HDProJohn

My last group had our guitar processors automatically change patches using MIDI from a DAW live. It was pretty much the same time delay as using the L6 floorboard.

The SM7 is dynamic and needs a strong signal. I've found that I need to run the Vintage Pre (hot) and also use the LA-2A with a bunch of output (how much you compress is up to you). A gate at the front end doesn't hurt to tame noise if you get any.

I play the violin using a MIDI keyboard and rewiring into Reason... Ha!

Ahhhh, gotchya. I bet that would be a lot of fun to be able to plug and play with a violin.

Scotty, no no no, I'm quite familiar with setting up signal paths and using plugs. That Studio British Devil is essentially a copy of what the Pod is doing, so I found it a bit strange (amp/cab/mic emulation) layered on top of it. Of course OD boosters are common! Here's my last band where I did all mix routing and plugs (excluding vocals): https://ofempiresofficial.bandcamp.com/ I started this thread because we did half of the mixing at a local studio and the other half on another band member's computer, with plugs I can't use (old, old laptop). So, I was simply looking for good freeware alternatives. Big Chas, definitely! I somehow was lucky enough to be offered PodFarm 2.5 FREE from L6 for doing a survey last week. Looking forward to checking out the SVT amp.

Wait, you put another modeler on top of the already modeled signal? Doesn't that just make too much distortion, especially for multi-tracked rhythms? Distortion is compounding, so I try to track with fairly low distortion, even if it's a metal/rock track. I saw some YouTube videos on the Saturation Knob - looks pretty cool.

For you guys doing home recordings, which plugs have you really liked for single tracked guitar or even guitar busses; no need to open discussion for drums, bass, 2 buss, etc. Recently, I found great results with the Antress Modern Console EQ on a slightly overdriven dual amp Fender patch. It really warmed up the track and brought out the highs in a clean manner. http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=Analog_EQ&id=1175 Looking for other go-to's to try out. Thanks.

I much preferred full models when using a 50/50 into an Avatar V30 4x12.

Bah hahaha. Yes, I'm retarded. Definitely got the PSA mixed up with their bass drivers. My bad. Never tried their guitar preamps, but it was funny because I've been focusing on bass tones lately, and this triggered my bass-influenced response.

They don't compare at all. The SansAmp driver is chunky and grindy, the Flip Top is warm and round. If you run on a DAW ever, try the freeware TSE BOD out for yourself as a comparison (it's quite accurate to the hardware).

I can't get a comparable tone to a PSA. The closest has been with the (I believe, not at the unit) U47 mic (it's the last choice for the 15" cab). That tone gets the most "grindy" in comparison to the other mic choices. The bass amp they have has a great warm/round type of sound. Would be awesome if L6 would release an SVT model in an update, but that's a whole other topic. I know a lot of metal dudes will run a dual amp setup when recording and get more grit with, say, a 6505 rig or comparable. You could try one of the metal amps with a mid focus to concentrate on getting some of those mids to punch through in a parallel setup.

I'm not a super user like the others mentioned, but if I set up a dual amp patch, I'll get the basic tone I want with one amp/cab/mic, mimic the amp settings for the second, and change the cab/mic option to find the complimentary tone (this usually means finding more body). Once the two work together nicely, I'll begin fine tuning and addressing the tonal nuances.

I'd agree with the write-up. The biggest thing to me between the two units is this: ease of use. It took me AGES to dial in good tones with the Pod. With the Axe, it just happens. The EQs aren't convoluted and all of the effect parameters are straight forward and do just what you think they will. In a mix, can you tell the difference between my Pro and my buddy's Axe? No. But that's only because I spent so many grueling months making the two comparable and A/Bing patches between the two units.

My group is putting out our debut EP next month which was self-produced and mastered by Joey Sturgis. I felt like I found a really cool use for a "stranger" L6 effect, and thought it'd be fun to post on here and see if you guys could pick it out. My choice for using it was inspired from the electronics within the bridge, which I included a section of as well at the end. https://soundcloud.com/of-empires-1/the-east-line-6-guess-the

IEM = in ear monitor. What spaceatl is arguing is that he wants the natural mojo of a cab on stage pushing air. In my instance, my band would love to go with IEMs and do away with cabs/amps. It's much lighter, setup time is cut down, makes traveling easier, and we will have complete control over personal monitoring. But I'll agree, I currently am running my cab live for stage monitoring, as well as sending a stereo signal directly to FOH. I like having the cab and the tube, stereo, power amp. Ha. It's strange, but it does just "feel" better than when I play only through the PA.

*Disclaimer* I haven't played through an FRFR setup - this is based upon my rig and production experience. Not positive what you're asking, but I'll leave a few comments and maybe it'll be of help. If you open up a DAW and play with an EQ, or a multi-band compressor which allows you to solo particular frequency regions, you'll get a sense for what those frequencies sound like. A guitar, by nature, is a mid-range instrument. Being limited to the 5k mark by using a cab isn't really a bad thing. Reason being, you're leaving more room for the other pieces to fit within the live mix. I would most likely agree with the idea that an FRFR setup will "sound" better, though. 7k and up really doesn't carry a ton of audible weight (I like to think that most body of sound is in the 300-2k zone), but it really helps with clarity and richness. And now to be sarcastic... I'm glad most people are limited to 5k with their cabs. Far too many guitarists make horrible, shrill tones as is... They don't need an extended top end.

Cool. I'm not trying to be a jerk or bust your balls, either. Just trying to make some points clear. If you have the ability to run your show with multiple outs, and there is an FOH guy present, I'd go that route. If you're forced to go completely DIY on small gigs, run a summed out and set your levels as best as you can within your DAW. Bottom line, both will work. The more outputs, the better will be your result - granted you have someone monitoring and mixing them for the duration of the show. Perhaps you should look into creating two separate sessions depending on the gig. I.E. having one using the NI interface with multiple outs and a duplicate session, but with everything summed, output through the bean, which is intended for the DIY route.

Don't really think there's a discrepancy about being from India or not. Either the FOH guy sucks or he doesn't - that's a universal fact. Here's my point against your rebuttal (and again, it's your music, your show, your fate, etc. Do as you wish, I'm just a random dude on the internet). I don't really care how experimental anything is, there are basics of music. Look at it this way, Dave Pensado (uber famous producer) breaks his mix sessions into 4 sub-groups: drums, vocals, music, effects. I don't care what you're running, your setup isn't going to be so experimental, or so abstract, that it can't be broken down into sonically grouped sections that could benefit from similar audio treatments and adjustments. These might change song to song, but so what? Point is, I wouldn't want you to send me a summed signal and all of a sudden you have an effect in there with sub-bass hits and I have no control to seat it in the mix. Or, perhaps, I'm worried that you're going to drive my bins too hard, or your settings for your high end might be jammin' at home on a synth, but in the room, you're destroying people's ears. If that's the case, and if I have a summed signal, you better believe I'm cutting whatever sounds awful out. Your ENTIRE mix is going to suffer by this one adjustment if either you make the change in your master buss or I do it at the console. This point here, "you don't take a different mix/master to play that track at different places. it's the same one." is all wrong to me. The very purpose of mastering is so that a recorded song sounds the SAME across as many playback devices as possible. Your stems, your recorded loops, your MIDI pads, your drums, whatever, are not being mastered real-time. If they are, I would think it to be a bad idea for two reasons. 1) The strain and latency introduced by taxing your computer is going to prevent you from properly playing in time with everything, and 2) the mastering you perform from stage isn't relevant. You are on stage, not in the room, walking around, hearing how the changes you make on stage actually sound in the room. You can't be in 2 places in once, unless you've got an iPad synced up and are able to control all of your plugs. And really, you are no longer mastering. You are using compressors/limiters/plugs in a 'mastering fashion' and adjusting them to a particular room, venue and PA. Again, this isn't about a particular instrument or sound sticking out more than the other because of the room, it's about needing individual control of these aspects to make the best mix for that room. Honestly, I just don't think anybody has better capability from stage than an FOH guy (granted he's not tone deaf).

I don't have anything to say in regards to the DA converters (my ears aren't trained enough to hear these differences, yet). I HIGHLY recommend you rethink your summed output option, though. You've now removed the purpose of the FOH guy, and really, you're more than likely setting yourself up for failure. Every room is different. Every PA is different. You sending a stereo signal from the Pod to the FOH console is just going to be disaster. He will need independent control for your different parts; be it the backing tracks, the guitar tone, the MIDI stuff, whatever. Use your NI interface and separate as many of these elements to different outputs as possible. I've personally ran sound for a 2 person group that did something similar to what you're describing. Sure, it took 3 DI boxes, but trust me, it is a better option.

Thanks, man. Once I get some free time, will most likely develop that idea into a full track - riffy and groovy.

The tone is honestly most about the compression, drive and gating before you hit the amp. Settings are hard to give because it depends on your playing so much. And really, the key to djent is to play "djentfully." There's a great deal about pick attack that's often overlooked.

Search. One of the L6 dudes just put out a document and matching video clips to describe these parameters.

I have a hard time with hum myself. For that reason I leave it alone. Sag and Bias are quite apparent.

phil_m: Cool, thanks, didn't realize that. OP: Lots of things to try, I'll go in a list. Set your amp settings all at noon and work around there. More often than not, you will run most everything below noon. You're probably getting digital distortion from your channel volume and mids at 100%. Sag/Hum/Bias never need to be hard cranked. It really makes the playability robotic and strange. 57s are noisy, I especially dislike them for heavy patches. Try something like a 421 or some of the Neumann mics (87 & 67). Depending on the sound you want, you don't need 3 gates. If you want a straight forward tone, just use 1 up front. If you want the djenty playability, use 2 (and swap to hard gates). Get rid of the one after the mixer. I can't see your TubeScreamer settings. Drive usually sounds bad past 10%. Try your drive around 5% and output around 75%. You get the good kind of distortion by spanking the preamp "tubes." Add a compressor before the TS if you want that vibe and extra control. Add a mid-focus after your mixer and LP all the garbage out of the IRs. Be sure to gain stage this so you don't get more digital distortion. Suck out some mud with a parametric.

Host the image somewhere and click on the icon in the reply box that looks like a photo. For instance, this is from my band's FaceBook page (I'm not in Texas in July, BTW - in Of Empires). Where you host it is up to you.