Posts by Nikos

  • New Erlend Krauser guitar masterpiece using Kemper

    Dont have facebook but I know this guy since I have seen him in germany with "James Last Orchestra"..well.."accidently" on TV..(James Last is not exactly Rock & Roll but he has top musicians).He has tons of Jeff Beck inside (which is my alltime hero next to Jimi) plus he has also achieved what I did not have seen since the 80s/early 90s ..nice tapping that is full of music and not cheap show off with no sense(I liked most of all Vito Bratta,Reb Beach and some other "sensual tapping"-guys back then).


    Many of todays brainless 8-finger tappers should watch this..


    I dont like to sound like "back in the 80s everything was better" since this is boring and stupid but in some way it has a lot of throuth ie guitar playing/technique/feeling.Today I am not impressed at all by players who can shred like the guitar heroes of the 80s/90s but without the vibrato,bendings,phrasing of that period..back then any good producer would have cut your fingers for "just shredding" without at least a nice 10 sec-intro melody for your 10 minutes-solo.. ;(:D

  • How to add definition to lower strings (eq tips?)

    @Dean


    It is again my fault.I did not read the first post of this thread properly and was again a little bit "lost in translation".You are right in everything imo and obviously the "problem" of the OP has more to do with the guitar and playing itself than how to deal with recording miced amps ie his soundneeds.


    Quote

    After spending a few hours playing this afternoon, I think what bugs me might be the overtones I hear when playing the lower strings with distorted profiles. They seem to be more present through my studio monitors than through my real tube amps)I'll keep experimenting


    Dont forget we already have to do with "miced amp/cabinet sounds" so if you select a sound you like the best way for you is to take a rig which in your ears does not need so much tweaking/EQs besides some "refining" the things you like/dislike.


    If this is the case the big question is (as some other guys suggest) if some other factors come to play..whatever these may be(PUs/strings etc).


    One more "little suggestion"..maybe strings like the elixier/nanoweb may help you a little bit;These strings have indeed very "fresh" higher frequencies specially for the E/A/D strings.Things like these can make a huge difference.

  • How to add definition to lower strings (eq tips?)

    All good tips & hints..


    I just would like to add some suggestions:


    Guitar players select a lead sound not only for the "sound of it" but most of all because of the "feel".I mean the way this sound enables us to play more legato (less picking,more hammerings/pull offs) or staccato (speed picking) ,with a lot of sustain,bendings etc..


    In my expirience doing only EQs on guitar sounds does alter the characteristics of any lead sound and you soon find yourself in a "loosing control"-situation.The sound gets "better" but does not "feel right" anymore etc..


    I would recommend a mix of as little as possible EQs in ther beginning,"healthy" use of (a) good compressor(s) and...well..yes..if you have it..Melodyne! :huh:


    The compressor should only be used to make the sound "even" and balanced ie volume.Tight,fast runs on the E/A/D strings which sound "boomy" and "muddy" will then be "quieter" in the mix while the high strings appear louder and more clear.And this without to much EQs which will alter sound and "feel".This is not to hard to achieve.Even with a "simple" logic etc compressor.Melodyne can be used to withdraw the "artifacts" of your fingers on the E/A/D strings..which is usefull when you use a heavy distorted & "fizzy" sound with tons of high frequencies.


    There are many ways to achieve a good lead sound but one has to be carefull with the use of EQs.
    What I like to do in most situations is to put first a "simple" EQ in to the chain which will then see the first compressor after it to "even" the dynamics/volume.Then again an EQ for the final little sensitive "tweaking" (remember the aim is to keep the character and feel of your beloved selected lead sound) and in the end some tool like Melodyne to take away the "noise of the fingers/empty strings"..not to mention the automatics of the DAW which enables us to control volume and FX most of all at the starting and ending pioints of each phrase and not only..


    Worked always fine for me.Many guys will do it completely different,just my suggestions. ;)

  • Kemper "Performance" Pedalboard

    Well,the fact that Cliffy does not even try to hide where he steals from says a lot about him and his company.This is not just an open "war declaration" but more so "Zeitgeist" alá "I am a Gangsta & I luv it"..yo.. <X

  • Kemper "Performance" Pedalboard

    And I thought this might be a good idea..maybe because I am sick with fever and all that... :D


    No,think again.This could have a lot of "winners":


    The guys who already own a KPA could use it as back up,footcontroller and and as tool for "very small gigs" or rehearsals/jams.


    The kids who would like to have such a tool but cant spend 1600 euros/$ could have something to start with.Over 7000 rigs in the Rig Exchange..which kid will not find what he is looking for;



    Quote

    So... a board with all the brainpower of a KPA


    Profiling is a big part of the...well...Profiler; :whistling:


    But it is a tool for the guys amongst us who already have some "tube history" of their own.When I was 14 I did not knew what a marshall is or what the difference between EL-84 or 6L6..a cheaper Kemper "Floorboard" for the iphone-generation would open a huge market which is already on the way to get lost to "amplitude","BIAS" or what ever computer plug ins.Ofcourse none of these are useable for live gigs or even band rehearsals.This is where a Kemper Floorboard could shine.


    Quote

    so you pretty much have to already own a KPA to use it....?


    No,why;You still have the Rig Exchange and all the commercial Profilers,no;All these guys sure need a bigger market;As I saidm,this idea could have a lots of winners. ;)

  • Kemper "Performance" Pedalboard

    What about a Kemper Pedalboard like the existing Footcontroller but with the added ability to play "Performances" from the mothership/Rig Manager via USB stick;This Pedalboard would just need one input for the guitar and two outputs to the FOH/Monitor.Maybe with 1-2 additional controlls for minimum tweaking(volume/B/M/T/P) for the amp sims and FX(mix);No "Browser mode" or the "Profiling"-thing.


    For under 1000 euros/$ this would also be a nice countermove to the AX8/Helix.Make this under 800 euros/$ and both will eat the dust.


    I would buy this instantly and solve all my problems as I am seeking for an back up for my KPA and a fitting "plug & play" foot controller.Not to mention this would be ideal for very small gigs with very small FOHs are all you get and you dont have even the space for a monitor/controller(like small clubs/bars)..

  • What do you guys think of this from Cliff of Axe Fx?

    Quote from lasvideo

    Gotta say Quantum on the Axe FX sounds so good to me, I am getting rid of my Kemper. In addition, the foot controller and editor really add the professional control and reliability I want.


    Beside, I prefer to Buy "Made in the USA" ; )


    Actually I am thinking about to get me the Ax8 as controller,FX-unit and back up for the KPA.Could save me more than 1000 bucks.


    But to be honest I have doubts about how far the fractals "sound concept" will work.Many of us have been through this.The 19"-stuff in the 80s,than Line6 in the 90s..nevertheless none of these "crazes" survived.There is no "Roland-crunch" or "Line6-lead" or a "Rocktron-sound" everybody is talking about,not even a famous "Line6-Clean"..but still everyone is looking for the old tube stuff.Just with a way to get them easier,quicker and not as bulky as with the Triple-Rec and two slant 4x12 Cabs.. ;)

  • What do you guys think of this from Cliff of Axe Fx?

    Obviously the AxeFX does some things very good....it has "Sounds on steroids"..


    Even some of the AxeFX Standard profiles (like the Recto Orange Mod) give you an idea what the AxeFX is all about.My very first impression about the AxeFx was exactly this:"this sound,feel and tone is on steroids"..many highly capable EQs,Compressors,noise gates etc..add very good FX to it and you will be very impressed for a while.


    You can do with it some "crazy stuff" which just makes you "sound better".Like fluid shred solo stuff making it it very easy to play high speed legato and multi-tapping stuff.Also some ultra speed picking may appear very articulated allthough you may be not the most "accurate speed picking guy if you know how to programme it.The AxeFX can do this much better than any other digital device out there and "yes!" in this regard this it may be indeed "better than the original" allthough the result has nothing to do anymore with any "original tube amp".It is just an overprocessed sound which "makes you high" while playing stuff much more easily than with any "honest" tube amp before.As I said..this is my impression.


    For me personally exactly this is a nightmare.To use these kind of "overprocessed sounds" which make you "high" for a while but as with any kind of drug..as soon as the endorphines dissapear you wake up in an "empty feel"..and you need a higher dose (aka new FWs every few days) soon.. ;)


    I like the approach of A/B the profiled sound to original tube amps you really know (through expirience and "rock history")) that they will help you making great music keeping up your inspiration for many,many years.In this regard the Kemper Profiler is unbeaten.

  • (High End) Spring Reverb

    Did you forget all about the 80s and early 90s;Besides a few "freaks" most pro players I knew back then went for the PCM70.More so since all the guys like Gilmour & Co used them in studio and live.I cant remember any big studio back than that had not a dozen PCM70 in their racks.And than later the huge and mega expensive studio-lexicons..So it is not really about the "younger guys"..that is not the problem.


    The spring reverb is great for some specific "vintage sounds".I love it too and miss my vintage Fender Twin that had the greatest spring reverb you can imagine..deep,warm,musical..in a unexplainable sudden attack of madness (played a lot of shred back then) I sold it in 1991 for a few bucks because it was to "heavy to carry around" ..still cant believe it.

  • What FX are covered by your KPA.......

    I will do just a "wild guess" and please anyone who knows better should correct me..


    Quote from Frodebro

    The only real question is whether or not the KPA has enough processing power to handle everything when it's all added together.


    I guess this is the main issue that some effects like spring reverb are still not available;AFAIK specially this effect needs a lots of CPU power..the AXE FX with its double supa dupa DSPs has it;I am not sure but it would be no big surprise.


    Then again CK is a innovative guy with a superb crew which can do "the max for less" aka most bang for the buck.The Profiler is best proof for this.I would not be very surprised if the Kemper guys find also some tricky algos to achieve things ie FX like they achieved with the tricky amp profiling while keeping the price reasonable..


    No.I would not be surprised at all.Patience.

  • how do you guys steal the soul of an amp? or your best/prefered method on profiling an amp.

    Am I the only one who is "very sceptical" about the "direct profies";I have the impression(dont know if this is indeed the "problem") that the KPA has not the nescessary DSP power to really separate the preamp/amp/cabinet in a 100% needfull way.I am convinced that "studio profiles" are still the best way to go allthough I have no doubt that the KPA2 some day will allow better separation.


    @okstrat


    What kind of cables do you use to bridge the long distances from the control room to the recording room;I just ask because I spent some years ago 2000 euros for Sommer-Cables and their Plug-Mama/Pegasus/Spirit etc cables..imo this is very important to do if you want a "good result" and you amp is 10 meters away from the cabinet.