Warning - this is a long post about profile recommendations - please only comment if you are being constructive:
I'm looking to clear off my countless profiles and unused performances from my Kemper.
I'm just looking for a handful of "core" sounds.
I hear lots of talk about different cabs/impulses - if completely honest, I just want something that works with the minimum of tweaking. That's why I got a Kemper and not an AxeFx. I want tones that will break through in a band mix and not be unnecessarily over the top- but do the job. The breaking through thing often means less gain I know....but for certain techniques and song styles.....the heaviness is required.....try playing Cowboys from Hell with the wrong sound!
Live I'll be going straight to FoH and in rehearsal I tend to go into a Yamaha DXR10. (at another band they use an X32 with Yamaha PA)
For auditioning profiles before that (let's be honest, there's very little time in rehearsal and almost none at sound check to change tones) I'm set up at home with JBL LSR305 monitors.
I'm looking for a couple of great cleans:
- A Fender Twin ish, funky/reggae tone
- A Warm clean - jazzy or the clean on something like Radiohead* Creep intro
- A great classic crunch - not too fizzy - a la AC/DC*. I'd want to vary the gain to go from stuff like Green Day*, Black Crowes* covers to higher gain stuff like Extreme*, Gun* (Word Up).
{if I can put a green scream in front of the clean tone or up the gain, or reduce the gain on the crunch tone for that "just breaking up tone" all the better}
- A high gain tone for modern riffing and leads (Megadeth*, Metallica*, VH* covers).....I've used SinMix stuff for recording (great) but a bit too bright for live use. I tend to morph with a bit more volume and mids, touch of delay for leads.
*I know all these bands use different amps....I'm not trying to clone their sounds....just having the right ballpark tone to play their stuff...plus I play a lot of originals but my song names won't mean anything to you [Blocked Image: https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/ta5/1.5/16/1f642.png] )
I know there is lots of stuff you can tweak on rigs, particularly definition but my experience is that if you tweak too much with profiles they lose their mojo.
For the high gain stuff I've been trying some of the Lasse Lambert free profiles in the house - for example LL-ChugChug (EVH 5150 III) which I'm enjoying and I also have LL - German Grease (Diezel Hagen) and LL - Hard Hitter (Kranker Kranker Stone) on the same performance to try playing around with. I've yet to try them live/ in a band rehearsal stituation though.
I have no problem paying for stuff and have done in the past....I do get fatigued going through hundreds of versions of things though.
I'd hope to set up 2 or 3 performances (more if I have to) that go from the clean to the high gain and audtion those at rehearsals.
I'm not snobbish if there's free stuff or rigs that I haven't loaded up from OS upgrades. I'm currently on 6.0.0.14574 and I haven't used the Import All Factor Presets for ages as I have over 700 in there already!
Anyhow, I know everyone has a different sound in their heads and these questions have been asked a thousand times....but in the ideal world there will be 1 to 3 profile packs that will cover these needs....and I'm happy to pay.
Cheers,
Andy