Tips to Get some of the 'Cackle' out of this Tone (w. sound clip)

Miscreant

Miscreant

Inspired
Hi Guys, I've been working on a patch these last few days for my main heavy distortion sound. I'm getting closer, but I'm getting a bit frustrated with this 'cackling' somewhat fizzy sound that is 'riding above' the notes I'm playing. It's especially present when I'm palm muting.

I've included a soundcloud file for you to listen to.

My set up:

Guitar: Viper 407 w. EMG 81-7/707 active pickups

Axe-Fx patch (in the order of blocks): Gate Expander (threshold -40, ratio 2, attack/hold/release all at 1.0ms); Drive block (tube drive, w. drive at 0, clip type hard); Amp block (recto orange modern, eq'd to have low bass, medium mids and slightly high hi's); Cab (two 4x12 rectos, one RW the other OH, and one with an R121, the other with an E609 dynamic); Reverb (very slight, just to add a touch of shine).

My other concern is just that this patch is too compressed sounding, almost coming close to a tinny metalzone, which is very bad. Anyways, I'd like to open it up a bit more, without losing the definition, which is really what I'm going for. A nice tight, defined sound that isn't too tinny and shrill sounding. I do fear that some of my problem is my active EMG's and their more 'hi-fi' sound--which I'm not crazy about anymore. But it's what I have to work with.

Anyways, any tips on how to get rid of the cackle and how in general to improve this tone are much appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Guitar Tone - Heavy Distortion by The Miscreant on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
 
I think I know what you are talking about....funny I actually like the fizzy/crackle. I inadvertently dailed a bit of that out just last night while tweaking on of my presets. I cant remember right off hand what I did...I was pretty simple. I will try to tinker with it later and report back

Would you mind posting the patch? That would make things easier.

Have you tried switching the Grid Modeling off?
 
Thanks for the reply. Here's the patch (I've never uploaded one before, but if all you need to do is upload the .syx file, then here it is).

I brought down the high cut in my amp block significantly; I foolishly had it up to 20 000hz, and it's now down to 6k. That's helped.

Umm, as for the 'crackle'. I'm not sure this is the same thing Cliff referred to as that 'frying bacon' sound that he tried so hard to get with the grid modeling. It might be, but to me it's just this higher frequency--and I'm not sure which it is--that's like...'riding on top' of my tone. This extra fizz/cackly stuff that, especially when I'm palm-muting, does a lot of damage to the clarity and articulation of my tone.

Anyways, here's the patch.
 

Attachments

  • Miscreant - ThickFine Distorti.syx
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Honestly, IMHO I would try messing with the drive block or maybe losing it completely. I feel like I sometimes lose some of the bottem end punch with it engaged. Also, those pickups are going to give you a pretty compressed sound either way I would imagine. Also, some stings dont wont quite as well with actives as they do with passives. I tend to roll off above 12k to get rid of the fizz, it usually sits better in a mix this way and gets rid of that unneeded fizz that kills ears at loud volumes.
 
Yah I am not sure thats going to help either. I have actually never turned that off. Just thought it be an easy thing to try.

Dialing back the highs was my next thought. I am with you on the EMGs possibly adding to the problem and I don't have an EMG loaded guitar so we will see. I certainly cant make any promises but I am up for the challenge....sounds like fun! I will give a go later on this evening.

Oh and for whats I don't hear anything radically wrong with the tone....
 
toolfanem said:
Honestly, IMHO I would try messing with the drive block or maybe losing it completely. I feel like I sometimes lose some of the bottem end punch with it engaged. Also, those pickups are going to give you a pretty compressed sound either way I would imagine. Also, some stings dont wont quite as well with actives as they do with passives. I tend to roll off above 12k to get rid of the fizz, it usually sits better in a mix this way and gets rid of that unneeded fizz that kills ears at loud volumes.
Click to expand...

Yep, I hear ya. The drive block did some nice tightening up in my tone, so I think I'm going to keep it around. But it's also true that it hollows the tone out a bit, and that's part of the problem here.
 
Well man I have been playing around with your patch for a bit now. I am not sure I am going to be much help. The patch (not surprisingly, really) sounds wildly different on my end than it does on your recording. Actually here I wouldn't change much at all...maybe just a couple of small things to taste. Over all on my end it is coming off just like I would expect a Recto to come off. Actually, after thinking about it a bit Recto's do have a kind of fizzy character about them generally IMO.

Comparing the differences of what I hear here with my guitar (PRS single cut) and what I here on your recording.... it seems like the pups with there more HI-FI character and added compression are the major contributor of the things you aren't digging in your patch.......IMO.

Things you might try on your end
1) There is a ton of gain in that patch. That is obliviously what you are going for but between the drive block and the boost it could be a touch much. I found lower the level in the drive block helped a bit.
2) I tried changing the drive to a T808 and pulled the treble down to -3db. I liked this change....this coupled with the level lowered to 8 seemed to take out some crackle.
3) Lowering the definition in the amp block could help. I didn't notice much difference on my end but with your pups you may.
4) I found adding some Damp gave the patch a little more body and that kind of masked some of the fizz.
5) Don't over look the Cab block. I have been really focusing a lot of my energy there lately. That block is huge contributor to over all tone!

Sorry I couldn't be much more help! :(

Thanks for letting me participate!! Its cool to see and discuss with others how they approach their patch building. I would love to hear how it turns out.
 
That part of the sound is an artifact of gain. It's more obvious in some designs than others, and there are eq tricks and all....but you're fighting a lost battle. However, in the mix, it's usually covered up.

**Some people love everything about gain. There are others who only love parts of it, and they are in trouble.
 
yeah i'm thinking that would go away in a mix entirely. could try in the cab block the high cut, and power amp high frequency.
 
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