Please critique this one song Vertigo... I'm really having trouble with settings and noises.

I suggest you put it into context with a backing track. With a full band you won't notice any noise but you will learn how to tweak the sound to cut through the mix.
 
Even more fuel to the fire... The same recording pulled off with no hassle on my AC10 with pedals. Compare and take notes. What do you notice?

Disclaimer: In no way do I mean disrespect to FAS or AX8. I am merely comparing the two for recording purposes of a track I'm working on.
 
Last edited:
ChristThePhone said:
Further you better switch to the bridge pickup and use the tone pot to tame the high-end
Click to expand...
@ChristThePhone
Yes I'm already using positon 4 (quack position -- bridge pickup) which is 60 sec hum noise cancelling position on the strat.
If you think I need to tame the high end maybe I should add more bass to the preset?
 
dsouza said:
Even more fuel to the fire... The same recording pulled off with no hassle on my AC10 with pedals. Compare and take notes. What do you notice?

Disclaimer: In no way do I mean disrespect to FAS or AX8. I am merely comparing the two for recording purposes of a track I'm working on.
Click to expand...


Why the difference in the recordings? Didn't you tried to get them sounding similar? The first is louder, fuller. The second is buried in reverb, delay.

What are you hearing that you want critique on?
 
Actually I'm proposing to use position 5 for the rock part. Edge played it on a Tele with the bridge pickup only. The sound you achieve through your pedals has way less high end than your AX8 preset. That's why you hear more noise caused by your frettung hand. Have you tried playing this song in a full band context ? Adding bass is not going to reduce the noise, only reducing treble / présence will do. However it will also cause your sound to no longer cut through the mix in a full band context. Recorded guitar sounds tend to sound lifeless on their own but begin to shine in a mix. That's why you should play with a backing track and then compare.
 
I can't really recommend anything specific to the sounds as far as the gear goes. Sure, some tweaks could possibly improve the sound, but I hear some timing issues, that if tightened up, I believe would go a long way toward making the whole thing sound better.

But I don't want to overstep here, and post any specific tips, unless you're interested. But since you did use the word 'critique' in the title, I did write some thoughts I had, but then I thought I'd better ask you first before posting them. But I think they would contribute to improving how the song sounds.
 
Habuman said:
Why the difference in the recordings? Didn't you tried to get them sounding similar? The first is louder, fuller. The second is buried in reverb, delay.

What are you hearing that you want critique on?
Click to expand...
@Habuman

Yes the AX8 is louder, fuller, but it seems very harsh. The second I didn't' plan to bury in delay or reverb I just used my AC10's reverb at about 9 am, and my Timefactor's delay set to 2-3 repeats. It is not a question of whether I tried to get them identical but rather is the AX8 sound harsh compared to the warm amp sound? Also you did hear the string squeaky noises on the AX8 version didn't you? It shows very clearly on my monitors. Can monitors make a difference with direct recording? I don't believe so but the monitors, or headphones, or speakers each and every one of you listen through will alter your perception of the actual sound.
 
Last edited:
I'd double-check tuning and intonation. Make sure your pressure on the strings is even (not too hard). Listen to the last chord in particular.
 
ChristThePhone said:
Actually I'm proposing to use position 5 for the rock part. Edge played it on a Tele with the bridge pickup only. The sound you achieve through your pedals has way less high end than your AX8 preset. That's why you hear more noise caused by your frettung hand. Have you tried playing this song in a full band context ? Adding bass is not going to reduce the noise, only reducing treble / présence will do. However it will also cause your sound to no longer cut through the mix in a full band context. Recorded guitar sounds tend to sound lifeless on their own but begin to shine in a mix. That's why you should play with a backing track and then compare.
Click to expand...
@ChristThePhone
Aha! Yeah I can try re-recording in position 5. The noise level will be brutal as I'm using a strat and don't have noiseless pickups. I will try but I seriously doubt that will solve it.

Also I'm not in a band and let me explain why I don't perform with backing tracks anymore. It's because the next 20 songs I record over the upcoming few years will be part of my solo performance series being played at local gigs here in Toronto and I am not going to play them to BT. I want the people to hear the guitar as that is my instrument. I'm not being hired as a guitarist in a band but rather a solo performer. So even if the solo sound is lifeless on its own its ok as I don't think I can legally play with BT and make a living. Playing cover music without BT doesn't require anything more than a basic $250 yearly license to play unlimited U2 here in Canada. But using Backing Tracks that's another copyright issue on its own.
 
Last edited:
TSJMajesty said:
I can't really recommend anything specific to the sounds as far as the gear goes. Sure, some tweaks could possibly improve the sound, but I hear some timing issues, that if tightened up, I believe would go a long way toward making the whole thing sound better.

But I don't want to overstep here, and post any specific tips, unless you're interested. But since you did use the word 'critique' in the title, I did write some thoughts I had, but then I thought I'd better ask you first before posting them. But I think they would contribute to improving how the song sounds.
Click to expand...
@TSJMajesty

Your critique was welcomed!
Don't mind the playing. I spent less than 5 hours learning vertigo and peforming it the way I did on both recordings. 95% of my time over the last few weeks has been on figuring out the AX8. lol. The playing is not the issue. (Timing /accuracy etc). I wanted critique on the SOUND. This is just a mere set of demos. Not nearly as perfect as what my final recording will sound like.
 
Last edited:
fractalz said:
I'd double-check tuning and intonation. Make sure your pressure on the strings is even (not too hard). Listen to the last chord in particular.
Click to expand...
Yeah the screechy string noises come from sliding power chords. But I didn't get them on the AC10. If you notice the string noises ONLY happen on the AX8 during the "power chord" sections of the song.
 
Last edited:
dsouza said:
Yeah the screechy string noises come from sliding power chords. But I didn't get them on the AC10. If you notice the string noises ONLY happen on the AX8 during the "power chord" sections of the song.
Click to expand...
It may be a different input EQ. I'd try some string slickener - fast fret etc.
 
dsouza said:
@ChristThePhone
Aha! Yeah I can try re-recording in position 5. The noise level will be brutal as I'm using a strat and don't have noiseless pickups. I will try but I seriously doubt that will solve it.

Also I'm not in a band and let me explain why I don't perform with backing tracks anymore. It's because the next 20 songs I record over the upcoming few years will be part of my solo performance series being played at local gigs here in Toronto and I am not going to play them to BT. I want the people to hear the guitar as that is my instrument. I'm not being hired as a guitarist in a band but rather a solo performer. So even if the solo sound is lifeless on its own its ok as I don't think I can legally play with BT and make a living. Playing cover music without BT doesn't require anything more than a basic $250 yearly license to play unlimited U2 here in Canada. But using Backing Tracks that's another copyright issue on its own.
Click to expand...

In that case I wouldn't bother to much about trying to replicate the exact sounds of the original but develop a workable preset on my own. That said I suggest you simply dial back treble and presence of your preset and/or experiment with different cab block IRs until you've found something you like. Pickup positions 2 and 4 on a strat are scooped but provide a lot of high end that result in the pronounced noise caused by sliding the fretting hand. A more mid-focussed pickup sound like a bridge humbucker would reduce that, or dialing back the tone pot on your strat (to some extent).
 
Sounds ok to me. If it's good for you it is good. But what has the monitor volume got to do with your directly recorded sound ? The gain on the Scarlett should not color the sound either but it might so it could be a matter of gain staging here.
 
changing monitors is like changing a cab IR. it can make a huge difference. but it's not easy to find the right one. there are tons of threads on which monitor is the best.
 
Finally got my version of U2 Vertigo instrumental on the AX8 up and running on my YT channel. It is my second production with the AX8. Future productions will happen at a much faster speed now that I am getting a feel for this new beast. You can compliment or critique all you want.

Notice the screechy noises are fairly low now.

Can you hear the tweeting sounds from the amp? It's a Fender Tweeter I'm using!

Signal path: USA Fender strat special -> AX8 -> Direct into the Scarlett 2i2 -> Live 10 daw -> YT.

You can check out the video here:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom