Posts by Greg

I've mentioned this before, and it isn't knocking Kemper at all - as I love him. (Don't know why I see Kemper as a dude...like a cool brother or something...definitely not a weird uncle)

Anyway, when I play my real amps in rehearsal, I just think about playing and nothing else. It's guitar > wah > amp. A carbon copy for solos with the mix at about 10% is as extravagant as it gets.

But when I play Colin the Kemper, I am constantly thinking 'should I dip 5k by 1db or is the stereo spread of my delay too narrow or could I do with a little more pick definition on this solo'...and it is a little distracting, but I can't stop myself. First world problem for sure.

I do know however that Kemper is the most amp like of all 'non-amps' in terms of making changes...and if I had some ridiculous tweak machine like Helix or Axe...I wouldn't ever get to the point of playing a single note as I'd be too busy clicking things with my mouse and reorganising amp and effects blocks and routing nonsense like that!

And THAT, is the only reason Kemper hasn't cured my GAS for amp heads...not the sound of my guitar heads....but my actual stupid overactive head.

Hiya Phil,

I know with my les pauls (in particular) I've had to decide which pickup is the 'most used' and EQ my amp to that, and then play with the tone controls for the '2nd choice' pickup which often ends up a bit brittle and thin...

Definitely work with that suggestion for cutting the low end with EQ - certainly when playing with others.

I have a friendly joke with my bassist that he only sounds good because I sound so bad (when my guitar is solo'd with zero low end)

I was just wondering if when some people think 'this pack doesn't sound like the demo?' Are they understandably misunderstanding what they 'should' be hearing as they haven't much experience in recording in a traditional studio?

It's particularly important with these BIG profile packs...that contain 400 profiles of a single amp.

If you load a profile that says something like 'MD421 - off axis - 1.5" from cap'...are guitarist that are less experienced in recording real amps expecting this one profile to sound full, polished and finished...as they maybe don't understand that profile is meant to be blended with something else?

Especially as the demo songs of vendors rarely have a single solo'd guitar with which to form an opinion and the track will be built up of multiple profiles or blends of a 57/421...or a 57/121...or 414/67 etc etc

Just a thought!

I am by no means a purist - so really don't mind what profilers have done to their profiles - as long as my guitar rings like a bell and/or rips faces off!

A dark theme would be appreciated...and everything seems MASSIVE!

I can't wait for this to turn into a 'Fractal forum layout Vs Kemper forum layout'

I've spent years horizontal! I will make a youtube vid for you to see the different things you can do with it...semi tone bends - without bending the string etc...it does sustain more and its always good to have different tools in the box mate!!

Thank you for asking, we're only going to get the tones we want through investigation and sharing knowledge!

I am lucky enough to have Adam S3A monitors as my primary, Adam A77X as my seconds and a grot-box aura tone as a third - in a room I know really well.

Of course, when I am watching videos of cats playing the piano or on this forum finding out about new profiles and things, I am in my living room listening on my laptop - but if something excites me - I listen on my proper monitors before making a purchase decision.

What are your experiences with commercial profiles translating to your rig?? I am being super careful not to list any that have disappointed me.

But I can say, the only one I have been happy with (still with some tweaking of course) - and actually use in my live/recording rig is the VH4 from Sinmix.

Cheers,
Greg

I too was very excited/impressed by that video (that got as many people asking where he got his kemper stand from as the tones!)....and when I downloaded them...they also sounded nothing like the video. Played with the following guitars into a CLR.

Suhr Classic with SSV/ ML singles

Suhr Modern with SSH+

PRS CU22 stock pickups

PRS CU22 with Lollar Imperials

Standard USA Strat with Fat 50's

All sounded very poor in comparison to the video - which sounded brilliant!

There is something I am missing! Which may well be a tele - but I have the same issue with nearly all videos/sound examples - and then what they sound like through my rig - dull, lifeless and definitely a 'wooly blanket' experience.

Tweaking clarity and definition and pick definition, EQing etc does make a difference and can open them up as we all know - as does post processing obviously.

But nearly all the videos claim that will hear a sound VERY close to what you're hearing on the video and it just isn't the case. I've often wondered when there are huge threads about 'AMAZING AMAZING PROFILE FROM.....' and then I buy it, and it is rubbish...thinking what are 'they' doing...that I have missed!!

Greg

I have bought a lot of commercial profiles...and in 99% of cases (which is valid as I have definitely bought at least 100) have not played an out of the box sound that compared to the demos.

But last week, I sold a strat to a guy that came to my house to try it out first....he sat on the sofa with it unplugged...and he picked so much harder than me...SO MUCH HARDER I was almost scared to plug him in...

I connected him to kemps...and that guitar sounded absolutely majestic.

For a split second, I thought 'how can I sell this'....but realised, I can't make it sound like that, and how much an individual player changes the tone.

Me and him, through that same guitar, with the same strings, same pickup heights, through the same profile, through the same FRFR, with the same pick...absolute night and day difference...and we were both playing little wing type of chordal stuff.

Thankfully, (and especially as he brought his girlfriend with him) my chops absolutely kicked his ass...but his tone...wow. 10x better than mine.

Jed knows his onions!

How do you actually PLAY your vibrato? You can increase sustain, without much modulation by playing vibrato like a violin player would. All three fingers on the string, moving from neck to bridge and bridge to neck. More sustain than an 'up and down and up' vibrato. Cheers, Greg

Don't you take anything back!

Do you think Motley Crue became millionaires because of their top skills?

Nope

R Kelly even had someone write him an entire song where he literally sung he was the worlds greatest...

Sell yourself mate!! Be proud!

Quote from sambrox

I picked up a Boss MS-3 from Andertons to build a new fly rig, based around my BluGuitar Amp1 and an Xotic SL Drive, with an EHX Cockfight Plus (best pedal name EVER! ).
The KPA with Remote and a Mission EP1-KP was just killing my back and shoulders in the long queues at security. Manchester airport, where I'm frequently flying to and from, has the worst and longest queues I've experienced, apart from immigration at JFK, lol. Once when flying back with a massive hangover the day after a show, I had to stand and wait in that queue for over an hour. Ridiculous. Plus, the switches on the Remote are just too many and too close together for my massive feet, when playing with my UK band, where there are a lot of fast sound changes. So, I'm going light and simple on these next two gigs. Fingers crossed.

First impressions : impressive sound, much better than I was expecting, though there is a slight gap in the audio when switching patches. Not enough to really do my head in, unlike the gap when changing channels or engaging the boost on the Amp1 (they really should prioritise upgrading that. I use my Amp1 as a single channel clean platform because of it).

[Blocked Image: https://www.thomann.de/pics/bdb/415605/12297477_800.jpg]

Dude, I feel your pain...literally. 9/10 of our fly dates are from manchester...and it is the most fecking airport queuing ever of anywhere in the world....I have Kemps in a flight case and by the time I get to boarding it is my most hated possession in the world!!

And not teaching grandma to suck eggs...

But 99% of heavy tones, which are 'mix ready' will sound rubbish by themselves - so don't be too disappointed if you buy commercial profiles and they don't sound as HUGE as you think they should...or if you try a highly recommended free profile...as a chap said above...when the kick and bass is there...it can all fit in beautifully and sound huge!

Quote from mickey

Hey Greg do you profile the AER 60

Hi Mickey - sorry mate but I was in a guitar shop looking for acoustics and thats what they happened to have!

It sounded ok though, so hope you've found some good profiles on R.E

Greg

Quote from Calaban

I have been looking at a CLR Neo for a few years. I’m not satisfied with my DXR10...it’s ok I guess but I’ve never loved it.

Is there any good reason to go with the powered CLR over the passive version? My KPA is powered.

Good question.

I have a powered toaster.

But I thought....for tiny gigs or sat in your living room...it can be a PA. It has 2 inputs, so microphone and an acoustic guitar, etc.

Or you might go fractal in a 3 years when they release AXE FX 5...or your kemper dies at a gig and you need to borrow somebodies modeller etc etc...for me its worth the extra coin and it's future proof/flexible.

And for most people, that haven't invested a great deal in a home recording set-up....it will help you mix more accurate than your current headphones/speakers etc as it is quite flat as a reference speaker.

Cheers,
Greg

I had to run through a randall god knows what speakers 4x12 that was provided on a fly date...sounded horrible...I had a big 'oh no' moment....but just thought to try the monitor cab on...and it smoothed it all out....settled me down...and I played a gig where I only had to worry about my stink fingers and not my tones

Thanks for your advice about x slot noise gate for amp compression noise - I will check that out this afternoon....and see what I can balance out

Cheers Paults.

Atomic CLRs in stereo for me.

Awesome.

Immensely practical with how small and light they are and sonically they have amazing clarity that lets you dial in the exact tone you will send to FOH and they let you monitor yourself on stage amazingly well.

I would buy them again in a heartbeat if needed. Kemper and CLR is the greatest gig rig ever. Portable and consistent.

That said, there is nothing better than my VH4 in front of two 4x12s...I just don't think when I play my big rig....I just play.

When I play Kemps through CLR at rehearsal...I am constantly analysing things. I am almost hearing stuff too well. Gigs - I am too busy trying to put on a performance that excites the girls in the crowd to analyse...but I HATE rehearsal with CLR.

Too much time to think.

I get to play LOUD for 3 hours a week on a Friday night with my band The Prophecy. I don't want to think...I want to rock!

Its by rmpacheco - you can search him on RE...its a great profile and real favourite on this forum