideal stock/standard "from-the-factory" guitar to nail Knopfler's "M.F.N.-tone?!?"

Bill
 
CyberFerret said:
OK, based on Andrew's supplied clip (thanks) and doing lots of post processing in the DAW, here is my third attempt at this:...It's still a bit harsh to my ears. I tried using MixIR2 to set up a multi mic 'room' setup to attempt to give it some 'space' and round off the harshness a little.
Click to expand...
Needs a bit more gain. I hear the string note ringing through the distortion, in a way that the original doesn't do; that may be the cause of the "harshness" you're hearing.
 
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