Let's Talk Cover Band Setups!

Great information here! I'm considering switching to an AX8, but first I need to figure out if it will do what I want.

I'm in an 80s cover band. I've been using MacBookPro+Mainstage3+Amplitube4+FCB1010 for 4 years. Not only do I have a patch for each song, I usually have 2-3 (max of 4) channel strips in each patch, each channel with an Amplitube4 (for amp/cab) and 0-4 FX plugins for significantly different sounds. Maybe on 10% of the songs will I use just the Mainstage amps for a clean sound. I use Amplitube's acoustic simulator pedal in a separate channel.

My keyboardist has a similar setup. Before each show, we just drag/drop our songs/patches in the order of the night's setlist, and then just step thru the patches during the show. We also run our e-drums thru the keyboardist's MacMini+Mainstage to get different drum kit sounds per song. Yea, we're *that* retentive, lol

I'm up to ~65 songs/patches now, and my 16GB MacBookPro is maxed out on RAM. This rig provides great flexibility, but the reliability factor has become an issue, so I'm considering a dedicated hardware system like a Fractal.

So, my worse-case-scenario is Scorpion's Wind of Change:
Channel 1 is a distorted, heavy reverb, and weird EQ (like AM radio)
Channel 2 is a clean/compressed sound doubled with an acoustic
Channel 3 is just the acoustic
Channel 4 is the lead - classic Scorpion/Schenker sound

And I switch between these channels often.

So, from what I've gathered so far, is that each 'patch' in the AX8 is based on a single amp/cab setting(?), and the 'scenes' with that patch are different combos of FX? I may be missing something, but it seems that for me to replicate what I'm doing with MainStage would require multiple patches per song(?) - which won't work very well. Anyone else tried something like this? Would the AXE-FX II be required?

Thanks!
 
Wind of Change can easily be done with one patch using scenes.

Scene/Channel 1: Which ever amp and cab you need with a reverb block and an EQ block
Scene/Channel 2: Clean compressed sound can be done without an amp block at all, so I would go compressor->EQ->output (add chorus and verb, if needed) - For the acoustic, you need an acoustic simulation IR. This can be loaded in the same cab block as the one used in scene 1. If you need an amp block for the clean sound, you need to x/y switch the amp block or make your hi-gain amp sound clean. The drawback of x/y swithcing is that you might experience a short audio gap while switching. Some hi-gain amps can be brought to sound clean by reducing the input gain (a lot). That can be done with scene controllers. It is a little more work to set it up, but it works great.
Scene/Channel 3: Just bypass the clean line from Scene 2
Scene 4: I guess you need a pitch block and maybe a delay or two on top of the sound from scene 1. That should be possible as well.

You might be pushing the CPU limit with this kind of setup, but I definitely think, it should be possible to squeeze it in.
 
We play mostly 80s/90s rock/metal (VH, Whitesnake, Jackyl, Steel Panther, etc). Main Amp is 5153 Blue 50w. I have both Axe FX II and AX8 but they are pretty much set up the same. On the FX I run everything in one patch. On the AX8 I run one bank of presets that pretty much are all setup the same. So 8 tones. Sometimes I run 4CM with the real EVH or sometimes I'll run into the Fryette Powerstation II with the resonance knobs turned down. Eitherway, the scenes/presets are the same except on the AX8 i swap scenes 4/5 because the bottom row only has 4 buttons opposed to the MFC's 5.

Scene 1: Rhythm (pretty much just 50w blue channel with gain around 1 o'clock, dry)
Scene 2: Clean (EVH 100w Green with gain at .75, light phaser, light chorus, light reverb, light delay. really sparkly 80s clean sound)
Scene 3: Edge of breakup (EVH 100w Green, Esoteric ACB, very light chorus, very light delay)
Scene 4: Lead w/ Phaser (EVH 50w Blue, Esoteric ACB, EVH Phaser, Petrucci style delay but with a lower mix, Filter +3db)
Scene 5: Main Lead (EVH 50w Blue, Esoteric ACB, Petrucci Style delay, Filter +3db)
Scene 6: Rhythm Wet (Scene 1 with light chorus and reverb)
Scene 7: Rhythm w/ Boost (EVH 50w Blue w/ Esoteric ACB)
Scene 8: Special (I use these scenes for any special effect that I may need for a particular song, like whammy or harmonizer)

Other than that, I pretty much stick with the same Amp setting through the set. It just sounds more consistent for the listeners.
 
Lax said:
Morpheus droptune here, sadly it works way better than the axefx pitch block (I nearly succeeded in eliminating all pedals from my setup)
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Curious, does the morpheus handle up a 1/2 step at all? My one band is tuned to eb but some country songs are so low the singer needs standard. Capo drive me nuts plus I'm never that good at soloing like that.

Nevermind, should have just googled quick. I see it doesn't go up at all. Carry on....
 
Hard rock to , well, more hard rock here. Trying to get the guys to try some other stuff. Thought they were going to kill me when I asked them to learn Staying Alive and I'm coming out...
I use a McCarty with coil taps for single coil stuff, works pretty good, and is easy to play. I set up a bank of eight presets accessed by F1(how it came). The eight presets are all X/Y amps with four scenes accessed by switches 1-4. First two scenes will be amp X, second with more preamp drive and different EQ for lead/rhythm. scenes 3-4 are amp Y set up the same lead/rhythm. Switches 5-8 are the seldom used effects that might be used, chorus, delay phaser, wah, whatever. But, there are a few presets on the bank specific to a style, like U2 with dual delays and AC30, but can be used for Queen with scenes 3-4 that add/subtract effects, gain. I use the Morgan AC20 for the Y on that one, nice bottom end...
I'm trying to get away from drive pedals by using scenes like this. I'm coming from small pedal board (4 pedals) and a Marshall. So, I don't necessarily have a lot of experience with this . I'm not good at reverbs at all, delays, even worse.
Things I want to get better at this year with the AX8:
Having my tone fit in the mix better, never had a problem before with tube amps. But, I tend to EQ a fat tone that steps all over the bass...
Second, learn how to use effects better. I am really bad, especially delays...
Third, find a drummer. I always end up playing drums, and last practice, they said I was getting pretty good...
But, it's fun, not anywhere near playing out right now.
 
MulletOver80s said:
Great information here! I'm considering switching to an AX8, but first I need to figure out if it will do what I want.

I'm in an 80s cover band. I've been using MacBookPro+Mainstage3+Amplitube4+FCB1010 for 4 years. Not only do I have a patch for each song, I usually have 2-3 (max of 4) channel strips in each patch, each channel with an Amplitube4 (for amp/cab) and 0-4 FX plugins for significantly different sounds. Maybe on 10% of the songs will I use just the Mainstage amps for a clean sound. I use Amplitube's acoustic simulator pedal in a separate channel.

My keyboardist has a similar setup. Before each show, we just drag/drop our songs/patches in the order of the night's setlist, and then just step thru the patches during the show. We also run our e-drums thru the keyboardist's MacMini+Mainstage to get different drum kit sounds per song. Yea, we're *that* retentive, lol

I'm up to ~65 songs/patches now, and my 16GB MacBookPro is maxed out on RAM. This rig provides great flexibility, but the reliability factor has become an issue, so I'm considering a dedicated hardware system like a Fractal.

So, my worse-case-scenario is Scorpion's Wind of Change:
Channel 1 is a distorted, heavy reverb, and weird EQ (like AM radio)
Channel 2 is a clean/compressed sound doubled with an acoustic
Channel 3 is just the acoustic
Channel 4 is the lead - classic Scorpion/Schenker sound

And I switch between these channels often.

So, from what I've gathered so far, is that each 'patch' in the AX8 is based on a single amp/cab setting(?), and the 'scenes' with that patch are different combos of FX? I may be missing something, but it seems that for me to replicate what I'm doing with MainStage would require multiple patches per song(?) - which won't work very well. Anyone else tried something like this? Would the AXE-FX II be required?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I my opinion, you should get an Axe-Fx II. More effects plus dual amps and cabs, and also 'Tone Matching'.

You won't even need a foot-controller with it all being automated. Maybe just a 'Morningstar' MC6 for some IA switches and 2 expression pedals?
 
iaresee said:
I've certainly seen top-tier cover bands that do it like that. That's not our thing though. We just like to play music. Besides, George Michael's Faith sounds waaaaay better with an extra long guitar solo in the middle of it! :D

When I was playing the Duran Duran tribute band I was absolutely, 100% chasing exactness in live sounds and phrasing and notes. And that project totally burned me out. That's how I learned it wasn't my bag.
Click to expand...


Interesting that you were in a DD cover band, which is cool. I just know you as the other guy in the fractal world whose into Phish, etc..That way
 
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