|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 16, 2023 18:18:44 GMT -5
That's an Image Response program. Now days there are all sorts of pedals that can model anything from amplifiers to acoustic guitars. Those are called IRs. You need a pedal that can load in your own IRs along with the ones that come packaged with the pedal/device. The NU-X Optima Air is one I have. And now there's a way to create your own Image Response of your own guitar; similar to what ToneDexter does. Here's a video of how to create your own for free (if you already have an IR loader) So, I'm going to give it a try. I have a Baggs HiFi pickup in my 1957 J50. It sounds pretty good. But I'm trying to make it better. SO far I've made the stereo wave files for the pickup vs 3 different microphone inputs; Sennheiser e935; Neumann K184; Shure KSM32. Here's the setup for recording the input.  I've taken the 4 recorded files (pickup, Senn, Neum, Shure) and made 3 stereo files (pan the pickup left - pan the mic right). Tomorrow I'll try uploading them to Cuki's website to create the different IRs. Then I'll try loading them in the NU-X. It's fun. I'm optimistic the result is going to be something spectacular.  |
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,890 
|
Post by Dub on Nov 16, 2023 19:54:02 GMT -5
That's an Image Response program. <Impulse> Response Also <nowadays> |
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,890
|
Post by Dub on Nov 16, 2023 20:01:50 GMT -5
Great idea, Marshall. In addition to my (née Marshall’s) ToneDexter I also have a NUX (NU-X) Amp Acadamy. I’ve downloaded IRs for it but I’ve not tried to make my own. Maybe I’ll give it a try.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Nov 16, 2023 20:18:09 GMT -5
Cool. The same technology is used to simulate amps with different mics, and also to simulate the sound of specific places
There are some places where I'd like to make an IR to simulate. There are some neat, very reverberent little buildings at the West Baden resort near French Lick, for example. I'd like to be able to make a recording that would simulate/emulate a recording made in that place.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,890
|
Post by Dub on Nov 16, 2023 20:29:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 16, 2023 23:16:17 GMT -5
The cool thing is if you have some means to record multiple tracks. And you have a nice mic, you can make your own IR easily. For free, actually if you already have the recorder capability.
It's a brave new world.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Nov 17, 2023 8:45:24 GMT -5
The cool thing is if you have some means to record multiple tracks. And you have a nice mic, you can make your own IR easily. For free, actually if you already have the recorder capability. It's a brave new world. The last time I looked (several years ago) making an IR of a specific space was still a little bit of a baling wire and duct tape event - you had to have the right kind of equipment, or make the not-as-right kind of equipment work. I would bet I could get an app or a relatively cheap piece of software - or even better, a piece of hardware, designed to capture IRs using specific tones, etc. So I could go back to those cool buildings in French Lick and build a reverb based on those rooms. The one I'm thinking about is in the lower right in this pic.  |
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 17, 2023 9:05:04 GMT -5
I noted already making my WAV files that the microphone used to record the acoustic sound colors the recorded sound considerably.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 18, 2023 18:03:40 GMT -5
As an update: I loaded the WAV files into the IR-creator website and got back 9 IRs (for the 3 files I uploaded). The website, by Cuki79, gives you 3 IR files for every file you give it. One is a straight one-for-one file (STD). Another is a STD-Bld file that lowers bass, I think. The 3rd file is a "Modified" file that the creator somehow has decided works better/best.
I loaded the 3 IR files for the Neumann mic into the NUX pedal. . . . , Not a simple task because true-to-Chinese-electronics, there's no documentation to tell you what to do. You have to fart around with touchscreen "buttons" and figure out what they mean and in what sequence you need to load and press the buttons to make it do what you want it to do. Took me probably 40 minutes to download software and figure out how to get the job done. But it seemed to work after trial and error, and error, and error, etc. When I was successful I unconnected my computer from the pedal and it seems the files I loaded stayed on the pedal.
So, just now I plugger the guitar into the pedal and an amp and played around with the settings. And the M (Modified) file really does sound VERY close to the unamplified sound. Much better than the pickup by itself.
I call that a WIN. Of course I have to take the thing out in the real world before my conclusions are final. But this looks very promising.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,890
|
Post by Dub on Nov 19, 2023 2:40:30 GMT -5
I loaded the 3 IR files for the Neumann mic into the NUX pedal. . . . , Not a simple task because true-to-Chinese-electronics, there's no documentation to tell you what to do. You have to fart around with touchscreen "buttons" and figure out what they mean and in what sequence you need to load and press the buttons to make it do what you want it to do. Took me probably 40 minutes to download software and figure out how to get the job done. But it seemed to work after trial and error, and error, and error, etc. When I was successful I unconnected my computer from the pedal and it seems the files I loaded stayed on the pedal. Your experience seems odd to me. I’ve downloaded IRs into my NUX Amp Academy and the process was as easy as could be. I just downloaded the file and dropped it into the Amp Academy app. Saving it to the pedal was just clicking on the diskette icon and the job was done. There are YouTube videos outlining the process. Anyway, I’m glad you got it working. Hope it sounds as great as it could. |
|
|
|
Post by PaulKay on Nov 19, 2023 8:30:31 GMT -5
It just seems like an awful lot of work though. I hope you get a noticeable improvement
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 19, 2023 9:12:52 GMT -5
Your experience seems odd to me. I’ve downloaded IRs into my NUX Amp Academy and the process was as easy as could be. I just downloaded the file and dropped it into the Amp Academy app. Saving it to the pedal was just clicking on the diskette icon and the job was done. There are YouTube videos outlining the process. Anyway, I’m glad you got it working. Hope it sounds as great as it could. I shoulda looked on Youtube. There are icons on the App. They are representative of their function mostly. But there's no indication of the order of things and there are 2 similar looking windows on the computer program with no indication of which one loads and which one edits and what sequence needs to be followed to make it all happen. When I finally figured it out, I dropped my files into the next available trac on the App which was 11. When I go to the pedal, my file shows up as being in trac 1 of a different user bank I guess. Trac 11 on the pedal already has something in it, though the App shows nothing. |
|
|
|
Post by John B on Nov 19, 2023 10:33:20 GMT -5
In a way, this thread is a little disappointing to me. I enjoy your endless quest for tone, Marshall, and the various pickup and device combinations that get you closer to the grail. A small part of me hopes this isn't the solution, and you will continue trying new pickups and devices.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 19, 2023 10:47:05 GMT -5
Ha ha ha.
How’s that Donner treating you?
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Nov 19, 2023 10:58:49 GMT -5
Ha ha ha. How’s that Donner treating you? Haven't pulled the trigger, but they're now on a Black Friday sale for $240. I really might need to get one of these. Plus, they're coming out with an electric travel guitar, but it's going to be closer to $400. But at that price I could probably get a Steinberger made in the factory next door. And by the way, I wasn't joking in my last post. I genuinely enjoy your journeys into finding the right gigging equipment, and you give me a lot of ideas about what might and might not work. |
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 19, 2023 15:29:44 GMT -5
Curiosity killed the cat.
I do like the hunt for something better. It's a fun game for me. And as long as I can afford it, it gives me a joy and a challenge to try something new. That being said, I'm not giving up my Skysonic Mag pickups yet. In fact I'm looking forward to running the SKy Mag/Sbt through the IR process and see what develops. In a live setting I really like the Sky. But what I'm hearing is a combination of the monitors and the acoustic sound as I play it on a stage. When I get a recording from out in the room, it's not as pleasing because I lose the natural acoustic sound. Whereas the SBTs like the HiFi aren't as clean as the Mag.
So, I like playing around with these things. We'll see.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Nov 19, 2023 15:53:56 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Nov 21, 2023 23:27:24 GMT -5
As an update (for anyone still listening ), I just went through the process again of creating custom IRs for my Nick Lucas and for the Eastman, both with the Skysonic Mag/SBT pickup. And I used 2 microphones; a Neumann K184 and a Shure KSM32. And WOW, are the results terrific. I loaded them into my NUX Optima Air pedal and played through it listening with the Headphones-out on the NUX. Just a stunning response what the IRs do to the signal. I can "hear" the difference in the guitars and the microphones. The NL is bright and clear. The Eastman is big and warm. The Neumann is clean and clear. The Shure is big and round an warm. They all sound great. And I can swap out either guitar with any guitar/mic combination. They just sound great in the phones. And I've NEVER had any pickup sound this good in headphones. I'll have to take the rig out and see how it performs live, but I'm as excited as I have ever been for an amplified guitar sound. |
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on Nov 21, 2023 23:42:39 GMT -5
This all sounds like Marian to me. I still play Creole Belle and other songs I learned when I was sixteen. I own a Fender Strat that I have played perhaps 15 times and never in front of another person. ( I’m actually planning on changing that soon).
I keep thinking of playing it just like I play my acoustics.) it’s mighty pretty.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,890
|
Post by Dub on Nov 22, 2023 0:29:49 GMT -5
This all sounds like Marian to me. I still play Creole Belle and other songs I learned when I was sixteen. I own a Fender Strat that I have played perhaps 15 times and never in front of another person. ( I’m actually planning on changing that soon). I keep thinking of playing it just like I play my acoustics.) it’s mighty pretty. Who is Marian? |
|
