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HELIX in SWING TOWN, recording


electricfactory
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I got a call a couple of days ago to record some guitar for a tv underscore, a very popular network crime solving drama. The producer provided little specific direction other than;  â€˜authentic 1940’s big-band, big jazz box guitar stylings, provide a solo in the appropriate place and don't get in the way in case someone decides to add a vocalist !

 

With turn around time short I gave the HELIX a go, a test of sorts as to whether I could get a proper semi-hollow guitar tone the track called for. Have attached below what I sent them which thankfully was well received, you can decide how well HELIX does with jazz guitar tones, Soundcloud link below, solo @1:04

 
* the guitar, an Epiphone ES-175 Premium, Gibson 57 pu’s, .012 guage flatwound strings [ the Epi ES175 Premium is a straight up righteous jazz box for low bucks, don’t confuse it though with it’s non-nitro finished cousin]
* HELIX direct into console via XLR connectors to ProTools
* HELIX signal path, please see pics below
* I used a Friedman 2a cab IR from 3 Sigma, worked surprising well 
 
SWING TOWN
 
 
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FullSizeRender%203_zpsytlkoskq.jpg
 
FullSizeRender%203_zpsytlkoskq.jpg
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And again.......

 

cool%20cats.jpg

 

HEY - Boston area?  THOUGHT the name rang a bell - we've met, years back in the Axis days.  You've certainly paid your dues, guy - was a big fan back then, lived in the Holliston/Framingham area.  Nice to see ya still keepin' the faith....

 

....just did a little more digging, see you still have Axis.  Good times!!

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Great sound once again! You mentioned: "* I used a Friedman 2a cab IR from 3 Sigma, worked surprising well" 

I noticed on your screen shot that you put that in front of an active stock Helix cab. So apparently the 2 active cabs are intentional to get this sound, correct?

I've heard great things about 3 Sigma. Currently an owner of some fine Ownhammer IRs. Will have to check them out. Thanks again for sharing!

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Great sound once again! You mentioned: "* I used a Friedman 2a cab IR from 3 Sigma, worked surprising well" 

I noticed on your screen shot that you put that in front of an active stock Helix cab. So apparently the 2 active cabs are intentional to get this sound, correct?

I've heard great things about 3 Sigma. Currently an owner of some fine Ownhammer IRs. Will have to check them out. Thanks again for sharing!

Thanks artmapa, and 'yes,  it shouldn't work as well as it does, but it does.

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And again.......

 

cool%20cats.jpg

 

HEY - Boston area?  THOUGHT the name rang a bell - we've met, years back in the Axis days.  You've certainly paid your dues, guy - was a big fan back then, lived in the Holliston/Framingham area.  Nice to see ya still keepin' the faith....

 

....just did a little more digging, see you still have Axis.  Good times!!

 

 

You know once I hit sound cloud and saw the name I immediately thought of Axis. Unfortunately back in those days I remember seeing the name a bunch but was not familiar with the music. One day I heard a track on the radio with some guitar tones that immediately made me say Spencer Proffer. Sure enough the disc was produced by him. He had recently done an Outlaws reunion CD and I hated what he did to their songs. I had heard many of them live before the CD and the CD versions were way different. I chalked that up to trying to fit on 80s airwaves. However when I was able to pick out that the same guy produced and Axis disc just by the guitar sounds, it seemed like a guy that made everyone sound like him. Sort of Jim Steinman style.

 

Song and playing sound great. Will have to dig into some of the Axis stuff. Thanks for posting.

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You know once I hit sound cloud and saw the name I immediately thought of Axis. Unfortunately back in those days I remember seeing the name a bunch but was not familiar with the music. One day I heard a track on the radio with some guitar tones that immediately made me say Spencer Proffer. Sure enough the disc was produced by him. He had recently done an Outlaws reunion CD and I hated what he did to their songs. I had heard many of them live before the CD and the CD versions were way different. I chalked that up to trying to fit on 80s airwaves. However when I was able to pick out that the same guy produced and Axis disc just by the guitar sounds, it seemed like a guy that made everyone sound like him. Sort of Jim Steinman style.

 

Song and playing sound great. Will have to dig into some of the Axis stuff. Thanks for posting.

toaster dude- OMG

You have no idea how on the mark you are re Spencer Proffer. And don't even mention that name to Frankie Banali[ Quiot Riot] or [producer] Ron Aniello. Or frankly anybody signed to his label. It wouldn't be approriate to go into in detail here but perhaps we'll chat one day..

I would instead direct you to the Shrapnel label records I did 2004-06, Postiviely The Blues and Electric Factory when it comes to early stuff.

In fact I should post the title track ELECTRIC FACTORY with a couple HELIX preset trks replacing some of the original. It might be interesting to see if anyone can tell the difference, personally I don't think so. With little massaging the HELIX really brings it when it comes to tones.

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In fact I should post the title track ELECTRIC FACTORY with a couple HELIX preset trks replacing some of the original. It might be interesting to see if anyone can tell the difference, personally I don't think so. With little massaging the HELIX really brings it when it comes to tones.

Actually - yes, you should.  I think that's what startled me most when I made the connection - certainly one thing that always stuck in my mind about you was your TONE, you've always had your sound nailed.  To suddenly realize "Wait - HE'S using a Helix...?" - for anyone familiar with you that's quite an endorsement (not that I needed one - this things worth every penny...)

 

"Dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria!"

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Actually - yes, you should.  I think that's what startled me most when I made the connection - certainly one thing that always stuck in my mind about you was your TONE, you've always had your sound nailed.  To suddenly realize "Wait - HE'S using a Helix...?" - for anyone familiar with you that's quite an endorsement (not that I needed one - this things worth every penny...)

 

"Dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria!"

Dogs and cats living together- hA!

Let me qualify my prior statement- the HELIX comes damn close to emulating certain tones, particularly those saturated 100wt Plexi tones with the current crop of cab IR's. By 'sauturated' I don't necessarily mean distorted but natural tube saturation, even clean. Not exactly, but close enough to convey the vibe. And in the end isn't that the point ?

As to using the HELIX I use it as a speedy way to archive and recall sounds. I've spent countles hours building sounds and trying to 'library' them to use later. This is espcially true in doing media music which has deadlines.

Make no mistake about it, I have a few amp heads and cabs that are essential items, stuff I use and will always use live or in studio situations where time isn't a factor. As an emulator the HELIX is pretty cool.

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 Not exactly, but close enough to convey the vibe. And in the end isn't that the point ?

 

Well, certainly for me it's exactly the point.

 

.I'm no "tone purist" - not one of those guys who'll argue "the REAL Deluxe Reverb has a 0.6db bump at 877hz, the (fill in modeler name) doesn't have that so it's crap". I want (and now have, in Helix) access to a variety of flavors that contain the vibe and responsiveness of their real life counterparts - if having the exact, precise sound of a Dr. Z was an absolute requirement for me, I'd buy a Z.  Having the overall (generalized) sound, feel and response of one - in addition to dozens of others in a single package! - floats my boat pretty well.  I can get busy wid' it.

 

You look at what some big names have used over the years - lotta folks run a single amp for their whole careers, some are 2 amp switchers, rarely you'll see a 3 amp guy.  That's about it for real life rigs.  And put a Matchless in the hands of a novice, and he'll figure out a way to make it sound crappy (well, kinda hard to believe, I know.  But theoretically....)  Point being, the same Engl settings that player A rocks out on might sound like utter cowpie to player B - so exactly WHAT is a "perfect" model?  Get me in that sonic park - the rest is up to me.

 

I suppose I "get" the clamor from some corners for more and more amps to be added - and I ain't gonna say that I won't look closely, and appreciatively, at what may come down the line.  But jeez - if you can't find something useful in what's already there, what the hell are you looking for...?

 

"Yeah, but for $1500....."  Get over it - most of the single amps we're talking about cost that much, some of them 3 or 4 times that.  I'd hesitate to even guess how much I've spent on amps (and mods, tubes, etc..) over 40-odd years of doing this - but I've got 10 times that much sitting on the rack in the other room right now.  The Helix is a godsend - dripping with vibe and attitude, 20 odd pounds, venue-to-venue consistent sound (at least thru FRFR) - and it ISN'T a expensive vintage piece of gear being subjected to all the hazards of life on the room.  What else can you want...?

dorothy%20Helix.png

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Well, certainly for me it's exactly the point.

 

.I'm no "tone purist" - not one of those guys who'll argue "the REAL Deluxe Reverb has a 0.6db bump at 877hz, the (fill in modeler name) doesn't have that so it's crap". I want (and now have, in Helix) access to a variety of flavors that contain the vibe and responsiveness of their real life counterparts - if having the exact, precise sound of a Dr. Z was an absolute requirement for me, I'd buy a Z.  Having the overall (generalized) sound, feel and response of one - in addition to dozens of others in a single package! - floats my boat pretty well.  I can get busy wid' it.

 

You look at what some big names have used over the years - lotta folks run a single amp for their whole careers, some are 2 amp switchers, rarely you'll see a 3 amp guy.  That's about it for real life rigs.  And put a Matchless in the hands of a novice, and he'll figure out a way to make it sound crappy (well, kinda hard to believe, I know.  But theoretically....)  Point being, the same Engl settings that player A rocks out on might sound like utter cowpie to player B - so exactly WHAT is a "perfect" model?  Get me in that sonic park - the rest is up to me.

 

I suppose I "get" the clamor from some corners for more and more amps to be added - and I ain't gonna say that I won't look closely, and appreciatively, at what may come down the line.  But jeez - if you can't find something useful in what's already there, what the hell are you looking for...?

 

"Yeah, but for $1500....."  Get over it - most of the single amps we're talking about cost that much, some of them 3 or 4 times that.  I'd hesitate to even guess how much I've spent on amps (and mods, tubes, etc..) over 40-odd years of doing this - but I've got 10 times that much sitting on the rack in the other room right now.  The Helix is a godsend - dripping with vibe and attitude, 20 odd pounds, venue-to-venue consistent sound (at least thru FRFR) - and it ISN'T a expensive vintage piece of gear being subjected to all the hazards of life on the room.  What else can you want...?

 

I think I feel the same way, there are enough sounds/ options in the thing right now to take me through several new Cd's, video game music compos, a man-sized handful of Ford & Chevy car/ truck commercials and at least a feature movie score or two. This is not to say I too don't welcome HELIX upgrades/ improvements[ will there ever be a version of the HELIX w/ more DSP ?], just saying there's a lot of music in the box as it ships from the factory, never mind with after-market IR's etc.

And as you've also noted the entry price is not cheap, but what high-tech gear item is ? 

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Nice track.

You might want to try the Gibson amp for something like this. It has a beautifully well-ballanced tone and can break up just a smidge on double stops for a vintage solo sound, just as an amp from the period would have. In fact I use it for a lot of my clean tones, whether I want vintage or not - it just sounds pretty.

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