Clean and Dirty Deluxe
With the Deluxe still cranked, we set the
guitar volume at half. I played a rhythm riff
and then turned the guitar all the way up
for some single-note riffs. We got a similar
sound with the model in AmpliTube 2. We
also noticed that there was more gain available on the real amp than the model. The
difference between the half volume and full
volume on the amp model was quite a bit
less. I preferred the real amp in this regard.
Mesa Boogie Mark II B
Here’s one more example where the model
fell a little short. After dialing in a very
“sustainey” sound, I was able to coax
some feedback as I stood in front of the
amp. We found a similar sound in Guitar
Rig 3 but could not get the feedback to
happen, even with the studio monitors
cranked. Nothing beats the sound of an
amp cranked in a live room. It’s fun and
inspiring when you can interact physically
with the amp, which is nearly impossible
with modeling software.
The Final Verdict
I would say that the results were fairly
impressive. The amps sounded great, as
expected, and the modeling products came
very close—perhaps not as punchy or complex as the real thing, especially in a room
with it cranked. These sounds are all very
useable and sound great recorded, too. It’s
also important to remember that these models actually sound better than old amps that
are not in good condition. They also don’t
break down in the middle of a gig like vintage gear often can.
One additional strategy you might try when
recording is to split your guitar signal by
sending it to your amp of choice and also
through a direct box clean to a separate
track. Later, when mixing, you can combine
your amp tone with the direct signal through
various amp models. You could even copy
your clean guitar signal to several tracks and
apply a different sound to each for a massive “virtual” multi amp guitar tone!
If you need a wide variety of convincing
sounds live and in the studio, ease of use,
low stage volume, and portability, modeling amps and software may have a lot to
offer you. If, however, you only use one or
two sounds, can bring any amp you want
to a gig and can turn it up as needed to
get your sound, you might not find much
value in the technology. Modeling provides a broad palette of sounds that sound
very close to the original amps they seek
to emulate. They are practical and convenient, and cost much less than buying
a truckload of vintage amps and speaker
cabs. They may indeed be as close as
many get to owning the real thing, making
them great tools for the working pro and
those just starting out.
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