What do you look for from an amp modelling VST?

[Sascha Franck]

This is hilarious. This is a Gig Performer layout for the Petrucci plugin.

I actually think it's pretty good - but I might prefer a somewhat feature reduced view. Such as all FX stuff being on another page. And as said, for my taste I wouldn't need all the cab stuff (which is a pretty prominent part of that layout) on the same page as amp, dirt and whatever soundforming parameters, either. Cabs are defenitely preparation stuff, at least IMO. Just as in real analog cab life. I bring a cab and use it.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Ok. Tell me about the workarounds to keep one amp at the same settings throughout multiple patches in any modeler that doesn't already feature global blocks (of which there are only two anyway). Pretty excited to learn about them.

If this was the most important aspect of a rig you’d just use something like a ToneX One or a seperate modeller that just does the amp part and combine it with the other modeller for the routing and FX. Loads of people choose to work like that anyway.

If whomever added global blocks, it wouldn't have to make anything worse at all. Sure, if you do it the Boss way and mix up global blocks with block presets, that's a tremendously bad idea to start with. But had they kept the preset thing out of things, it'd just be an additional function with exactly zero impact on anything else. Don't use them and they're completely out of the way.

IMO this is over simplifying how easy to would be to implement, especially in a way that would be robust and take advantage of the possibilities that could be done with it. I think it’s a good idea, but I don’t think it’s straightforward to just add. And I think for anyone that needs that kind of workflow, they’re probably better off just designing their rig around that.

 

[Sascha Franck]

If this was the most important aspect of a rig you’d just use something like a ToneX One or a seperate modeller that just does the amp part and combine it with the other modeller for the routing and FX.

It's what I'm doing right now and it's extremely limited.
- With global blocks I could use more amps.
- I want that feature for other blocks as well, amps just being the most prominent example.
- I might not want to add another digital layer (right now I'm only doing it out of necessity).
- I might want to use the modeling the main unit has on offer.
- Etc.

IMO this is over simplifying how easy to would be to implement,

No. If Boss gets it done and if I can sort of "hack" it into the HX-verse, it should be easy for any decent programmer, at least in a barebones fashion (which would be fine for me, at least for a start).

And I think for anyone that needs that kind of workflow, they’re probably better off just designing their rig around that.

I totally disagree. I think each and every top tier modeler should offer such a functionality.

Everybody and their mum is always going all booo-hooo-hooo how much they want their modelers to behave like the real deal soundwise, but once it's about usabiliity, even the toppermost of the poppermost devices can't even remotely hold a candle against some pretty cheap-ish pedalboards or other setups in many, many aspects.

 

[[Nathan]]

Without thinking too hard NDSP is the gold standard. I don’t ever really get lost or bogged down using it, pretty easy to get a sound and move on. I guess If you took that and tweaked it a bit you could land on some improvements. Maybe you could have a window below the amp to have the pre/post stomps/eq pages so you can keep the big amp up there while tweaking. You’d probably still want a dedicated view for the cab section but it’s some idea.

Most amp sims are alternated of NDSP, I guess the other style is more block based like amplitube, cortex control, TMP, axe edit and helix style. I’m probably used to axe edit on a computer but out of all I’ve tried I find axe edit the best with mouse and keyboard if you wanted to go that block style route for some reason.

If I was designing an amp sim I’d probably lean on the NDSP layout and really focus on the best amp modelling possible paired with competent/authentic IRs. I’d also heavily focus on graphics and UI to look quality. Id also make sure the default preset sounds great across 10-20-30 peoples setups, so when someone first opens it their first impression is top notch.

From there I’d look to amps that haven’t been modelled 1000 times and try to tribute whatever’s being modelled so you’re really paying homage to that plugin (if I was doing Orange stuff I’d lean into it with IRs of 1x12, 2x12, 4x12 cabs. Also have some color schemes like the black model skins for the amps/cabs etc).

 

[Dimiguitar]

Accuracy, accuracy and accuracy.

 

[laxu]

What if you had:

- fx view (ala NDSP)
- amp view (ala NDSP)
- cab view (ala NDSP but better!)
- easy view (boost pedal + only the essential amp controls + cab position preset selector)

??

Amp and cab view should be together IMO. I hate flipping between them. Maybe you can have advanced cab stuff elsewhere but at least the basics should be easy to do together with the amp.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Amp and cab view should be together IMO.

See, this is precisely why a customizable performance page would be a great thing.
I would defenitely use them along with each other while setting up core sounds, but for the most part, I want the cab section to be outta my way and rather deal with the very things I'd use for tweakings in an analog setup as well, mostly comps, dirt and amp controls.
Similar things go for, say, delays and reverbs (in case the plugin has them). Allow me to slap their respective sends (and possibly an easy bypass function) onto the performance page and I'd be done. For any detailed FX editing I'm fine with having to open a dedicated tab.

Talking about these things, in an ideal world there'd also be a page with some XY controller pads allowing me to control any parameter (offsets). Some synths have them and while it's some work to set them up, once you're done this can be extremely rewarding. The Helix Stadium's Focus feature is heading into that direction, but I'd love to be able to control any parameters of any blocks.

 

[metropolis_4]

Back when I used them, I always looked for ones that were lightweight and just did one single thing. If it was an amp, I just wanted it to be the amp and just show me the controls I need.

I preferred chaining multiple plugins to use my favorites for each part of the signal chain. And big ones that try to do everything like AmpliTube or NDSP just ate up CPU for no reason for me.

 

[ian_dissonance]

If we’re talking plugins I just want it to sound good and stay out of the way. Tabs for different parts of the signal chain, knobs or sliders that don’t accidentally adjust because your mouse went past (or knobs that you have to turn in a circle with your mouse or be in a specific side of the knob to go up or down), clear parameters, and simple automation assigns.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

simple automation assigns.

This+simple MIDI assignments for external control is a very good one. I like how STL Amphub and NDSP handle this