References to "Preset doesn't sound like Promo-Video" topics?

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softmonaut

Member
Hi everyone,

can someone provide me with helpful references on "Bought preset but doesn't sound like in promo-video" that really helped you guys solving the sound problems?

Thanks in advance
Jörg
 
If the only thing you have in common with the player you’re watching is the device (Axe Fx or floor unit), you chances are low of getting the same result. Factors influencing tone:

1. The player, first and foremost. ”Bone tone” is a thing, and tone starts with the player. You can’t say this enough.
2. The guitar. They same player who argues what one kind of finish or other makes the best tone will completely miss the differences between his guitar and the one he is trying to emulate.
3. The audio output. Amp, speaker, monitor, whatever. Has a huge effect on tone.
What did you hear it on? If you heard the demo on an iPad, the only way to emulate that sound is to record your guitar and play it back through an iPad!

It can be done, but if you want the same exact tone, think through the above and be willing to tweak to get matches. As far as the playing part… practice, practice, practice.
 
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The difference is usually the overall brightness for me. Often presets sound too dark. It's always been an annoyment, but the ast time I got the advice to go to the speaker block
 
Hello folks,

Thank you for the answers.
This completely calls into question the "buy my presets and you'll be happy" thing, as it seems to be mostly a matter of luck if it sounds the same.
For me, many presets tend to sound like through a woolen blanket (especially with the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headset, less with the Genelec 8030), i.e. there is a lack of brilliance. Especially noticeable when I use the neck PUs and gained presets.

Of course the guitarist is a factor, but when even a simple chord sounds different ... so the DI-approach sounds very interesting as it eliminates the "guitarist" factor from the equation temporarily.
 
Two super important factors:

1. What are you used to?

I used to play a Line 6 Spider III which had really oversaturated and unrealistic gainy tones. But I had grown to like them, and I could always go back to those few sounds I liked with the push of a button.
Then I bought an Axe FX II. At first I couldn't get anything out of it that sounded good to my ears. I tweaked and tweaked and finally got something acceptable out of it, but still I felt that my playing sounded horrible. I was starting to get a little buyer's remorse... But then I took the Axe for a spin at a friend's place. We tested it out with two really awesome guitarists through good speakers. I was BLOWN AWAY, it sounded like a pro recording and you could hear all the tiny nuances of these people playing.

Nowadays I wouldn't trade the Axe for anything, I now understand that back in the Spider days I really couldn't play or control the tone with my fingers and it has been the best possible practice tool (very brutally honest, though!) since I can really hear myself play. The amp sounds like the amp should!

2. VOLUME. All my patches sound just "ok" when at very low volume. When you crank it up, the perception changes dramatically. The tones really come to life at higher volumes.
 
tysonlt said:
The factory presets are pretty good these days. I also will find choosing one IR and sticking with it helps. I like LT TV Mix 7, it’s nice and bright and suits my tastes.
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I second that. I'm done with auditioning hundreds of IR's. I just go with either TV Mix 7 or 2 and i'm happy.
 
softmonaut said:
Hi everyone,

can someone provide me with helpful references on "Bought preset but doesn't sound like in promo-video" that really helped you guys solving the sound problems?

Thanks in advance
Jörg
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I don't think it's any different to "Bought amp / pedal / guitar but doesn't sound like in promo-video". The difference being that you can use the preset as a base and tweak the preset to make it what you want.

I have Austin Buddy presets which are great but sound very dry to me so I end up tweaking the delays and reverbs. I also have some Fremen presets that are really nice with minimal tweaking, so it pays to shop around and try sample presets if available.

The other thing to consider when buying presets is the work flow that is used, e.g. how do the footswitch assignments mesh with your own set up etc.
 
What you guys are saying all sounds very plausible. The subsequent adjustment of the presets is in many cases unavoidable. I think in my case it means balancing out weaknesses outside of the AXE. Perhaps the better approach would be to find and fix these weak points first.
For example, some of the modern humbuckers sound very dull and are no good.
 
softmonaut said:
What you guys are saying all sounds very plausible. The subsequent adjustment of the presets is in many cases unavoidable. I think in my case it means balancing out weaknesses outside of the AXE. Perhaps the better approach would be to find and fix these weak points first.
For example, some of the modern humbuckers sound very dull and are no good.
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It's impossible for someone to make presets that work great out of the box with your exact set of gear without actually using your exact gear. If they work great for you it's purely by chance. It's not a good idea to go changing a setup that works for you just because a set of presets doesn't.

Presets should be treated as starting points for getting ideas about different ways to setup fx chains and workflows. Learn to work the unit and shape those presets closer to your liking. Or start a new preset from scratch and use what you learned from the presets to make something that works for your particular needs.
 
Velokki said:
2. VOLUME. All my patches sound just "ok" when at very low volume. When you crank it up, the perception changes dramatically. The tones really come to life at higher volumes.
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This is worth repeating. It should be on a sticky post. I find I need at least 90Db before I can really dig the sound. It’s amazing how turning it up or down just a little bit can change your perception of it.
 
It's not a good idea to go changing a setup that works for you just because a set of presets doesn't
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Normally, "Never change a running system", of course. However, in my case I am not sure if that is the case. I have similar problems with the Kemper (everything tends to sound too dark). That's why I question my external setup.
 
softmonaut said:
Normally, "Never change a running system", of course. However, in my case I am not sure if that is the case. I have similar problems with the Kemper (everything tends to sound too dark). That's why I question my external setup.
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Do you have more than one guitar, and if so, do they all sound dark?

Moreover, since everyone's definition of dark may be different, can you post an example? We're kind of flying blind here, so a sample would be really helpful.
 
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Do you have more than one guitar, and if so, do they all sound dark?
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Yes, I have three guitars, all equipped with humbuckers. None of them stand out particularly - in the positive or negative sense. That means they are all equally bad or the guitars are not the problem.
Also, since everyone's definition of dark may be different, can you post an example?
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I don't have a sound sample at the moment, but I can show the settings of OUT EQ 1 to compensate for the dark sound. I think they are very extreme. As far as I know, these EQ settings are usually flat.ksnip_20211011-124506.png
 
All great points but truly, the volume (and manner of receiving volume - headphones, speakers, FRFR) makes a huge difference. I had this experience with the Fremen profiles; quiet, they sounded too dark, but cranked a bit they sounded right on the money.

The other bit that’s toughest to swallow is that the player makes such a huge difference. I remember being not too impressed with the stock BE-100 profile on the Axe III, then heard Tom Quayle rip through it and was dying to know what the secret was - turns out it was the player. Often times the distinction between the demo and your gear room is all in the fingers, and that can honestly be very inspiring when you think about it!
 
All great points but truly, the volume
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So many people have already mentioned the volume. That is a point indeed. I will test that especially when my wife is out of the house :). Otherwise she will end up sounding dark.
The other bit that’s toughest to swallow is that the player makes such a huge difference.
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Yes, I know what you mean and I am aware of it and not so arrogant to rule it out. But as said above, if even a simple chord sounds significantly different, then something seems to be wrong, regardless of my skills as a guitarist. I know this is very simple test far away from the tonal magic we all reaching out for, but it's a first approach.
 
softmonaut said:
Yes, I have three guitars, all equipped with humbuckers. None of them stand out particularly - in the positive or negative sense. That means they are all equally bad or the guitars are not the problem.

I don't have a sound sample at the moment, but I can show the settings of OUT EQ 1 to compensate for the dark sound. I think they are very extreme. As far as I know, these EQ settings are usually flat.View attachment 90036
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If that is truly the EQ curve you are using, something is very off somewhere in the chain. That curve would be horribly bright and nasty!
 
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