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832 Views 15 Replies Latest reply: Feb 6, 2012 12:29 PM by birro RSS
birro Iknowathingortwo
birro
172 posts since
Jun 27, 2007
Currently Being Moderated

Jan 30, 2012 3:48 PM

HD500 or others HD series - Flanger, Chorus and other FX

Hey guys,

I was just tweaking around to get 3 tones... and I got stuck on the same effect: the flanger.

At the X3L when I turned the flanger on, it was "the flanger". Now all the flangers we have on the HD500 (and I suppose at the HD300 and the HD400 too) seems so... "weak".

I was working on 3 tones:

- Van Halen flanger -> Generally playing the song Unchained after the solo he turns the flanger with a mix all way up... and you can say: THAT'S A FLANGER! I just can't get a flanger like that. I couldn't find an example on youtube, but what I want to reach is from the Live at Australia, 1998, with Gary Cherone at the vocals, right after the solo of the first song, Unchained)

- Rush - Alex Lifeson -> The intro of the song The Spirit of Radio is played at studio with a flanger. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tq-UsaRchI

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-Y2SYM0yh4&feature=related - listen at 00:34. I just can't get that flanger sound

 

Another song I tried to tweak and play like that my flanger didn't sounded the way it should was Lightining Crashes, from Live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsJ4O-nSveg - the entire intro

 

I just can't get it opening and closing like a real flanger. Sounding very deep... and also using the Mix at 100% seems awful.

So far, the best sounding FX closer to a real flanger, was using a Phaser... but it's just not the same.

 

Anyone here uses flanger and feels the same? Any tips on getting the flanger?

I don't like any flanger that the HD500 has

Tags: chorus, van, halen, hd400, flanger, hd300, hd500, fx_quality
  • jimsreynolds Power User
    jimsreynolds
    2,227 posts since
    Jun 27, 43450
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 29, 2012 2:23 PM (in response to birro)
    Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

    Not personally sure but this link came up on the right as I read your message ... probably worth a go

     

    http://line6.com/support/message/194957#194957

    • birro Iknowathingortwo
      birro
      172 posts since
      Jun 27, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Jan 29, 2012 2:55 PM (in response to jimsreynolds)
      Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

      Hey Jim

      Gotta be kidding me... I used the search tool and couldn't find anything suitable. Thanks a lot!

       

      Btw... what do you think about the HD500's flanger? I really don't like it... way too weak

      • jimsreynolds Power User
        jimsreynolds
        2,227 posts since
        Jun 27, 43450
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jan 29, 2012 3:19 PM (in response to birro)
        Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

        In honesty:  I have a lot of trouble dialing in all of the flanger tones that I want too.  I am very aware though that I tend to use effects-only patches  most of the time along with my real combo amp.  Some of the FX don't really seem to be best suited to that way of working. 

         

        I guess that the HDs cover a lot of bases:  recording, live to PA, live to amp, headphones and effect only applications.   Some effects just ain't going to work well in all contexts.  Flangers into a mono power amp could use a little more work IMHO.

         

        That is not to say that I cannot get good flanger tones at all ... just certain ones that I could get elsewhere before.

  • killergege Just Startin'
    killergege
    74 posts since
    Dec 25, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 30, 2012 3:25 AM (in response to birro)
    Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

    I also think the flanger is too subtle (chorus too), I think it was easier to tweak on the POD X3. I agree with the word "weak" !

     

    As always I suggest you use the product feedback form to inform Line 6 of that issue : http://line6.com/company/contact/productfeedback/

    • Ed_Saxman Just Startin'
      Ed_Saxman
      62 posts since
      Jan 4, 2010
      Currently Being Moderated
      Jan 30, 2012 4:09 AM (in response to killergege)
      Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

      I totally agree. The chorus effect is one of the poorest in the HD500.

      I hope they do something to improve this.

       

      • TheRealZap Expert Line 6 User
        TheRealZap
        11,829 posts since
        Dec 22, 2006
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jan 30, 2012 4:21 AM (in response to Ed_Saxman)
        Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

        try using the method in my mini bundle: http://line6.com/support/message/334752#334752

        for a pretty killer chorus sound...

        i can't get enough of it... although it eats some DSP.

        • jimsreynolds Power User
          jimsreynolds
          2,227 posts since
          Jun 27, 43450
          Currently Being Moderated
          Jan 30, 2012 4:27 AM (in response to TheRealZap)
          Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

          +1 on the method Zap uses to get a chorus.  Much nicer than the built-in models.

        • phil_m Expert Line 6 User
          phil_m
          4,243 posts since
          Jan 25, 2007
          Currently Being Moderated
          Jan 30, 2012 10:22 AM (in response to TheRealZap)
          Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

          I actually was playing around with some of the mod effects the other night, and I found that Horn & Drum Rotary effect sounds pretty darn nice as a chorus on the slow setting. It might be a little too warbly for some still, but it sounds very rich and full to me. Put an analog delay model after it, and it just is a very nice vintage chorus sound.

          • birro Iknowathingortwo
            birro
            172 posts since
            Jun 27, 2007
            Currently Being Moderated
            Jan 30, 2012 3:48 PM (in response to phil_m)
            Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

            Wow... lots of posts in 1 day. So.. seems I'm not crazy and I was thinking I am

             

            jimsreynolds: yes!! I do agree! It seems they've concentrated their efforts on creating GREAT amp sounds. But forgot the FX and also the high gain amps. So the clean sounds and the overdriven are amazing... but the FX are terrible in terms of quality and fidelity. They should take a real look at the high gain amps and the most used effects like the chorus

            killergege: as I wrote above, they seemed to have concentrated all they've got on the low gain and clean amps. I used to love the X3L. Everything was fantastic. The clean amps weren't that good. But the balance between having good amps for everything (clean, blues, jazz, metal, heavy metal), great FX (yes... it was so easy to tweak and the chorus, flanger and all the others sounded very good) is something I miss. Now the unit seems more "pro" for clean/jazz/blues sounds... but everything else got really WORSE. Even the XT Live had great amps and effects... and I really dunno why the HD fx sounds so bad. But... what can we do? Tweak and share the best results we get

            Ed_Saxman: I agree!!

            TheRealZap: please!!!!!! The link isn't working for me! Everyone wrote so many good stuff about it!! Find a way to share it pleaseeeeeeeee

            arislaf: can you try to share a patch for us to check it out? We need to share experiences to get better FX sounds

            phil_m: can you post the settings or a patch? maybe a sample? (am I asking too much?? lol)

             

            Guys... so far... thanks so much for answering... you all. I can't set you all as "Helpful Answer" but you're helping not only me but everyone who searches for chorus and flanger. I'll edit the title of this discussion and add the tag for chorus

  • arislaf Iknowathingortwo
    arislaf
    426 posts since
    Sep 8, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 30, 2012 10:07 AM (in response to birro)
    Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger

    It is true that they are weak..Flanger,phaser and chorus,also the filters with the pitch are inaqurate....For everything else except the filters, try to use 2 of them parallel,with the exact same setings.

  • porcytree Just Startin'
    porcytree
    78 posts since
    Feb 24, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 31, 2012 8:09 AM (in response to birro)
    Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger, Chorus and other FX

    Lightning Crashes - what a song and what a band.Was lucky to catch Live on a couple of their UK tours - absolutely superb.Chad Taylor is such an expressive guitar player ( and, thankfully, stays well away from the twiddly-twiddly in his occasional "solos").

     

    I too have been struggling with flanger sounds ( particularly that deep " jet flange" sound .....the "default" setting for the Jet Flange fx on the POD HD is a joke)...the flangers on the PODs do seem insanely difficult to dial in anything remotely usable.

     

    There is a user preset in Custom Tone for the song Lightning Crashes (not sure which version of the HD is was made for) which isn't too far off and at least might give you a starting point.

  • meambobbo Iknowathingortwo
    meambobbo
    1,702 posts since
    Dec 13, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 31, 2012 9:02 AM (in response to birro)
    Re: HD500 or others HD series - Flanger, Chorus and other FX

    i like the 80A flanger, but that's the only one I've had any success with.  I use it for a VH tone.  I put it in front the amp with range about 40-50%, enhance 10-20% (this really adds the NON-SUBTLENESS when turned up), and manual about 50-70%.

     

    It really messes with the frequency response so I pair it with a parametric EQ to suck out some lower mids/punch that the flanger adds to preserve my distortion tone.

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