Struggling with dynamic and punchy cleans

[dwmichaels]

You can keep the videos of that.

hahahahahahahahaha....nice.

 

[biskitboy]

Just wanted to thank those on this thread that provided insight into the amp dynamics and output compression settings. Honestly, I’ve never used these or any advanced amp settings but decided to have my son play some cleans (triptik) through our CLR setup. I’m absolutely in shock that we’ve never twiddled with these settings before.

The output compressor seemed to have the opposite effect from what I was imagining it would do in my head. My son and I were really floored by this. I hate to say “amp in the room”, but honestly it feels like changing these gives it that same punch we get with our Mesa.

If you haven’t tried playing with these settings before, you should try it…

 

[Randy4Guitars]

Thanks but I'm going with Man Vagina

TURN THAT THING UP!?!?

 

[chris]

Just wanted to thank those on this thread that provided insight into the amp dynamics and output compression settings. Honestly, I’ve never used these or any advanced amp settings but decided to have my son play some cleans (triptik) through our CLR setup. I’m absolutely in shock that we’ve never twiddled with these settings before.

The output compressor seemed to have the opposite effect from what I was imagining it would do in my head. My son and I were really floored by this. I hate to say “amp in the room”, but honestly it feels like changing these gives it that same punch we get with our Mesa.

If you haven’t tried playing with these settings before, you should try it…

yup. compression can make things punchier of course, and when it's set correctly, it leaves the quiet playing alone while giving that bit of squish to harder playing (where ever you set that threshold). that squish is what can make an amp feel more alive and "responsive."

it's almost like the LOG setting for the expression pedals. you can obviously still turn all the way down as a volume pedal, but more action happens up higher.

 

[ezvictor]

That's why I always stick Multi-Band Compression as the last effect in my chain, to emulate that result for live playing. I haven't tried the compressor built into the amp model yet. Maybe that will be equivalent and save some CPU.

How do you set the MBC?
That's a block I haven't tweaked with yet. Maybe you could get me started. I use the axe fx for live purposes almost exclusively and I run frfr.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[6stringscott]

Default settings on MBC are a good place to start, will often be favorable in A/B comparison. If you really want to emphasize the texture of your fingerprints across the strings in quiet sections, you can turn up the level on each of the 3 frequency sections (I think this is how much the signal is jacked up before the actual compression) or play around with just doing more on the higher band to get the scraping sound. It seems like more is better until it's not Too much will take away the life from your playing, make it on/off with a harsh attack like an analog synth with no touch sensitivity. Compression ratio- I think 2-4 is the meat and potatoes range, more on the low end for classic rock less distortion stuff, but you can do less to be subtle, or experiment with more for specific intentions (maybe slappy bass sound?). I haven't played too much with changing frequencies that divide the three bands. I think this can get interesting to change the articulation and clarity/pop-out ness of the middle strings vs lower strings when doing clean strat and tele sounds.

Overall, for me it's a compromise between making your sounds pop out more, without killing the realness and dynamic range and front-end variations in note articulation.

 

[6stringscott]

Should clarify my last post... I meant less compression on 60s/70s classic rock raw distortion sounds.

Also experiment with higher levels in each of three bands but low compression ratio. You have the three bands to work with independently, but honestly I haven't really exploited using them very independently.

 

[barhrecords]

How do you set the MBC?
That's a block I haven't tweaked with yet. Maybe you could get me started. I use the axe fx for live purposes almost exclusively and I run frfr.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Electric guitar in a mix is all about the midrange.

Lower the level of the low and high bands and boost the level of the mid band.

 

[ezvictor]

You guys putting this at the end of your chain? Post amp & cab? Seems to decongest some of my troublesome lows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[6stringscott]

For me, it's very last item in the chain.

 

[Rotti]

Look, if you've got a man'gina, for the love of gawd, DON'T increase the sag!

 

[Lionheart]

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

And further, the OP never did show back up either.

 

[happycritter]

And further, the OP never did show back up either.

Well, he was struggling with dynamic and punchy cleans...Perhaps they won?

 

[sullysnet]

I'm curious if any of these settings will help with more rounded clean tones. My cleans seem to get lost in the mix and sound thin when compared to a real tube amp. I've compared the two and there is some more solid to my Fender Twin clean or my Mesa Tremoverb clean. The cleans tone wise sound nice but I am talking that roundness that you get only from either a real amp or a non FRFR speaker. There are so many suggestions here I am not sure where to begin for my needs.

thanks!!!

 

[RoshRoslin]

I'm curious if any of these settings will help with more rounded clean tones. My cleans seem to get lost in the mix and sound thin when compared to a real tube amp. I've compared the two and there is some more solid to my Fender Twin clean or my Mesa Tremoverb clean. The cleans tone wise sound nice but I am talking that roundness that you get only from either a real amp or a non FRFR speaker. There are so many suggestions here I am not sure where to begin for my needs.

thanks!!!

If you want the same sound as a regular combo amp you have to use a power amp and speaker.

The #1 mistake I see consistently is people trying to compare FRFR and regular amp/speaker tones. They're not the same.

 

[chris]

If you want the same sound as a regular combo amp you have to use a power amp and speaker.

The #1 mistake I see consistently is people trying to compare FRFR and regular amp/speaker tones. They're not the same.

i agree. remember, the Axe was developed to create the sound of a mic on a speaker... through another speaker. this is what you'd hear as an audience member in front of a PA system, or in the control room of a studio on monitors.

if you need/want the sound of a guitar cab straight to your ears, it's probably best to use a guitar cab, and the Axe completely supports that option as well. if you're drawing a picture and want it to look like a chalk drawing, don't use paint and ask paint manufacturers to make paint look more like chalk use chalk!

however, many Axe users either prefer or have gotten used to the mic-on-cab sound. i definitely do, as i want to hear exactly what my audience is hearing, or at least as close as possible. the typical rebuttal is "that's the sound guy's job," but either i'm usually the sound guy anyway, or our "sound guy" is someone who plays angry birds on his phone during the gig. even the most talented and charismatic band will appear to be horrible if the sound isn't good, so i do what i can to keep that under control.

 

[lqdsnddist]

however, many Axe users either prefer or have gotten used to the mic-on-cab sound. i definitely do, as i want to hear exactly what my audience is hearing, or at least as close as possible. the typical rebuttal is "that's the sound guy's job," but either i'm usually the sound guy anyway, or our "sound guy" is someone who plays angry birds on his phone during the gig. even the most talented and charismatic band will appear to be horrible if the sound isn't good, so i do what i can to keep that under control.

Not only that, its the sound your guitar/amp makes on the album, or mp3 et al

I always wonder if the "amp in room" guys ever record/plan to record, or if their way of sharing their music is just to give everyone their home address and to come over and hear their amazing amp tone inside their room LOL

 

[sullysnet]

thanks I have tried the real cab thing and I thought it was extremely thin and nothing like my real amp head and cabinet combo. I guess I am of the thinking real amp/real cabinet axefx/FRFR. I like the sound that is not the issue I need to make it
a bit more solid sounding and not as thin. I did try the dynamics in the amp block and I think that helped a bit on one patch but I haven't really experimented on any of the other clean patches. At some point I think I will be able to get it close.

 

[unix-guy]

thanks I have tried the real cab thing and I thought it was extremely thin and nothing like my real amp head and cabinet combo. I guess I am of the thinking real amp/real cabinet axefx/FRFR. I like the sound that is not the issue I need to make it
a bit more solid sounding and not as thin. I did try the dynamics in the amp block and I think that helped a bit on one patch but I haven't really experimented on any of the other clean patches. At some point I think I will be able to get it close.

Did you turn off cabinet modeling when using a real cab?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk