Software has NEVER ACHIEVED Decent Guitar Distortion. Nope.

[xander]

The irony is, you say this in relation to guitar distortion.

Not your grampa's stompbox.

Kids these days

Experience means nothing to most kids because they don't have any. Then, when they grow up, they realise it's the only real thing anyone ever has...

Yes, it relates to the subject, but I meant it generally as well.

The kid sitting on the amp on my website is my son.

Cheers,
X3lA

[Empty Uranus]

no offense but that's not all that accurate...a better way of putting it imo is a guitar is not always more important than the song there are after all many fine songs that are just guitar, without the guitar there would be silence.

Thanks, man. Now I feel like my IQ just dropped down to room temperature level.

You're very correct about that!

[xander]

Hey Empty Uranus!

Is there still a club called 'Uncle Sams' in Macon?

Cheers,
Alex

[janfree1]

I have tried Guitar Rig, Line 6 Vox, Boss, just about everything I know of, and I have never found a single distortion vst even that comes close to a $29 Digitech stomp from Guitar Center.

Not even close.

I'd even pay serious money for one if I could find it. So far, I think Helian free amp sounds best.

Please prove me wrong.

PROVE?
this is entirely subjective stuff
erm if you rilly need the sound of a 29-dolla box get the box... hmmmmmm?
what are U on about?
I would have thought about the warmth of a celestion cab after a 50-watt Marshall combo cannot be extremely well emulated by software. No doubt.
f**king DIGITECH?
have you NO EARS AT ALL man?
lol

[Trevor Jackson]

Boy, by the end of this thread Digitech better send me a royalty check.

I NEVER SAID THE BAD MONKEY WAS THAT GREAT. I SAID IT WAS DECENT. AND IT IS. BETTER THAN MOST VST DISTORTION PROGRAMS.

Jeez Louise.

I have tried Guitar Rig, Line 6 Vox, Boss, just about everything I know of, and I have never found a single distortion vst even that comes close to a $29 Digitech stomp from Guitar Center.

Not even close.

I'd even pay serious money for one if I could find it. So far, I think Helian free amp sounds best.

Please prove me wrong.

PROVE?
this is entirely subjective stuff
erm if you rilly need the sound of a 29-dolla box get the box... hmmmmmm?
what are U on about?
I would have thought about the warmth of a celestion cab after a 50-watt Marshall combo cannot be extremely well emulated by software. No doubt.
f**king DIGITECH?
have you NO EARS AT ALL man?
lol

[xander]

I think it's been said though. What is "decent" is very subjective -- and there are so many components to distortion: clean, dirty, overdriven valves, feedback distortion, etc. Many types for many different styles. I have a Bosstone stomp circa 1970 that still kicks balls and it's the size of a matchbox plus 9v battery.

Cheers,
Alex

[janfree1]

it's just that Digitech does not sound "decent" to these ears...
see it's subjective. you wanted *proof* that some software can cut it at least as much as the twenny nine dolla box.
who cares?
I'm just yankin yr chain dude.
I gave up pretty much on getting a tone through a computer.
Guitar Rig ROX if yr not tryina be Hendrix or some thing.

[janfree1]

I've done my best to stay away from this thread, but I can't help but say how hard a laugh I had at the "Dynamics can be great. Expressive Even".

Sorry if no one else finds that funny...but I think it's golden irony.

I thought it was cute, def.
even.

[Trojan Badger]

This thread is just another good reason to visit this page

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

...and then close your eyes in shame as I use the proceeds to buy Amplitube

[gd_vm]

I use the "bad" monkey in front of my 5150....sounds wicked hard core!!!

[feyshay]

it's just that Digitech does not sound "decent" to these ears...
see it's subjective. you wanted *proof* that some software can cut it at least as much as the twenny nine dolla box.
who cares?
I'm just yankin yr chain dude.
I gave up pretty much on getting a tone through a computer.
Guitar Rig ROX if yr not tryina be Hendrix or some thing.

I guess I'll weigh in here. Like it really matters.
I think distortion quality is totally subjective barring one absolute truth. (Rule number one.)
1) Tube amp distortion is best--especially reallly good tube amps--it can only be simulated so well--but never totally matches up.
2) After that, I'll rank dedicated overdrive or distortion pedals. I'll take my Fulltone Fulldrive 2 over my Digitech Bad Monkey.
3) I'll take my Bad Monkey over my amp sims' distortion.
4) I think most of the amp sims are about equal. I prefer the POD XT Pro, but find GR2 applicable some times. Guitar Suite also.
5) Sometimes if not feeding to an amp (and instead just going right to the mix using the amp sim), the distortion in the amp sims is as good as that in the Bad Monkey, but not as good as my Fulltone Fulldrive 2 or Diamond Fireburst.
6) It is totally subjective. I heard someone trash Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers because of bad guitar tone. In my opinion the tone in the guitar riffs in the beginning of Here Comes My Girl is fantastic. I don't like tinny, shrill high gain, but you hear a lot of that. Preferences only.
Sort of like tastes--Sierra Nevada or Coors.

[Killvehicle]

Software has NEVER ACHIEVED Decent Guitar Distortion. Nope.

Totally agree. Game over

[TotcProductions]

Kids these days

Experience means nothing to most kids because they don't have any. Then, when they grow up, they realise it's the only real thing anyone ever has...

I got your back on that one.

[TotcProductions]

I think it's been said though. What is "decent" is very subjective -- and there are so many components to distortion: clean, dirty, overdriven valves, feedback distortion, etc. Many types for many different styles. I have a Bosstone stomp circa 1970 that still kicks balls and it's the size of a matchbox plus 9v battery.

Cheers,
Alex

Subjectivity seems to be a bit beyond the suspects in this thread. Run for cover Alex.

[Hink]

Software has NEVER ACHIEVED Decent Guitar Distortion. Nope.

Totally agree. Game over

now you see the problem with that imho is you will always be biased before you try something new...I use to be the same years ago...really at your age...but soon after I started to realize that such biases did not hurt anyone but me.

TBH I found that the issue for wasn't that I was geniune in my biases, the truth was I didn't have much money and also I feared I would not be able to grasp the concepts behind many of the things I was biased against. I'll use effects as an example. I use to be so against effects my guitars had the letters 8NEFX on them.

I fooled myself into believing that the players I heard that I felt put me to shame only did so because of effects. It was just a case of pure ignorance and superficially building up my own self-esteem. As time went on I got to a point where I wanted to use effects but though "what will people say?" I feared the "I told you so".

But then after years of foolishness I realized I was wrong, I was denying myself simply for the sake of sticking to my ways and saving face. Then I did start using effects and there was no "I told so's". My music got better and soon I was exploring new directions that opened one door after another for me and the more doors that opened the more I learned.

I have to say that close to 20 years later, had I stuck to my ways it surely would of been game over a long time ago (I'd be board still playing the same songs). I'm glad I finally saw the light and opened up my mind. Every rule I broke brought fourth tremendous growth. So perhaps those biases did have a positive effec on me, but only after I broke them.

other biases...tubes only, analog only, no synths, no samples, no picked basses, and biases against many bands and genres...

FWIW recently this same thing caused a possibly friendship ending conflict between myself and my best friend of well over 20 years. He recently sent me an e-mail saying he was done with music (he plays bass), he was selling his gear because he can't find places or people to play the same 50 or songs we played back in the day.

Hey man, I may end up selling all my gear. There is pathetically nothing to do and there is no way I'm going to beg. I can't say I didn't see this coming as time went on, I very much regret buying the new Ibonez amp. It just hasn't been used enough to justify the expense, live and learn. It almost seems like rock is gone, and today's choice of music and everyone's attitude towards music industry makes me board to tears. The attitude of teaming up and rocking the roadhouses are gone and I'm only so sorry I didn't see more of it, that's life. Trying to pick up a bass and trying to figure out which practical direction to go with it to make it worth wild for me as well as who ever is looking for a bass player is to complicated now. I don't need to be listening to all that bullshit tech-talk some of those clowns hand everybody, it has nothing to do with the pleasure of making music. I will forever keep my collection and listen to the old out of date stuff. Todaze muzik ain't got the same sole, I like that old time rock and roll!

He went on in a second email to say

I can't take seriously on what is going on in the screen of a gizmo because I can't depend on it and never will. Live people and good times is what makes my world rock and that will never change. There is just no one left out there that has the passion for the ripp'n hard rock that we used to listen to because it is the thing of the passed. I will never be a song writer or anyone that has to depend on music for a living because it is only a hobby to me and as long as I keep that attitude, bad or otherwise I won't be setting myself up for anymore let downs. I don't feel right just jamming to music all by myself. Its not like doing my part for the support of the band, it just doesn't feel right. Maybe there will be a turn around someday and I hope to God it not only happens for me but for everybody. I want to to see music attitudes change and people will go back out and check out what the blue-collar has to say. The blues, country and rock and roll came from the dirt of the hardworking kick-ass people and I'm a part of a small percentage of a dying race. The world to me has become one of laziness and to much T.V. No one wants to work and this country is going down the drain. I can't be bothered with with keeping up with this never ending and growing junkyard called technology. They seem to just make something better after you already busted you're balls to earn money to buy the best. I can't expect everyone to agree with me on everything ( Well, no one agrees with me on anything anyways). But when there is good food to eat, a cold beer down my neck and the wind in my faces, hey, you never know, There maybe a good song tucked in there somewhere.

That was fueled by response that this was 2006 and 1986 (I do thinks it's ironic that he sent this via technology and in my life I can't think of one letter he ever mailed me )

I feel bad for him, but his biggest problem is just that I do not want to go through the 80s again. He's the greatest guy on earth, but yet he has built up a resentment over the fact that there was a time I needed a band. Now I do not need anyone and I've turned my back on what I was...note where he says no one ever agrees with him...that's because everyone around him is embracing this new technology...even one great old harley mechanic and good friend sold his old hog...he boft a soft tail...I have not heard from him since (that was just two months ago), and I doubt I will for a while. He too is afraid he's being left behind and I grieve for him.

Not sure why I posted this here...but it just seemed to fit with my view and my present mood.