Amps sweet spot the amps natural harmonic distorti


bcraig_69music
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bcraig_69music
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12/12/2020 11:43 am

How to find any amps sweet spot [br]where the amp sounds full, round ,and alive with the amps harmonic distortion soft clip not hard clipped

What are things I need to listen for ?

What have others done ?


"learning to create very emotionally musically phrasing
is a good idea, yeah? Lord please help me
# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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12/12/2020 3:58 pm
Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

How to find any amps sweet spot [br]where the amp sounds full, round ,and alive with the amps harmonic distortion soft clip not hard clipped

[p]Turn it up! I think this primarily applies to tube amps. And the best thing to do it turn all the knobs to 50%, turn off any effects, turn your guitar up to 10. Then start to play. Turn up & down the volume & the EQ knobs a little bit at a time while playing & listening for more or less fullness or richness of sound. This is obviously going to vary from person to person depending on what your goals or desires for the guitar, music & style you want to play.

This guy does a pretty good job of demonstrating the process in a general way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1dRBLZu1Og

This is a little harder to apply to a digital or modelling amp. Because those are explicitly designed to always have some virtual version of a "sweet spot" coming out of the amp at any volume. That's the kind of the purpose of the design.

But the thing to listen for with a digital amp is how it interacts with the speaker cab that it's pushing.

The only thing I disagree with him there is that he starts with the master on 1 & never turns it up beyond 3.5.

If we're talking about real tube amps, then you should turn it up to at least 5. Otherwise you are aren't using it to do what it what designed to do. That's why large amps are so impractical & so many small combos & digital amps are more popular nowdays.

It's also why many classic songs & amps were actually recorded with smaller tube amps cranked to the max instead of stacks used to perform the same songs live.

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 2
manXcat
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manXcat
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12/12/2020 8:26 pm
Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

How to find any amps sweet spot

SNIP

What have others done ?

[p]

Not sure this relates to the subsequent caveats within, but regarding the aspect of your questions clipped and quoted above, [u]I used this[/u] aeons ago. I like Lee Wrathe and readily relate to him in his videos on behalf of Dawsons (formerly) and Ibanez (current).

Hopefully there's something worthwhile in these AV presentations for you too.

How to dial in the 'sweet spot' on an amp

Owning/playing multiple different amps with distinctly different characteristics myself, valve, digital Fender, modelling Blackstar TVP with selectable valve emulation, I also found this useful in climbing that (at the time) steep learning curve.

Guitar Amp Controls explained.

Cheers!

manXcat


# 3
fuzzb0x
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fuzzb0x
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12/13/2020 11:06 am
Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

How to find any amps sweet spot [br]where the amp sounds full, round ,and alive with the amps harmonic distortion soft clip not hard clipped

What are things I need to listen for ?

What have others done ?

Are we talking tube amps, solid state or modelling/digital amps?

If we are talking tube amps the first thing to do would be to check if the amp is cathode or fixed bias, if it's fixed bias then check what the output tubes are biased to and make sure that they are set correctly, if the amp isn't even biased properly you won't be getting the full tone from the amp and you'll never find the sweet spot, once everything is set up properly you shouldn't have to much trouble finding the sweet spot but if it is a tube amp that sweet spot will be at a fairly loud volume but that's where an attenuator can be very useful.


# 4
bcraig_69music
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bcraig_69music
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12/14/2020 12:53 am

Thanks guys

I have a old model of fractal axe fx 2 for my Mac and now yahama thr 2 for the living room

Now on axe fx is a lot of different amps and and bunch of controls to simulate a real tube amp

I had a vox amp but gotten lost during a move

A great tube amp And That would not be allowed in my one bedroom quiet apartment

which why I had to go to modeling amps

but I wanted it feel and sound as close to the real thing as possible

So far I learned it this right ?

that the master voumle and gain knobs work together to shape your primary tone

the eq are the your secondary for tone shaping

I am going to watch those videos you guys left and get back


"learning to create very emotionally musically phrasing
is a good idea, yeah? Lord please help me
# 5
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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12/14/2020 2:40 am
Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

I have a old model of fractal axe fx 2 for my Mac and now yahama thr 2 for the living room[/quote]

In that case I think it's probably more practical to search for tutorials or info on how to set the amps you have than general info on how amps work. For example:

Yamaha THR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOsWOomKqcw

Fractal Axe Fx2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs9u8YShk3o

[quote=bcraig4J]that the master voumle and gain knobs work together to shape your primary tone

the eq are the your secondary for tone shaping

I am going to watch those videos you guys left and get back

Yes, in general. The order is:

Gain is for amount of overdrive or distortion.

EQ is for timbre shaping, bass, mids & treble.

Master volume is at the end of the chain, it determines how long the overall sound will be.

But all those will interact depending on your guitar, your playing skills & the overall volume.


Christopher Schlegel
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Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 6
bcraig_69music
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bcraig_69music
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12/15/2020 11:53 pm

Again Thanks for that video "how to dial in a sweet spot" that was awesome that makes so much sense

would have learned is that every time I pick up in another guitar a different car I have to dial in at Sweet Spot for that guitar which makes sense great link even share it on Facebook


"learning to create very emotionally musically phrasing
is a good idea, yeah? Lord please help me
# 7
snojones
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snojones
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12/16/2020 11:46 pm

4J,

I just looked at your picture icon and I have to ask.....Are you a humming bird wisperer in your spare time?! Do you dip your hands in sugar water?! Does that sugar water get your guitar sticky?! Are those flutter wings ticklish? Does a cranked amp scare them, or do they like loud guitar music?!


Captcha is a total pain in the........

# 8

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