Nothing ever sounds like what you hear

[Stone]

So while there is a whole community out there sharing presets/patches whatever one calls it
every time I download a patch it never ever sounds even close to what I hear on the demo, so i end up creating a new ones myself using some elements of the patch till it sounds good to me

 

[tekbow]

Nope, just like what you hear on a record isn't what's happening in the room.

I'm betting IRs play a big part.

 

[Piing]

Nope, just like what you hear on a record isn't what's happening in the room.

I'm betting IRs play a big part.

But if you are listening through studio "FRFR" reference monitors, the IRs and the room are not part of the equation. You are listening both the demo and your playing through the same system.

Anyway, a while ago someone was complaining that Mr. Leon Todd presets for the Axe-FX on YouTube did not sound the same at his system, even though he was using the same guitar. So Leon shared the raw direct-recording of his guitar for reamping, and that person realized that the sound was exactly the same as what he heard on YouTube. Conclusion: the difference was on the player, not on the preset or the gear.

Edit: it cannot be only the player. It must also be his hair style

 

[Stone]

I think that no matter what, the tone has to be in your environment, anything you hear on youtube will never sound the same, same goes amps, speakers, guitars, pickups, pedals, they can only give you a rudimentary rough idea

 

[James Freeman]

I can think of several variables that matter a lot and not included in the patch/preset.

1. Audio Interface (if not created on a specific hardware modeler).
2. Guitar.
3. Fingers.
4. Post processing of the demo.

 

[Stone]

the difference was on the player

yes that's a big factor for sure , but for someone who knows how to play the song or the riff then what's the factor then ? environment i.e. your acoustic space, the type of "FRFR" or cab and the type of pickups etc

 

[tekbow]

But if you are listening through studio "FRFR" reference monitors, the IRs and the room are not part of the equation. You are listening both the demo and your playing through the same system.

Anyway, a while ago someone was complaining that Mr. Leon Todd presets for the Axe-FX on YouTube did not sound the same at his system, even though he was using the same guitar. So Leon shared the raw recording of his guitars, for reamping, and that person realized that the sound was exactly the same as what he heard on YouTube. Conclusion: the difference was on the player, not on the preset or the gear.

The IRs can be part of the equation if you're not using the same IRs the preset was created with.

Having the same guitar doesn't eliminate that variable either. Pickups are important, and even the same model of guitar can vary wildly.

And yep, the player is important too.

So this is the digital equivalent of replicating a players physical rig and still not sounding like them? At least it's cheaper

 

[Piing]

The IRs can be part of the equation if you're not using the same IRs the preset was created with.

Having the same guitar doesn't eliminate that variable either. Pickups are important, and even the same model of guitar can vary wildly.

And yep, the player is important too.

So this is the digital equivalent of replicating a players physical rig and still not sounding like them? At least it's cheaper

There is a special hell waiting for those who share presets without the correspondent IR

 

[Stone]

IE i wanted to cover War pigs so i tried a few presets out there and well they all sounded very different from what was heard on YouTube
so i created one myself and to my ears it sounded more correct

 

[Piing]

IE i wanted to cover War pigs so i tried a few presets out there and well they all sounded very different from what was heard on YouTube
so i created one myself and to my ears it sounded more correct

It sounds great here. What apparatus are you using?

 

[Stone]

It sounds great here. What apparatus are you using?

Helix, Godin P-90 Straight in to DAW no post effects

Slight Red Compressor, Deranged master, Reel to reel, rev Gen Purple Low gain, IR Diezel VH4 Double tank Reverb Roland dimension
low high shelf and LA studio Comp
have 3 Snapshots Riff, Lead and Luke's wall
Quite Simple really

 

[DrewJD82]

I gotta make a vid some night of my buddy Nacho playing through my rig. He’s a bitchpicker (it’s ok, he knows it) and since the way I do high gain is primarily driven by the right hand and not a sh*tload of distortion/boosts, there’s a world of difference when he plays my rig and when I do.

Even with my Strat and edge of breakup tones, it’s like he’s on the edge of the edge.

 

[Orvillain]

I rarely use other people's presets for this exact reason. They always sound cackballs.

 

[MikeHenry]

I rarely use other people's presets for this exact reason. They always sound cackballs.

The approach I take with other peoples presets are that they serve as a foundation for me to tweak to what sounds good to me.

Using the Helix for an example, if someone went through the trouble of creating a song specific patch with snapshots that have the specific tones and effects good to go and the demo sounds good, then I know I can leverage that, fiddle with the EQ, gain, and maybe the compression to get it to sound good to me vs doing it all from scratch.

 

[Whizzinby]

The value of trying other presets is finding unique approaches others have taken with the signal path or stacking of certain effects in the chain. I’ve found some presets that have approached things in ways I would have never tried myself, which I can then add to my repertoire. But, for basic tones or basic signal paths there is really no need to download someone else’s presets, given their approach was suited to their guitar, cab, etc.

 

[la szum]

IE i wanted to cover War pigs so i tried a few presets out there and well they all sounded very different from what was heard on YouTube
so i created one myself and to my ears it sounded more correct

Sounds great man! Love that song. :)

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Q: You down with OPP?
A: Only if they're free

 

[Stone]

Helix 9000 AI
Hello Mike what tone would you like for me to create today?
Me: today id like to recreate that creamy Santana tone for Samba Pa Ti
Ok Mike what guitar string brand and gauge and pickups will you be using!
My Revstar with Moded PAF Alnico 2 pickups, DR blues .009
Working......Tone match found and setup patch complete, close to 95.7% accurate
Enjoy
thank you for using the Helix 9000 tone match

 

[Bob Zaod]

So while there is a whole community out there sharing presets/patches whatever one calls it
every time I download a patch it never ever sounds even close to what I hear on the demo, so i end up creating a new ones myself using some elements of the patch till it sounds good to me

Yep. There are some specialty patches that I will download and tweak to my liking but other than that I dont buy or download anyones patches unless it's a friend asking me to critique a patch or something.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

My real take: biggest outside variables in your own testing are going to be output source (speakers), room acoustics, and input source (guitar, pickups, input level)

If someone's YT demo is smashed to bits by compression, skewing the demo of their product that's their fault for not checking for YT loudness requirements.

But if you are listening through studio "FRFR" reference monitors, the IRs and the room are not part of the equation. You are listening both the demo and your playing through the same system

""FRFR"" is a lofty goal for a set of speakers set on your desk in your home office without putting thought to how your room and it's objects affect the sound bouncing off of everything before it meets back up with the direct signal at your ears, causing all kinds of phasing problems that I wasn't aware of until I learned about it from a teacher in a classroom. At that point room acoustics for me were kind of an obsession.

Your room, your speakers, and their setup are all important factors in achieving a near-flat response in your listening position