Uneven Breakup? Take a listen

i downloaded your patch and had a quick look. i agree that it doesn't sound particularly nice... the upper harmonic content is a little harsh

i then took a look and noticed that you have a whole bunch of parameters that are way off default. bias up full, compression up full, damp up full, active depth (but depth on zero)...

i think you seriously need to reset the amp back to defaults. i think it's foolish to tweak way beyond normal limits and then wonder why you get results that aren't particularly musical.

i reset the amp and upped the input trim a bit (i have low output pickups) and it sounds much more "natural", with more pleasing harmonic content and a smoother breakup

just my 2p
 
Thanks for the generous replies. I'm thinking it's string buzz, as right now both of my guitars are pretty out of shape and need a tune up. I'm going to do that this week and I'll report back.

As for my settings--I actually posted a version of the patch from the very beginning of some pretty experimental tweaking. Putting aside the compression, which I was just tinkering around with, I actually prefer the bias and damp up full, or at least close to it. I find a lot of the patches in the Axe sound too congested, and that by turning up the bias, for one, it opens it up and lets it breathe a bit more.

But regardless, none of those settings should really amount to the kind of fizzy, scratchy, entirely unnatural breakup you're hearing in my two sound clips. And that further reinforces my belief that it's string buzz.

I'm just surprised b/c my tube amps of yore weren't that sensitive to string buzz--my strings could buzz a bit and I'd still get a reasonably smooth breakup. Perhaps the Axe is just more sensitive...I don't know.
 
guitardoc said:
I am still at my 'regular work' and will not get back to my studio today. But there is a public holiday in my part of Germany tomorrow which gives me the time to record and post it here. Thank you for dealing with this problem, electronpirate.
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Yeah, please post back with a recording. If the issue isn't string buzz then the mystery deepens...
 
It's not string buzz, it's distortion. Like Simeon said, with insane settings you may just get insane results ;)

I checked out the patch. You have some seriously hot pickups...I had to raise the trim a load to get into the same breakup territory as you. I get similar results then. You've got Comp in the amp block at 100%, Dynamics at +50% and an additional -15 - 20 dB reduction with a compressor...full bias, full damping, xfrmr match 0.1...You're not gonna get yer everyday tube amp sound from this!
 
sounds to me like:

the plain strings fizz up a little more.. which is pretty normal especially if you use high treble / presence settings [cos the higher freqs are more excitable]

there's a hint of fret buzz on occasion when you hit the strings quite strongly

you're strings sound old-ish cos the wrapped strings are missing that 'twang' in the high freqs [so there's nothing for the gain to grab hold of]
possibly, your frets may need a little polish to get a nice clean and bright contact with the string <-- just a lil' guess

each string does not produce an equal quantity of high freq energy..
so you will never get uniformity until you head off into dirtier tones
and in fact, even for us hi-gainer types, we generally prefer less drive on the low end to keep it tight and minimise the bloom..

if you want more uniformity, a hint of compressor before the amp may even it out a touch...
but I doubt it'll ever be 100% uniform..

however... look at it another way.. these tonal differences are something you should try to use as a player..
it means that you can play with greater dynamic expression.. dig in and let the plain strings ring out and fizz on the energetic moments..
and back off / hold back during the softer moments...
personally, I don't see this non-uniformity as a problem...
I see it as a thing to exploit
 
Trazan said:
It's not string buzz, it's distortion. Like Simeon said, with insane settings you may just get insane results ;)

I checked out the patch. You have some seriously hot pickups...I had to raise the trim a load to get into the same breakup territory as you. I get similar results then. You've got Comp in the amp block at 100%, Dynamics at +50% and an additional -15 - 20 dB reduction with a compressor...full bias, full damping, xfrmr match 0.1...You're not gonna get yer everyday tube amp sound from this!
Click to expand...

As I said above, the settings were largely experimental, with some exceptions. Ignore the compression, as that was stuck in there on the fly to experiment, but I do like the bias and damping quite high, as it opens the tone up and lets it breathe a lot more. Again, I find many of the presets in the Axe a bit congested and not 'forward' sounding enough.

Regardless, I don't believe that this buzzing is from those settings, because I get it even when they're more standard (i.e. default for a specific patch).

But I'm going to tune up my guitars when I have some time over this week and try at 'er again. If you're right, well, then I'll come back here and eat my own shit.
 
So, I came around to recording a small snippet of a song part that keeps nagging me:



First Part: Zen Master + T808OD -> Plexi Treble (with Ownhammer Beta Cab) with Mid Boost (AC30TB and Cab - see the second part - deleted from the patch)
Second Part: Zen Master + T808OD -> Plexi Treble (with Ownhammer Beta Cab) with Mid Boost and AC30TB (with TB Silver Cab) with Mid Boost in parallel

This patch is meant to be used live. No extreme setting used in the patch, parameters exact or around default values. No parameters touched you would not have access to at real tube amps.

To my taste, the breakup sounds strange. Much too harsh and prematurely ending. The tone still rings but the buzz dies out long before.
When playing the same part using my tube live equipment Roland GP8 overdrive -> JCM900 and AC30TB in parallel with the same guitar (Telecaster with SD Cool Rails PUs) the breakup is much smoother and 'sings' more.

I would really appreciate it someone could have a listen to it. To my ears it does not sound natural.

Thanks in advance.
 
Yeah, I think I hear it. For one, the end up the breakup is abrupt. It doesn't fade as naturally as it should once it gets to a certain point. For another, the actual 'wave' of the breakup is uneven, or put another way, it's too even (I know, I'm sorry). What I mean is, it sounds artificial, not like a natural, fractal bloom.
 
It sounds like the file is clipping but I think that's the actual sound you are getting! There is some digital clipping somewhere in the chain.
 
guitardoc said:
that keeps nagging me
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By listening to that clip I can imagine that. Can't imagine that anyone wants to make the audience endure this. I'm not talking about the breakup though.
Sorry if this sounds harsh. But it's as harsh as that tone.
 
Correct... But why is it? I have no idea. I attached the patch. You can switch off the drive blocks altogether (which makes the sound even harsher), delete one of the parallel amp paths - it still sounds awful. I even tested it with different guitars...
Anyone an idea? By now I get the creeping fear there's something wrong with my AxeFx...
 

Attachments

  • BreakupTest.syx
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yek said:
By listening to that clip I can imagine that. Can't imagine that anyone wants to make the audience endure this. I'm not talking about the breakup though.
Sorry if this sounds harsh. But it's as harsh as that tone.
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i'd say that's pretty harsh.
 
i downloaded the patch. sounded ok. i bypassed both drive blocks and it sounded better. upping the amp drives from 5 to 6 was even better still. it's a bit boxy sounding, but that's personal taste. i certainly didn't hear the horrible breakup you did.

explain more about your setup - how are you amplifying the axe?
 
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