Guitarists: Amp Modeling, What Are You Using? Options

[gdoubleyou]

Logic Express contains a cut-down version of the amp simulator in LP7, also has all the amp sims from Garage Band.

Check apple's site for details.



This post has been edited by gdoubleyou: Wed 20 Apr 2005, 00:36

[elfingrey]

The Garge Band/Logic amp simulators in Logic 7 sound bloody great! Makes me wish I had the extra cash to buy the the full Logic program rather than Logic Express 7. Well, I suppose I must start saving the spare change again. Nice examples, thanks for posting them.

The aging elf

[Marcia]

How does Logic/Garagebands amp emulations compart to Izotope Trash? Or Guitar Rig or Amplitube? Has anyone done a side by side compariston of the amp models/distortion/overdrive aspects and how well they emulate the real thing? I think overall, they lack a great tone, but seems technology gets closer every year... Other effects aside, I like Trash but haven't heard Logic's (and I'm thinking of buying Logic Pro).

Guitar Chic

[prologicscot]

Ampfarm in pro-tools is as good as I've ever heard for guitar

& any tone I want it supplys, my father & I also own around 25 amps so comparison to real thing is good

but garageband sounds well cool, I tried amplitube & went back (everytime) to ampfarm or a pod

jolly earbashings
Isaac

[dixiechicken]

A we bit late in responding - but I use a POD-II for recording into my DAW.
The POD works great for that - better than live use actually.

Cheers: Dixiechicken

PS I'm a guitarist b.t.w. T.S

[chappy]

All of the emulators work to a degree and it usually depends on the purpose and where the whole thing lands. I use the POD and Amp Farm/Amplitude and the Logic Pro gizmo.
I try and use it for a couple of things. Broadcast, to catch an idea and as an odd duck
if none of my real amps are inspireing.
In broadcast and TV, music isn't as 'in your face' as we'd like it to be so sometimes it's faster and easier to ue a modeler. In songwriting, time can be a factor and you can loose the moment or get detoured while looking for a perfct signal path.
On a real CD, it get's dicier because people will liten repeatedly (hopefully!)
so tone is a huge factor. I usually elegate Amp Farm etc... to the background or uuse it for something that it's not intended for like drums or a horm, even acoustiv piano.
All of these tools should be, and usually are, fun.
peace,
chap

[robomark29]

Might be closing the door when the horse is on his way to Bermuda, but I'd like to chime in and say that if you're going with an extrenal amp modeler, try the Vox ToneLab SE. I tried them all and this was the only one that really gave the tone and feel of a real tube (could it be because it uses a real tube?) and actually feels like I'm using old fashioned stomp boxes in front of a nice group of vintage and boutique amps. Took some tweaking to work with the high output of my Steinberger, but man was it worth it. Amazing tone. Also, more cost effective than the Line 6 because it it it's own foot controller.

To give a nod to Line6, I did feel the Vox Tonelab fell flat with fuzzbox emulation but this was remedied by putting the yellow Line6 fuzzbox emulator in it's effects loop. The combo is clutch.

Mark

[rcross73]

Yes, GarageBand and Logic (Express 7.2 or Pro 7.2) have some decent sounds for guitar.

But if you're really interested in shredding it up, with an insane amount of tonal possibilities and versatility, you really should check out the various computer amp modeling programs out there. Here are some of the best, in ascending order of price. All of them have INCREDIBLE, PRO sound quality:

1) Line 6 TonePort UX1 or UX2 ($129 or $199)
From the makers of the PodXT, with all the sounds from it, with a nice USB 2.0 computer interface, which also has direct line-outs to plug straight into a PA or whatever. Amazing sounds, great value, major expandibility, XLR and 1/4" inputs, bass amps and vocal preamps too, and very processor-friendly (5% of my MacBook Pro C2D's 200% CPU power at any given time). Now the fabulous software that this comes with/runs (GearBox) is also available in a couple of different configurations as a plug-in as well as the standalone version.
http://line6.com/toneport/

2) IK Multimedia's Amplitube 2.0 (around $329 - though academic discounts are available)
Visually mesmerizing interface, even better overall sound than the Line 6 option (read: fantastic-er ), though More CPU-intensive (15%-25% of my 200%), very detailed and accurate tuner, two simultaneous guitar rigs with numerous interchangeable possibilities, can go up to 96 MHz sample rate. Is both a standalone and plug-in at once. Foot controller/computer interface will be released soon (the Stomp IO) - probably January.
http://www.amplitube.com/

3) Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2.0 ($499 - though academic discounts are also available, as is a software-only version [sans foot-controller] that will save you some cash if absolutely necessary)
Similar quality to Amplitube 2, but comes with very nice foot controller/computer interface. A very slight bit more flexibility than its competitor, for that .001% who want to be able to line up MORE than Amplitube's at-one-time restriction of 10 stompbox effects, 2 amps, 2 cabinets, and 8 rack effects. And it is by far the most CPU-intensive of the three, though it may be the most versatile live option at this point.
http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=guitarrig2_us

I have the first two, but have opted not to get the third. Go to their websites, try them out. All three of these options are infinitely better than the guitar sound possibilities in GarageBand, Logic Express, and Logic Pro, and they can be used with all three of these programs (and any other DAW or recording software you have). All can be used to perform with at a pro level, as well. You just have to find out how best you want to do it. For other options, there is also the Waves GTR, but all of my research and review-reading tells me that it is not as flexible or comprehensive as either Amplitube 2.0 or Guitar Rig 2.0, and its sound quality is about the same.

Whichever way you go here, I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

[monkeyboy23]

Good write up. I'll just add the Bomb Factory Sansamp plug in to the list for Pro Tools. It's the older than the other modelers you've listed, but I find it to be easy to use and gets a good sound, distorted or clean. The "American Woman" preset is aces!

[rcross73]

There has been some concern about Amplitube not loading up in GarageBand. This may be a tech problem, as others have reported the same issue with Logic Express 7.2, but not with Logic Pro 7.2. For more, check this thread at the Big Blue Lounge:

http://www.bigbluelounge.com/forums/viewto...tube+garageband