Problematic Clean Fingerstyle Electric Guitar Tone...

Slammin Mofo

New member
I just can't get this little classical piece, that I played on my Fender Stratocaster in conjuction with my Axe FX II, to sound right. It has a certain jarring quality to it and there is some form of mild distortion going on, even though I set the virtual amp very, very clean. Here's the clip:

instaud.io/1ouw.mp3

It sounds almost like digital clipping, but there can't be any clipping, because this track was recorded at roughly -15dB peak. The track consists of only this one guitar and I need to get it somewhat loud, so all the details will be exposed and they do sound nasty. How should I fix the problems? Is this an EQ thing or do I need to delve deeper into plugins like the RX series by Izotope? Do I need to rerecord the whole track?
 
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I assume it sounds perfectly clean in the headphones when listening via the Axe FX's front panel jack?

Are you using the Axe FX as the interface? If so, then the distortion is either in its model, or the analog path in front of it.

If you are sending one of its analog outputs to your interface, it could be a gain setting there, or some other kind of mismatch. Not quite enough information, honestly.
 
Yes, the axe was used as the audio interface in my Logic DAW. At -15dB I hadn't maybe heard the true nature of the tone itself and the Fender models inside the axe, while fairly clean, probably always add a little bit of saturation to the tone.

So you would advise me to rerecord the whole track? Is it beyond redemption? Would notch filtering maybe help?
 
Yes, the axe was used as the audio interface in my Logic DAW. At -15dB I hadn't maybe heard the true nature of the tone itself and the Fender models inside the axe, while fairly clean, probably always add a little bit of saturation to the tone.

So you would advise me to rerecord the whole track? Is it beyond redemption? Would notch filtering maybe help?
If that clip is the sound, then I'd re-record it, and do some testing and closer listening first. I would consider a JC model instead of Fender. Gain should be as close to zero as you can make it, and the master on 10. You can always shape the EQ if you really need a more scooped sound. The real secret to a good recording is one you don't have to tinker with endlessly.

Any way you can share a clip?
It's the .io link in the first post - just copy to a new browser tab.
 
Missed that. Hmm... I'm not hearing anything that sounds audibly like digital clipping. It DOES sound very artificial, though, almost MIDI-esq. Honestly, if I hadn't known any better, I'd have thought this was recorded direct without any sort of cabinet emulation/model on it. It sounds oddly hi-fi.
 
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