How to get more sustain out of an Amp Sim?

[trimph1]

I can throw a lot of feedback into my things just by doing it in the silo...or my 65 foot long driveshed...heeheehee

[hibidy]

Prolly the ENGL is just modeled diff. Maybe that is why they went with UAD. Amp sims are a love hate relationship.

[Masr]

For best results you can use good DI box that has link option. You can link your guitar signal to any guitar amp and even put some od/distortion between the link and amp. This way you get real feedback without any latency that you'd get from monitors etc. Now your clean DI signal that goes to preamp and interface has that same feedback but without the sound of an amp. It is great for screaming feedback but also when you keep it just under the feedback you get amazing sustain and all in all great sound. Only problem is that you have to play real amp and it has to be little loud. But then again the quality of an amp don't matter and you're better off with some cheap small parctice amp, you could perhaps even use some miniature amp.

+1 on that

[PurpleCatfishBettie]

using something like classic auto-filter, you can sort of 'simulate' 'sustain/warmth/depth/feedback'.

on the default, bp filter setting; find a 'good' frequency, crank the resonance all the way up, mix it around 3/97 wet/dry. ...and mess with the lfo sync/timing.

[Teksonik]

I think people are confusing sustain with feedback...two different things. I can get sweet sustain out of my J Station.....which is just a software amp sim in a dedicated hardware box. It's output goes directly in to my Delta AP 192 sound card's input thru S/PDIF. I just have not found a similar sound in the box with AT 3 or Guitar rig or any of the dozen or so vst amp sims I've tried........

[hibidy]

People love them some J stations. People rave about them all the time. I don't remember why I don't own one.

[gavriloP]

I think people are confusing sustain with feedback...two different things. I can get sweet sustain out of my J Station.....which is just a software amp sim in a dedicated hardware box. It's output goes directly in to my Delta AP 192 sound card's input thru S/PDIF. I just have not found a similar sound in the box with AT 3 or Guitar rig or any of the dozen or so vst amp sims I've tried........

When you have an amp getting closer to feedback (or almots at the brink of it) it does indeed give you lots and lots of sustain in your sound. Also it makes all kinds of high gain riffing etc. to sound way more lively and organic.

That is the classic sound. Of course in live situation you have to be vigilant with your volume pot, but in the studio, not so much

[LGK_Dude]

OP here. Thanks everyone for your great posts! Much of them were a little over my head right now (need some sleep) but I will revisit them tomorrow or the weekend. I do want to point out that I am NOT playing a real guitar, but actually using a DI recording. So when A-Bing between amp sims, its100% the same each time, and is how I noticed differences in sustain between amp sims. Being an novice I was wondering why this is happening (assuming its the difference between amps?) and how best to get more sustain from less sustainy amps.

As Teksonik pointed out, I am looking for sustain and not feedback. Perhaps the line does get blurred a bit, but I am looking to keep the same pitch and not have it morph into harmonics or anything like that. It just seems the ENGL can keep the same pitch sustained for much longer than the Orange amps I'm trying in Amplitube. Would you find it worth the effort to upload some some short audio clips so you can hear what I'm talking about? If so I'll try to do that tomorrow as well.

Thanks again for all the great comments!! I appreciate the help!

[Tubeman]

OP here. Thanks everyone for your great posts! Much of them were a little over my head right now (need some sleep) but I will revisit them tomorrow or the weekend. I do want to point out that I am NOT playing a real guitar, but actually using a DI recording. So when A-Bing between amp sims, its100% the same each time, and is how I noticed differences in sustain between amp sims. Being an novice I was wondering why this is happening (assuming its the difference between amps?) and how best to get more sustain from less sustainy amps.

As Teksonik pointed out, I am looking for sustain and not feedback. Perhaps the line does get blurred a bit, but I am looking to keep the same pitch and not have it morph into harmonics or anything like that. It just seems the ENGL can keep the same pitch sustained for much longer than the Orange amps I'm trying in Amplitube. Would you find it worth the effort to upload some some short audio clips so you can hear what I'm talking about? If so I'll try to do that tomorrow as well.

Thanks again for all the great comments!! I appreciate the help!

You didn't mention this in your original post. Knowing this I would assume the Engl simply has more gain/distortion than the Orange(s) resulting longer distorted tone. Engl is known for its high gain amps while Oranges generally are more vintage Marshall type sound. Try distortion, overdrive or boost pedal fx in front of the Oranges.

Or you can simply try turning the input volume up before the amp in Amplitube to get more distortion. See the knob in the lower left corner in the picture.


Of course if you can post a sample of the two it would be helpful.

[Tubeman]

I think people are confusing sustain with feedback...two different things. I can get sweet sustain out of my J Station.....which is just a software amp sim in a dedicated hardware box. It's output goes directly in to my Delta AP 192 sound card's input thru S/PDIF. I just have not found a similar sound in the box with AT 3 or Guitar rig or any of the dozen or so vst amp sims I've tried........

Post a sample of the J-Station? You are using different input with the J-Station though than with amp sims and it can affect the sound greatly.

[Teksonik]

People love them some J stations. People rave about them all the time. I don't remember why I don't own one.

I'm thinking about buying a second one as a backup. But you may hate it........certainly a mater of personal taste.

[Teksonik]

When you have an amp getting closer to feedback (or almots at the brink of it) it does indeed give you lots and lots of sustain in your sound. Also it makes all kinds of high gain riffing etc. to sound way more lively and organic.

That is the classic sound. Of course in live situation you have to be vigilant with your volume pot, but in the studio, not so much

I can get sustain even when using headphones......like I said sustain and feedback are two different things......

[Teksonik]

Post a sample of the J-Station?

I might try that when I get home tonight......

You are using different input with the J-Station though than with amp sims and it can affect the sound greatly.

Think about what you wrote again.....you'll realize that it's not correct....What input should one use with vst Amp Sims anyway ?

[Dean Aka Nekro]

I've got a J-Station somewhere, Not used it in ages which reminds me to dig it out

As for having a little amp for the areas ITB stuff doesn't cover then I would agree and highly recommend Peavey's Vypyr 15 or if you want a bit more flexibility then the Vypyr VIP 1 20 (Bass amps and electro acoustic amps along with the guitar stuff). Both dinky little things but sound and feel great. Honestly I was shocked how good those two were and I'm not shocked often or easily. The Vypyr 15 goes for £85-ish/$99. Now you could grab a Boss FB-2 feedback/boost pedal which also happens to function as a useable booster before the sim(s)/emu(s) you use ITB and then use the feedback thing when desired but you can get an awesome little 1x8" 20 watt combo for pretty much the same price. The Vypyr also has built-in USB hook up and so on so it'll work for the mic shy also. Another benefit is no need to fire up a computer to play -

My 2 pence FWIW, All the best as always

Dean

BTW: I don't work for Peavey and nor is that me in the video. I swear, I'm not Steve Blaze from Lillian Axe

[lfm]

I've never been able to get the sustain out of any computer based amp sim than I can out of my hardware Johnson J Station and Lord knows I've tried. I have AT3 with the Metal expansion. I'd love for someone to come up with a patch that gives me that kind of sustain......

How is J-station different from Line6 POD's?

Their series of amps and stuff seems to have the same principles - digital modelling and hi wattage full range amps.

Thanks.