Some HXDA questions

Here's a little clip of the amp set for "edge of dirt" as opposed to the traditional type of gainier sound, guitar volume about 6. HXDA gain set pretty low. Forgive my noodling style:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/morganatic-blues

Forgot some details:

Correction: Guitar was Sig Ltd, TC delay in front of amp (affects tone for sure), Royer R-121 mic. Drums are programmed. I'm also on keys and bass.
 
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Here's a little clip of the amp set for "edge of dirt" as opposed to the traditional type of gainier sound, guitar volume about 6. HXDA gain set pretty low. Forgive my noodling style:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/morganatic-blues

Forgot some details:

Artist V, TC delay in front of amp (affects tone for sure), Royer R-121 mic. Drums are programmed. I'm also on keys and bass.

Sounds awesome. Just listened to the other samples as well. SO GOOD.
 
Thanks, yeah the amp just seems to cook at even lower gain settings. You always feel that you can bust loose on it, no matter what.

Of course, I can't really bust loose due to my lack of skills, but you know what I mean. ;)
 
One last-minute thought...

I think of modern Marshall sounds as kind of like dry toast.

The HXDA is pancakes ladled with sweet butter and syrup, just a beautiful sounding thing. If that's what you're into, it's a good choice.

More pancakes? More pancakes. More butter? More butter. More syrup? More syrup. You like? I like!
~ Chilly Willy
 
Here's a little clip of the amp set for "edge of dirt" as opposed to the traditional type of gainier sound, guitar volume about 6. HXDA gain set pretty low. Forgive my noodling style:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/morganatic-blues

Forgot some details:

Correction: Guitar was Sig Ltd, TC delay in front of amp (affects tone for sure), Royer R-121 mic. Drums are programmed. I'm also on keys and bass.


Very nice! I'm still dialing all the time changing my sound and going back and forth with the CU22 and the Stripped 58. Hopefully I will find that happy medium soon where I can get all I want with the flick of my thumb on the volume knob!
 
Here's a little clip of the amp set for "edge of dirt" as opposed to the traditional type of gainier sound, guitar volume about 6. HXDA gain set pretty low. Forgive my noodling style:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/morganatic-blues

Forgot some details:

Correction: Guitar was Sig Ltd, TC delay in front of amp (affects tone for sure), Royer R-121 mic. Drums are programmed. I'm also on keys and bass.

Sweet blues Schef!! Absolutely loving the tone. The Royer sure shines.

Couple questions if I may:
1. You recorded with the delay. Do you typically do this or record dry and add it later? Been curious about this lately since it seems some add effects after the fact. I feel I play differently when using any type of effect and so I suppose I would rather use the effects and record them as I play. I suppose the drawback to this is that you can't undo later so you have to rerecord if something doesn't sit well in the mix later on... Also wondering about the stereo mix as a result... I suppose I'll just have to experiment.
2. Which drums did you use?
3. Did you isolate the HX/DA?

Man, that tone is so rich! Love the HX/DA!!
 
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You recorded with the delay. Do you typically do this or record dry and add it later? Been curious about this lately since it seems some add effects after the fact. I feel I play differently when using any type of effect and so I suppose I would rather use the effects and record them as I play. I suppose the drawback to this is that you can't undo later so you have to rerecord if something doesn't sit well in the mix later on... Also wondering about the stereo mix as a result... I suppose I'll just have to experiment.

I agree with you, I play differently with effects, and besides, what's more relaxing that just playing a laid back thing like a blues and just letting the delay fill in the holes? It's great! The delay does half the work! ;)

However, about halfway through this, I added something to the guitar track after recording, a second delay with a modulation filter that you can hear when I move up the neck a little. It's one reason that the HXDA sounds a little bit not like itself in this track, I think.

But I don't worry about the drawback of not being able to have it sit in the mix later; if that were to happen, I'd just re-cut the track. It's not like I make magic happen on the guitar, and I figure if I can play it right once, I can play it as well or better the next time.

Which drums did you use?

FXpansion's Addictive Drums. Because this was just a little quickie demo, I was lazy and left them relatively unprocessed. If it had been a paying gig, I'd have spent a lot more time on them, or used real drums. But they served the purpose.

Did you isolate the HX/DA?

Nope. I was just doing a quickie, so I recorded with the cab just sitting out in the control room, on its casters (Mesa 212 Recto cab). But because of that, I did have to cut a lot of the bottom out, both on the head and in the mix because I was getting way too much low end. I also set the EQ (an API) to really goose the top end and upper mids, because while the Royer sounds very smooth, it also tends to be a little treble-shy when close miking a cab (it is sensitive to proximity effect and doesn't have a ton of top to start with). So that really skews the sound a little, too. I mean, the recording shows what the amp can do, but I'll admit it isn't the very best representation of the pure tone of the amp. Then again, I am not into documenting pure tones, I'm really into using an amp as a base for sonic experimentation.

What can I say? I just like screwing around with this stuff! :)

I'm still dialing all the time changing my sound and going back and forth with the CU22 and the Stripped 58. Hopefully I will find that happy medium soon where I can get all I want with the flick of my thumb on the volume knob!

I'm probably just used to doing it 'cause I'm so old that it's embarrassing. LOL

It's what we used to do a loooong time ago!
 
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I agree with you, I play differently with effects, and besides, what's more relaxing that just playing a laid back thing like a blues and just letting the delay fill in the holes? It's great! The delay does half the work! ;)
Love delay and its sounding great in this mix!

However, about halfway through this, I added something to the guitar track after recording, a second delay with a modulation filter that you can hear when I move up the neck a little. It's one reason that the HXDA sounds a little bit not like itself in this track, I think.
I noticed that change. Thanks for the details.

But I don't worry about the drawback of not being able to have it sit in the mix later; if that were to happen, I'd just re-cut the track. It's not like I make magic happen on the guitar, and I figure if I can play it right once, I can play it as well or better the next time.
Good point.



FXpansion's Addictive Drums. Because this was just a little quickie demo, I was lazy and left them relatively unprocessed. If it had been a paying gig, I'd have spent a lot more time on them, or used real drums. But they served the purpose.
I figured this was a quick take and I really like the sound for such a fast composition. That's why I'm asking so many questions! The drums sound really good for not being processed, I think.



Nope. I was just doing a quickie, so I recorded with the cab just sitting out in the control room, on its casters (Mesa 212 Recto cab). But because of that, I did have to cut a lot of the bottom out, both on the head and in the mix because I was getting way too much low end. I also set the EQ (an API) to really goose the top end and upper mids, because while the Royer sounds very smooth, it also tends to be a little treble-shy when close miking a cab (it is sensitive to proximity effect and doesn't have a ton of top to start with). So that really skews the sound a little, too. I mean, the recording shows what the amp can do, but I'll admit it isn't the very best representation of the pure tone of the amp. Then again, I am not into documenting pure tones, I'm really into using an amp as a base for sonic experimentation.
Like I mentioned, I figured this was a quick recording. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I really like the way it turned out! It's exciting to hear that such a good sound can be had so simply. I figured that you didn't isolate the cab and do too much mixing. It then reaffirms that I may be able to get a pretty decent tone in my treated room without too much messing around!

Great playing by the way! I listened to it again on my monitors (focal solo's) and it sounded really nice. I like your laid back playing style. You have a nice complement of looseness and technique that works really well! It's very enjoyable to listen to.



I'm probably just used to doing it 'cause I'm so old that it's embarrassing. LOL

It's what we used to do a loooong time ago!
I'm gettin a hang of the volume control more now. I'm really enjoying this type of playing.

I hope to have clips up at some point. I'm really excited to start doing some recording now. Thanks Les!
 
I like your laid back playing style. You have a nice complement of looseness and technique that works really well! It's very enjoyable to listen to.

You're a very kind man!

I have to play simply and melodically, because I don't have an arsenal of chops. I'm a keyboard player by training. I tend to go for texture and feel as a result.

By the way, I like the Focal monitors quite a lot. I work with Genelecs at my studio because for audio postproduction, they're more or less a standard, and I know my mixes are more portable for the audio post guys that way. But I think the Focals are terrific monitors.
 
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You're a very kind man!

I have to play simply and melodically, because I don't have an arsenal of chops. I'm a keyboard player by training. I tend to go for texture and feel as a result.
.
Les, I have to agree with Kine. I've been playing guitar for 47 years and have jammed with and taught many people. I have learned that "feel" cannot be taught. One either has it or doesn't. If they have it, I can help them develop it. You have a good "feel" to your style of playing, which is enjoyable to listen to. I've jammed with people that could only play songs with 3 or 4 simple open chords, yet they had a feel and passion, with good vocals to make jamming very enjoyable. I've met others, that had more technical knowledge than me, yet they didn't have the "feel" and something was missing. Even people listening that were not musicians asked me why it doesn't sound quite right. One thing I tell my students is there is always going to be someone who can play better than them and others that can't. Playing music is not about that. It's about enjoying the music and what you are doing and creating. I learned this at an early age when a guitarist just blew me away and I was almost ready to quit. I look forward to hearing more of your sound clips!
 
Les, I have to agree with Kine. I've been playing guitar for 47 years and have jammed with and taught many people. I have learned that "feel" cannot be taught. One either has it or doesn't. If they have it, I can help them develop it. You have a good "feel" to your style of playing, which is enjoyable to listen to. I've jammed with people that could only play songs with 3 or 4 simple open chords, yet they had a feel and passion, with good vocals to make jamming very enjoyable. I've met others, that had more technical knowledge than me, yet they didn't have the "feel" and something was missing. Even people listening that were not musicians asked me why it doesn't sound quite right. One thing I tell my students is there is always going to be someone who can play better than them and others that can't. Playing music is not about that. It's about enjoying the music and what you are doing and creating. I learned this at an early age when a guitarist just blew me away and I was almost ready to quit. I look forward to hearing more of your sound clips!

Well I appreciate the kind words!

I think of myself more as a "musician" than a guitar or keyboard player so maybe that's a good thing!
 
Paul left the HX/DA he brought out to demo at my shop last week. I finally got a chance to play it without anyone around tonight. I will echo the rolling off thoughts with the guitar. One a DGT I found my tones getting a bit too muddy for chords unless I rolled back but, when I did I got some screaming leads that were so rich I was trembling. I then switched to the hx for a run thru with a soapbar McCarty. This is an unforgiving set up. Everything came out of the amp. I had to turn down the gain to about 1/4 and almost rolled the bass gain off. Then... Punk as hell! I felt like I was 17 in Portland of my 1980's youth. I just play worse now. Then I tried out a 67' Gretsch Tennessean and got jazzy. Low output pick ups really make for some sweet bass tones out of this amp. A little mud but, I got that cleaned up sending in to a Mesa TA open back cab. All the brights came alive. This was a better match for the Gretsch. I want to get an open 4x10" to try out with the HX/DA and this guitar. A sound for me may be found here.
Anyhow I love equipment that makes me think. Nothing better to do on a sweltering West Coast night when the wife is at work.
 
Paul left the HX/DA he brought out to demo at my shop last week. I finally got a chance to play it without anyone around tonight.
What a kind man that Mr. Smith is for leaving that HXDA with you! Did you get a chance to play it again? It took me a few days to dial in my tone. It's a sensitive amp with tons of tones!
 
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