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infinitenexus
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:45 pm 
 

I made a quick video with some sound clips of some free VSTs that I like. Same guitar riff for each one, 1 track centered. The only post-processing was some standard EQ, a bass cut at 100Hz and a treble cut at around 10K.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58uLw-jK5xY

A couple comments:

LeGion: HUGE amounts of gain available. Just be careful with the treble, it can get fizzy/tinny sounding.
Le456: Sounds like an Engl, but you may need a tubescreamer up front because it's super bassy.
Dirthead: Based on an old Mesa Boogie head. Huge amounts of gain. The built in cab simulator isn't that great, use a different one
LeXtac: Based on a Bogner, I think. Has a nice, midrangey sound. Bassy, needs a tubescreamer (with my guitars at least)
LeCto: Very bassy amp. Needs a tubescreamer or some pre EQ. Definitely sounds like a scooped mesa though.
Simulanalog JCM900: No cab simulator needed, already built in. Pretty decent sounding, but more importantly it uses extremely low CPU. Great if you don't have the best computer.
Hybrit: Based on a JCM800, or with a flip of a switch more of a plexi. With a tubescreamer it has a great classic metal tone.

And they're all free. Hope someone finds use in this. Granted there's probably better tones available from each of these, but I was being quick.
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somefella
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Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:57 pm
Posts: 3134
Location: Singapore
PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 1:46 pm 
 

Cool, cool. I've only extensively used the TH-2, though I liked that without any tubescreamer. No idea what it's supposed to emulate, a Randall I've heard.
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Goran
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:32 pm
Posts: 147
Location: Belgium
PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 1:16 am 
 

Nice work.

What would be really interesting is a comparison of cab impulses (different cabs, mics and placements). :-D
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infinitenexus
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:43 pm 
 

I could probably do something like that. I have a huge amount of impulses. It can actually be a pain in the ass, decided which one to use.
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ShaolinLambKiller
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Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:10 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 1:19 pm 
 

I'll check it when I get home.
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ShaolinLambKiller
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:02 pm 
 

interesting to watch/listen. all seem to have a bit of crackle to them
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Winterblut
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:19 am
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Location: Ukraine
PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:58 am 
 

Very interesting, thanks for the video, i tried most of them except "LeCto", and i pretty much can't wait to try it personally.

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infinitenexus
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:01 am 
 

LeCto sounds good, it's just very bassy (at least when I try it). So you have to cut a lot of bass with it, or do like I do and throw a tubescreamer in front. After that it has a classic mesa sound.
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shouvince
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Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:11 am
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 2:46 am 
 

Great stuff!

I've just started tinkering around with VSTs. I was told by a friend to check out Le456. It's good and yeah I use the TSE 808 to cut the super bassy-ness. Thanks a lot for the other mentions and the video. It's of immense help especially for a newbie like me. Do you intend to do a feature on impulses as well?

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infinitenexus
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:04 am 
 

I would like to, but the problem is there's so many. Even if I just used one pack of impulses, each pack I have has like over 100 different impulses. In that situation I use LeCab 2.0 and I run two cabs with separate impulses, and I try to make one a bit brighter and sharper sounding, and the other one a bit thicker and bassier. In micing a real cab, a lot of professional producers will do just that. So I just try to emulate it. And I love VSTs. They may be "fake", but it's an easy way to get a professional guitar sound that's a lot easier to deal with. And free, to boot.
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Goran
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:32 pm
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Location: Belgium
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:10 am 
 

Still, I think you should try. :-D
Not perse a comparison of every possibility, you might as well show your 'quest' to combine them into a sound.

Also, I usually have hiss spikes at 2.3kHz and 5kHz. Is this common or just with Vsts?
But eliminating them also drains the sound a bit.
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shouvince
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:12 am 
 

Ah alright. I'm really warming up to VSTs. Having no prior experience before this, I think it's great for me to get that sound. And the tweaking and the options are tremendous. There's a lot for me to absorb at the moment - from exploring more VSTs to cabs. I use the Poulin LeCab2 as well and to be specific something called the 'Catharsis' pack which is loaded up.

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infinitenexus
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:16 am 
 

The hiss spike could be from your guitar or your audio interface. I'm using a Focusrite iTrack solo and I have essentially zero hiss, often even with the gain up all the way. Even with my older shittier audio interface I never had any noise at those frequencies, just maybe a bit of high end hiss. I run an EQ after the VSTs and cab simulator cutting the bass at about 100Hz and above roughly 7K or 8K Hz.

I guess I could make a video using just one guitar amp and showing the difference that different impulses can have. It can completely change the sound. That's one of the reasons I sometimes like Poulin's LeCab 1.0, no impulses to deal with. Super simple.
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infinitenexus
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Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:18 am 
 

The catharsis pack is a good one, a ton of people use it. I have it also, and I can't remember but I think it may be the one I'm using in that vid. I dunno. Personally I think a good way to start is with Poulin's LeGion and either leCab 1 or 2. LeGion has a shit ton of gain and a good modern sound without twisting any knobs, and it's really easy with just a few little tweaks to get a good modern metal sound out of that VST. The settings I usually use are basically stock, rhythm green channel, the gain up a bit, a tiny cut in midrange and a tiny boost on treble. That's it. Even with all the knobs straight up it sounds great.
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Goran
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:32 pm
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Location: Belgium
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:27 am 
 

infinitenexus wrote:
The hiss spike could be from your guitar or your audio interface. I'm using a Focusrite iTrack solo and I have essentially zero hiss, often even with the gain up all the way. Even with my older shittier audio interface I never had any noise at those frequencies, just maybe a bit of high end hiss. I run an EQ after the VSTs and cab simulator cutting the bass at about 100Hz and above roughly 7K or 8K Hz.

I have a Tascam US122. Well, hiss is perhaps the wrong word.
But when I make a narrow cut on 2.3kHz, it's very audible that an annoying fizzy freq has been reduced. Too bad it's in the presence range, lol.

You already low pass at 8kHz? Damn. So your 'air' in the mix is completely open for the cymbals then.

And yes, Catharsis is quite "limited" in terms of number. Which is a good thing.
I have packs with 15 mics and each with like 50 placements... You'll know them.
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infinitenexus
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Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:35 am
Posts: 1895
PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 1:38 pm 
 

I find with many of those VSTs, doing a low pass around 8K can reduce any fizziness, while keeping the entirety of the "meat" of the guitar sound. And it definitely opens up room for cymbals. I don't do any post EQ on my guitars other than a high pass and a low pass. Which VST are you using that you're getting this odd freq? Have you tried different impulses too?
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Goran
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:32 pm
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:57 pm 
 

I'll see if I can record an A/B sample. Yes, I think it occurs with multiple guitars and Vst amps.
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