Profiler Master Volumes - Gigs and Record

    Hi folks!


    I want to ask you two questions about how do you cablibrate the Profiler volumes to play and record the main output.


    I bought the profiler rack, without preamp 2 years ago, and i have used it at home, but i would like to start bringing it to reharsals, gisg and studio. So, i would like to know:

    • How do you set your master volume when playing live? (direct to the mixer)
    • How do you calibrate the volumes of the different rigs in your performances, to get a good volume balance.
    • At the studio, what is the best practice to bring all the perfomances at analog 0dB

    I am thinking on "lock" the Master Volume pot at -18dB, as a standard, and then introduce in kempers input a white noise signal, and then, play with the "amplifier volume" pot to get -18dBs on my DAW level meter.


    Regards!

    I set mine to minus 12dB pad for main out which goes to FOH. The main out is unlinked from the master volume control so that i do not affect foh levels.

    Then i am using the monitor out to feed my powered kabinet (previously yamaha dxr10) where i adjust things the way i like for the in room sound.


    Of course i first level balance my individual rigs that would be used live.


    I start by picking my main rhythm high gain sound and usually go from there. So i tweak my lower gain and clean and also lead rigs according to that main rhythm sound. So far it had worked perfectly.


    Basically i end up with 5 rigs in my performance slots per song with some extras in the available fx slots that can be engaged. (e.g. a tremolo on my dry rhythm sound or phaser)


    Clean, crunchy delay fill sound, main dry rhythm, lead which is usually a modified rhythm sound with added delay +eq and a ‘fun’ slot depending on the song. For my lead sound i use the same tone that i would use for the rhythm with the same rig volume and a bit of extra TS set to 0 drive, 5 tone, 3.2-3.5 volume and mix at 70-78%. The lead eq then takes care of the character with a 2dB boost of 1q anywhere between 700-1000hz. This fattens up the lead sound instead of just increasing the overall volume.


    That ‘fun’ slot is usually either an octave + fuzz, a lofi washy sound or anything else that we come up with in the band.


    Those fun sounds require a bit more tweaking since fuzz and octave can be perceived louder. Or when i want the lofi washy thing to sound a lot quieter.( which i take care of by cutting shit below 450hz and above 3khz and still applying a minus 6-8dB)


    I set all my tones in the room at gigging volume to ensure i do not lose perspective. Home environments can play tricks on your ears.


    In the studio it does not matter as long as you are not clipping. So minus 12-18 is fine. Individual tracks will be level matched during mixing anyways.

    Thanks a lot!


    Antoher thing, do you use some vumeter or level meter to ensure your performances (one per song, as you said) are at the same level?


    What I mean is, once you have fixed out your different sounds among us in the same performance (clean, crunch, lead etc.), how do you do to fix the next performance at the same level, if you use different profiles?

    Quote from Iker Arana

    Thanks a lot!


    Antoher thing, do you use some vumeter or level meter to ensure your performances (one per song, as you said) are at the same level?


    What I mean is, once you have fixed out your different sounds among us in the same performance (clean, crunch, lead etc.), how do you do to fix the next performance at the same level, if you use different profiles?

    By ear. A meter will give a false reading because its about cut as much as it is about volume. For example a clean sound will need way less volume.


    I do not use one perormance per song, I use 1 performance per band. For me total waste of time to have 1 per song, why would you need 5 different amps, and up to 8 effects on each amp for 1 song? Also makes maintenance a nightmare....

    Do not overthink this too much. Setting levels per track is actually part of the mixing process. When recording with the kemper i just make sure to record with peak volumes at around minus 8-10.
    Then i route my left and right doubletracked guitars into a bus and process from there. I’ve been down this rabbit hole with vu meters and what not and honestly it does make zero difference.

    Edited once, last by KRoll86 ().

    Quote from KRoll86
    in my case i have my bpms set for delays differently. I do not want my repeats of a song at 110bpm clash with a song at 168 etc. so i end up with say 9-10 performances organized according to our playlist

    Would you not use tap tempo? Otherwise I assume you play to a click as few drummers get BPM 100% anyway..

    Quote from V8guitar

    Would you not use tap tempo? Otherwise I assume you play to a click as few drummers get BPM 100% anyway..

    I find tap tempo really hard to do live and more likely to cause delay soup. I always preset my delay values and the tap tempo button is reassigned.

    Quote from Finally

    I find tap tempo really hard to do live and more likely to cause delay soup. I always preset my delay values and the tap tempo button is reassigned.

    That's why its a slightly loaded question...I have few songs where the delay has to be in time with the song....i.e. long repeats high in the mix...