POD HD set up

[garbanzo]

I am constantly learning new features on the HD. In the setup proceedure (hold the veiw button then move to page 7/8) on page 7 of 8 there are a couple of settings related to the global EQ that I do not understand and would appreciate some enlightenment. For example one can using dial button 1 go to  the Band Select Low, button 2 adjusts the frequency,which I assume pertains to cut off. However button 3 which adjusts Q, and 4 which adjusts  Gain I dont understand at all.

 

For the first I dont know what Q is, so I need some help with that. Then there is Gain. Where in the long string of adjustments of for example Amp/Speaker and those settings, then FX´s and all those individul setings, will these setting, Q and Gain, be pertainent?

 

I rell need some help understanding. I dont want to screw up all my hard worked for settings by messing with something I dont understant just to see what happens. Thank you in advance, garbanzo

 

ps These questions are not dealt with in the advanced manuals, neither 2.0 or 2.1, so I have not anything to try to relate to.

[silverhead]

I'm no expert on EQ but here's my understanding.

 

The first parameter identifies the sort/type of EQ. In your example it idenitified the low end of the frequency spectrum. There are different types of EQ here - a shelf, a filter, ...?

 

The second parameter identifies a specific frequency within the range of the type of EQ. In this case I would expect to see a range from the lowest frequency that the human ear can hear (20 Hz) to some upper limit. This value identifies the central frequency of the EQ's affect, but the EQ will operate over a range around that value, as specified by Q.

 

The third parameter, Q, identifies the range of the EQ's affect relative to the central frequency above. You can think of this setting as a width in the EQ curve, broad or narrow. Think of a graph from your math class days, say a so-called bell curve showing the distribution of student grades. The class average is in the center of the curve, and the curve plots the number and scores of students above and below the average. In the context of EQ, the Q setting adjusts the width of the curve which in turn affects the range of frequencies below/above the central frequency that are affected by the EQ. A high Q setting narrows the curve and a low setting widens it. For example, if your chosen central frequency is, say, 100Hz you would use the Q setting to specify whether you want the EQ to affect frequencies from 90 to 110 Hz, or from 60 to 140 Hz, etc. Like a bell curve, the EQ will have a very low impact on either end of the frequency range and a gradually higher impact on both sides as you approach the central frequency, at which point the impact is maximized.

 

The fourth parameter, Gain (often called Level), specifies the level of impact of the EQ. The higher (or lower) the value the more the specified frequencies in the range are boosted (or cut). This is what you actually hear, and what the EQ actually does. It boosts or cuts selected frequencies so tha you hear them as enhanced or diminished in the sound.

 

Putting it all together, you first select the type of EQ you want to use ( low pass filter, high shelf, whatever) and then you select an appropriate central frequency. You use Q to shape the range of affected frequencies and you use Gain to make the impact very noticeable, very subtle, or somewhere in between.

 

When you use a multi-band EQ like the one you mention you do this boosting/cutting of frequencies at several points across the human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The number of bands in the EQ type indicates the number of points at which you can specify an EQ effect.

[pianoguyy]

The best setting for the Global Equalizer is ----- OFF

[pianoguyy]

 

 

ps These questions are not dealt with in the advanced manuals, neither 2.0 or 2.1, so I have not anything to try to relate to.

 

 

The reason the GEQ is not addressed in the OM is because the OM was not updated for the latest firmware. 

It is a complaint shared by more than just you and I. 

[garbanzo]

Thanks silver and piano!

I play jazz. My settings are simple tube like results with warmth. A typical setting would be; a tube pedal, eq amp and cab, eq and reverg last. Will the global eq settings cover the entire chain? I assume so.

 

Silverhead, do you agree with pianoguyy about leavivg the global eq off?

 

I have a head with a cab and play through an eminence Beta (bass speaker which falls off at about 5000hz, though I have another speaker which has the full guitat range which I have trouble controlling, perhaps the global eq would help?

 

Have either of you experience with the classic amp settings that are available? I am sort of interested in them myself, though I am even mort interested in the Helix.

 

I appreciate your responses. I am travelling at the moment and cant experiment just now.

[silverhead]

The Global EQ, imho, is best used outside of your 'normal' location to adjust for different acoustic characteristics in different rooms/venues. I leave Global EQ off in my home studio which is where I mostly use my Helix, and where I create and normalize my tones. When I move to a gig environment or another practice location I will begin by listening for any overall tone changes in the new room compared to my studio and, if necessary, adjust Global EQ to compensate so that the sound is as close as I can get it to the way I designed things.

[DunedinDragon]

You should be able to get a good warm jazz tone pretty easily on your POD.  I'm most typically drawn to the Roland JC-120 amp model available in the vintage pack from Line 6.  It's got beautiful clarity with a nice round tone with awesome presence and has been used by a great number of jazz musicians.  For traditional jazz type sound I'll almost always use my Gretsch Silver Falcon and roll off a good part of the treble on the JC-120.  I have used my Strat as well on jazzier R&B type tunes like Atlanta Rhythm Section or Hall and Oats styles.  They also work pretty well with the JC-120. 

 

As far as the Global EQ, I use a FRFR speaker which is a Yamaha DXR12 which, because of the range of response, can sometimes be a little boomy on the bass end and somewhat brittle on the high end depending on the amp model and style of song..  I do use the Global EQ to correct some of this.  I don't go overboard on it because with some amps and styles I want a bit more low end and/or high end.  The only things I use are the Low Cut and High Cut filters on the Global EQ.  I set the Low Cut at around 120 Hz and the High Cut at around 8.0 Khz.  Those are still below and above the normal range of any typical guitar cabinet so I will sometimes end up using the Studio EQ filter at the end of my patch's signal chain to further confine those ranges either on the low end or (more typically) on the high end.  There are some amp models and setups where those Global EQ's work fine, but I don't want them to cut too deeply into the range and lose something I might otherwise want to keep on those types of setups where I don't need to use any additional filter.

 

I don't think I would want to do much more with the Global EQ.  I reserve the rest of the parameters (low, mid, and high) for those situations in which I really need to adapt to some strange room acoustics across all of the presets.  But quite honestly, that's been pretty rare for me.

 

Hope that helps...

[AlexKenivel]

I used to use the global EQ to cut above a certain frequency (to cut excess highs) before I figured out that those frequencies are important for lush reverbs and modulations. The global EQ, when thought of in your signal chain (although you don't really see it) would be last after all of your post-amp effects, affecting the sound.

 

I now instead use a parametric EQ after the amp (and mixer usually) and before any time based and modulation effects, and the low cut in the cab DEPs for boominess.

[garbanzo]

Thank you guys, this has become a very interesting post.

 

Do any of you have a vid or a post that sheads light in how a jazzer would set up a signal train? I honestly learned some from a jazzer who had another model on how he went about chain development. Most of the vids I have seen are rock oriented, some jazz guidance would be helpful.

 

Thanks, garbanzo

[pfsmith0]

Hi garbanzo, you can find plots of the Global EQ responses here.

[Smashcraaft]

I used to use the global EQ to cut above a certain frequency (to cut excess highs) before I figured out that those frequencies are important for lush reverbs and modulations. The global EQ, when thought of in your signal chain (although you don't really see it) would be last after all of your post-amp effects, affecting the sound.

 

I now instead use a parametric EQ after the amp (and mixer usually) and before any time based and modulation effects, and the low cut in the cab DEPs for boominess.

Oh… I never had thought, about the GEQ, effecting the tones of those effects  :wacko: 

Thank you very much, Alex!

[garbanzo]

Hej pfsmith0. Terrific job you have done with the GEQ post you refered to! Does anyone have any idea if L6 is going to include a GEQ type to the EQ fx's? Is this feature included in helix?

 

Once again I am travelling and can't try any of this out until this weekend but this has become extremely interesting! Thanks all!

[garbanzo]

Byw, does anyone have a recommendation on setting up chains useable for jazz play? Or a tutorial that can be used to help me with this?

[pfsmith0]

The Studio EQ can get you 2 freqs per instance of the FX.

The Mid-Focus EQ can get you 2 freqs per instance of the FX.

The Parametric EQ can get you 1 freq per instance of the FX.

The 4 Band Shift EQ can get you 3 programmable Freqs, but watch out for Hi Freq as the left/right channels are not the same.

 

For details see this.

[garbanzo]

Thanks again pfsmith0! Can you recommend a video or other tutorial which could apply ro the kind of settings I have didscibed that I would work with? You are a gold mine!

[DunedinDragon]

Thank you guys, this has become a very interesting post.

 

Do any of you have a vid or a post that sheads light in how a jazzer would set up a signal train? I honestly learned some from a jazzer who had another model on how he went about chain development. Most of the vids I have seen are rock oriented, some jazz guidance would be helpful.

 

Thanks, garbanzo

 

Signal chain development for jazz is actually pretty simple compared to most rock setups and mostly revolves around starting with the right amp model.  If you start with the right amp model in the first place you'll find you likely won't need too much correction using EQ FX.  I've already mentioned the Roland JC-120 from the vintage pack, but one of my more simple jazz signal chains consists of a Soldono clean model with drive at 45%, bass at 55%, mids at 65%, treble at 50%,presence at 25% amp volume at 75%.  Post mixing block I simply have a hall reverb with mix at 15%, decay around 25% followed by a Studio EQ that has about a 1.5db boost at 500hz to give some low smoothness and a -2db on highs at 5000hz to tame the brittle highs,  That pretty much is all I need to get a clean, full sound using a Gretsch Silver Falcon hollow body guitar.

 

Of course a lot of this is irrelevant if you're using a different type of guitar, so you'd have to adjust to taste.

 

I have slightly more complex signal chains that might incorporate a very light chorus effect (slow chorus and not very deep), but that's really about it.  There's just not a lot you need to do to get a good jazz sound.  Mostly just use your ears.

[garbanzo]

I will have to get the vintage pack. The Soldono was an interesting idea, thus far I have been using the Twin and Bassman as amp base, I look forward to trying the ideas above. Thanks, garbanzo.