Triple XXX settings

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

This is my first ever post. I've been watching this forum for a couple weeks now and have picked up some pretty great tips. I was just wondering if anyone would have any suggestions of settings for my Triple XXX. I'm new to recording and just finding out that live sound is Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay different than recorded sound. Thanks in advance.

Gibson SG w/EMG 85/81(85 in bridge) - GE-7 - NS-2 - Triple XXX 212 combo - audix i5 - M-Audio Fast track - Guitar Tracks Pro

 

[006]

Bass Mid and Treble to 6
"6 6 6"

Gain to 10, and anything else turn all the way down. The Master should be adjusted to the room, but 1-2 usually is the best. Should slay anything else you've ever played, for sure. Take out the NS-2, it's a tone killer, you don't want to kill the tone being pumped out this beast, do you? On the GE-7 try to boost all the lows and all the highs, and cut all of the mids. Please record this tone for us to drool over. You're welcome.

~006

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

Bass Mid and Treble to 6
"6 6 6"

Gain to 10, and anything else turn all the way down.
~006

Won't having the gain that high with the mids scooped make the tone muddy?
I use the GE-7 in front of the amp for a clean boost. Kind of like how the Tubescreamer is used. Right now I have Bass set to about 11'oclock, the mids at 8'oclock and the treble at about 10'oclock. I do have an MXR 10 band to stick in the loop. Is that where you were suggesting to boost the lows and highs? I do have one very very amature clip but not shure how to upload it. Any suggestions?

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

Keep in mind that I'm an amature. You can tell by the annoying buzz that I'm sitting to close to the computer screen http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=3369695&q=hi

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=3369695&q=hi

 

[006]

I was kidding. Sorry, I'm kind of in a bad mood because my PC died AGAIN this morning, meanwhile my Macs that take a ton of abuse are still running like champs..

Anyway, try putting the mids at like 10 or 11 o'clock. and turn the highs up to like 1 or 2 o'clock. For recording guitars, you need more mids than you would use just sitting in your room. It will help them sit better in a mix with drums and bass. You have to understand early on that the drums and bass guitars handle certain ends of the spectrum. The guitar is a MID instrument. The drums handle low end (kick drum, toms), and high end (cymbals, hats, snare). Generally speaking, of course, before I get "corrected". Bass guitar is, again generally speaking, all lows. There is that gap between lows and highs, and that is where the guitar is suppose to sit. If you have a bass guitar to record, you don't need so much low end coming from the guitar. If you don't have any bass guitar to record, then yes, low end boosting on the guitar is needed, but not *too* much. Panning the guitars hard left and right (100% Left 100% Right, leaves room in the middle for bass, kick drum, snare drum, and hi-hats. Which will leave the cymbals to be panned with the guitars. Toms are panned from left to right to taste. In finding a great guitar tone from your amp, you have to realize these things and find ways to work it all together. Mainly for recording purposes. For live, you can spice it up a bit, since...well..it's live, it's going to sound nothing like it should anyway. Recording is a "controlled" situation. And everything has to blend correctly in order for a good mix of instruments.

So, are you trying to get a good recording tone, or just a general tone from your amp for jamming or playing live?

~006

 

[006]

Ok, I just re-read your original post...

Find the settings for your amp that make your guitar clear but have the sound you like. The gain should not be really high, but at least to where you can do everything you play and it not sound *too* much like a barely driven amp. The mids are a crucial area. The lows don't have to be too high either. Make sure the treble isn't piercing the ears. Presence on amps is usually a boost from 5-12kHz, it varies from amp to amp, but this should be used sparingly because it honestly is just noise. It may *sound* more clear, but it's just un-needed high end. When you record the tracks, use an eq in your program to cut everything on the guitars from 80Hz and below, roll it off. These are pointless frequencies. If you have Waves plug-ins, specifically the C4 compressor, use Andy Sneap's settings which can be found on this forum, I can find the link for you in a second so you can see it. This will clean up any muddiness from the guitars...unless you have some wierd setup, which it seems like you don't. Then you should filter off everything at least from 9-12kHz and up. Also unwanted frequencies. Then you can boost or cut whatever until it sounds good. If you are trying all of this, and it still doesn't sound like you are looking for, then you need to change the amp's setting a little bit, and re-record the tracks with the same eq'ing and all that on those plug-ins. Keep in mind these are just my suggestions, I'm trying to remember things I did when a band came in with a XXX a while back. Let me know how it's coming. Hopefully some more people will jump on this thread to help out.

~006

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

I was kidding. Sorry, I'm kind of in a bad mood because my PC died AGAIN this morning,
So, are you trying to get a good recording tone, or just a general tone from your amp for jamming or playing live?

~006

Hey, I can get that kind of abuse from my wife!!!!! Just kidding. I just want a good, tight recording tone. I am a hobbyist and I want the sound of good, clear distortion. Kind of going for that "Killswitch" sound.

in the meanwhile you might enjoy this video clip:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6553260189868317794

 

[006]

Also, with more mids on the amp...you may hate how it sounds. BUT, you have to keep in mind you can kill off any mids that you don't like *afterwards* once you have the tracks recorded. Plus, once drums and bass guitar are there with the guitar tracks, usually they "morph" the way the guitar sounds and you'll like it.

~006

 

[Fragle]

so, you were indeed kidding. well, reading your first post i could see why you like engl amps

 

[006]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH that has to be one of the funniest videos ever. "it's bouncingat the bottom of the screen like a JACK RUSSEL FUCKING TERRIER!" Lol. hHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I'm going to post that in a new thread, thanks for sharing that so much.

~006

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

Yeah my buddy who is in love with mac's liked it. Thanks for your help.

P.S. what did you think of the music clip?

 

[006]

It sounds like I expected it to from the settings you described that you use. It's not awful or anything, but it's just not the ideal recording tone you should use. I'm sure it kills live or when you're jamming with people though. The XXX is a good amp, it always sounds great when bands bring it into the studio.

~006

 

[JeffTD]

I've never found the NS-2 to be a tone killer at all. It adds some presence and digital sound when in the loop, but nothing infront of the amp.

 

[006]

I was kidding DSS3 when I posted that, I was in a bad mood and it was that guy's first post,

~006