Make no mistake: The digital age is here to stay. We play with two cutting edge computer programs and lay out what you need to know about modeling. If
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What is it?
Software that digitally āmodelsā the sound of classic guitar amps and effects through the use of advanced algorithms is all the rage these days. By painstakingly measuring the behavior of every part of the signal chain ā from vacuum tubes, preamps, amps, speakers, microphones and effects ā engineers have developed some very convincing software technology for the modern guitarist. While it would certainly be fun and inspiring to have several different classic tube amps and a pedalboard full of the greatest effects of all time at every gig, who can really pull that off? Most of the gear modeled in this software is now prohibitively expensive to own and requires constant upkeep, too. When you consider the sheer manpower needed to move it around, it quickly becomes impractical on several levels. With modeling software, you have a believable emulation of the real thing.
If we buy into the premise that most of us already have a computer, then it is reasonable to assume that we should find ways to use that computing horsepower to do something of creative value. AmpliTube 2, from IK Multimedia (fig 1) and Guitar Rig 2, from Native Instruments (fig 2), are two well-designed and highly-evolved applications in the world of guitar amp and effect modeling. Both existed in previous incarnations and were hailed as breakthrough products at the time, but Guitar Rig 2 and AmpliTude 2 pack in more new features and even better sound quality. It seems that things just keep getting better for digitallyinclined axe slingers.
What can they do?
There are some similarities between these two applications, so letās take a look there first. Both apps feature a āvirtualā rack where you can select amps, speaker cabs, microphones and sound effects to create your own āpresetā sound. Most of the classic combinations are available ā from plexi Marshalls, the ā59 Fender Bassman, and the Vox AC30 to modern classics like Mesa Boogie ā albeit, sometimes with thinly veiled names, such as Brit Tube 30TB or AC Box, Plex, Tweedman, etc.
From muscular blues and boogie to metal and high gain grind to ambient and spacious, both products feature a vast world of tonal possibilities. Tone tweakers and gear freaks will feel right at home in the computer modeling world, with options to select what type of virtual speaker cabinet is connected (closed back Celestion, open back Fender, etc.) and even which type of virtual mic you want in front of your cab, ranging from the old standby Shure SM57 to high-end tube condensers; you can even choose to aim the microphone directly at the virtual speaker or off-axis, satisfying the most compulsive tone hounds. Each of these choices makes for a fairly dramatic change in tone and the flexibility allows you to dial in the exact sound youāre looking for.
As intimidating as the world of computerized guitar can be to the uninitiated, the best course of action with both of these applications is to simply dive right in. Why not try a Marshall type of amp with an 8ā open back cabinet? Wouldnāt it be cool to try a Fender Twin Reverb through a 4x12 closed back cabinet? Experimentation is fun and yields lots of great sounding combinations. When you add all of the virtual stomp box and rack effects, such as wah, chorus, flanger, delay, distortion and reverb ā plus a few wild and crazy effects in each program ā you have serious tone-shaping power.
If you just want to plug and play, both applications serve up an extensive list of preset tones in a broad range of older and modern styles that make it a cinch to get started. One could easily spend a week just auditioning the presets. Each new preset inspired me in a different direction; from pumping out solid rhythm guitar to Chicago blues to modern high-gain leads. It was very entertaining to spend some time with each preset and I would highly recommend it if you want to get a firm handle on all of the sound possibilities available. Banks and presets in various styles make it simple to see what each application can do. Even to an experienced set of ears, most of these sounds are extremely convincing. The models are expansive, dynamically responsive like a tube amp should be (more on that a bit later) and just plain fun to use on stage or in the studio. Guitar Rig 2 includes a āRig Kontrolā footpedal that makes using it in a live setting easy. Not to be outdone, IK Multimedia has a foot controller for AmpliTube 2 coming soon called Stomp I/O. When using these applications in a studio setting, they can also function as plug-ins within recording applications such as Pro Tools, Digital Performer and Logic. Consider how convenient it is to dial in any sound you can imagine, at any volume and hour of the day or night ā and even having the flexibility to change sounds after the fact. This is sheer sonic bliss and would have seemed like some kind of virtual voodoo just a few short years ago!
How does it work?
Those of you new to computer audio may need a little explanation at this point, in order to get your guitar signal into the computer and application. Generally speaking, youāll need an audio interface that has a high-gain instrument input on it. These come in several varieties, usually USB, FireWire or USB 2.0. Each company approaches this differently ā the Guitar Rig 2 Rig Kontrol footpedal also happens to be a USB 2.0 audio interface and is quite convenient. After installing the software, simply plug the footpedal into your computer via a USB 2.0 port (make sure you have this type of port before buying), plug your guitar into the foot controller and commence rocking.
With AmpliTube 2, you can use any audio interface you like, and there are quite a few interface options under $100, such as the M-Audio Fast Track or JamLab, or IKās own Stealth Plug. In this scenario, youāll need to make sure your computer āseesā your interface for audio input and that the application itself also sees it for audio input. This should all be handled during the interfaceās installation phase.
After getting your interface set up, if you are using either application in stand-alone mode, you will be ready to plug and play. If you are using either application as a plug-in with Pro Tools or another recording program, you will need to create a track in that application for your guitar and then āinsertā the modeling software on that track. Youāll want to reference the recording applicationās manual if youāre unsure of how this works. It can be a little confusing to get it all configured correctly, but it is definitely worth the patience required. Once you get it working, the settings are retained for future use.
Itās important to note that, depending on where you live, you may or may not be able to try either of these applications out before you buy them, because stores rarely have them installed on a computer and accessible for demos. Most stores will not return opened software, make sure your computer can handle the processing needs of the program/interface ā you can find this on the side of the box, under āMinimum Requirements.ā
How do they sound?
I began by trying to replicate some of the classic meat and potatoes rhythm and lead sounds that have been popular within the last 50 years. Starting with AmpliTube 2, I went looking for a Vox AC30 clean rhythm tone. After auditioning some presets I found one that was built on an AC30 type of amp model that sounded good to me. Others were more distorted or ultra clean. I tweaked the amount of distortion, adding just a little to achieve that ājanglyā AC30 sound (fig 3). Most players consider this a ācleanā tone, but it usually has some distortion. I was very happy with the result and saved it as āac30Jangle A2ā. Afterwards, I fired up Guitar Rig 2 and went searching for a similar sound. I found a great sounding AC30 (fig 4) and just tweaked various parameters to taste. The resulting clip, called āac30Jangle G2ā, was a little less ballsyā a softer version of a similar sound.
One strategy you could experiment with would be to mix and match tube types within a single amp model. Why not find a sound based on a Fender amp that uses 6L6 power tubes but then change the amp model power tubes to EL84s, as used on an AC30. The resulting sound, impossible to create with real amps, might be exactly the sound you are looking for.
Many guitarists are drawn to classic Fender amp tones, like the renowned 1959 Bassman, the Twin Reverb and others. If youāre talkinā Fender, youāre talkinā bright, twangy rhythms with plenty of sparkle and muscular lead tones. I found just what I needed from both applications. There were tons of variations on this classic sound, such as Deluxe Reverb, Fender Twin and the above mentioned Fender Bassman so it was difficult choosing a model. The ā59 Bassman, in particular, is a very popular amp, made famous by Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless others. I created clips called āTremTwang A2ā and āTremTwang G2ā to illustrate the results (figs 5-6) of these classic Fender tones. Both programs also have nice models of the spring reverb found on these classic amps ā I was able to go all the way from subtle, to a Dick Daleinspired surf tsunami!
Next on the list of tones to test was the revered Marshall sound. This sound, like most others, is the result of the amplifier and the speaker cabinet working together to arrive at the crunch weāve known and loved since the ā60s. Whether it is a plexi stack or a JCM 800, part of the tone recipe has long been a closed back 4x12 speaker cabinet, often with Celestion brand speakers. Since this type of sound is so widely used, there were tons of great presets right out of the box in both applications. I must say that the plethora of presets were well named and gave great indication of the sound of each. Sometimes they hint at the type of amp such as Plex, JCM 800, JCM 900 and sometimes the name reflects the type of effect featured, such as chorus or rotary speaker. I finally found a fat, muscular setting in each program that sounded awesome to my ears ā the presets are called āMarshaLaw G2ā and āMarshaLaw A2ā (figs 7-8). One thing to consider is that when auditioning presets, you will often find something that sounds about right, but when you put it in the context of a song you are recording, it might need some adjustment. Itās very common to have a big guitar rhythm sound that is ātoo bigā when heard in the track with everything else. Both programs give you many ways to sculpt your sound with EQ, compression and effects.
Something worth mentioning is that both programs produced a warm, focused and dynamically responsive sound. I was able to adjust my tone by simply adjusting the volume knob on my guitar ā setting it full on for a great lead tone and then cleaning up for chunky rhythm playing by rolling it down. Many tube fanatics look for this dynamic capability in an amp, and itās a thing of beautiful simplicity to have these applications replicate that ā no footpedals to dance on or to get to from across the stage. Both Guitar Rig 2 and AmpliTube 2 have impressive dynamic response, to such a degree that it brought a smile to my face.
In the midst of testing all of these amp and cab variations, I happened upon a preset with an auto wah sound in Guitar Rig 2. It was warm, sustained and would be great for a unique lead solo. Both applications had something similar, but not quite the same. The G2 wah preset followed the rhythm of the way I played each note and the A2 version applied a wah that fluctuated at a predetermined tempo. With that tempo locked to your track, the sound is cool and āin sync.ā Both are very useable sounds. Check out AutoWah G2 and A2 (figs 9-10) and decide which you prefer. For the modern rocker, I went in search of a solid-state metal/nu metal amp sound ā the type of high gain rhythm sound with a tight, focused bottom-end that works well with drop tunings and often has a āscoopedā midrange. The tight bottom and well defined sound is great for strumming of power chords. The resulting SSCrunch clips are different but both are very useable (figs 11-12). Another very popular sound with the metal crowd is the so-called ādual rectifierā sound made popular by amps from Mesa Boogie. These are ultra high-gain sounds with more mids than the above-mentioned solid-state crunch sounds, and are dripping with attitude. Check out the DualRecto clips (figs 13-14) and youāll see what I mean. Just for fun, I took my DualRecto preset from AmpliTube 2 and produced a variation called āDualRecto Rotary.ā It took all of 10 seconds to add the Leslie rotary effect to this preset and the sound was fantastic.
Both programs are an absolute blast, and are truly incredible in their depth and realism. Iāve only been able to scratch the surface here, as there are far too many sounds to describe with both AmpliTube 2 and Guitar Rig 2. With the arrival of such incredible modeling software, todayās guitarist has powerful tone tools at his/her fingertips. Even the most stubborn tube amp fanatics should give these applications a listen. The sounds are inspiring and versatile! Why not fire up your PC or Mac with either and get rockin; for many of us, itās the only way we will ever have access to hundreds of great classic and modern amp and effects combinations.
MODELING, iLife Style? |
Framus Hootenanny Re-Issue Guitars: John Lennonās Favorite Reimagined | PG Plays
Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he explores all-new versions of the Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string acousticsāmade famous by John Lennon and now available with modern upgrades. From vintage-inspired tone to unique features, these guitars are built to spark creativity.
Neil Youngās ā70s hits are some of the most recognizable radio rock jams of all time. But Neilās guitar playing continued to grow over the ensuing decades, as he traversed styles from blues to country to electronic to rockabilly and beyond, eventually developing one of the most tonally decadent, fully formed improvisational voices in the entire guitar universe.
Neil Youngās ā70s hits are some of the most recognizable radio rock jams of all time. But Neilās guitar playing continued to grow over the ensuing decades, as he traversed styles from blues to country to electronic to rockabilly and beyond, eventually developing one of the most tonally decadent, fully formed improvisational voices in the entire guitar universe.
Like any discography thatās been growing over the course of more than half a century, it can be hard to decode Youngās work. And with such an adventurous spirit, it could be easy to make some missteps and miss out on his best guitar works. In this episode, Nick guides Jason through some of his heroās finest moments.
More news from Neil always seems to be on the horizon, so hereās your chance to catch up.
This episode is sponsored by Gibson.
This Japan-made Guyatone brings back memories of hitchinā rides around the U.S.
This oddball vintage Guyatone has a streak of Jack Kerouacās adventurous, thumbing spirit.
The other day, I saw something I hadnāt noticed in quite some time. Driving home from work, I saw an interesting-looking fellow hitchhiking. When I was a kid, āhitchersā seemed much more common, but, then again, the world didnāt seem as dangerous as today. Heck, I can remember hitching to my uncleās cabin in Bradford, Pennsylvaniaāhome of Zippo lightersāand riding almost 200 miles while I sat in a spare tire in the open bed of a pickup truck! Yes, safety wasnāt a big concern for kids back in the day.
So, as Iām prone to do, I started digging around hitchhiking culture and stories. Surprisingly, there are organized groups that embrace the hitching life, but the practice remains on the fringe in the U.S. Back in the 1950s, writer Jack Kerouac wrote the novel On the Road, which celebrated hitchhiking and exposed readers to the thrill of maverick travel. Heck, even Mike Dugan (the guitarist in all my videos) hitched his way to California in the 1960s. But seeing that fellow on the side of the road also sparked another image in my brain: Yep, it always comes back to guitars.
Let me present to you a guitar thatās ready to go hitching: the Guyatone LG-180T, hailing from 1966. The āthumbs-upā headstock and the big āthumbā on the upper bout always made me think of thumbing a ride, and I bought and sold this guitar so long ago that I had forgotten about it, until I saw that hitchhiking dude. Guyatone was an interesting Japanese company because they were primarily an electronics company, and most of their guitars had their wooden parts produced by other factories. In the case of the LG-180T, the bodies were made by Yamaha in Hamamatsu, Japan. At that time, Yamaha was arguably making the finest Japanese guitars, and the wood on this Guyatone model is outstanding. We donāt often see Guyatone-branded guitars here in the U.S., but a lot of players recognize the early ā60s label Kentāa brand name used by an American importer for Guyatone guitars.
With a bit of imagination, the LG-180Tās āthumbs upā headstock seems to be looking for a roadside ride.
Kent guitars were extremely popular from the early ā60s until around 1966. The U.S. importer B&J fed the American need for electric guitars with several nice Kent models, but when the Guyatone contract ended, so did most of the Kent guitars. After that, Guyatone primarily sold guitars in Japan, so this example is a rare model in the U.S.
āUnless you are a master at guitar setups, this would be a difficult player.ā
This headstock is either the ugliest or the coolest of the Guyatone designs. I canāt decide which. I will say, no other Japanese guitar company ever put out anything like this. You have to give the Guyatone designers a thumbs up for trying to stand out in the crowd! Guyatone decided to forgo an adjustable truss rod in this model, opting instead for a light alloy non-adjustable core to reinforce the neck. Speaking of the neck, this instrument features the most odd-feeling neck. Itās very thin but has a deep shoulder (if that makes any sense). Totally strange!
Another strange feature is the bridge, which offers very little adjustment because of the three large saddles, which sort of rock back and forth with the tremolo. Itās a shame because these pickups sound great! Theyāre very crisp and have plenty of zing, but unless you are a master at guitar set-ups, this would be a difficult player.
This could be why the LG-180T only appeared in the 1966 and 1967 catalogs. After that, it disappeared along with all the other Yamaha-made Guyatone electrics. By 1969, Guyatone had gone bankrupt for the first time, and thus ended guitar production for a few decades. At least we were blessed with some wacky guitar designs we can marvel at while remembering the days when you could play in the back end of an explosive 1973 AMC Gremlin while your mom raced around town. Two thumbs up for surviving our childhoods! PG
There's a lot of musical gold inside the scales.
Intermediate
Intermediate
ā¢ Develop a deeper improvisational vocabulary.
ā¢ Combine pentatonic scales to create new colors.
ā¢ Understand the beauty of diatonic harmony.Improvising over one chord for long stretches of time can be a musician's best friend or worst nightmare. With no harmonic variation, we are left to generate interest through our lines, phrasing, and creativity. When I started learning to improvise, a minor 7 chord and a Dorian mode were the only sounds that I wanted to hear at the time. I found it tremendously helpful to have the harmony stay in one spot while I mined for new ideas to play. Playing over a static chord was crucial in developing my sense of time and phrasing.
The following is the first improvisational device I ever came across. I want to say I got it from a Frank Gambale book. The idea is that there are three minor pentatonic scales "hiding" in any given major scale. If we're in the key of C (CāDāEāFāGāAāB) we can pluck out the D, E, and A minor pentatonic scales. If we frame them over a Dm7 chord, they give us different five-note combinations of the D Dorian mode. In short, we are building minor pentatonic scales off the 2, 3, and 6 of the C major scale.
Viewing this through the lens of D minor (a sibling of C major and the tonal center for this lesson), D minor pentatonic gives us the 1āb3ā4ā5āb7, E minor pentatonic gives us 2ā4ā5ā6ā1, and A minor pentatonic gives us 5āb7ā1ā2ā4. This means you can use your favorite pentatonic licks in three different locations and there are three different sounds we can tap into from the same structure.
If you smashed all of them together, you would get the D Dorian scale (DāEĀĀāFāGāAāBāC) with notes in common between the D, E, and A minor pentatonic scales. Ex. 1 uses all three scales, so you can hear the different colors each one creates over the chord.
Ex. 1
Ex. 2 is how I improvise with them, usually weaving in and out using different positional shapes.
Ex. 2
The next idea is one I stole from a guitarist who often came into a music store I worked at. On the surface, it's very easy: Just take two triads (in our example it will be Dm and C) and ping-pong between them. The D minor triad (DāFāA) gives us 1āb3ā5, which is very much rooted in the chord, and the C major triad (CāEāG) gives us the b7ā9ā4, which is much floatier. Also, if you smash these two triads together, you get 1ā2āb3ā4ā5āb7, which is a minor pentatonic scale with an added 2 (or 9). Eric Johnson uses this sound all the time. Ex. 3 is the lick I stole years ago.
Ex. 3
Ex. 4 is how I would improvise with this concept. Many different fingerings work with these, so experiment until you find a layout that's comfortable for your own playing.
Ex. 4
If two triads work, why not seven? This next approach will take all the triads in the key of C (CāDmāEmāFāGāAmāBdim) and use them over a Dm7 chord (Ex. 5). Each triad highlights different three-note combinations from the Dorian scale, and all of them sound different. Triads are clear structures that sound strong to our ears, and they can generate nice linear interest when played over one chord. Once again, all of this is 100% inside the scale. Ex. 5 is how each triad sounds over the track, and Ex. 6 is my attempt to improvise with them.
Ex. 5
Ex. 6
If we could find all these possibilities with triads, it's logical to make the structure a little bigger and take a similar approach with 7 chords, or in this case, arpeggios. Naturally, all the diatonic chords will work, but I'll limit this next idea to just Dm7, Fmaj7, Am7, and Cmaj7. I love this approach because as you move further away from the Dm7 shape, each new structure takes out a chord tone and replaces it with an extension. I notice that I usually come up with different lines when I'm thinking about different chord shapes, and this approach is a decent way to facilitate that. Ex. 7 is a good way to get these under your fingers. Just ascend one shape, shift into the next shape on the highest string, then descend and shift to the next on the lowest string.
Ex. 7
Ex. 8 is my improvisation using all four shapes and sounds, but I lean pretty heavily on the Am7.
Ex. 8
This last concept has kept me busy on the fretboard for the last five years or so. Check it out: You can take any idea that works over Dm7 and move the other diatonic chords. The result is six variations of your original lick. In Ex. 9 I play a line that is 4ā1āb3Āā5 over Dm7 and then walk it through the other chords in the key. These notes are still in the key of C, but it sounds drastically different from playing a scale.
Ex. 9
In Ex. 10, I try to think about the shapes from the previous example, but I break up the note order in a random but fun way. The ending line is random but felt good, so I left it in.
Ex. 10
While all these concepts have been presented over a minor chord, you can just as easily apply them to any chord quality, and they work just as well in harmonic or melodic minor. Rewarding sounds are available right inside the harmony, and I am still discovering new ideas through these concepts after many years.
Though the above ideas won't necessarily be appropriate for every style or situation, they will work in quite a few. Developing any approach to the point that it becomes a natural extension of your playing takes considerable work and patience, so just enjoy the process, experiment, and let your ear guide you to the sounds you like. Even over just one chord, there is always something new to find.