KVR Audio

pascual · Post by **pascual** » Sat May 09, 2020 4:56 am

Hello.
Two part help reach out.
I’ve been playing guitar for decades but have focused mainly on dance electronic music and now want to incorporate my fender into the setup. I’m connecting straight to a prosonus audiobox instrument input and running the sound into ableton.
So first, it’s very noisy with electricity. I’ve added an amp sim with a touch of drive to the channel and it’s dirty in the wrong kind of way. Picking up everything, like wether or not I’m barefoot or my hands are touching the neck or whatnot. So any help there would be great. I’m no5 that experienced with this scenario.
And second, I’m looking for some interesting ideas on how to f**k with the sound in a way that turns the guitar into more of a synthy, techier sound. Audio effect racks? plug in chains? Any ideas are welcome.
Peace and health,
B.

kvotchin · Post by **kvotchin** » Sat May 09, 2020 5:01 am

Um. Could be so many things.

Like, noisy power in that room/house, noisy guitar wiring, bad cable, wrecked interface ...

Or just single coil pickups doing what they do, lol.

Try a process of elimination, one factor at a time, until you isolate the culprit. If this is possible.

As for making guitars sound like synths, you’ve got options there, from pedals to iPad apps. Depends on preference, etc.

glokraw · Post by **glokraw** » Wed May 13, 2020 5:30 am

An old Fender Mustang V usb modeling amp bypasses
the audio interface by usb, or can use it via the
headphone/line combo output. 100 preset storage
for the main dial, led controls to edit parameters.
quickly audition your 'synth' creations using your
stored presets.

Use this with BlueCat's deluxe ampsim bundle,
and you'll have an amazing flexible creativity
warehouse. There is a free Fender Fuse software editor
you can source online if you like
gui pics of amps, stomps and racks. It's pretty easy
to use. Guitar Rig's effects would also be useful,
even the free version has lots to offer.

BlueCat have demos and videos, some very innovative
additions in the last two years. Far more powerful
and flexible than shoppers usually expect. And the Axiom
or full suite host 3rd-party vsts, as icing on the cake.
Cheers

telecode · Post by **telecode** » Wed May 13, 2020 12:39 pm

if you want more synth like aesthetics out of the electric guitar, i would recommend NI Guitar Rig .

Forgotten · Post by **Forgotten** » Wed May 13, 2020 1:29 pm

Does the noise increase a lot if you take your hands off the strings? Have you considered if there's a ground problem with the guitar?

Other than that, if you're getting a lot of noise, it could be how you have cables and devices that cause EMF interference arranged. See if moving cables, the interface, devices, etc. helps. You might be able to narrow it down to one particular device.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Wed May 13, 2020 2:36 pm

single coils, i find sitting within a few feet of my monitor (screen) causes a major issue, if i back off it eases up.

a gate on the guitar pre interface is always a good idea, set low, but high enough to kill persistent hum.

as for turning guitar more tech sounding, guitar rig as mentioned has many options

but if you have specific tech sounds in mind, it may be easier to recommend more suitable, or even additional bits

pascual · Post by **pascual** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:05 pm

Forgotten wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 1:29 pm Does the noise increase a lot if you take your hands off the strings? Have you considered if there's a ground problem with the guitar?

Other than that, if you're getting a lot of noise, it could be how you have cables and devices that cause EMF interference arranged. See if moving cables, the interface, devices, etc. helps. You might be able to narrow it down to one particular device.

Definitely. I live in a developing country out in the jungle. There's monkeys in my roof as we speak. The electricity is shitty, intermittent, unreliable. there is for sure a grounding problem. The noise is louder when im barefoot as opposed to wearing flip flops.
Kind of pathetic, but hey... we do what we can.
Thank you for the feedback.

ShawnG · Post by **ShawnG** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:36 pm

I Second the suggestion to use a noise gate with the threshold set just above the hum level. And of it is a strat, use pickup selections 2 and 4 rather than 1,3 and 5. The middle pickup on a strat is out of phase with the other 2 pickups, so that should cut down the noise. Also verify that guitar’s own ground is properly done. There should be a wire that runs from the electronics to attach to the guitar body or trem block, if that isn’t there it will be noisy AF.

Chrisk-K · Post by **Chrisk-K** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:50 am

I installed DiMarzio Virtual Vintage pickups in my American Strat. They look and sound just like good old single coil pickups, and are dead quiet.

Mister Natural · Post by **Mister Natural** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 4:26 pm

pascual wrote: ↑Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:05 pm Definitely. I live in a developing country out in the jungle. There's monkeys in my roof as we speak. The electricity is shitty, intermittent, unreliable. there is for sure a grounding problem. The noise is louder when im barefoot as opposed to wearing flip flops.

Monkeys . . . wow ! I'm wishing I could come down & jam with you & those monkeys
tracking down hum-sourcing is a nightmare suck of your time, tracking down one source at a time as kvotchin^above suggests
My concern is also for your safety as you mention louder hum barefoot - that means that your body has become the grounding wire. Do not plug in to a tube amp in that place barefoot please. That shock is pretty harsh
I'd start with a regulated power supply like an APC : https://www.amazon.com/APC-Battery-Prot ... 174&sr=8-3
Then; as also mentioned above, single coil pickups of Fender can hum like a be-atch so you're forced to use either humbuckers or . . . humbuckers in your guitar in your space. Kinda no way around that

regarding "far-out" sounding EFX - check out Tantra @$69 https://www.dmitrysches.com/products/tantra

peace

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 4:55 pm

Free guitar fx ...
https://www.musicalentropy.com/

nix808 · Post by **nix808** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:48 am

JAM Origin do a MIDI guitar converter for ts guitar-
that would kill the noise too
-u could play any pc synth

- maybe u could lift the ground with a ground loop isolator or a DI box
for the noisy pups
… but it does actually sound like a ground(loop?) issue that may not be the Strat

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:03 am

For the sound f***uppery bit, I've found Unfiltered Audios Byome great on guitar. Forty or so different effect blocks (delays, distortions, modulations, weird granular effects etc...), I used to have Guitar Rig but find Byome easier for the stranger, more creative effects. Easier modulation and less rooted in traditional; guitar sounds. Usually a copy in the marketplace forum for a fraction of it's retail price (or it's big multi-band brother Triad, same effects).

Maybe have an amp sim in front of it (Voxengo Boogex is great for free).

Guitar, audio interface & daw woes.