At the end of my rope trying to get decent sound out of my POD

[marvio]

Hello all,

 

Throughout the years I've had a the original POD/XT/LIVE , and now I have a POD pro HDX, and when I tell you I could never get a decent sound for recording out of any of them you wold think I'm crazy for keep buying... Well, I was considered it a nice tool for quick sketches and such, but here is the thing, I go on youtube and I hear these really great tones, and for the life of me I cannot reproduce them, even copying all the settings in the Video! 

 

Let me explain the problem...

It's not so much the Gain structure, that's fine, but the actual EQ of the tone, no matter what I do I always get this tone which sounds like it's being played from inside a soda can, there are a narrow frequency range there which is just not pleasing at all, and this has been the case since the original POD I had. I have managed to record/mix good tones before, but the sheer amount of EQ'ing I had to do in post is crazy, and time consuming, and again I do hear tones I like online, so I must be doing something severely wrong here, outputs? Chain of effects? Using the internal mixer wrong? I don't know!

 

What am I looking for? Well, I guess "you kids" :) Would consider a medium gain tone? If you think about most of the 80's heavy metal/hard rock tones? This is something I can achieve in seconds through any of my amps, but after years of trying with the POD I just can't get it.... I even bought the "Metal Pack" for the POD pro, because people always say how bad the original JCM800 model is, well, the new model has the exact same problem (for me), those frequencies that sound like a can, and if I manage to get rid of them I also get rid of the good for some reason, and the tone sounds like a scooped mess...

 

Please help! :) 

[BillBee]

http://www.foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/ampTone

 

That would be the place to start.

[cruisinon2]

I go on youtube and I hear these really great tones, and for the life of me I cannot reproduce them, even copying all the settings in the Video!

 

Let me explain the problem...

 

Trying to use other people's tones IS the problem. It simply doesn't work...and there are a thousand reasons for it. The top 3 variables are the guitar and pickups, how it was amplified when the patch was created (amp/cab, headphones, studio monitors, a large stage-ready FRFR speaker, etc) and the volume at which it was dialed in. You'll never know the answer to most of those questions, and even if you did, the odds having the exact same stuff is essentially zero. Duplicating the settings is a complete waste of time... it will never sound the same on your end.

 

Start from scratch. Forget FX until you've found an amp/cab/mic combo that gets a basic tone that you can live with. Then you can add the window dressing. Yes, the process sucks and can be genuinely maddening until you hit on a recipe that works for you.

 

Its also possible that this just isn't the gear for you. It happens...I've forgotten half of the gear I've gotten rid of overt the years.

[Atrain_dlp]

Cruisinon is correct that there are tons of variables that affect the tone. I've had mixed results trying tones that other people created, most certainly having to do with the things he mentioned. It really is best to start from scratch in most cases. That said, I get that you'd like some place to start. Try this guys slash tone. It was one that I tried that sounded good through my FRFR setup and my amp, surprisingly. Good luck!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLrxXQYEp-_uj91raZwN_vHq1iRUBKnmKv&v=D8eyn-DqexI

[marvio]

Thanks everybody :) Guru, I totally get what you're saying, but even then the tone should be in the "ball park", right? Maybe I should upload a sample so you guys can hear? Can we do that in this board? What I'm talking here is really quite awful sounding not even in the same universe of good , HA! I figured I had to be doing something stupid/simple wrong, because after several sessions of hours trying to build a good tone I was completely unsuccessful, tried shaping it before/post amp with the para EQ's, regular EQ's, nothing.. Never mind just the amp by itself... Also what I meant by FX's was just the EQ's and maybe a dirt box in front of the amp...

.

Power user,

.

I will check that site out...

.

Just Startin',

Ha! That was one of the tones I copied from youtube, again, super tin can sounding when I play it, it makes no sense! ;) So you guys know, I have tried an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, my old 88 Kramer (with a super distortion on the bridge), my N4, and a couple of others, they all sound basically the same Thanks again guys!

.

PS> Also, just want to "put it out there", because I was starting to read the link that Power user left for me.. I'm no newbee in crafting a tone for a guitar, been playing for 30+ years and recording for at least 15, it's just that everything I know about the physical/real world doesn't seem to work... Not that much is needed, really, grab a screamer put it in front of a JCM800 going through a 4X12 loaded with V30's, maybe GH12's if you want something creamier, stick a 57 a little off center, and BAM, tone done! :)

[Atrain_dlp]

I would start at the beginning and grab the manual and go through the basic setup process for what you are doing again and make sure all your settings are correct. The website billbee attached a few posts up is very through and covers pretty much every topic related to the Pod HD.

[bjnette]

Let me tighten that rope you are at the end of. LOL

First up is, what do you monitor thru? Cans or studio monitors, FFFR speaker or amp?

Realize that the amp tones you can get are an amp in a room sound and use them 4CM

with your HD PRO X so you are experiencing the same sound level experience.

Is the room big or small treated or not?

Next is it possible you have made adjustments to the global EQ or other that are active?

Check the global menu pages. Revert impedance back to auto for now etc.

A global reset perhaps after a backup.

Then follow the advice of getting an amp tone or two you like and save them, then add FXs and

only add EQ generally to remove unwanted frequencies with very narrow cuts. Compensate with a

broad band boost if needed. Bypass the EQ often to ensure it is all an improvement but do try to get the tone you

are after using Amp model alone.

I read a review of the HDs once that if you cant get the sound you want from it might be better

to take up the trumpet! LOL Good Luck

 

[BillBee]

<snip>

.

PS> Also, just want to "put it out there", because I was starting to read the link that Power user left for me.. I'm no newbee in crafting a tone for a guitar, been playing for 30+ years and recording for at least 15, it's just that everything I know about the physical/real world doesn't seem to work... Not that much is needed, really, grab a screamer put it in front of a JCM800 going through a 4X12 loaded with V30's, maybe GH12's if you want something creamier, stick a 57 a little off center, and BAM, tone done! :)

 

I hear you my man but it is what it is - basic HD programming can be quite "interesting" depending on the level of understanding one has on the system. Real world experience helps greatly especially when eqing out the woof and fizz but too much can narrow the band too much and a wah type filter (narrow mid creeps in).

 

There are some really great HD guys here and you should list your rig and HD settings if you are to properly get some direction.

 

BTW for Rock tones I like the Park amp models. :)

[pianoguyy]

You may not be a beginner, but you are - in a way. Because it is new gear. 

Not only is it new gear, it is a new "entire rig". 

 

In the olden days, you bought one piece, And you tried it in different ways - settings, positions, etc. 

You crafted that one piece to work with all of the other pieces. 

Then a year later, repeated the process with another new piece. 

 

But, in the case of the Pod, you have just replaced everything you own with 10 times more stuff than you previously owned. 

[joel_brown]

I was in the exact same situation as you.  I'm sure a lot of other people were too.  The PODHD is very frustrating but it's in there.

 

Couple things to check:

1) Make sure Input1 is set to guitar and Input2 is set to something else.

2) Set it to Studio/Direct out and whatever it's feeding isn't being over-driven.

 

Start with a basic Amp, no effects.  Such as the Brit J-800 or Angel F-Ball.  Do the basics with tone controls, drive, presence until it's close.  Now start using the D.E.P. parameters like Resonance, Thump, Low Cut, etc.  Try different microphones and cabs.  Also try different input impedances.  I use 32k which cuts out some of the fizz for me.

 

Now that it's hopefully close, throw an EQ into the chain and find the frequencies that need to be pulled out.  You could try using the Global EQ for this just cause it's easier but remember the Global EQ effects every patch you have.

 

Now you can try and put in different effects such as distortion, compression, delay, reverb, whatever.

 

There is no set method or certain way things have to be done but this kind'a worked for me.  And always ask questions.  There's a lot of people here who went through what you're going through and will help you.

[BBD_123]

Not that much is needed, really, grab a screamer put it in front of a JCM800 going through a 4X12 loaded with V30's, maybe GH12's if you want something creamier, stick a 57 a little off center, and BAM, tone done! :)

 

 

Lots of good tips on the thread, especially the point that Input 1 should be guitar and Input 2 should be something else.

 

But... Getting the JTM 800 out of a can challenge humbly submitted:

 

Bare bones, just amp, optimised signal path and a Tube Distortion:

   

1/ New tone

 

2/ Set Input 1 to guitar and Input 2 to something else

 

3/ Output to Studio/Direct

 

4/ Pick Marshall JTM 800

 

5/ Play. It sounds horrible. In a can

 

6/ Go to the Mixer block and set:

 

- Path A level to max 12dB

 

- Path A Pan to center

 

- Path B level to zero 0dB

 

7/ Go to the amp block and set CH VOL to 45%

 

8/ Turn Drive down into the 20 - 30% range

 

9/ Go to Cab Parameters and set low cut to 100Hz

 

10/ Tube Drive in front of the amp

 

Mucho fine-tuning still to do, of course, but hopefully that's a bit more like it.

 

 

 

 

 

[napynap]

I was in the exact same situation as you.  I'm sure a lot of other people were too.  The PODHD is very frustrating but it's in there.

 

Couple things to check:

1) Make sure Input1 is set to guitar and Input2 is set to something else.

2) Set it to Studio/Direct out and whatever it's feeding isn't being over-driven.

 

Start with a basic Amp, no effects.  Such as the Brit J-800 or Angel F-Ball.  Do the basics with tone controls, drive, presence until it's close.  Now start using the D.E.P. parameters like Resonance, Thump, Low Cut, etc.  Try different microphones and cabs.  Also try different input impedances.  I use 32k which cuts out some of the fizz for me.

 

Now that it's hopefully close, throw an EQ into the chain and find the frequencies that need to be pulled out.  You could try using the Global EQ for this just cause it's easier but remember the Global EQ effects every patch you have.

 

Now you can try and put in different effects such as distortion, compression, delay, reverb, whatever.

 

There is no set method or certain way things have to be done but this kind'a worked for me.  And always ask questions.  There's a lot of people here who went through what you're going through and will help you.

 

#1 is the thing that really helped me when I first started creating PodHD tones. I kept getting a combing phased tone because I had both inputs 1 & 2 set to guitar, which caused a thin tone with no body, no matter how I amp'd, mic'd or EQ'd it.

[joel_brown]

Hey marvio, have you had any luck getting the tone you're looking for ?

[TravDaddy]

The Secret to a Delicious Metal/Rock Tones on the POD HD series: The Q Filter.

 

 

There is a FREE(!) POD HD guide on the Internet by a creator named "MeAmBobbo" that is well-worth your time (and a donation to his page). Line 6 should put this guy on the payroll. The guide is professionally laid out and is written in laymen's terms. It's easily the BEST guide I have ever seen for ANY Line 6 product. He does offer a "deep-dive" for techies (the frequency spectrum charts are amazing!), but the majority of his guide is written in plain English for we simple folk! Ha!  

 

I've seen some tone settings that use three or four filters in a row in the pre-amp line and always wondered, "Why in the hell are they using all of these filters?"  The "Q Filter" section in the guide is what really brought my tones to life. The easiest way to explain it is that the Q Filter helps you find the frequency that is making the tone sucky (to your ears) and allows you to "pull" it out of the mix. I have found that eliminating that freq completely is often worse than leaving a little bit in.

 

http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/

 

MeAmBobbo states right up front that this is not meant to be a "read all 80 pages(!) at once and know everything" kind of guide. It's more of a chapter-driven, I-need-help-on-my-tone kind of guide. He also concentrates primarily on metal tones, versus crafting the perfect clean Blackface Fender 2x12 combo tone.

 

Hope this helps!