DIgital Modeling I am such a damn hypocrite

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
For so long I have been saying how I only need a small number of different amp sounds, with just a few
pedals and I have everything I need. I have trimmed down to just 2 guitars and only have 2 small real
amps left as part of my effort to simplify and get everything more compact after giving up my large
practice space in the basement for the greater good. :cry: I'm still trying to figure out how this did ME any good.
The second phase of this was to go computer centric and relegate the real amps to just the occasional
exercise period just to make sure they still work, and blow the dust off my pant legs.
Ok, this is where it all went astray. I started watching videos of the new Amplitube 5 and figured it would
be the perfect plug in for my DAW setup. After carefully reviewing the product offering and looking at which
amps came with the different versions, it became clear that the IK Multimedia marketing folks have masterfully
created their versions in such a way that only the most expensive version makes any sense to buy (IMO).
I just had to have the full Fender amp collection that includes the '64 Vibroverb and the Vibro King on top of the
other Fender classics like the Twin, Princeton, Champ, etc. So I sprung for the MAX version.
This means I am now the proud possessor of 1643 different amps, 5249 different pedal effects, 1073 rack
effects, 721 different cabinets, etc. etc. Ok, maybe I exaggerate the numbers a wee bit, but you get the idea.
That's a whole lotta stuff for someone that only needs a few sounds to be happy.
Was it worth it? HELL YES!!! It's awesome, and I haven't begun to scratch the surface of even previewing
the amp models, much less the effects.
I have to say, the Vibro King is amazing and does not disappoint. It is the most articulate amp I have ever
played, which is somewhat unusual for a tube amp. It has a feature I call MA - "Mistake Amplification".
Any slight imperfection in technique seems to stand out with this amp, so it REALLY forces one to focus
on playing cleanly with the best technique you can muster. That makes for a really good practice amp!!
While I will likely never use many of the amps and effects in this package, I am finding some that I do find
immediately satisfying, so........ya, call me a hypocrite - I can take it.
BTW, you can buy any of the Amplitube 5 stuff now with a discount code that gives you 15% off - that was
just enough for me to take the leap.
 

snarf

making guitars wish they were still trees
it became clear that the IK Multimedia marketing folks have masterfully
created their versions in such a way that only the most expensive version makes any sense to buy (IMO).
I keep looking at that one since I've been delving into trying to record more, and that's the only reason that I haven't bought it. I looked through it and realized that I only wanted a couple of amps and a handful of stompboxes, but the only way I could get the ones I wanted was to buy the big version or several of the bundles so that I was paying the same amount. Kind of reminded me why I never bought cable tv either.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
snarf - I have come to appreciate having a recording setup that is an integral part of my guitar rig - one that is always there, available, and ready to record at a moment's notice without any additional actions or thought. There are many benefits of this, some of which may be intangibles, or not be immediately obvious. Even though I have only had it a short while, I can already easily justify (rationalize?) the benefits of it, so I have no regrets about spending the money. Well, ok, I hardly ever do, but that's beside the point :).
I have not yet played with the built in 8 channel recorder in Amplitube, but if you are not already using a DAW, then it might be just the ticket.
I find I have a different mindset when the recording setup (DAW) is my primary "device" and the amp is secondary (i.e. the amp is a plug in to the DAW) vs. having an amp (real or virtual) as your primary "device", and the recording setup is secondary to it.
 

CaptOblivious

Blues Junior
OG - I've been an Amplitude user for a few versions and find version 5 tones are outstanding, the new interface is really improved. They still have a few kinks to work out for 5, it is a computer resource hog, at least the PC version is! It takes a while to load up. I found setting my PC to never go to sleep and power mode to be ultra performance helped. I see on their forum an update is in the works. The VST & VST3 plugins have crashed Reaper a few times.

Really liking the 57 Bandmaster and Custom Deluxe tone - what interface do you use? I use their Stomp I/O which makes the looper actually useful.

Now all I need is a decent guitar player to take advantage of all the tone options available:ROFLMAO:
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
CaptObl, I had previously tried the ver 3 and 4 Amplitube, but never got beyond the free stuff. Version 5 looked to me
like a significant step forward which pushed me over the edge, and I'm glad I caved.
I am using a Scarlett 2i2 interface which works quite well, but I can see how something like the Stomp I/O would be nice.
I have a pretty powerful PC, so have not noticed any performance related issues. Load time is no big deal, but mine comes up pretty quickly.
I have not yet experienced any REAPER crashes with it. I have a lot of amps to preview yet - there are a lot of good sounding amps available
there - some that I would not have expected to sound as good as they do. I have always been a Fender amp guy, so the large collection
of those is really nice, but this will broaden my horizons I think. The Brit 8000 can get some great blues sounds of a higher gain nature, with
lots of sustain and harmonics.
If you can find a source for a decent player, let me know - I'd like to get one too. :ROFLMAO:
 

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
For so long I have been saying how I only need a small number of different amp sounds, with just a few
pedals and I have everything I need. I have trimmed down to just 2 guitars and only have 2 small real
amps left as part of my effort to simplify and get everything more compact after giving up my large
practice space in the basement for the greater good. :cry: I'm still trying to figure out how this did ME any good.
The second phase of this was to go computer centric and relegate the real amps to just the occasional
exercise period just to make sure they still work, and blow the dust off my pant legs.
Ok, this is where it all went astray. I started watching videos of the new Amplitube 5 and figured it would
be the perfect plug in for my DAW setup. After carefully reviewing the product offering and looking at which
amps came with the different versions, it became clear that the IK Multimedia marketing folks have masterfully
created their versions in such a way that only the most expensive version makes any sense to buy (IMO).
I just had to have the full Fender amp collection that includes the '64 Vibroverb and the Vibro King on top of the
other Fender classics like the Twin, Princeton, Champ, etc. So I sprung for the MAX version.
This means I am now the proud possessor of 1643 different amps, 5249 different pedal effects, 1073 rack
effects, 721 different cabinets, etc. etc. Ok, maybe I exaggerate the numbers a wee bit, but you get the idea.
That's a whole lotta stuff for someone that only needs a few sounds to be happy.
Was it worth it? HELL YES!!! It's awesome, and I haven't begun to scratch the surface of even previewing
the amp models, much less the effects.
I have to say, the Vibro King is amazing and does not disappoint. It is the most articulate amp I have ever
played, which is somewhat unusual for a tube amp. It has a feature I call MA - "Mistake Amplification".
Any slight imperfection in technique seems to stand out with this amp, so it REALLY forces one to focus
on playing cleanly with the best technique you can muster. That makes for a really good practice amp!!
While I will likely never use many of the amps and effects in this package, I am finding some that I do find
immediately satisfying, so........ya, call me a hypocrite - I can take it.
BTW, you can buy any of the Amplitube 5 stuff now with a discount code that gives you 15% off - that was
just enough for me to take the leap.

So OG, where does all the sound go after your DAW? It sounds like you only had an amp or two before. Did you buy powered speakers or already have them? I'm wondering from a standpoint of just guitar>pedalboard>amp, what else I have to buy to go your route...and please, talk to me like a broke, retired, never before recorded anything noob.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Now Now,
Don't be so hard on yourself, we all grow.

Question:
You still liking the Simplifier?
If yes ho do you use it?
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
I'll try to answer all the questions in one reply.
The Scarlett 2i2 is a 2 input interface, so I have the option of plugging the guitar into it directly, and then in the DAW, Amplitube is used as a plug in, i.e. basically like an effect (on steroids) for the track for the guitar input. Alternatively, I can plug the guitar into my small pedalboard that has a compressor, an couple overdrives, a reverb, and the DSM Simplifier (an amp sim pedal). The output of the Simplifier output goes into the other input of the Scarlett, so I can use my pedalboard and the Simplifier (amp sims) into the DAW as an audio signal with or without any additional effects processing in the chain. Yes, Captain, I am really liking the Simplifier in this configuration as a more conventional analog signal chain compared to Amplitube. They complement one another quite well.
The DAW outputs its audio via the Scarlett, which then goes to an Alesis Reference amplifier (50w stereo, very clean, linear amp) and to some passive little JBL speakers and a subwoofer. I have had this amplifier setup since before they were making powered speakers, so I have had it for a long time. A set of powered speakers would also do nicely, but I like having the sub woofer to provide a really full sound spectrum for both general playback and for guitar. Of course, using the headphone jack on the Scarlett lets me do everything silently so I can plat at any time without bothering the rest of the household, or the neighbors.
So....if you are starting from the point of having a guitar and some pedals, you would need a computer, DAW software, a USB interface similar to the Scarlett, Amplitube (or other similar software like Bias FX), and powered speakers (or an amp and speakers) for listening / playback.

Ed, If you want to try out something like this on a budget, I would recommend:
REAPER for the DAW Why? You can download a fully working copy for free and use it for 60 days. After that, it will continue to work (with a "nag" screen at start up) or you can buy a license for only $60. Most importantly, REAPER supports 3rd party plug ins, which not all free or inexpensive DAWs do. This is a critical feature / requirement for this type of setup. REAPER is a very full featured, easy to use DAW you are not likely to ever outgrow.
Almost any old PC will run REAPER without problems, so a high end computer is not required. On a separate thread, I detailed running REAPER on a Raspberry Pi successfully - but realistically, that is kind of a marginal approach, unless you happen to have a Pi just laying around looking for something to do.
There are many inexpensive USB interfaces - just do a search for "best inexpensive USB interface" and you will get some ideas. You don't have to spend a fortune on an interface to get started. The used market is also an option here - lots of people upgrade and sell off their "starter" interface - CL is your friend here. You can definitely get a perfectly useable interface for ~$50 +/-.
For an amp sim plug in, Amplitube offers a free stripped down version that includes several very nice amp sims and a handful of basic effects. This is perfectly adequate to get your feet wet and try it on for size. There are other free amp sim plug ins as well - again, do a search for "amp sim VST".
You could feed the output from your interface to your guitar amp, but it is preferred to use a full range (hi fi) amp for that. Any old stereo amp with speakers would work fine for starters. As would any powered speakers you might have.
For the above setup, you are looking at a $ outlay less than the cost of one or two good pedals. If you find you like that approach, you can upgrade incrementally as the budget or need allows.
BTW, Amplitube will also run stand alone, so you don't have to use it as a DAW plug in. I just find that to be a really convenient way to do it.

If any of this is not clear, I'll be glad to try to explain it better.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Cool!
Santa brought me a Simplifier, just getting around to using it yesterday. After day one I'm happy.
I've got quite an elaborate setup with amps & pedal boards and now the simplifier going into my Interface / DAW.
I've got it set up at the end of the board with a splitter there to send signal to the amps & the simplifier. everything ends up in the interface on separate channels.
 
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Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
I'll try to answer all the questions in one reply.
The Scarlett 2i2 is a 2 input interface, so I have the option of plugging the guitar into it directly, and then in the DAW, Amplitube is used as a plug in, i.e. basically like an effect (on steroids) for the track for the guitar input. Alternatively, I can plug the guitar into my small pedalboard that has a compressor, an couple overdrives, a reverb, and the DSM Simplifier (an amp sim pedal). The output of the Simplifier output goes into the other input of the Scarlett, so I can use my pedalboard and the Simplifier (amp sims) into the DAW as an audio signal with or without any additional effects processing in the chain. Yes, Captain, I am really liking the Simplifier in this configuration as a more conventional analog signal chain compared to Amplitube. They complement one another quite well.
The DAW outputs its audio via the Scarlett, which then goes to an Alesis Reference amplifier (50w stereo, very clean, linear amp) and to some passive little JBL speakers and a subwoofer. I have had this amplifier setup since before they were making powered speakers, so I have had it for a long time. A set of powered speakers would also do nicely, but I like having the sub woofer to provide a really full sound spectrum for both general playback and for guitar. Of course, using the headphone jack on the Scarlett lets me do everything silently so I can plat at any time without bothering the rest of the household, or the neighbors.
So....if you are starting from the point of having a guitar and some pedals, you would need a computer, DAW software, a USB interface similar to the Scarlett, Amplitube (or other similar software like Bias FX), and powered speakers (or an amp and speakers) for listening / playback.

Ed, If you want to try out something like this on a budget, I would recommend:
REAPER for the DAW Why? You can download a fully working copy for free and use it for 60 days. After that, it will continue to work (with a "nag" screen at start up) or you can buy a license for only $60. Most importantly, REAPER supports 3rd party plug ins, which not all free or inexpensive DAWs do. This is a critical feature / requirement for this type of setup. REAPER is a very full featured, easy to use DAW you are not likely to ever outgrow.
Almost any old PC will run REAPER without problems, so a high end computer is not required. On a separate thread, I detailed running REAPER on a Raspberry Pi successfully - but realistically, that is kind of a marginal approach, unless you happen to have a Pi just laying around looking for something to do.
There are many inexpensive USB interfaces - just do a search for "best inexpensive USB interface" and you will get some ideas. You don't have to spend a fortune on an interface to get started. The used market is also an option here - lots of people upgrade and sell off their "starter" interface - CL is your friend here. You can definitely get a perfectly useable interface for ~$50 +/-.
For an amp sim plug in, Amplitube offers a free stripped down version that includes several very nice amp sims and a handful of basic effects. This is perfectly adequate to get your feet wet and try it on for size. There are other free amp sim plug ins as well - again, do a search for "amp sim VST".
You could feed the output from your interface to your guitar amp, but it is preferred to use a full range (hi fi) amp for that. Any old stereo amp with speakers would work fine for starters. As would any powered speakers you might have.
For the above setup, you are looking at a $ outlay less than the cost of one or two good pedals. If you find you like that approach, you can upgrade incrementally as the budget or need allows.
BTW, Amplitube will also run stand alone, so you don't have to use it as a DAW plug in. I just find that to be a really convenient way to do it.

If any of this is not clear, I'll be glad to try to explain it better.

Thanks OG,
Only 1 question. The signal goes in and out via the scarlet? So from guitar or pedal board to the scarlet, scarlet to computer to DAW then back out through the scarlet to an amplifier or amplified speakers? I'm aware of all the different choices along the route, but is this the basic setup?
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Thanks OG,
Only 1 question. The signal goes in and out via the scarlet? So from guitar or pedal board to the scarlet, scarlet to computer to DAW then back out through the scarlet to an amplifier or amplified speakers? I'm aware of all the different choices along the route, but is this the basic setup?
Yes, that is correct. A USB interface like the Scarlett, and other similar devices can be thought of as an external USB sound card, because basically, that is what they are.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Cool!
Santa brought me a Simplifier, just getting around to using it yesterday. After day one I'm happy.
I've got quite an elaborate setup with amps & pedal boards and now the simplifier going into my Interface / DAW.
I've got it set up at the end of the board with a splitter there to send signal to the amps & the simplifier. everything ends up in the interface on separate channels.
That's great. With all the I/O options on the Simplifier, there are numerous setup options. One of these days I am going to hook the 2 XLR stereo inputs into the 2 channels of the Scarlett and play with some stereo recording just for fun. Let me know how you get along with it. I continue to like the tones I get out of mine.
 

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
Yes, that is correct. A USB interface like the Scarlett, and other similar devices can be thought of as an external USB sound card, because basically, that is what they are.

Thanks again OG. I'm just trying to figure what parts I have, what parts I need and how to put it together without starting everything from scratch. I think the interface may be the first step. I already have Cubase and something from Vox that came with my Amplugs. I think to start I'll just be using headphones so a pedal amp or powered speakers may not be necessary unless I need an inexpensive headphone amp. I can upgrade as needed, amp pedal, more complete DAW etc. If I can't make sense out of it, I won't be in it too deep.
I've tried to follow some of the more technical threads on recording and wound up dazed and confused. Your post, I think, will get me started in the right direction.
-ed
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Ed, that sounds like you have a viable plan to get your feet wet and see if this suits you.
For a low cost starter interface, the Behringer U-Phoria UM2 has what you need to get started (2 in, 2 out, phantom power, direct monitoring, headphone jack, USB) for only $45 on Amazon. I have never used one, but it gets good reviews and claims compatibility with your DAW. There are other options as well. Good luck - let us know how you progress!
Tom
 

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
I'll have to check out the U-Phoria and Tracktion DAW. It is $45 at Sweetwater also and...candy. Again I appreciate your help OG.
Right now I'm leaning toward a $99 PreSonus AudioBox USB 96, with the Studio One. Lloyd is a one stop shop for Studio One information right here on the forum. That may save me $44 worth of headaches. If I use it with headphones, it may be the only money I have to spend to at least locate the rabbit hole.
Thanks all for replies.
Jim, how do you record with your straight forward amp and small pedal board?
 

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
I'll have to check out the U-Phoria and Tracktion DAW. It is $45 at Sweetwater also and...candy. Again I appreciate your help OG.
Right now I'm leaning toward a $99 PreSonus AudioBox USB 96, with the Studio One. Lloyd is a one stop shop for Studio One information right here on the forum. That may save me $44 worth of headaches. If I use it with headphones, it may be the only money I have to spend to at least locate the rabbit hole.
Thanks all for replies.
Jim, how do you record with your straight forward amp and small pedal board?
Amp's line out into Focusrite Scarlett Solo into either Audacity or Studio One (About as simple as it gets). If I use my Fender Mustang III amp, no need for Focusrite, the amp has a USB out that can go direct into my DAW.
Amp is a Quilter MicroPro 12" HD combo.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarSG3--focusrite-scarlett-solo-3rd-gen-usb-audio-interface
And here is my pedal board ... my playing doesn't need any more than this.
COMPACT BOARD.JPG
 
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MinorT

Got My Mojo Working???
I am just too dumb / old-school for this stuff. What I have is simple and straight-forward (amp and small pedal board) and it is going to stay that way.
That makes at least two of us, however I did buy a iRig Pro I/O a while back and mainly run Tone Bridge through it to a clean tube amp. I’m not a recording guy so it’s more of a novelty to me and doesn’t get a lot of use, should any of you be interested making an offer. It’s a good interface for someone that wants its full potential, but that’s not me.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigproio/
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
I'll have to check out the U-Phoria and Tracktion DAW. It is $45 at Sweetwater also and...candy. Again I appreciate your help OG.
Right now I'm leaning toward a $99 PreSonus AudioBox USB 96, with the Studio One. Lloyd is a one stop shop for Studio One information right here on the forum. That may save me $44 worth of headaches. If I use it with headphones, it may be the only money I have to spend to at least locate the rabbit hole.
Thanks all for replies.
Jim, how do you record with your straight forward amp and small pedal board?
Ed, The Presonus USB 96 gets virtually universal good reviews - can't go wrong with that, plus IIRC it also has MIDI in and out, which may or may not be of any consequence. But, be aware that the free version of Studio One does NOT support 3rd party plug ins - so no 3rd party guitar amp sim or other 3rd party VSTs (like effects) will work with it. For me, that was a deal killer, unless you go for one of the purchased versions that includes that support, in which case you are golden.
 
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