Secondary PEQ’s That Can Integrate With Axe FX II XL

Brian Greco

Inspired
Hola Everyone,

I’ve been working on a lot of heavy metal amps lately. Just staying up way too late, but enjoying myself very much. I feel limited though. In using the stock PEQ, I have a max of five bands, but more importantly, I can’t sweep around for bothersome frequencies the way I would if I were using the Pro Q2 or something. If I had these capabilities I feel like I would be able to come much closer to certain sounds I’m trying to emulate. I usually put one PEQ at the end of the chain, and one at the beginning. I guess in theory I can put two side-by-side at the end of the chain to make more alterations. It would be kind of like simulating a PEQ with more bands I guess.

Before I try that out though, is there any chance that there is some PEQ software that can be integrated with the Axe FX?

My dream is for Factal Audio to update the unit so that you can get as close to “mix ready” as possible, and then go into your DAW. A boy can dream, can he not?
 
My dream is for Factal Audio to update the unit so that you can get as close to “mix ready” as possible, and then go into your DAW.
many say it already does that. it seems you just might want more specific features. yeah? afterall, how can you be ready for a mix, if you don't have the other instruments in there yet which show you what you need to adjust for the mix?

i think EQ will always have to be done in the DAW relative to the other instruments, per track. i don't think you can take your single "mix ready" tone and make it work with anything.
 
Have you given consideration to putting an external EQ into the effects loop? There's absolutely nothing wrong with doing that, especially if it gives you the flexibility you need and the tone you want.

I run a 31 band EQ in my AFII's loop because it's a more precise tone shaping tool than any selectable EQ in the AFII. While I'd say nothing bad about the 11 band EQ, for example, the fact is that with an external 31 band EQ I have even more ability to fine tune a preset to be exactly what I want to hear.
 
You can use the EQ in your DAW to find the sound you're looking for, and then copy the settings to the Axe PEQ.
Don't forget to use the amp's GEQ as well.
If you end up with 2 or more PEQ on your patch, you can always "print them out" with the cab to create a new cab that will have that EQ built in.
And also try putting a GEQ in the beginning of the chain instead of PEQ, works better for me personally.
 
many say it already does that. it seems you just might want more specific features. yeah? afterall, how can you be ready for a mix, if you don't have the other instruments in there yet which show you what you need to adjust for the mix?

i think EQ will always have to be done in the DAW relative to the other instruments, per track. i don't think you can take your single "mix ready" tone and make it work with anything.
 
Hey Birdy,

Perhaps the term “mix ready “ wasn’t the right term to express what I wanted to say. Yes, of course there’s going to be work to do in my DAW because I have to mix among all the other instruments. I guess what I’m trying to point out is that it would be very helpful to be able to have more bands to work with and the ability to sweep. You can get way more precision sculpting your tone.

It would help bring my guitar tone closer to where I wanted it to be before going into my computer. Also, it would help make for a better live sound, not to mention simply adding to the versatility of the tone. No digital amp is the end-all be-all, but I believe in the potential of the Axe FX, and I think that after using a more versatile PEQ other users hopefully would see the benefit in it as well as they refine their tones even more.

Yes, so I think you’re right. I think that I am hoping for new features. However, that can’t be a bad thing.
 
I’m so sorry guys. I just realized that a few of you replied. Bertie I think I also put your name where it wasn’t supposed to be.

Chris, sorry, that reply was initially for you. Thanks for posting. It’s good to see people come out and try to help one another.

Birdy, good advice. I appreciate those options. You know, I have very rarely put a GEQ at the beginning of the signal chain, but it is something I can try. However, I like your other ideas as well.
 
Woodbutcher65,

That definitely may be an option in the future. I don’t have the funds for that right now though. I was actually thinking of that before. Thanks for getting involved though. The more minds that come together, more solutions you end up with.
 
Perhaps the term “mix ready “ wasn’t the right term to express what I wanted to say. Yes, of course there’s going to be work to do in my DAW because I have to mix among all the other instruments. I guess what I’m trying to point out is that it would be very helpful to be able to have more bands to work with and the ability to sweep. You can get way more precision sculpting your tone.

It would help bring my guitar tone closer to where I wanted it to be before going into my computer. Also, it would help make for a better live sound, not to mention simply adding to the versatility of the tone. No digital amp is the end-all be-all, but I believe in the potential of the Axe FX, and I think that after using a more versatile PEQ other users hopefully would see the benefit in it as well as they refine their tones even more.

Yes, so I think you’re right. I think that I am hoping for new features. However, that can’t be a bad thing.
sure not a bad thing, but consider that it is already much, much closer to recording/gig ready than a real amp and other gear that came before. it's natural to always want more :)
 
True my friend. Very true. I’m totally in agreement with that. As time goes on, the advancements we see are pretty incredible. What I find most impressive is how far we’ve come with plug-ins, EQs. I have some great UAD plug-ins, but the truth of the matter is, there is some great stuff out there for really cheap that can truly enhance your mix, while adding color or not in color.

However, I never underrestimate the power of an EQ that has enough bands which allows for more cuts or boosts and of course, like I’ve been saying the ability to sweep back-and-forth to hear that was bothersome frequencies. Honestly LOL it’s like I can feel it coming, maybe it’s the Jedi force in me talking.
 
Have you given consideration to putting an external EQ into the effects loop? There's absolutely nothing wrong with doing that, especially if it gives you the flexibility you need and the tone you want.

I run a 31 band EQ in my AFII's loop because it's a more precise tone shaping tool than any selectable EQ in the AFII. While I'd say nothing bad about the 11 band EQ, for example, the fact is that with an external 31 band EQ I have even more ability to fine tune a preset to be exactly what I want to hear.
 
Yes, that’s what I mean. You have more precise control over the sound. Hence, you get to sculpt in more detail. That’s kind of the same point or reasoning with somewhat of an upgrade on the internal PEQ. It’s the same principle as what you are referring to.
 
I can’t sweep around for bothersome frequencies the way I would if I were using the Pro Q2 or something.

Why not? Using Axe-Edit, you'd simply increase the Q and boost the band by approx. 8dB, then highlight the Freq parameter and use the arrow keys to sweep back and forth or hold down the left mouse button + CTRL (or COMMAND on Mac) to increase the mouse resolution and slow the sweep speed, though I'd also add a Looper block and record some audio in order to listen while tweaking. In my opinion, one of the big advantages of using plugins like Q2 and Waves H-EQ is the built-in spectrum analyzer.

Seriously, with 5 bands per PEQ in the Axe, that's a total of 20 bands, not counting the Filter blocks. If you need more than 24 bands to shape your tone, you might consider trying a different IR or, assuming you have an isolated guitar track whose tone you're trying to reproduce, the Tone Match block.
 
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I can’t sweep around for bothersome frequencies the way I would if I were using the Pro Q2 or something.

I see this. To make this functionality simple and easy to use in the AFII, it'd be nice if the sweep and filter shape functionality could be assigned to the ABDC rotary controls. It IS easier to grab knobs and twist when working with equalizers, particularly parametrics.

Come to think of it...why not figure out a way to assign EQ sweep/bandwidth parameters to an expression pedal? That's conceptually really close to what a wah is.

With a little creative programming, the Fractal programming team would probably be able to come up with a way for a user to use expression pedals and controller buttons to quickly set up an EQ patch, band by band, and build the tone with his feet while playing.

Select band 1...exp pedal to center frequency. Select bandwidth...exp pedal to set width. Select band 2...exp pedal to center frequency....rinse and repeat.

Just a few stomps (button) and squishes (pedal) and you've got your EQ set up.

I think that'd be a pretty slick way to set up an EQ.
 
Hey Jason & Woodbutcher65!

How are you guys doing?

Woodbutcher 65: actually very creative idea. I too prefer knobs when doing parametrics, but the expression pedal sounds like a really cool idea. I had a couple of them floating around, but I sold them because I didn’t think I would need them. I will certainly pick one up if there happens to be a way that the team can work out those details you mentioned. That would be a good method and why not?

Jason: No, I definitely don’t need more than 20 bands. My whole point of the thread was just to have a few more bands to do some surgical EQing and/or boosts. I think I’m going to chain two PEQs together today to see what I can come up with. Yes, I would definitely have to loop my audio to accomplish what I need. That’s also what I left out of my post, the ability to have a spectrum analyzer when using a PEQ. For me that visualization, coupled with the sound is a big help. My ears still need training with certain frequencies, so the spectrum is fabulous for me.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this thread. I am very excited to try using two PEQs side-by-side and using the multi band compressor to immitate the Andy Sneap C4 technique. I also have a couple of drive pedals to go into the FX loop, so I’m looking forward to tweaking that.
 
That’s also what I left out of my post, the ability to have a spectrum analyzer when using a PEQ. For me that visualization, coupled with the sound is a big help. My ears still need training with certain frequencies, so the spectrum is fabulous for me.

If you want / need real-time visual feedback, I recommend monitoring the live (looped) signal in your DAW using the RTA from your favorite plugin and make adjustments to the PEQ block as needed, though you can also make adjustments to the live (looped) signal using the plugin's EQ and simply copy the settings over to the PEQ block when you've finished tweaking.
 
Just to point it out, good used 31 band graphic EQs can be had so cheap...I've actually picked up a couple for free, and that's the truth. You can get an Alesis M-EQ 230 off of fleabay for under 50 dollars. No reason NOT to pick one up for experimental purposes if you want one.

For the longest time I was looking at pictures of various prominent guitarist's rigs, back in the 80s, and especially if they had a Bob Bradshaw rack, they'd always have at least two, usually three, 1/3 octave EQs in the rack, and I wondered why. But then a day came when I tried out one of those EQs in my own effects loop, started messing with the sliders, and at that point I stopped wondering why. The light bulb got power!

I've been a dyed in the wool proponent of them ever since. It's the first thing I'll add to a loop, and the last thing I'd remove. Today I use an Alesis DEQ-230 programmable digital unit. I'd like to upgrade to its MIDI capable big brother, the DEQ-830D, at some point. That's REALLY flexible.
 
If you want / need real-time visual feedback, I recommend monitoring the live (looped) signal in your DAW using the RTA from your favorite plugin and make adjustments to the PEQ block as needed, though you can also make adjustments to the live (looped) signal using the plugin's EQ and simply copy the settings over to the PEQ block when you've finished tweaking.
If you want / need real-time visual feedback, I recommend monitoring the live (looped) signal in your DAW using the RTA from your favorite plugin and make adjustments to the PEQ block as needed, though you can also make adjustments to the live (looped) signal using the plugin's EQ and simply copy the settings over to the PEQ block when you've finished tweaking.

Hi Jason,

Thank you for the recommendations. I do have a couple questions though.

In your first suggestion, you mentioned basically looping the tone in my DAW and using my favorite plugin to shape it, then make adjustments to the PEQ block as needed. So, in this suggestion, are you saying to just make the cuts or boosts in the plug-in and then just take those values and enter them into the PEQ block? This actually sounds more like your second suggestion.

Would you mind explaining your first suggestion for me again so I can better understand what you mean? I wasn’t sure if you were suggesting using a preferred PEQ in my DAW simultaneously with the PEQ block. If that were the case I would have no idea how to do that being that I’m new to the AXE FX.
 
Just to point it out, good used 31 band graphic EQs can be had so cheap...I've actually picked up a couple for free, and that's the truth. You can get an Alesis M-EQ 230 off of fleabay for under 50 dollars. No reason NOT to pick one up for experimental purposes if you want one.

For the longest time I was looking at pictures of various prominent guitarist's rigs, back in the 80s, and especially if they had a Bob Bradshaw rack, they'd always have at least two, usually three, 1/3 octave EQs in the rack, and I wondered why. But then a day came when I tried out one of those EQs in my own effects loop, started messing with the sliders, and at that point I stopped wondering why. The light bulb got power!

I've been a dyed in the wool proponent of them ever since. It's the first thing I'll add to a loop, and the last thing I'd remove. Today I use an Alesis DEQ-230 programmable digital unit. I'd like to upgrade to its MIDI capable big brother, the DEQ-830D, at some point. That's REALLY flexible.
I will definitely see if there is a very cheap GEQ tout there hat I can put in my FX loop. The thing is that, to me, software EQs have gotten on par with the hardware versions. Of course with the exception of various EQs that are in the professional realm
 
Hi Jason,

Thank you for the recommendations. I do have a couple questions though.

In your first suggestion, you mentioned basically looping the tone in my DAW and using my favorite plugin to shape it, then make adjustments to the PEQ block as needed. So, in this suggestion, are you saying to just make the cuts or boosts in the plug-in and then just take those values and enter them into the PEQ block? This actually sounds more like your second suggestion.

Would you mind explaining your first suggestion for me again so I can better understand what you mean? I wasn’t sure if you were suggesting using a preferred PEQ in my DAW simultaneously with the PEQ block. If that were the case I would have no idea how to do that being that I’m new to the AXE FX.

I think he was referring to adding a looper block to the signal chain in your Axe-Fx, then using it to record and play back a chunk of playing. That frees up your hands for tweaking the EQ withing Axe-Edit or on the front panel.
 
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