37
Why do my guitars sound dull and flat when using amp sims? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by drewisawesome14@lemmy.world to c/guitars@lemmy.world
17 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I’m not sure why, but it never fails for me to be disappointed whenever I use an amp sim.

Whenever I plug in my guitar directly into the DI and load up an amp sim with a cab ir, it just sounds super flat. No dynamics, no life, just very lack luster all around and I have no idea why.

I have recorded guitar tracks while running a distortion pedal into a Mooer Radar Cab IR Loader and it sounded very good. But cannot for the life of me get an amp sim to sound nearly as dynamic when I run just my guitar into the DI

What gives?

top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] fartsparkles@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

What amp sim? What cab IR?

Active or passive pickups?

Does the DI / audio interface have Hi Z input?

Does it sound lifeless if you record/listen to the sound straight from the DI?

My guess is it’s the impedance. If you’ve got a guitar stompbox pedal kicking about, one that doesn’t have true bypass, put your guitar into that and then into your DI and see if the life comes back (don’t engage the effect).

Motu’ Zbox can be a game changer if your interface doesn’t offer decent Hi Z inputs to give you the impedance you need.

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

This sounds like it could be the case

[-] fartsparkles@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Any luck? Did you get to the bottom of the issue?

[-] Andjhostet@kbin.social 7 points 1 year ago

How are you hearing it? Nice speakers or a nice set of headphones? I'm guessing that's the difference.

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I’m using two rock it jbl speakers and a pair of AT5050. It’s not the speakers.

I put in a dying fetus song to use as a mix reference and when compared side to side, the dying fetus guitars sound like they’re actually alive and extremely dynamic.

[-] novibe@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Are you doubling the tracks? Like recording the same parts twice (not duplicating them) and panning them hard left and right?

If you compare your guitar playing to a recorded track, keep in mind many times guitar parts are doubled, even quadrupled…

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Yep have two tracks, one panned hard left and the other hard right

[-] novibe@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

I guess it might be a good idea to share a recording? As an edit to your post? Idk.

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Shared

[-] allroy@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

shared where? I'd like to hear it but don't see a link..

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Someone pm’d me and said my personal information was showing.

Here’s the updated link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14FVArdbTQt2-UcYk1Ul6snfpyNAYSC1F/view?usp=drivesdk

[-] maegul@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

I’ve not used any computer amp sims, but used helix a lot. Often I find that eq is necessary. Low mods need to be reduced and highs increased.

Also, the preset or default settings often are bad. A typical issue is master volume is too high bringing in too much power amp gain, or too much bass etc.

Maybe something like that is going on?

Also IR choice could be an issue. How confident are you in the IRs you’re using?

[-] foggy@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Some dude on YouTube did a very in depth series on where guitar tone comes from.

I recommend the whole series, but at the end of it all, it boils down to microphones and eqs. So for the case of amp sims, just eqs.

https://youtu.be/wcBEOcPtlYk?si=9ptYqtJ7UZXxamUA

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I think it’s a thing I deal with regardless of IR unfortunately. They just sound dead. I looked at the visual EQ and I think what it is is the high and low cuts of the IRs or something. Maybe it’s a closed versus open mic thing? They’re just doesn’t seem to be any life in the tone.

I feel like I get better sounds when I mic up my cheap crate solid state amp than I do over when I use amp sims.

I used to have an Axe FX II and didn’t have that problem then with those cab irs. Maybe it’s just the amp sims

[-] Guyonthecouc@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

If your listening through headphones you loose the natural reverb that you might be used to hearing with a live amp in a room. Try some compression, EQ, and reverb. Play around with comp/eq before and after the Sim. Shouldn’t need much, but can make a huge difference. I’m sure you can carve out some tone that suits you.

[-] drewisawesome14@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Oh I have been, but nothing. Still has that flatness sound to it. Not nearly as dynamic as a recorded amp sounds like and idk why.

[-] manwichmakesameal@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Here's how I do it and it now sounds AMAZING. I used to have a very flat sound when playing through the computer too. I use Reaper for my DAW. I have NAM (neural amp modeler) plugin along with the NadIR plugin from Ignite Amps. I used the ToneHunt site to grab some IRs and amp sims. I'm currently using 2 tracks: one has NAM using the Ola Englund Satan 50 with a couple of IRs from the NadIR default. This track is panned slightly to the right and has a room setting of around 53ish%. The other track is similar: NAM using the ENGL Savage 2 and NadIR using some default IRs. This track is panned to the left and has a room setting similar to the other track. Using this setup makes my guitar sound WAY bigger now.

this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
37 points (100.0% liked)

guitars

3831 readers
1 users here now

Welcome to /c/guitars! Let's show off our new guitar pics, ask questions about playing, theory, luthier-ship, and more!

Please bring all positive vibes to the community and leave the toxic stuff elsewhere.

Banner credit

Rules:

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
ArtVandelay@lemmy.world