New User. Please Tell me what I am doing wrong...

TheSGKing

Member
Hi,

I just received my Axe FX III yesterday. I've watched a couple of tone tutorial videos, and have been trying to create a modern metal/progressive metal sound. I've noticed my tone sounds very cardboard-y. I'm not sure if I'm just missing how to dial in the unit or if something is amiss. Attached is my preset, and here is an MP3 of the example: . I'm using the ML Studio's best IR in the world for this. Can someone help sort out what my issue is? I'm running Firmware 1.12 and I can confirm that I do have power amp simulation turned on. I'm playing a Kiesel VM8 loaded with Kiesel Lithiums. I'm monitoring the Axe FX III directly through JBL LSR305's.

Also, not sure if this is related to the above issue, but I also do not think that my A/D Input Levels adjustment knob is working properly, as shown in the video below.



All help is greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is a really simple issue.

Edit: Also wanted to note that I purchased the ML Misha Mansoor UltraRes Cab Pack Bundle. When I load up one of the included Preset-Cab presets through Frac-tool, the default volume of the preset is way too high, and is much past "tickling the red" as described in the manual.
 

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Hi,

I just received my Axe FX III yesterday. I've watched a couple of tone tutorial videos, and have been trying to create a modern metal/progressive metal sound. I've noticed my tone sounds very cardboard-y. I'm not sure if I'm just missing how to dial in the unit or if something is amiss. Attached is my preset, and here is an MP3 of the example: . I'm using the ML Studio's best IR in the world for this. Can someone help sort out what my issue is? I'm running Firmware 1.12 and I can confirm that I do have power amp simulation turned on. I'm playing a Kiesel VM8 loaded with Kiesel Lithiums. I'm monitoring the Axe FX III directly through JBL LSR305's.

Also, not sure if this is related to the above issue, but I also do not think that my A/D Input Levels adjustment knob is working properly, as shown in the video below.



All help is greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is a really simple issue.

Edit: Also wanted to note that I purchased the ML Misha Mansoor UltraRes Cab Pack Bundle. When I load up one of the included Preset-Cab presets through Frac-tool, the default volume of the preset is way too high, and is much past "tickling the red" as described in the manual.

the Input volume setting is working properly in that video. you only turned it down and up a small range from center, so you didn't see much change, but it was there. my Majesty guitars are set to 10%, so don't be afraid to turn down if needed. you want that Red light to turn on only at your hardest strums, and you were hitting it hard on the down beat with a very low string with lots of bass frequency. so perhaps the ~30% range was best for your guitar as shown in the video.

flubby tones usually result from too much Bass frequency going into the amp. again, with your very low-tuned strings, there is a lot of low frequency content, so have you tried reducing the Bass control on the Amp? you can also reduce low-end using the Input EQ in the Amp block, and there are many other ways to accomplish this. i'd start there. this is the same i'd suggest for real amps, so anything you know from using real amps usually applies directly to the Axe-Fx as well.

the Cab Pack preset you bought was created on/for the Axe-Fx II. the amp modeling is different in the Axe-Fx III, so things may not translate the same. just reduce the LEVEL parameter in the Amp block to adjust your Preset volume.
 
the Input volume setting is working properly in that video. you only turned it down and up a small range from center, so you didn't see much change, but it was there. my Majesty guitars are set to 10%, so don't be afraid to turn down if needed. you want that Red light to turn on only at your hardest strums, and you were hitting it hard on the down beat with a very low string with lots of bass frequency. so perhaps the ~30% range was best for your guitar as shown in the video.

flubby tones usually result from too much Bass frequency going into the amp. again, with your very low-tuned strings, there is a lot of low frequency content, so have you tried reducing the Bass control on the Amp? you can also reduce low-end using the Input EQ in the Amp block, and there are many other ways to accomplish this. i'd start there. this is the same i'd suggest for real amps, so anything you know from using real amps usually applies directly to the Axe-Fx as well.

the Cab Pack preset you bought was created on/for the Axe-Fx II. the amp modeling is different in the Axe-Fx III, so things may not translate the same. just reduce the LEVEL parameter in the Amp block to adjust your Preset volume.

Funnily enough, turning the bass on the OD solved all of my issues - I'm used to OD's without EQ's on them and figured I didn't need to touch it. Thank you!

And reading the user's manual shows that it is okay for the RED LED on the input to turn on as it is -6 dB. Sorry for the newbie questions.
 
You are doing everything correctly. The Lithiums are sorta hard pickups to dial in tones with. They are very shrill and bright and have too much high end in them. I would test out some different IRs. Some of my fav ones are the ML sound lab's Cab pack 13 and the Djent one. Dr Bonker's Mesa and Marshall IR packs are pretty good too, but you do have some ML ones on the axe fx III itself. Also turning on the looper or dialing in the tone with a DI running makes things way easier because you are focusing on dialing the tone and not playing.

Also find yourself a good feedback buddy to listen to tones. I sometimes get blind to tones and think they sound good when they dont!
 
The Lithiums are from my 2016 build. I no longer have an issue getting a tone that I am happy with this unit, as I have played around with it more thankfully.
 
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