Deconvolution/Impulse users....

  • Thread starter Thread starter gybe!
  • Start date Start date
gybe!

gybe!

Active member
For those of you using Impulse files for miced cab emulation, what files are you using? I have been using Mood Bender's and Guitar Hack (from the Sneap forum) but just wanted to see if there are any other favorites out there? Or perhaps we can share?
 
From what I've seen, GuitarHacks seem to be the best. There might be more out there, but for rock/metal I don't think they can be beat. Which amp are you using them with?

-Joe
 
mightyjoeyoungxnj":29cee said:
From what I've seen, GuitarHacks seem to be the best. There might be more out there, but for rock/metal I don't think they can be beat. Which amp are you using them with?

-Joe

I have used both my Cameron HG Jose as well as my Makoplex when I had it. When my MAK2-Black arrives in the next couple of weeks I will use that as well. Granted, at this point, I really only use impulses for scratch tracks and jotting down ideas as I now have access to a nice studio via the band for actual recording work
 
gybe!":3fab7 said:
mightyjoeyoungxnj":3fab7 said:
From what I've seen, GuitarHacks seem to be the best. There might be more out there, but for rock/metal I don't think they can be beat. Which amp are you using them with?

-Joe

I have used both my Cameron HG Jose as well as my Makoplex when I had it. When my MAK2-Black arrives in the next couple of weeks I will use that as well. Granted, at this point, I really only use impulses for scratch tracks and jotting down ideas as I now have access to a nice studio via the band for actual recording work

Cool...It's definitely nice technology. I've used them with my PodXT and 5150.

-Joe
 
Guys, can you help a cab impulses noob out here? I have been reading about them for a while but they don't make sense to me. How do I use them with my Pod Xt and more importantly, how do I use them with my tube heads for recording?

Thanks a ton if you can explain their use!
 
Chubtone":73f59 said:
Guys, can you help a cab impulses noob out here? I have been reading about them for a while but they don't make sense to me. How do I use them with my Pod Xt and more importantly, how do I use them with my tube heads for recording?

Thanks a ton if you can explain their use!

Not a problem....You need two things, some form of deconvolution plugin such as Voxengo's Pristine Space (they also have a free one, the only difference is that Pristine Space allows you to actually make your own impulses) and a set of cab impulse files (such as Mood Bender's or Guitar Hacks's). For your POD, turn off the cab simulator/air and run it straight into the board. Slap the deconvolution plugin onto the track as an insert (as you would w/ any reverb or whatnot) and load in your impulse file of choice. W/ Pristine Space it is a stereo output so I usually put one impulse on the left and a different on the right. Also, I tend to have it as the first thing in the chain, but you could also insert other things inbetween and I suppose it would be much like going through the FX loop...

For your amp, you will need some form of attenuator/load box w/ a line out. For dead silent recording I just use the HotPLate set to load and take the line out from there (and then repeat as w/ the POD).
 
If your amp has a regular preamp out, you can use that without a dummy load too. Just depends on whether or not you want to record quietly.

Amps like Engls can work with the amp in standby, because of their "tube saving" feature. when they are in syandby, a bit of signal is still being emitted.

-Joe
 
Thanks a lot guys. I really want to try this. I am going to look for that free Voxengo plug-in and if you guys have those impulse files that are already done, I would like those too if that's possible.

Thanks!
 
More questions-

From what I've read, it sounds like this technology is a room simulator. And if the Impulse is created using a guitar cabinet, the resulting impulse sounds as such. But, what about the recorded guitar part that you plan on inserting this Impulse on? If you record direct, it has no cab / speaker emulation on it. Do you have to eq it to simulate speakers? For instance, an example was given earlier using a pod, and it was suggested to turn off the cab simulator. Does this convolution / impulse / thingy take care of that? Esplain, Por Favor. :confused:
 
mkalei":4ef59 said:
More questions-

From what I've read, it sounds like this technology is a room simulator. And if the Impulse is created using a guitar cabinet, the resulting impulse sounds as such. But, what about the recorded guitar part that you plan on inserting this Impulse on? If you record direct, it has no cab / speaker emulation on it. Do you have to eq it to simulate speakers? For instance, an example was given earlier using a pod, and it was suggested to turn off the cab simulator. Does this convolution / impulse / thingy take care of that? Esplain, Por Favor. :confused:

Well, in this case the impulse plugin is acting as a cabinet simulator. And it is not direct in the same way you record a bass direct, you still need an amp or a POD, you are just using an impulse to take care of the miced speaker portion of the equation. You can insert an EQ before the impulse file, but then it will just be like having an EQ in a wet/dry setup, or in the loop.

And it is not really a room simulator, per se. Basically, what the impulse is is the recorded response of a particular thing (be that space, piece of gear, etc..) when blasted with a short burst of white noise (which has a 20-20 frequency spectrum). The deconvolution plugin then allows you to apply that response to a sound. Originally, this was intended to model spaces for real high quality reverbs. Then people discovered you can do some really cool things besides modeling a space, such as model a guitar cab. When you create an impulse of a guitar cab you are creating the signature of that particular signal chain, so the mic, position, speaker, cab, mic pre all make a difference. At one point in time I was actually planniing on taking advantage of the guitar center 30 day retun policy to make some impulses of a bunch of high end gear for a guitar chain, but i never got around to it. There are also impulses of SSL channel strips, nice compressors, etc...
 
Lance-a-not":593bc said:
Another noob question from me :)

Anyone know of Mac friendly versions of this ?
I have heard some good clips, but haven't seen anything that'll work for me

Lance, there are various options. I don't know offhand of any free convolution plugs...that's not to say that they don't exist, but I just don't know of them. But there are other options.

Izotope Trash - you can use just the speaker cab modelling portion.

Airwindows - they have some very cheap ($30) cab modelling plugins.

Logic Pro comes with Guitar Amp Pro, which you can use for speaker modelling, and it comes with a convolution reverb that you could use to load (and even make) cab impulses.

So there's a couple of options. I think there's a version of Revalver for mac, but I haven't tried it. Trash is a good place to start because there's a free demo, and the speaker models sound real good.
 
When using Logic Pro, Space Designer is your ticket to impulses. Works perfectly for me.

I forgot to mention, don't forget to hook up your head to a cab if you end up using the preamp out without a dummy load. Stupid thing you probably already known, just want to make sure.

Logic Pro also has LOTS of nice reverb "situations" in space designer...Gothic cathedral, back of a car, you name it. Convolution reverb is a great thing!

-Joe
 
Back
Top