First Thing To Do When You Think It Doesn't Sound Good

[TSJMajesty]

So I'm watching a recent John Petrucci rig rundown in which he plays through some of his tones on stage, so you hear that 'ambient' part of the sound as well as his true tone, and well, gosh darn it sounds absolutely GLORIOUS!

So I go back to playing and think, What IS it that would make my tone sound like that. Then I say F-It, and turn it up. (A mildly-tweaked JP Rig 2023 preset in the Axe III)
That's all it took!

I know it shouldn't surprise me any more, but it did. And holy shit-balls Batman, does it sound AMAZING!!

Toobz? We don need no steenking toobz!

 

[Stone]

So I'm watching a recent John Petrucci rig rundown in which he plays through some of his tones on stage, so you hear that 'ambient' part of the sound as well as his true tone, and well, gosh darn it sounds absolutely GLORIOUS!

So I go back to playing and think, What IS it that would make my tone sound like that. Then I say F-It, and turn it up. (A mildly-tweaked JP Rig 2023 preset in the Axe III)
That's all it took!

I know it shouldn't surprise me any more, but it did. And holy shit-balls Batman, does it sound AMAZING!!

Toobz? We don need no steenking toobz!

Yes, unfortunately there is no substitute for db's

 

[la szum]

Yup! I think it is like engines and racing in any form. There is no replacement for displacement.

Have to push a lot of air to get HP and also to get dBs.

That said, if it is too loud for too long my ears get thrashed and then EVERYTHING sounds like
ass again.

 

[norminal]

Fletcher Munson is a real dick.

 

[laxu]

Yes, unfortunately there is no substitute for db's

Yeah doesn't matter if it's headphones, full range speakers, guitar cabs...louder sounds better.

It took me years to realize this in the context that I didn't really care about e.g powertube distortion, I cared about having enough volume to make it sound satisfying. My evaluation is that with real guitar cabs you need about 90 dB @ 1m to have a typical tube amp start sounding great. With studio monitors that can be lower because you are listening close up.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I brought a new Mesa Road King head + matching 4x12 cab home for a few days back in the 2000's, and even though I returned it, I remember that distinct sound, that mid-range "bark" it had that no other amp I'd used up until that point had.

Well again this morning I turned up the Axe III very loud, and Holy Fuck man, it was THERE in spades! Maybe I've just never used this particular JP2C+ Yellow-based preset this loud before, but fuck me!! I've never yet heard the AF3 sound this amazing!

I did add an 8-band GEQ in the amp block and turned on the Input Boost, TS808 version, with the boost maxed, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. This thing just keeps surprising me!!

 

[ragingplatypi]

Yeah, every speaker has its sweet spot.

I think the future for me is matching my practice amp with my gigging amp with my IEMs so I’m doing minimal adjustments between all of them.

 

[Bob Zaod]

Yeah doesn't matter if it's headphones, full range speakers, guitar cabs...louder sounds better.

It took me years to realize this in the context that I didn't really care about e.g powertube distortion, I cared about having enough volume to make it sound satisfying. My evaluation is that with real guitar cabs you need about 90 dB @ 1m to have a typical tube amp start sounding great. With studio monitors that can be lower because you are listening close up.

Yep! My "a-ha" moment with volume was a POD XT Live (Treadplate amp) through a 3,000w PA system (giant subs included) in my rehearsal room. I literally almost creamed my jeans at the sheer glory of it at around 110db.

 

[Piing]

That is a problem when you are tweaking the EQ. Quite often you are not actually improving the tone, but increasing dB. So you have to step back, proportionally reduce the EQ output, and compare with what you had before.

It also happens with all these Mastering plugins. Izotope Ozone 10 has a useful "Gain Match" button. With the button disengaged, most presets are a WOW!! but when comparing the bypassed with the processed tone at equal level, the differences can be very subtle.

A while ago someone put on Cliff's wishlist that "Gain Match" feature at the EQ, to proportionally balance the level as you tweak the bands.

 

[Piing]

Fletcher Munson is a real dick.

It is two dicks, actually. One for Fletcher and one for Munson. But apparently, the one with drinking issues was Munson

Fletcher and Munson are dicks

So . . . I recently broke out my MIJ Wolfgang Standard after about a year of not touching it. I've been in a bit of a strat kick lately so it wasn't getting any love. I dropped on an Eddie approved set of 9s tuned her down to Eb and started looking for Eddie tones from the first few albums. I...

forum.fractalaudio.com

 

[State of Epicicity]

It is two dicks, actually. One for Fletcher and one for Munson. But apparently, the one with drinking issues was Munson

Fletcher and Munson are dicks

So . . . I recently broke out my MIJ Wolfgang Standard after about a year of not touching it. I've been in a bit of a strat kick lately so it wasn't getting any love. I dropped on an Eddie approved set of 9s tuned her down to Eb and started looking for Eddie tones from the first few albums. I...

forum.fractalaudio.com

No emoji could express what that gif makes me feel.

 

[Baba]

The first thing I do when I think it doesn't sound good, is buy a new piece of gear, lol.

All kidding aside, you're right, volume makes everything better.

 

[Eagle]

IME if you can’t easily get a sound out a piece of equipment you never will.

 

[fretworn]

The mixing experience with the TGF challenges are teaching me the listen for very specific problems. Ie dynamics and EQ.

When selecting amp models, I’m also listening for particular gain and distortion characteristics, and how it sits in the mix.

The volume thing is real, though… As guitar players, we know what a soaring amp sounds like.

 

[mbenigni]

Oldest trick in the book.

 

[FuzzyAce]

The volume thing is real, though… As guitar players, we know what a soaring amp sounds like.

Yep. That very first time you play a bigger venue or outdoor gig, you realize then that "so this is what it's all about!" A totally different beast, but a glorious beast to ride.

 

[dronerstone]

I make photos of the settings or save them as a preset, and then set things fairly clean and flat, as good as I can, to kinda "start from scratch".