Tutorial: RAMBLINGS
7•6
UNBLANKING
If you think this whole starting from a ‘blank’ channel thing is for losers, you can
recover the original sound that was in User Bank 32, Channel D when the AX2
shipped from Line 6 by calling up Preset Bank 32, Channel D, and pressing SAVE
twice.
RAMBLINGS
By this point, you should know the AX2 Digital Guitar Amplifier System reasonably
well. Here are some ideas, tips, tricks, and general advice that can help you get the
most out of it.
GAIN
One thing to look for if your sounds aren’t coming out quite the way you’d like or
expect them to is how all the various gain controls are set (in the recording business,
it’s called gain-staging, and it’s probably caused as many fist fights as the argument over
“Which is hot, pin 2 or pin 3?”). If you stop to think about it, there are roughly 11
places where you can add gain in the AX2 signal flow. If you add gain at every single
one of those places, what started out as a sparkling, clean amp could end up as a big,
distorted mess. To avoid this, you want to keep track of where you’re adding gain as
you’re building a sound and not add gain where it’s not necessary. For example, if
you’re adding the Graphic EQ to a sound, rather then add 6 db at 80 Hz, 3 db at 240
Hz, cut 3 db at 750 Hz, and add 5 db at 2200 Hz, why not leave 80 Hz at 0, cut 3 db at
240, -6 at 750, and -1 at 2200? It’s the same curve, but you gain usable headroom.
Remember, the EQ is post TubeTone distortion, so this is not going to affect the
tonality of the overdriven sound.
If you are getting some unwanted distortion, you can sort it out by turning off all of the
effects and dropping the Amp Model Out Level to 70 or so. Listen to just the plain dry
amp sound and make sure it’s doing what you want. If it’s distorting in a bad way, try
reducing the Channel Volume a little. Now add the effects back, one by one, listening
after each change to see where the problem is happening. Remember that the
Compressor and Distortion Boxes can add gain as well.
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