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> Anyone here use a virtual amp for demos/recording? I have a PodXT
> which has a hard time getting a good surf sound, but I also use
> Native Instruments Guitar Rig, which I think is really impressive.
Surf would be one of the harder tones to get to. There are a couple of
virtual amps that work very well, but what I have learned as a player
it will be very hard to get away from the dynamics of the real thing.
That is , you know what it really sounds like. Try doing a simple
session G-Rig only with very little effects and play it to a
Non-Player Non-Surf consumer and they may surprise you by saying
"Sounds Great". Of course it all depends on the song writing skills.
If you stay within the spec of surf tone on a PC/Mac, it will sound
like taht to the average Joe.
Now
All of the virual models are setup for heavy production sounds and not
for Surf. I found that a combo of the two works fairly nice. Use a
Real tube amp like a 5 to 15 watt type (Class A), a speaker suff in a
closet (anything will do), this loads the amp. Then a DI coming off
the Lineout (newer) or a tap off the speaker out (older). It will
sound pretty ugly at this point which is ok. Record it onto a track
in the PC/Mac and use Guitar Rig for it cabinet models. That way you
can fool around with the cabs and maintain the amp sound. I use a
Hughes and Kettner "Blues Master" whice IS a later 50's bassman in a
box the a 12AX7 and a EL84 for power as my recording amp.
Other then that it is hard to beat a warm toasty Showman on a cool
coastal night.
Hap from The Neptunes
