Getting the ass sound out of POD tracks

[HangDawg]

Play it through a nice tube amp. I have a buddy that does this with good results. Or is recording direct your only option?

I wouldn't ruin a nice tube amp putting that shit through it. Yes I've done it and it doesn't work well either. This thread was kind of a joke.

 

[Farview]

The trick to getting the ass sound out of the pod is playing with it PRIOR TO RECORDING. The idea is not to record something that sounds like crap. It's possible to make the pod sound good, it just takes a little work.

 

[travelin travis]

The trick to getting the ass sound out of the pod is playing with it PRIOR TO RECORDING. The idea is not to record something that sounds like crap. It's possible to make the pod sound good, it just takes a little work.

I find myself constantly twisting the knobs on modelers. I don't do that with an amp.

 

[Zed10R]

I find myself constantly twisting the knobs on modelers. I don't do that with an amp.

And that makes a "real" amp better how?

I think I have the answer:

Instant gratification!! Very few people have the ability to actually WORK on thier sound, meaning identifying weak areas and taking steps to over come....most need to flip a switch and instantly sound like god or they bitch about the gear.

The bottom line fact is, a high end guitar, played by a true pro thru a top of the line amp that's been mic'd and tracked by a seasoned pro in an acoiustically ideal room will yeild superior results to a POD. That is not arguable, unless you WANT to sound like you are using a POD. Wich is not a bad thing. POD's broaden the spectrum of guitar sound. I often find a sound I like in my POD that I would not be able to get from any "real" amp. That is a good thing.

Another bottom line fact is, amra is right. 99 out of 100 people who hate modellers have what metalhead calls "cock and balls" tone no matter what amp they plug into and are clueless as to how to actually USE a POD to get any decent sound. Maybe it's too much weed making them stupid....maybe it's not enough weed to make the chill out....I don't know. There are SO MANY parameters a variables to play with. You don't just turn it on and *poof* instant greatness. It takes effort...and that is a GOOD thing.

The loudest complainers are generally the ones with the most tighly closed minds.

 

[Zed10R]

Is this possible?

Of course it is.....

Tip #1: Sit down with one and learn how it works. I mean beyond the "on" switch and the tone knobs.

 

[Zaphod B]

Is this possible?

Sure. Like Mister Zed10R said, if you take the time to actually learn the device and spend time with settings, you can get a very convincing sound. Or, more accurately, many very convincing sounds.

It was a revelation to me when I played around with the "AIR" settings. This is a feature that allows more live room ambience to be present with an amp/cab/mic simulation.

Anyway, it's generally agreed that the presets, for the most part, suck ass.

 

[HangDawg]

And that makes a "real" amp better how?

I think I have the answer:

Instant gratification!! Very few people have the ability to actually WORK on thier sound, meaning identifying weak areas and taking steps to over come....most need to flip a switch and instantly sound like god or they bitch about the gear.

Hmm given the choice of picking an amp/mic/guitar and getting something workable in an hour versus endlessly dicking around with software parameters and still coming up short, I'll take the former.

It's not like I haven't used modelers before. I have a few myself. Other than using them for scratch tracks there's no point in trying to get one to sound good enough to be useable.

Actually, I think you have the whole thing backwards anyway. What I hear are people bitching about having to mic a speaker and how much easier it is to just turn on their POD. It's the POD squad that can't seem to WORK on their sound and try to take the easy way out.

 

[Dogman]

I have both, and I use both. Just tools to get some sounds for fun. Whatever works for ya....

 

[Zaphod B]

I have both, and I use both. Just tools to get some sounds for fun. Whatever works for ya....

There ya go.

 

[travelin travis]

And that makes a "real" amp better how?

I think I have the answer:

Instant gratification!! Very few people have the ability to actually WORK on thier sound, meaning identifying weak areas and taking steps to over come....most need to flip a switch and instantly sound like god or they bitch about the gear.

The bottom line fact is, a high end guitar, played by a true pro thru a top of the line amp that's been mic'd and tracked by a seasoned pro in an acoiustically ideal room will yeild superior results to a POD. That is not arguable, unless you WANT to sound like you are using a POD. Wich is not a bad thing. POD's broaden the spectrum of guitar sound. I often find a sound I like in my POD that I would not be able to get from any "real" amp. That is a good thing.

Another bottom line fact is, amra is right. 99 out of 100 people who hate modellers have what metalhead calls "cock and balls" tone no matter what amp they plug into and are clueless as to how to actually USE a POD to get any decent sound. Maybe it's too much weed making them stupid....maybe it's not enough weed to make the chill out....I don't know. There are SO MANY parameters a variables to play with. You don't just turn it on and *poof* instant greatness. It takes effort...and that is a GOOD thing.

The loudest complainers are generally the ones with the most tighly closed minds.

There's been some talk in the cave of White Guy Blues. That's what the POD reminds me of. Sumpin just ain't right about it.

I'm pretty open minded. I've used all kind of modelers including the Pod XT which I tweaked and tweaked and tweaked.............

In my opinion, all the modelers I've used sound like ass. I still use a couple of modelers for scratching down ideas in the middle of the night but there's no way in hell I'd ruin the sound of a good amp by sticking a modeler in front.

This whole thing about spending time tweaking modelers is bullshit. I've done it and it always comes up short. Knobs only twist so far. There ain't no magic in a modeler for me. Has your modeler ever sounded so good it gave you chills? Why do you think people are spending big bucks on old ass amps and tubes? It's because they sound great. If you found your tone in a modeler, you just might be a keyboard player.

 

[Zed10R]

Hmm given the choice of picking an amp/mic/guitar and getting something workable in an hour versus endlessly dicking around with software parameters and still coming up short, I'll take the former.

It's not like I haven't used modelers before. I have a few myself. Other than using them for scratch tracks there's no point in trying to get one to sound good enough to be useable.

Actually, I think you have the whole thing backwards anyway. What I hear are people bitching about having to mic a speaker and how much easier it is to just turn on their POD. It's the POD squad that can't seem to WORK on their sound and try to take the easy way out.

OK...you are demonstrating my point about instant gratification...and your last paragraph speaks volumes about why so many people cannot get a good sound no matter what gear they use. There is no easy way to get good sound. The closer you get to your ideal sound, the more flaws you (should) find. It is a never ending chase and there is no easy way to catch it.

It is true that many people are drawn to PODs because they expect them to have fantastic presets.....just like many people are drawn to certain amps. They don't realize that the presets are just starting points and should not be used as examples of what PODs are capable of. This is sad, but most people are poor dumb animals. Myself included at times.

If it takes you an HOUR to get a good sound from your own amp, I have no doubt it will take you weeks of reading, learning, and experimenting to get even a "useable" sound from a modeler. I get good sounds out of my modelers in a matter of minutes because I spent months digging into them and learning every parameter and variable they have, what those parameters change, how they sound in relation to each other, and how they work in mixes. The most important thing is hearing it for what it is, finding the voice that the particular setting has, and bringing it out. Trying to make the JCM800 model sound like a modded triple rectifier will never work. It WILL sound like ass.

It is all subjective and I am not trying to convince anyone of anything.....except that an open mind and honest effort are crtical to creating your own sound...no matter what gear you use.

 

[Thurgood]

Use whatever tool it takes to ge the job done. And yes, the presets suck. But then again so did the sound produced by one of my more expensive amps, until I learned how to use it.

 

[Zed10R]

There's been some talk in the cave of White Guy Blues. That's what the POD reminds me of. Sumpin just ain't right about it.

I'm pretty open minded. I've used all kind of modelers including the Pod XT which I tweaked and tweaked and tweaked.............

In my opinion, all the modelers I've used sound like ass. I still use a couple of modelers for scratching down ideas in the middle of the night but there's no way in hell I'd ruin the sound of a good amp by sticking a modeler in front.

This whole thing about spending time tweaking modelers is bullshit. I've done it and it always comes up short. Knobs only twist so far. There ain't no magic in a modeler for me. Has your modeler ever sounded so good it gave you chills? Why do you think people are spending big bucks on old ass amps and tubes? It's because they sound great. If you found your tone in a modeler, you just might be a keyboard player.

Eeehhh.....ok.

I have acheived sounds that I am happy with. Sounds that make me smile...feel good....and get that "ooh fuck yeah!!" feeling. But do I like setting up a badass tube amp, crank it up, stick an MD421 in front of it and and record that way? SURE!! That kicks ass!! But I still use my modelers.

Why do people spend a lot of time and money hunting down old ass amps and tubes?? Good question. I guess they like to look back and wish for yesterday insted of looking forward and moving ahead.

 

[Zed10R]

Use whatever tool it takes to ge the job done. And yes, the presets suck. But then again so did the sound produced by one of my more expensive amps, until I learned how to use it.

yup.

 

[HangDawg]

OK...you are demonstrating my point about instant gratification...and your last paragraph speaks volumes about why so many people cannot get a good sound no matter what gear they use. There is no easy way to get good sound. The closer you get to your ideal sound, the more flaws you (should) find. It is a never ending chase and there is no easy way to catch it.

It is true that many people are drawn to PODs because they expect them to have fantastic presets.....just like many people are drawn to certain amps. They don't realize that the presets are just starting points and should not be used as examples of what PODs are capable of. This is sad, but most people are poor dumb animals. Myself included at times.

If it takes you an HOUR to get a good sound from your own amp, I have no doubt it will take you weeks of reading, learning, and experimenting to get even a "useable" sound from a modeler. I get good sounds out of my modelers in a matter of minutes because I spent months digging into them and learning every parameter and variable they have, what those parameters change, how they sound in relation to each other, and how they work in mixes. The most important thing is hearing it for what it is, finding the voice that the particular setting has, and bringing it out. Trying to make the JCM800 model sound like a modded triple rectifier will never work. It WILL sound like ass.

It is all subjective and I am not trying to convince anyone of anything.....except that an open mind and honest effort are crtical to creating your own sound...no matter what gear you use.

Then answer me this. Why won't anybody post some tunes done with their PODs then? I ask and ask and ask. Still no samples. People will tell me how great they are but have nothing to prove it. Why damn it, WHY?


And I don't want to hear no clean shit either. Cause if there's one thing they can do have way decent it's clean tones.

 

[ez_willis]

I like my POD.

One thing that helps is to go stereo into the mixer/interface.

Sometimes I'll take one of the stereo channels and run it through my Peavey Classic 30, mic it, and blend the two tracks together.

 

[Farview]

I find myself constantly twisting the knobs on modelers. I don't do that with an amp.

Any real amp will only give you the (usually only) sound it wants to give you. Once you have twiddled the knobs for a couple minutes, you have run out of options.

No amount of knob twisting will make a fander sound like a marshall.

 

[HangDawg]

Any real amp will only give you the (usually only) sound it wants to give you. Once you have twiddled the knobs for a couple minutes, you have run out of options.

No amount of knob twisting will make a fander sound like a marshall.

The dual rectifier as you probably already know has lots of tweakability. You have the tube/diode rectifier choice. 75W or 100W. Vintage and modern. EL34 or 6l6 tubes. Man, what more could you ask for. And after having mine modded, the eq is much more effective. Oh, and the presence knob doesn't suck anymore.

Chances on getting it to sound like a marshall though. Don't know, never tried it.

 

[Farview]

Then answer me this. Why won't anybody post some tunes done with their PODs then? I ask and ask and ask. Still no samples. People will tell me how great they are but have nothing to prove it. Why damn it, WHY?

Here, I can't leave this smippet up forever because the album isn't done (Those are still scratch bass parts and it obviously isn't mixed), but this should give you an idea.

 

[Farview]

The dual rectifier as you probably already know has lots of tweakability. You have the tube/diode rectifier choice. 75W or 100W. Vintage and modern. EL34 or 6l6 tubes. Man, what more could you ask for. And after having mine modded, the eq is much more effective. Oh, and the presence knob doesn't suck anymore.

Chances on getting it to sound like a marshall though. Don't know, never tried it.

YOu can tweak a dual rec, the road king is even better about that. There is still know way to make it sound like a Bogner, Dumble, Marshall, Silvertone, AC-30, etc.... It will always sound like a version of the dual rec.

Newer tube amps are not 'one trick ponies' like old amps were, but they are still only so maliable.