Reference Tone

[DolurumMafikala]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to get the most out of my Pod HD 500X by using it for both live use and for recording. I may move to a software amp sim package for recording, but for now I am trying to use the Pod as a singular rig

 

I see posts and articles that say:

- You will typically need different versions of a particular tone for live use and for direct recording.
- When recording, the guitar sound that will sound good in the mix is not likely to be a guitar sound that sounds good on its own.

 

Would anyone be prepared so share some examples of tones where they have a live and a direct recording version or a tone they set up specifically for recording to sound good in a mix?

 

If you can't share the tone examples, I'd be grateful for some comments on the typical changes you make between a live version and direct recording version of a tone.

 

If it helps, I am thinking about blues rock styles, and for the amp in the live situation, assume a PA or similar, rather than a guitar amp. For guitars, single coil or basic humbuckers, nothing active.

DM
 

[hurghanico]

Giving examples of patches for different uses/scenarios IMO would not be very useful, as the best thing to do is to build them on the spot by yourself based on your instrumentation, way of playing, and the context in which you are at the moment.

Eg:
- recording of a track to be inserted among others of other instruments, where therefore a certain equalization helps you to hear your own instrument and all the others in a distinct way, and obviously the equalization changes according to the song and the instruments already present.

- live at high volume, the general equalization of the various channels of the various instruments is up to the sound engineer (if any).
as for the guitarist's live sound (compared to the low volume sound at home or in the studio) it is often necessary to boost the mid frequencies (or lower the bass and treble a little and turn up the volume which is more or less the same thing ) to ensure that the guitar signal does not get lost among the other instruments and is well present in the overall mix (for the scientific explanation of why you need more mids at high volume see The Fletcher and Munson Curve).

 

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All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips

 

[stormstudios]

I'll give one example, I always have to have a higher MIX setting on any delay I use in a live setting and maybe one more bounce from the FREQ dial to have it cut through the mix coming out of a large PA. I usually have the point of break-up on the amp pushed a little more as well. I've gotten good at documenting all these 'adjustments' but sometimes but I have a habit of over-tweaking too.

 

So this 'song' will now have two patches. One I used to record the thing and a new LIVE patch.

 

I'll practice with the headphones on and get used to that sound, then head to rehearsal next week and plug it into the PA and get all frustrated with the live patch because I was sure I had the delays and the crunch in patch 2 set up properly. Endless argh.

 

I tried to use the Global EQ to adjust for the difference and tweaking as I moved from location  / system to the other. It made some difference but it was easier to find my own formula.

 

Now, I just record with my software amp sims and get the sound I want, then try to program it in the multi-effects later.

[pianoguyy]

I've never bought into the studio vs live stuff. One tone is all you need. 

 

Now, with that being said - the studio allows you to do so much that you cannot do live. So, in that instance, you could run two different tones. 

I'll give you an example... Jimi Hendrix. 

There are enough live recordings of him out there (and those were long before KISS made the studio do-overs an industry standard). You can clearly hear a difference in his live and studio tones. 

But, he "created art" in the studio. Far different than his 3-man band rock concerts. 

 

So, unless you are doing so some wild creations that you cannot re-create live.... one tone is all you need.

 

 

And yet, at the same time, this also assumes you are making your tones and your recordings correctly. Because technology gives so many variables that didn't exist in the old days. 

I don't make recordings for the teens with the iPod headphones. Nor do I make live music for the "please play quietly, I am trying to live stream" crowd. 

It makes a difference. 

 

[joel_brown]

I agree with pianoguyy.  One tone is all you need.  If you have a good tone, you don't need to change it unless you're playing it through a different amp/cab that colors your tone differently.

[DolurumMafikala]

Really appreciate all the thoughts. One tone to concentrate on (then tweak in different situations only if needed) feels like a weight off my mind!

 

Thanks again for the responses,

DM.

 

 

[pianoguyy]

one tone to concentrate on... which shouldn't need tweaked in different situations 

 

 

*except for the extreme cases I previously touched on. 

[stormstudios]

Agreed. Most people don't need different tones in different settings. Some of us impersonate performers in range of timelines and settings and require different tweaks. But we're definitely not in the norm. I didn't mean to give that impression.

 

You can successfully record and play live with the same patches or sometimes plug into an amp or direct to the PA.

[DolurumMafikala]

Super - thanks for clarifying!

 

I still don't sound quite like Dan Auerbach. I blame Line 6 :-)