How do you feel about modeling/multi-effects in general?
I wanted to try out the polls feature, and this seemed to be like an appropriate discussion topic. There are many of us now who are using things like GNXs, Line 6s, Boss, Vox and slews of other modelers and multi-effects processors, so here's the question: is it working out for us?
How many can close their eyes and \"believe\" that they're hearing something that's not really there? Certainly there's no better feeling than hearing a crunchy tube amp towering in front of you... unless the sound is coming from a PA speaker driven by a state-of-the-art modeler? Let's find out how everyone feels about this.
How many can close their eyes and \"believe\" that they're hearing something that's not really there? Certainly there's no better feeling than hearing a crunchy tube amp towering in front of you... unless the sound is coming from a PA speaker driven by a state-of-the-art modeler? Let's find out how everyone feels about this.
Comments
As for a standard guitar amp the modelers come close but still sound artificial. There is no modeler out there that I have tried that comes close to the control you have over an uneffected guitar signal like you get with a tube amp, the dynamic range is much wider and the amp reacts to picking technique and guitar volume control in a much wider range than it does with the modelers.
The modelers have their place of course or I would not own 2 of them. But there ain't anything like a good old tube amp for dynamic control over your sound if you have the right amp of course.
Of course I come from the old school when playing live. I go guitar straight into a channel switching amp, no effects, no gizmoes, compressors, or anything. Just a little touch of the spring reverb and that is my setup live.
I definitely feel that, although I'd say majority of the time I'll plug straight into an amp when I'm lazy. Lack of a perfect dynamic range is a small price to pay for an ever-evolving tone, at least for me.
- Ilia
I say that modelers have their place, and I do use them for recording because where I live I can not overdrive the power amp section of my Hot Rod Deluxe. But if I was jamming live or playing live all I would take is the guitar, and the Hot Rod Deluxe, a few cables and a tuner.
I have heard lots of nice things as done by others with modelers in front of amps or PA heads.
But I prefer the simple sound of the guitar straight into an amp, no effects, no gizmoes. Just me, my skill, and the guiitar/amp.
I get real close to a real nice overdrive sound with the GNX2, and the Tonelab has cleans that are amazing for recording. In fact I am thinking of trying the GNX2 without the compressor and gate just to see if I can get near the dynamics of a standard tube amp.
I am not giving up my modelers, but I do think for my live playing in a band or live jam situation, I like the guitar straight into the amp the best. But the amp has to be a channel switching amp with good overdrives.
The GNX3000 has certainly improved over the 4 in that category as well.
I have Guitar Rig, I like my modelers a bunch better, I ain't buying the GNX3000 because I can't access the editor with the standard (Non USB)MIDI connections. I don't think either comes close to the tube sound anyways. They have their place, and I own two of them. I am standing pat until something comes out that I can use.
Those are Poll Result Containment Characters (PRCC).
If I were to record, then I would use a tube amp.
Funny, I do just the opposite, if I play out I use a tube amp guitar straight in, no effects no gizmoes. For recording I use modelers because of my neighborhood, can't have loud noises around here.
I have to confess I use the GNX4 mostly for recording. I own some of the equipment the GNX4 models try to emulate and they get close but don't quite get there. With my style now days I usually wind up with Late Nite or Pat Jazz for presets anyway. Gets close to playing my ES175 through my Fender Twin Tweed or my JC120 or my Polytone. But not Quite.
My personal experience is that when using the GNX4 through an amp I prefer my clean JC120 to run it through other than my tube amps. With the natural distortion of the tubes it throws another factor in to adjust the sound you want. Whereas if you run the GNX4 through a really clean amp (Roland Jazz Chorus, Polytone) you can count on whatever you put into the input of the amp will be an exact match to the output. In other words you can make the outpu of the GNX4 just as nasty as you want and have that nastiness faithfully duplicated instead of being distorted even more by tubes. Just my personal observation.
I also own a 50 watt Marshall half-stack I haven't really let crank in years with my 68 gold top. I'd love to but the neighbors would shoot me.
In my opinion I don't think digital modeling will ever achieve the nuances of a great guitar and a great amp.
On the other hand the GNX4 comes close if you spend the time to play with it. Also having the ability to directly plug in, put on a set of headphones and record multiple tracks is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
No microphones to set up and deal with background noise while recording.
No screaming neighbors, no curiosity gawkers, just the player, the GNX4 and his imagination. Really a great tool that I would replace tomorrow if something happened to it.
My 2 cents,
Tal
Yes that is totally true.
I love modelling units as they give you such a huge range of sounds in a small, inexpensive package. I have never owned a tube amp and never will because i think for the price of a tube amp it isnt worth it, because they only sound good cranked (where in a city can you do that without someone calling the police?) and you only get one sound out of them . I use many effects (in a subtle way though
I really do reckon we should focus on the music though
Digital modeling is more than just a replication of actual sound... wait... no it's not. My bad. :oops:
Any way you do it, music is good. The tools available are amazing. Why not use them all. Music is good. Hmmm... acoustic guitar & simple shakers or acoustic model off your variax & a shaker loop on your laptop? :?
Nothing wrong with the good gear though. Not at all. 8)
A good song is a good song.
Hey your singer can suck ... he just needs the right vocal processor. And you singer probably does or you wouldn't have mentioned it. Have you just tried talking to the poor guy? :P
I had a horrible singer, but no one else would do it and I only cared about my guitar. Then when people heard us, I would expect feedback like \"great solo, or how did you get that sound?\" Instead, all we heard was \"Man that singer sucks!\" Well, yeah, but how was I? \"Oh, sorry, didn't notice your playing.\"
Man, and our singer knew he sucked, but he thought he could get women by doing it. Instead, his voice acted as a repellent. He ended up getting women by telling them that he's a singer.
You are cracking me up with this post I can almost hear the dude now
Man that sounds like another Spinal Tap movie in the making
I used to be in a group like that in high school :? Its wasn't a band it was more like 4 guys doing solo acts at the same time. Man that can really suk after a while, if you dont play together as one sound then the dreaded volume wars will start. ..and the guitarist with the biggest marshall stack always wins... :x
The singer (who usually sux) gets drown out cause we are always broke. and can't afford a decent PA to compete with those 4X cabnets. Then when you get to the gig and can finally hear him you relize WTF :oops: :oops:
Just One.
They hold on to the lightbulb and the rest of the world revolves around them !! :twisted: MMUUUUHahahahahaha! :shock: wait a minute... I usually get stuck with that Job :shock
I, on the other hand enjoy using effects and modeling. Music is a personal thing, and what we play comes from inside us. If we can imagine a tone or sound, shouldn't we be able to create it too. Yesterday at church I selected a Fender Twin amp model and matched to a cabinet with 4 tens. I have to admit when I kicked in the overdrive even I was pleasently surprised. One of the singers said what are we a rock group now. Our music leader said that is the sound we need here and complimented the guitar player. (me) Enough bragging, both arguments are correct. Tradional tone is great, but so is modeling and effects.
Mike B
However, I love the fact that I can dial in any tone, with any effect - from slight reverb to crazy-warped-pitch-shift-heavy-modulation-stereo-delay combinations - using one guitar and a relatively simple, compact floorboard (i.e., GNX). Whereas I can start out with a simple clean or distorted tone dialed in to my liking (like so many others I've never owned a vintage/boutique tube amp so I'm not extremely picky) and go to a complex tone that sounds less and less like a guitar and more as an ambience or pad, playing with a single two- or three-channel amp makes these possibilities far more limited.
When recording, I haven't used an actual amp since 2001. I love to be able to plug in my guitar into an imaginary Marshall stack and run it through a make-believe pedalboard. Or, take my non-existent acoustic and run it through a tweed 2x12 which I don't even know what it looks like... lol you get the idea =] Quickly and easily! the rest will be taken care of in the mix - including the virtual \"vintage\" microphones, their hypothetical placement, and a high-end tube preamp I never had.
Just my 2 cents.
- Ilia