www.shortscale.org

filtercap · Last edited by filtercap on Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:56 pm; edited 1 time in total

After mumbling about recording ampless with Garageband amp simulators a while ago, I thought I'd try something different.... Use a pedal as the amp and set up the AUGraphicEQ plugin to shape the sound the way a speaker might.

I looked up the frequency response curves for a couple Eminence speakers: the 10-inch Copperhead (my favorite) and the 12-inch Man-O-War. Here are the spec sheets for the Copperhead and Man-O-War in Acrobat (PDF) format, including graphs of each speaker's response curve.

I chose the 90dB line on each chart to equal the 0dB (center) line on the EQ. For each frequency band on the EQ plugin, I looked up a corresponding point on the speaker's response curve and estimated how many dB above or below 90dB it was. Then I set the EQ slider at that number (plus 7, minus 10, whatever). When I was done, I saved my EQ curve as a pre-set.

Here's what I ended up with.

Eminence Copperhead 10:

Eminence Man-O-War 12:

In my opinion, these make a direct-in guitar sound a lot more like it was played through amp speakers, especially in the highs and upper mids. Here's a clip of a repeating guitar line. I played it through an overdrive pedal that's based on a vintage amp circuit. I figured that'll filter the guitar's tone a bit the way an amp would. The first time through is recorded with no EQ at all (EQ flat in other words). When you hear the tone change obviously, that's the Copperhead EQ. The last time through is the Man-O-War EQ.

The drums are my Carmine Appice Simulator, which I don't want to talk about.

Smack here for rawk pellet.

Guitar = Rewired early-90's Stratocaster - Fender "Texas Special" single-coil pickups - I'm playing the modified bridge pickup plus a little bit of neck p.u. mixed in with a blender knob.
Stompy = Runoffgroove "Eighteen" overdrive - tone and drive turned up about three-fourths of the way. This is basically playing the part of the Amp while the EQ does the Speakers.
Interface = PreSonus Firepod.

[edit -- the pictures were lost in a server change long ago -- i've finally re-posted them]

Mike · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:11 am Post subject:

This is so awesome. Did you do a DI sample aswell?

A before and after speaker emulation would be great - without drums and that, just with a chord strummed would be ace.

I have to say that is a really great sound yuo're getting there, very 1978x if you know what I mean. Kudos!
_________________
MadeByMike.co.uk - Handmade Pedals and Custom Builds
Facebook - Twitter

Mike · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:14 am Post subject:

Sorry, I'm an idiot. Good stuff. Just read your thread properly.

Do a Greenback, Vintage30 and a G12T-75 from the Celestion site now pllleeeease?

Doesn't sound too bad DI'd though does it?
_________________
MadeByMike.co.uk - Handmade Pedals and Custom Builds
Facebook - Twitter

Doog · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:29 am Post subject:

Your Eighteen stompbox sounds way better than most stuff does DI, I think I actually prefered the first sound.

But awesome bit of research, dude.
_________________
andrew floss musics

Mike · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:32 am Post subject:

Mike · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

Andy stop editting you dickface.
_________________
MadeByMike.co.uk - Handmade Pedals and Custom Builds
Facebook - Twitter

Doog · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:44 am Post subject:

_________________
andrew floss musics