Guitar Impulse Responses: How, When, Where, and Why?

[tommyzai]

I understand the usage of pedals, preamps, amps, cabs, and reverb impulse responses, but I'm having trouble understanding the use of a guitar IR, e.g., Gibson J-16 Acoustic by Past to Future. I just don't get it. Does it transform the tone of my Gretsch Jim Dandy into a Gibson J-16?

Thanks for any info and/or thoughts.

[DaveClark]

You wrote that you understood the usage of impulse responses (IRs) in the case of pedals, preamps, etc. What is important for your question is the theory behind convolution because that explains how sounds or tones get transformed from one into another. From that perspective, the situation for guitars is the same as for the other cases you already mentioned. Perhaps you think that there is something special about transforming guitar tones? If so, please explain.

When using convolution, one is tacitly assuming a linear, time-invariant (LTI) system. This is an approximation for physical systems, rarely if ever achieved. So one answer to your question is that the process will not transform the sound of one guitar into another exactly, at best approximately. But that may be good enough. It’s up to you to decide.

Much more could be said about all this, but to write more at this time would be to simply replicate what has already been written elsewhere. But if you have a specific question that you believe is not answered elsewhere, please do ask.

[donkey tugger]

They're more useful for adding to piezo/soundhole etc DI recordings I've found. You'll never beat miking up an acoustic, but such impulses can add a bit more character. Just to demonstrate here's a short clip of some 12 string strumming - first with the horrible onboard piezo, then with a Gibson Hummingbird IR from 3Sigma;

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C6hP8H ... sp=sharing

[tommyzai]

You wrote that you understood the usage of impulse responses (IRs) in the case of pedals, preamps, etc. . . . But if you have a specific question that you believe is not answered elsewhere, please do ask.

Thanks for post and education about IRs. I'm by no means an impulse response expert, but I do understand recording techniques, workflow, and how the sequence/chain of FX can make a difference. For example, I would place my amp before my cab. With regard to guitar chains, would something like a guitar IR go in the beginning (or near the beginning) like a preamp? I'm trying to find a way to think about a guitar IR in relation to the overall sound and as before mentioned . . . . the order/sequence.

[tommyzai]

. . . Just to demonstrate here's a short clip of some 12 string strumming - first with the horrible onboard piezo, then with a Gibson Hummingbird IR from 3Sigma;

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C6hP8H ... sp=sharing

Thank you.

[DaveClark]

With regard to guitar chains, would something like a guitar IR go in the beginning (or near the beginning) like a preamp?

Yes. I would consider it like an EQ pedal before everything else, or like a pickup EQ incorporated into the guitar.

[henridaw]

You wrote that you understood the usage of impulse responses (IRs) in the case of pedals, preamps, etc. . . . But if you have a specific question that you believe is not answered elsewhere, please do ask.

Thanks for post and education about IRs. I'm by no means an impulse response expert, but I do understand recording techniques, workflow, and how the sequence/chain of FX can make a difference. For example, I would place my amp before my cab. With regard to guitar chains, would something like a guitar IR go in the beginning (or near the beginning) like a preamp? I'm trying to find a way to think about a guitar IR in relation to the overall sound and as before mentioned . . . . the order/sequence.

Yes, you should think like if it was a real sound capture. If it's a cab IR, normally it's placed at the end of your fx chain. If it's an IR of an acoustic instrument, it's better to use it at the start of your chain. That's how I'm using it.