Posts by GuyJames

If I'm using an exp pedal for morph is there a way that the position of the pedal will stay consistent when I change rigs or does it have to return to it's initial setting?

For example: I've got the morph controlling reverb and delay. I have the minimum setting to 10%-maximum 50% on both verb and delay. I have the pedal cocked just under halfway on my clean performance slot. I switch to the mid-gain slot and.... does the verb and delay have to return to 10% even though the morph pedal is still untouched from the previous slot?

Quote from gtrgriff3

To the OP, I didn't see where you have described an analog rig that you're trying to capture... so I'm going to assume that you're looking to find your sound with the KPA, and that's a really tall order.

It's plug-and-play in the sense that you can plug in and try thousands of possible amps through thousands of possible cabs and mic combinations - but that's a bit overwhelming to just about anyone.

The fact that you're going into a guitar cab is a plus, it removes the speaker cab/mic from the equation. At this point, just find an amp that sounds good to you... find the amp that is the closest to what you want to hear coming out of your cabinet. I don't envy that task, it'll take a long time as there are thousands now on the Rig Exchange and in the packs, but you'll learn how to whittle them down fairly quickly.

If you know what type of amp you want, then find those first. Holdsworth used a Mesa/Boogie studio preamp if I'm not mistaken, so look for something in the Mesa Mark family (studio preamp, quad preamp, Mark I,II,III,IV, or V) and that might get what you're looking for.

Also, to use it with a guitar cab for best results, stick to Direct or Merged profiles so that you can disable the cab on your feed to the guitar cab. On studio profiles you might have good luck doing that, but in my experience not usually.

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Thanks brotha! Some rigs in RM are good at tagging which ones are Di and such but every one I try seems pretty harsh. I'll look more though.

So i'm curious if there's an EQ tips you guys use that vary from your live set up? After many hours of tweaking throughout the week i've got the Cab rig set up pretty nice I think but going into the DAW i'm guessing theres a a different approach. Since I wasn't using a cab sim. through my real cab I can tell the difference for sure. Changing the cab sim may be all I need to do! If so can I get names of Cab's I can find on Rig Manager you dig?

Quote from Wheresthedug

I actually use it just like my tube amps. I just plug and play. I pretty much never tweak anything. If a profile isn't doing it for me I just move on to one that is. I can't say I have ever noticed a digital fizz yet. There are definitely lots of profiles (both commercial and free) that are totally unusable for me personally because they are way to high gain and way too scooped so they really grate on my ears. Think of all the really popular high gain profiles like Sinmix, Lasse Lammer, Ola Englund etc. I can't live with those but that is purely a stylistic thing rather than a flaw in the KPA or the profiling. They are are undoubtedly great profiles for the metal genre.
I generally find I am happiest though when I just set up my own tube mp to get a tone then make a profile of it myself. That way I capture what I want from the outset without the need to tweak anyway.

If you are using the KPA with a regular guitar cab just do a DI profile with the amp connected to the cab you will be using with the profiler. This pretty much gives my a perfect match for my tube amp.

I envy your satisfaction. Unfortunately this has not been a pleasing plug in and play experience. I will say though, taking it into a rehearsal and playing through profiles I thought weren't good but seemed to sound better in a live mix is odd. I've solved my dilemma for for now by tweaking the profiles at higher volumes and playing along to jam tracks going through studio monitors.

http://foobazaar.com/wiki/inde…er_KPA_Core_Tone_Tweaking

This website provided some useful info!

Quote from Tyrone_Biggums

What profiles have you tried? Any particular amp you are wanting to use for that type of sound? Like others have said, the studio EQ can be used in the X slot - I usually toggle to the end of the settings and set my low cut 80-100 and the highs I usually lower to 7500 or so. Also, you can try lowering the 3500Hz and 5000Hz frequencies. Those are frequencies that I tend to aim at cutting if there is too much fizz- also adjust the Q setting - how wide or narrow you want the cut. Again, try some different cabs in the Kemper. I find the cab can make or break a profile. It can get frustrating after you think you get the sound you are after only to come back to it a day or so later and not like it. I try and save different iterations of the profile so I can go back and tweak them as needed based on the volume I will be playing at, etc.

Mostly MBritt but i've been tweaking rig exchange ones too and just got the free tone junkie pack. The Graphic eq cut recammendations are helping but it's still lacking a 'round warm CLEAR' sound.

Quote from Tyrone_Biggums

Part of it may have to do with what you have hooked up to the Kemper. I have mine connected to studio monitors. For my room, I have to lower the highs quite a bit. I also do much of what was mentioned before - also check the definition setting for the amp - lowering that can get rid of some of the bite. I also raise/lower the clarity setting to taste. Last, the cab you have for your rig in the Kemper can make a HUGE difference. Try some different cabs as well. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but soon enough you will find "your" sound. Good luck!

I'm using a 2x12 guitar cab with a Hellatone 30w and 60w speakers. I gave up on the FRFR thing. Studio monitors will be another project, my priority is getting this thing singing live. So far I haven't felt confident taking it out in fear of feeling like i'll be tone tweaking on stage and thats not what audiences care about.

I'm all ears for any other eq settings that people can share.

Quote from Netheravon

Yes, @GuyJames just stick a graphic eq in a slot after the amp section and then scroll along the parameter pages till you see the high and low pass bit.

You can always lock this once you’re happy with your sound so it applies to new loaded profiles.

I must admit I generally just load up a profile and plug and play. So I don’t really find any difference between the kemper and a tube amp, but I do still play my tube amp sometimes.

Thanks man! I don't know how you don't notice a difference. Maybe I need to plug into various cabs. I'll work on this eq thing for now.

Can someone direct me to an EQ lesson thread or video? I guess i'm pretty overwhelmed with all the possible things to tweak... Is it possible to just leave the amp section eq (clarity, etc.) alone and just use a studio or graphic eq after the amp section (X slot) to shape to my desired tone?

I just wish this thing was easier to tweak. It seems like people are able to get there desired results but how many of you go back and play a tube amp and miss the instant gratification of plugging in and getting your sound with less tweaking and more playing...

Quote from Finally

Definitely the high pass filter for me.

It's not curing a digital shortcoming - it's curing the normal byproduct of a mic in front of a tube amp as I understand it.

Can you provide an exact example? Like settings/placement and such.

How can I get the higher gain stuff to sound smooth but not like a blanket was put over the cab... I'm going for a liquid Holdsworth OD but things start to get fizzy. Every high gain profile I demo just has this digital hiss high end.. Oh wait this is a digital amp.. I'm imagining this can be worked out with the studio EQ but I don't really know where to begin. If anyone has any eq tricks/settings they'd like to share i'm all ears.

Quote from 808illest

What interface are you using? Do you run SPIDF? Got any outboard preamps, those will help!

I'm using a Scarlett 18i8. I'm getting good results swapping cabs around. So far, a Morgan ac20 profile from the rig exchange you recommended actually sounds good with all my performance patches. I'm considering checking out the Ownhammer stuff. This is strictly for FOH and recording now because I'm a happy Guitar cab user now

So i've finally been getting along with using a real guitar cab vs an FRFR so i'm pretty satisfied in terms of live application but i'm not getting along with my direct tones now.
I know the studio monitor makes a big difference so is there an ideal monitor that is best for kemper users? I'm using Samson Resolv RXA5's. They have a ribbon tweeter. Listening to music though them is great but all my profiles that i've tweaked for my cab are pretty bad through the monitors. Now, If I tweak the profile for the monitor i'm using is that actually the tone being recorded or just what sounds good through the monitor I won and then when I go to listen on other devices it will be totally different?

Seems like most of the YouTube videos out there of people getting great tone with the kemoper was recorded direct. I'm lost as to how they got such killer tone. Maybe post production?

Any tips?

So I think i'm pretty set on using my real 2x12 guitar speaker cab. The High gain stuff still isn't happening for me though. Any suggestions on how to EQ the higher gain stuff to be saturated but smoother, not dark like it has a blanket over the speaker cab? I'm used to JRockett OD pedals like the "Dude" or Xotic "SL Drive". All of which i can get fat sustaining clear smooth OD. I notice a lot of these higher gain OD profiles just fade out because of their noise gates and don't really have a singing quality to their tones.

So any suggestions on how to get the best high gain tones (Allan Holdsworth, Robben Ford, Jimmy Herring esque.)

Quote from dmatthews

Hmmm...What speaker did you use before the Xitone, and what rig before the Kemper? I get that there can be a rabbit hole of options, but sometimes I just need to start again.

We'll i've had a lot of great moments with my Pro Jr. and upgraded to a weber speaker that raised the headroom. I've used an Egnator Rebel 30 and one of the new supro 25 watt amps for awhile too. I've never owned or played a 4X12 set up outside of a music store or studio because those setups aren't meant to be mobile... I've always liked using a dry/clean amp with decent headroom/slight breakup when cranked but not more than i'd ever use like a twin, and just adding pedals to it.

I'll have to rehearse with it more but just sitting in my house I wish I could get smoother overdrive tones. I'm really having better results with just a real 2x12 cab I have in house.

@Ingolf

Here's a thought... If i'm going to find a cab IR or one of the stock ones and globally lock it then maybe I should just use a real guitar cab? I think this FRFR MBriit cab is hanging me up. It's got its own volume control and 5 different DSP settings that changes the character of the profile.

Thankfully I have the powered head so I can go back and forth comparing.

I guess for the sake of recording and FOH mixes though I should get the internal cab thing unified across profiles.

UPDATE:

Just unplugged the FRFR and went into my 2x12 cab and it's just a night and day difference. I think the real cab is the way to go for me! Everything sounds great and I don't have to turn a knob. Now I can explore the world of DI profiles. I also just re-uploaded the factory rig and to my surprise there's a twin profile on there made with a 335, the guitar I was using at the time, and it seems to really match up when you use the same guitar/pickups someone profiled with.

A brand new MBritt FRFR cab will probably be up for sale soon. Wish I would have tried more FRFR at shops before blindly buying one online. Granted the name and reputation is top notch I was eager to jump head first...

It's overwhelming how many factors go into "getting your sound". I agree with the testament that our hands create the tone but with all the factors that the kemper presents and this MBritt cab it's starting to feel like the hands are hung out to dry when the amp/cab just isn't sounding sweet.

I really want to love this cab but I think it's making it hard for to dial in an authentic feeling guitar cab character. Maybe I was wrong in purchase thinking that I could get it to sound like a guitar cab.

Thanks for all the kind words of advice everyone. I will step back and take two profiles and work with them exclusively for now.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the cabs to lock globally that have a lot clean fat headroom?

Should I work with profiles that have stock low gain or ones with high gain and roll the gain knob back? Not sure if that tricks the amp into maintaining that fat signal.

So far I've been using performance mode and trying to set up 5 slots (Jazz Clean, Mod Clean, Mid Gain, High Gain, Legato Lead) but i'm wondering if I can achieve the cleans in one and the dynamics of mid gain to holdsworthian violin lead one...

cool man, keep me in the loop on your thoughts and experiences. The tweeter sounds shrill to me, any tips on smoothing out that top end but not making the overall profile darker?

I've had moments of what felt like I dialed things in but in this moment I feel like throwing the amp and MBritt Cab up for sale and sticking with my Fender pro junior and pedals.

I truly want to love this set up but it's not nearly as user friendly as I imagined.

Granted I haven't brought it out on a stage or rehearsed with it yet I guess that's the next step but i'm just over tone chasing. If I can't get it to sound the way I want it in home why would I want to take it out and chance tweaking knobs in a rehearsal/gig.

The fact that it sounds different through every speaker (Monitors, FRFR, guitar cab) is overwhelming.

anyway, end of rant... I really do believe in this product, I just haven't made the connection with it after 3-4 months.