Unwanted Noise with High Gain Rigs

  • I've had my toaster a couple years now and, for the most part, am thrilled with the sounds I get out of many of the rigs I've tried.


    Recently, I've been looking for really hot, high gain sounds and, of course, have found lots of rigs that sound amazing.


    Thing is, whether I use the Noise Gate dial or some compression in stomps, I can't seem to do away with rather annoying and unwanted noise that resides just below my guitar signal. Not only is it just noticeable while I'm playing but the moment I pause or stop, if I don't mute with vol pedal or vol knob on guitar, it can be quite discernible before the noise gate or compression reduce it to zero. I just find myself feeling like I don't have the control I'd like over this hiss and roar that seem to come part and parcel with 90% of the high gain rigs I'd like to use if not for this issue.


    I've seen many metal bands whose guitarists are using Kempers and their sounds are full of insane gain but they don't seem to have the same issue I do. I'm sure it's something about the nature of noise gate or compression that I'm unfamiliar with but all the tweaking I've tried has failed to resolve this.


    Any help would be awesome. Thanks

  • adding compression is exactly the wrong way to achieve what you're after ;)

    ignoring the Noise Gate on the front of the PROFILER, add the 4:1 Noise Gate Stomp before the amp.
    Set it high enough, so it aggressively closes, it doesn't necessarily need to be undetectable, the bit of choppiness it can add is actually part of many high gain styles.


    Also, rotate your position slowly with the guitar, chances are you are playing near potentially noisy equipment that is being picked up (haha) by your pickups (hard drives, etc.) usually there is one position of the guitar relative to the noise source that has substantially less noise than others (even with humbuckers).
    consider shielding your guitar better using copper foil or a graphite paint.


    hth

  • Also, rotate your position slowly with the guitar, chances are you are playing near potentially noisy equipment that is being picked up

    To add on this one: I had a laser printer in my music room which created such noise by being connected via WiFi. It took me ages to figure out because it only kicked in on single coils, not on humbucker equipped guitars.


    Can you describe the noise a bit more? What guitar / pickups do you use? And yes, the higher the gain the more the noise finds its way to your ears. But then it is also there with lower gain rigs. So let's hunt it :)

  • Thanks guys.


    I think we can rule out random interference from other devices because it was most noticeable in a couple different hourly rehearsal spaces we used recently where there was little other gear and I was playing louder than I do at home.


    I will play with the NG stomp suggestion after work tomorrow and reply further to your questions deadman

  • Turning down the compression in the 'amp' block can help get rid of unwanted background noise...and also the ground lift switches at the back.


    Cheers, Greg

    PRS Custom 22's - Fender Strats - Diezel VH4 - Carol Ann OD2 - Toneking Imperial MK2 - Colin the Kemper - CLR Neo ii.

  • Thanks Greg


    Spent some time last night trying to recreate issue and mess with some settings but will have to wait until next rehearsal space opportunity to crank up super loud and try some of these suggestions. Just doesn't seem to have the same issue at home which is a good thing I guess but a live gig is the last place I want unwanted noise so will have to do what I can to isolate and correct.


    Thanks for all replies!

  • Any chance you have fluorescent lights in the rehearsal space? Many times those are the cause of unwanted noise. You can also do the grounding issue test to see if touching your strings, output jack, pickup pole pieces, etc. cause the noise to disappear.. or at least attenuate.


    Jeff

    Shred 'til yer dead,

    Jeff in Houston

  • What kind of pickups? When I play my P90 guitar with high gain profiles, I get some fairly nasty noise that is stopped by rotating 45 degrees to my left. Just cable/signal interference I assumed.

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Fluorescent lights, LED lights, dirty power can all have an affect, although I find this less so on the KPA than a regular valve ( for obvious reasons) at like for like gain settings.


    I find I can effectively eliminate any noise using the 4:1 noise gate stomp from any set up though so you should get it sorted.


    In other words its unlikely you will get problems live...

  • Fluorescent lights, LED lights, dirty power can all have an affect, although I find this less so on the KPA than a regular valve ( for obvious reasons) at like for like gain settings.


    I find I can effectively eliminate any noise using the 4:1 noise gate stomp from any set up though so you should get it sorted.


    In other words its unlikely you will get problems live...

    I was messing around with this the other day, and it really is a great solution. I was kind of surprised at how far I could crank it without it prematurely cutting off softer notes. Really good.

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • To me, its as good as a smart gate or decimator :)

    That's very true, I hadn't thought of that, but I used to have a decimator years back, it was awesome, and you're right, I think it is that good.

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • I’ve had unwanted noise from power line ethernet adapters. I’ve experienced noise when using Kemper and firehawk 1500 on the same circuit as the adapters and it intensified with with increase in gain. It’s a long shot but worth checking if you have power line ethernet adapters

  • ignoring the Noise Gate on the front of the PROFILER, add the 4:1 Noise Gate Stomp before the amp.
    Set it high enough, so it aggressively closes, it doesn't necessarily need to be undetectable, the bit of choppiness it can add is actually part of many high gain styles.

    Finally found time to root through a dozen custom profiles long enough to uncover a few of the offending rigs.


    Wouldn't ya know it? The original rig off of Rig Exchange (Savage Emperor D by Nightlight) has the 4:1 noise gate stomp as the only stomp before the amp.


    The threshold was set to around 1.5 and as soon as I dialed it up, the duration of the unwanted noise reduced dramatically. I've got it set to 5.9 now and it's pretty much eliminated it altogether but I can see it's gonna cut into my sustain a bit too. Will probably dial it down a bit unless there's a more effective workaround like adding another stomp pre or post to increase sustain duration.


    Actually, if anyone has time and interest, it would be great if you could quickly check this rig out yourself and see if ya get the same nasty issues I'm getting. That way I can tell whether it's rig specific or something specific to my unique setup.


    I'm working on a bunch of classic Scorpions tunes and chasing Rudolf Schenker's tone and pretty certain his is a whole lot more tight n' crisp than what I'm hearing from this one and others, even with the gate.

  • Classic Scorpions would be Marshall or an early Mesa Mk series going off old interviews I remember from the time with Rudolph.

    Early on when Michael Schenker first switched to the V and a 50w non master Marshall, that was Rudolph’s gear he was using.

    Mathias also used 50w non master Marshall’s for all that classic stuff going off YouTube stuff I have seen with him in the workshop with his classic era amps.

    Anything up to Crazy World is that gear. Then, on that album, the Soldano SLO came into play for Mathias. Not sure about Rudy.


  • You could try putting another noise gate after the amp as well. That should let you dial down the one in front. Balancing both will let you sort on the proverbial head of the pin, so to speak.


  • robmakesmusic Do try out the updated Savage profile I made. Indian Savage Rage 1, it's on the rig exchange. You may like that better, cheers