Do you bother trying to get sims to sound like what they are "supposed" to be?

[Mark Wein]

I've found myself ignoring the idea that a particular model is supposed to be a Bassman or AC30 or whatever and just turning knobs on my PodXT or picking models in GTR3 or Eleven without paying attention to the name of the patch. I've found that I end up happier with whatever the result is instead of chasing an "ideal" Vox or Marshall tone...

 

How do you look at it?

[EdgeOfDarkness]

I do the same thing, I could care less if a model sounds like the amp it is suppose to be modeled after.

As long as it sounds good i am good to go.

[Mark Wein]

I used to be fairly uptight about the modeling thing. I own or have owned much of what gets modeled and I never felt like the models really did the original amps justice. The technology improves constantly (I'm still not sold on using them for gigs, though) but as soon as I gave up the idea that a '59 Bassman model was supposed to sound like a '59 Bassman it kind of freed me up to be more creative with the software.

[CGord]

I pick them based on the amount of gain I want, and have narrowed it down to just a couple that I always use. Sometimes I go fart around with something different for a bit, but I always gravitate back to the standbys.

[Agreed]

Totally depends on the sim. Some of them sound so close that trying to get it any other way is going against the grain pretty heavily. But some are flexible and can sound great despite not sounding like the ostensible inspiration.

 

And some are a waste of time

[Pankot]

 

I do the same thing, I could care less if a model sounds like the amp it is suppose to be modeled after. As long as it sounds good i am good to go.

 

 

Really this should be /thread.

 

I liked the magicstomp partly for this reason - it's preamp models were just "clean 1", "clean 2", "lead 1", etc... so you couldn't get hung up on model accuracy.

[girevik]

I'm gravitating towards a pedalboard oriented electric guitar sound, with my dirty sounds (fuzz, OD) in pedals, so I just look for the Fender Twin model. If it's got a good clean sound, that's all that matters to me - I don't really care if it sounds and behaves exactly like a vintage blackface Twin.

[Anderton]

I too just tweak until it sounds good and fits in the track. The model names put me in the ballpark, though.

 

The ChromeTone from McDSP is a good example of an amp sim that doesn't sound like anything in particular, they just created what THEY thought was a really good amp sound. And it is!

[Agreed]

There are some others like that too - Ken McLaren, the programmer behind AcmeBarGig Software has made a number of sims which aren't modeling AN amp, but model what an amp does and give you the power to tweak it to your tastes. One of my favorite amp sims is DIG 2.0, soon to be DIG 2.5 - I helped him test and tweak it all the way from inception to where it is now, so while I wasn't the only tester some of my ideas did make it into the final sim. You get a lot of control over various things that allow you to make the amp sound into whatever you want it to be.

 

I'd recommend you guys check his stuff out, it's all free and he has some really cool plugins.

 

If you're interested in more free modeling software, etc., check out www.guitarampmodeling.com - great community with a lot of nice folks and some extremely competent programmers. As far as talented free software makers go Ken, Aradaz (of _____ Amp fame - Green Amp, Red Amp, White Amp, Crunch Amp, etc., and the maker of the excellent OUR Cabinet Sim) and LePou (who has modded all of the SimulAnalog plugins for increased functionality and features, and the man behind the astoundingly high-quality SoloC Soldano sim, now in its second version with a sound that will knock your socks off) call it home, while Nick Crow (Wagner, Wagner II, 7170 and 8505 high-gain amps that slay) posts there quite often too.

[germanicus2112]

I really dont care if a model sounds just like what it is modelling, that goes for amp, effects, or guitar modelling such as variax or vg99.

 

I like modelling because its just a wider array of tonal tools at my disposal.

 

I dont think listeners ever care or even focus on what type of instrument/amp/effect the music is employing. They care about the general tonality and musical content.

 

Branding is really only the concern of the musician in most cases, not the listener.

[germs]

Studio: I use it as a starting point. I usually thing that "Brand X" should go here for this sound, and it may work, may not. But yeah, for the most part, it sounds good enough. It has the tonal qualities I'm looking for in that application.

 

Live: I don't worry about it too much. I just try to find the best sounding ones, and use them as much as possible, while trying at the same time to not make everything sound the same. I know the audience won't notice, but it keeps things interesting for me. Satisfies my inner tweaker. Besides, it all goes through the same cab right now anyway, so I don't worry too much if it doesn't meet the standard "cab" emulation. I turn those off when live. Hell, I've got separate banks for that.

[IamBurnout]

 

I've found myself ignoring the idea that a particular model is supposed to be a Bassman or AC30 or whatever and just turning knobs on my PodXT or picking models in GTR3 or Eleven without paying attention to the name of the patch. I've found that I end up happier with whatever the result is instead of chasing an "ideal" Vox or Marshall tone... How do you look at it?

 

 

That line of thinking was why I shied away from modelling technology when it came out.

 

I've always figured that if I wanted a Plexi, that's what I'd be using.

 

Higher tech gear is capable of so much more than that.

[girevik]

There are some others like that too - Ken McLaren, the programmer behind AcmeBarGig Software has made a number of sims which aren't modeling AN amp, but model what an amp does and give you the power to tweak it to your tastes. One of my favorite amp sims is DIG 2.0, soon to be DIG 2.5 - I helped him test and tweak it all the way from inception to where it is now, so while I wasn't the only tester some of my ideas did make it into the final sim. You get a lot of control over various things that allow you to make the amp sound into whatever you want it to be. I'd recommend you guys check his stuff out, it's all free and he has some really cool plugins. If you're interested in more free modeling software, etc., check out www.guitarampmodeling.com - great community with a lot of nice folks and some extremely competent programmers. As far as talented free software makers go Ken, Aradaz (of _____ Amp fame - Green Amp, Red Amp, White Amp, Crunch Amp, etc., and the maker of the excellent OUR Cabinet Sim) and LePou (who has modded all of the SimulAnalog plugins for increased functionality and features, and the man behind the astoundingly high-quality SoloC Soldano sim, now in its second version with a sound that will knock your socks off) call it home, while Nick Crow (Wagner, Wagner II, 7170 and 8505 high-gain amps that slay) posts there quite often too.

 

Interesting stuff! I'll check these out, especially the Twin-like models and compare to what I got with Logic Studio. I'll be primarily looking for what will serve as a good pedal platform.

[aliensporebomb]

I've heard reports that the internal presets of the VG99 are basically designed to sound great in a showroom but guys like Bill Ruppert went and redid all their own patches.

 

Now his version of a Fender Twin really sounds like a strat thru a twin.

 

I can't even program the box yet so I need to walk before I can run.

 

So I'll mess with the presets first.

[Gigmaster]

I don't have to. I use a Johnson J-Station. There is nothing on the planet that sounds better.

 

The only other processor I use onstage is my Digitech Vocalist Live 4, for vocal harmony.

 

I stay working solid.

 

 

I've found myself ignoring the idea that a particular model is supposed to be a Bassman or AC30 or whatever and just turning knobs on my PodXT or picking models in GTR3 or Eleven without paying attention to the name of the patch. I've found that I end up happier with whatever the result is instead of chasing an "ideal" Vox or Marshall tone... How do you look at it?

 

[HKSblade1]

That's what I thought too. J station has that I'll slice this mix vibe better than some of the other gear and I got mine for $80 on fleabay! I think the problem with modeling devices are the users dime or near dime the gain and expect dynamics.

[cincy_cosmo]

I never care about the dead on authenticity of my GT-10. I just want it to sound good in a mix.