Who's using two amps in a patch?

LOVING preset "223 Rackmount Preamps X2" on my Luke II for a somewhat Beckish soloing vibe (The Pump, Cause we've ended as lovers, ...)
 
Secret80'sMan said:
Clarky, care to share the patch so we can examine how you are laying things out? I think it would be a useful exercise.

PS: Some tasty licks at 1:30 bro, followed by some wicked speed licks. Nice stuff!!!!!!
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hey dude... having a bit of grief with Axe-Edit right now...
I'll share the preset when I think it's working...
basically Axe-Edit keeps defaulting my amps to bassguy when I try to save to the preset folder...
jeez... it's doing my brain in...

glad you're liking what you're hearing though...

if you go here:
ForumAxe-Fx IIAxe-Fx II Preset Exchange Axe2 Preset building
page 15 / post 293 you can pick up an earlier version of the preset..
it's a little less refined and I'm using the 5150 rather than the 5153Red..
the whole thread [which is a bit on the long side] goes through my whole config, the decisions made and why..
also, the things I tried that didn't work as planned and how I overcame the them...
when I've figured out wtf Axe-Edit is playing at I'll post the latest version...
 
RonnR said:
Could you help me understand whats going on in your clip☺ What was the change at 0:48? Is that the same preset as leading up to it, only then switching to solo lines?
Also the change at 1:38 (or around there) going into an almost Eric Johnson sound. From your post edit I feel you are saying this is all one preset. Is this just a volume change thats cleaning it up? Wow
Sure would love to study this preset if you would be willing to share.
Thanks
Click to expand...

the clip is a single preset
I configure two principle 'modes' in my presets riff [or clean] mode and soloing mode
EXS1 [modifier extern5] switches between riff mode and soloing mode

another key feature of my presets is 'tone morphing'
usually I morph clean<- ->dirty, but I also have other variations [synth-ish pad<- ->riff / clean, and crunch with phased delay<- ->riff]
EXP1 [modifier extern1] is used for morphing

to get from dirty to clean the following happens:
- amp drive reduces
- input trim reduces
- a mixer fades out the tone from the amp and fades in the amp tones via a PEQ which boosts the lows and highs
- the reverb / a pitch shifter [chorusing] are introduced via a mixer
- compressor mix changes from 0 to 100%
- the master level of mixer1 reduces

this means that when the tone cleans, the PEQ and compressor prevent the tone from 'thinning', the pitch shifter adds a little sparkle and the reverb adds ambience

when switching to soloing mode the following happens:
- amp2 is muted
- amp1 pans centre
- the pitch shifter is added via the mixer block to maintain the stereo spread
- the reverb strengthens
- the delay un-bypasses
- the volume block becomes active [providing a large boost for additional gain, but the volume control is assigned to the EXP1 to killer this off when cleaning the soloing tone]

the effect I'm trying to create here is like turning down the guitar to clean up, whilst putting back all the tonal 'things' that go missing, and then doing a little tonal sweetening..
 
I use 2 amps in most patches, mixed to mono for live use. Usually the same or similar amp models, one quite clean and low level, the other the main sound with overdrive. Adds a bit of clarity and definition IMHO.
 
RonnR said:
Could you help me understand whats going on in your clip☺ What was the change at 0:48? Is that the same preset as leading up to it, only then switching to solo lines?
Also the change at 1:38 (or around there) going into an almost Eric Johnson sound.
Thanks
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ahhh... forgot to explain the audio clip..

from the start:
EXS1 = off [riff mode]
EXP1 = heel down [cleaned]
bridge pup

from 0:08 to 0:12, EXP1 is gradually increased to toe down

at 0:47
EXS1 = on [solo mode]

at 1:32
EXP1 = heel down [cleans the soloing tone]

at 1:38 switched to neck pup

at 1:54 [still on neck pup]
EXP1 = toe down [dirty soloing tone on the neck pup]

at 2:05
EXP1 = heel down [still soloing tone on the neck pup]

at 2:35 switched to bridge pup

at 2:33
EXP1 = toe down [soloing tone on the bridge pup]

at 3:07
EXS1 = off [riff tone]
EXP1 = heel down [clean]
guitar switches to neck pup

what you are hearing are:
seemless transitions from riff to solo and back [reverbs / delays are not interfered with by the tone changes so they continue to sound]
the riffing tone is the 5153Red
and VH4
dirty and cleaned
the 'cleaned' riff mode tone is - surprisingly - the same two high gain amps cleaned

I think the surprising thing is how well these two hi-gain amps clean up..​
 
I use two amps in most of the patches. One totally clean and one dirty. No panning. I have set the levels of both amp to one EXP pedal so I can morph between clean and dirty. Or use the middle position of the pedal to have both at the same time.
 
clarky said:
I think the surprising thing is how well these two hi-gain amps clean up..
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From listening to the rttsolo1st2 clip-"Surprising"- is a very understated discription, Its amost unbelievable how they clean up.
Thank you so much for takeing time to explaining this, and for sharing.
 
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Never assume anything! :)

When you run two, they're in normal resolution mode, so use half the CPU of high resolution mode, which is normal for a single amp.
 
simeon said:
Actually no difference in CPU if you use one or two.
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no, but small difference. second amp block costs you 3-4%. I also checked differences in sound quality using one or two amp blocks. The differences are that small, i do not hear them really ... so ... thumps up for the "choice of four Amps by IA" in one preset w/o noticable costs ... ;) Love it!
 
sprint said:
Really! I always just assumed 2 Amps would suck CPU - Thanks for the heads up.
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Because GEN2 has two processors and one of them dedicated ONLY for the Amp Blocks .... CPU differences are minimal (3 to 4 percent) and the quality differences beetween high (2 AMP blocks) or low resolution (one AMP block) are hard to hear ... No brainer .... ;)
 
I always wondered if you took one amp that handles the bottom end a lot better do a huge low pass and then take a nice high end sounding amp and do a high pass, pan it all to the center and you got blended amps. Don't own an axefx yet so I don't know.
 
clarky said:
out of curiosity, did anyone manage to get my preset working? or was it corrupted?
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The rffsolo1st2a, got me going. I went ahead and set up my FCB1010 so I could try with controllers. The modifier reset you did got sounds happening, but the volume levels between
riff and clean are extreme. Way off from your clip. I think 307 may have made more changes to your preset. I'll look closer tomorrow. Sure have learned alot working thru all this..
Thanks Again
 
I'll go and check to see if parameter values themselves have been altered...
the clean though is quite a bit softer than the dirty..

EDIT: just had a thought....
I have pretty high output pups... and I tickle the reds on the hot side of tickling...
that'll keep the level higher when you clean up the tone..

my I/O input level is 70 something

try turning up your input level and see if it makes a difference

also.. when the tone is cleaned [especially when you're using the neck pup] it's real easy to distort the tone by playing hard..
so when you clean up, soften your picking technique..
when I play soft I relax my grip on the pick a little and pick a little further down the string / away from the bridge..
to get a real soft / warm tone try picking over the neck pup and even over the 24th fret...
actually I even use picking strength and location when I'm playing with hi-gain to provide a little tonal variety..
it's like having a tone control in your hands..
 
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You could take an amp you like the low end of and an amp you like the high end of, do some calculated cutting on each. Might create some result.
 
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