Amp simms never sound the same as before recording

[sricabla]

I've had this problem forever. I have amps simms from UA, Plugin Alliance etc.
I tweak the amp before I record. When I do record, the amp simm never sounds the way before I recorded it, why?

Thanks in advance

[nednednerb]

Your post is very bare bones. Who Knows? But....

1) Latency during recording might affect your hearing of your performance. The way latency works for vocalists, it's deadly, messes up their rhythm. Voice needs very direct monitoring. Live playing, guitar amp simulation might sound, unlike for the vocalist, "thicker" or more "reverberant" in some way, because while playing, you have some real direct experience of the guitar, and an even slightly latent simm could have a perceptual affect here.

2) Another thing, while doing sound check versus while recording, you might be nervous or uninhibited in different variation, affecting what it sounds like before during and after recording.

I think it might be subjective.

As for objective reasons affecting plug-ins, "low latency processing" during recording versus more calculations during regular playback could change the sound maybe.

[Ghost In The Attic]

I have the same issue when recording myself playing guitar. I believe it's because your brain is thinking about playing AND listening to the tone. When I record another guitarist, the tone recorded is the tone I heard beforehand. That's my belief anyway, I could be wrong.

[Darryl Ramm]

Not much info about what you are doing.

Stuff always sounds different in the mix, and when you are not focused on playing.

Sound level dramatically changes the impression of what you are listening to and that seems really really important for guitar. How are you monitoring during recording and how are you playing back? And is that at the same SPL? From the same monitors?

[ejsongs]

4 thoughts...


most itb amp sims sound like ***** so I gave up on those ages ago. I have a:

kemper
line 6 helix
palmer pdi 03


I could not be happier and my clients are ecstatic!!! But let me preface this by saying that most of the gtr work i do these days is ultra and I do mean ULTRA clean or tone where I dont want the gtr to sound like a gtr at all. I haven't recorded with an amp in at least 3-4 years...still have them though:). When I use dist tones, It is typically in a pop setting.



Sans amp plugin is decent if you tweak it.


A composer friend of mine Micheal Nielsen has a website and youtube channel call big hairy guitars. He has every toy you could imagine, including all the 80's pre amps/power amps plus a pretty sick amp collection. For ease of use, he uses the two note stuff and does ir packs for them. He knows what he is doing and his ir's are really amazing. 99% of what I use in the Kemper are either from him or Michael Britt.



the PA bass amp sims are cool..but i have had no need to try any of their amps sims. I tried their bassman 1 time and despised it.


ej

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by ejsongs

most itb amp sims sound like ***** so I gave up on those ages ago.

Perhaps *most* do, but those that constitute the Top 10 sound great. I'd challenge you to try Mixwave's Benson Chimera w/ SpeakerMix Pro's dynamic IRs and still suggest that amp sims sound like ****. In 2022, it's an old argument that most players know to look past. Technology moves fast, so if you gave up ages ago then you're essentially unfamiliar with amp sims.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by sricabla

I've had this problem forever. I have amps simms from UA, Plugin Alliance etc.
I tweak the amp before I record. When I do record, the amp simm never sounds the way before I recorded it, why?

Thanks in advance

You're probably not hearing any change, unless you have something happening on that record channel that's disengaged while recording but engaged during playback. Beyond that, there's the fact that you're not hearing the acoustic properties of the guitar itself (the picking/strumming). If these don't explain what you're describing then the effect is likely as explained above: psychosomatic. Due to how the brain perceives sound while engaged in playing vs. merely listening.

[ejsongs]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

Perhaps *most* do, but those that constitute the Top 10 sound great. I'd challenge you to try Mixwave's Benson Chimera w/ SpeakerMix Pro's dynamic IRs and still suggest that amp sims sound like ****. In 2022, it's an old argument that most players know to look past. Technology moves fast, so if you gave up ages ago then you're essentially unfamiliar with amp sims.

I for sure stopped looking once I found something that works and my clients are happy with. Also I needed a solution that was ultra portable for sessions that I do outside of my studio. It is important that the same tone quality I can get outside of my room….well it’s not as good because of my Pres someplugins but close enough. My current setup allows me to go from Tim pierce, to Paul Jackson Jr to Michael Thompson with the push of a few buttons. My issue with most amp sims is that the sound great by themselves…especially for solos but once you start layering with 4, 6 or 8 parts they get weird and phasey… Most pro live guys are either using a Kemper or axe fx. They translate well in FOH and helps control stage volume. Again I’ve gotten nothing but praises both live and in the studio.

That being said I’m always willing to try something new…so I will check them out. Are they aaxdsp? Latency is another reason I ditched amp sims

[ejsongs]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

Perhaps *most* do, but those that constitute the Top 10 sound great. I'd challenge you to try Mixwave's Benson Chimera w/ SpeakerMix Pro's dynamic IRs and still suggest that amp sims sound like ****. In 2022, it's an old argument that most players know to look past. Technology moves fast, so if you gave up ages ago then you're essentially unfamiliar with amp sims.

I just listened to the YouTube demo. Being honest I’m not overly impressed. I may download a demo at some point just to see what It can really do….for now it’s a pass for me. Maybe with the ir’s you suggest I might change. Can you post a clip whenever you are bored? Thank you for the suggestion though.

Ej

[ejsongs]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

Perhaps *most* do, but those that constitute the Top 10 sound great. I'd challenge you to try Mixwave's Benson Chimera w/ SpeakerMix Pro's dynamic IRs and still suggest that amp sims sound like ****. In 2022, it's an old argument that most players know to look past. Technology moves fast, so if you gave up ages ago then you're essentially unfamiliar with amp sims.

Last tread of the day…lol. I’m procrastinating on the work I need to do today…lol. The speaker mix pro dynamic ir’s are absolutely fantastic!!!! I can see how those ir’s would make all the difference in the world. They sound right:).

Thank you for the heads up Eric:).