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Do you use amp modellers in the studio?


papa taco

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Posted

I was messing around with some of the internal amp models on my roland vs1680 and got some pretty nice tones with running a "plexi" fairly clean in stereo with a "tweed twin." I think a part of it was my guitar signal went through an external tube mic/instrument preamp before hitting the Roland. It wasn't quite as nice as recording an amp, but it was way easier. My fulltone 70 fuzz sounded good through the modelled amp rig too.

 

I'm now considering getting a better quality modeller like a Vox tonelab.

 

I had a POD 2.0 years ago but recording it always presented some weird midrange frequency that occurred on every model in it. I just couldn't dial it out.

 

taco

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Posted

I do session work, and a lot of the guys I played for wanted modellers. the Line 6 stuff was fairly popular, as far as modelling amps go.

 

I hated it though -- I like the lo-fi feel of a real Marshall amp and we wound up with a compromise -- we did a buffered Y split and one signal went to the Marshall I had wth me in the booth, and the other went to the modeller straight to the board, with a condenser in the booth with me.

 

If you are looking for a modelling amp, check out the old (red) spider series. Apparently, the old ones ran the same CPU as the more expensive lines and you can get them cheap. The models are limited (5 or six amp types, with only 3 or 4 being useable) and the effects are too limited, but for about $200 bones...

 

 

c

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Posted

Amp modelers are excellent for recording. Real amps have more potential for a number of applications, but the equipment and expertise necessary to exploit it beyond what you can get from a modeler is expensive and hard to come by.

 

It's far from "studio" quality, but everything here was recorded direct with amp modelers.

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Posted

I don't know if I'd use a modeller for ALL guitar tracks, but I could see myself using them here and there for something different but complimentary to my hayseed or my blue angel. And they are so quick to set up and go if I have an idea that will escape me by the time I get a mic properly positioned etc etc.

 

I tried a Tonelab and POD XT back to back a year or so back (through headphones) and was very impressed with the Tonelab. The POD sounded nice and I thought it sounded better than my old 2.0 but then I tried the Tonelab and it was like holy crap...this sounds a LOT nicer than the POD. For what I was looking for anyway, which is clean to medium gain. For high gain, I prefer a fuzz pedal.

Posted

Occasionally. I generally prefer a real tube amp, in a real room, mic'ed up with real microphones... but I do have a few modellers and amp sim plug-ins (Pod XT is probably my favorite) and they are useful sometimes for additional "colors" and layers. Of course, they also come in handy for vocals and drums too... :)

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Posted

Occasionally. I generally prefer a real tube amp, in a real room, mic'ed up with real microphones... but I do have a few modellers and amp sim plug-ins (Pod XT is probably my favorite) and they are useful sometimes for additional "colors" and layers. Of course, they also come in handy for vocals and drums too...
:)

 

 

Have you ever tried the tonelab?

Posted

 

Have you ever tried the tonelab?

 

 

Yes sir... and it's possibly even better than the L6... Sorry for any confusion - I was referring to my favorite modeller that I personally own. But I do like the Pod XT too.

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Posted

 

Yes sir... and it's possibly even better than the L6... Sorry for any confusion - I was referring to my favorite modeller that I personally own. But I do like the Pod XT too.

 

 

Thanks. Another question.

 

But first, are you experienced? Have you ever been experienced? Well I have.

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I've been doing a recording project using my Zoom G9.2tt direct into ProTools and have been very happy with the results. About a week ago I bought an M-Audio Black Box. I mostly got it for the arpeggiator and beat-synched effects, but I'm looking forward to trying out the amp models for recording.

I've heard good things about them.

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Posted

I have a POD XT, but I prefer using my SansAmp GT2: quicker to dial in a tone and sounds more organic. In fact the POD will probably be for sale soon...

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Posted

Occasionally. I generally prefer a real tube amp, in a real room, mic'ed up with real microphones... but I do have a few modellers and amp sim plug-ins (Pod XT is probably my favorite) and they are useful sometimes for additional "colors" and layers. Of course, they also come in handy for vocals and drums too...
:)

 

 

Hey Phil, is that the trend in the studios in your area, or are you in the minority as far as amp use goes?

 

 

The majority of studios I've worked in (South East, US) seem to prefer modellers, though it may have been because the producers requested modellers. I personally hate modellers (well, maybe hate is too strong, but...) though I'm willing to use whatever they put in front of me.

 

To me, guitar music seem to sterile out of a modeller -- I want the uncertainty of a tube amp and the happy accidents we often get with mic placement.

 

 

c

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Posted

As for a beginning recording idiot like myself, it's easier for me to get a good tone using an amp, mics, and a preamp than it is trying to go direct with my POD XT. There are some nice things the POD does better (bass comes to mind), but in general I get closer to a sound I can be proud of doing it the old fashioned way.

 

It's hella more expensive, though...

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