The BEST AMP MODELER to START With Amp Modeling? Fender Tone Master Pro, Helix, Quad Cortex?
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https://thmn.to/thoprod/571511?offid=1&affid=3252 – Fender Tone Master Pro
https://thmn.to/thoprod/543321?offid=1&affid=3252 – UA Dream 65
https://thmn.to/thoprod/450218?offid=1&affid=3252 – Line 6 HX Stomp
https://thmn.to/thoprod/418430?offid=1&affid=3252 – UA Ox
00:00 Truefire All Access
00:15 Your First Modeler?
00:38 MONEY is not an issue?
1:10 Modeling curious
1:20 do they sound as good as pedals into tube amps?
2:50 it’s not always about Tube vs Digital – are you inspired?
3:10 Fractal FM3 with Pedalboard
5:30 if money is no object the “best” candidates are the expensive ones?
6:22 the Helix in 2025 – I know it really well – but learning curve?
6:50 the Best Tones, Best Effects and Best Sounds?
9:10 Helix – I use this most of all – it is most familiar to me
9:30 an honourable mention to the Kemper – industry standard still?
10:30 if it’s your first modeler – Try PEDALS into it
11:15 Universal Audio are worth considering
12:30 Quad Cortex is to me quite similar to a Helix experience
13:15 the Fender Tone Master Pro – this might be exactly who it was designed for?
18:50 using Fractal factory preset with pedalboard
20:10 using Fender Tone Master Pro just pulling up Fender Princeton defaults
22:00 conclusions – don’t overlook loadbox as an idea?
https://www.patreon.com/johnnathancordy get my lesson tabs and backing tracks here
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnathancordy – if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
Get my PADs bundle here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TVZN39QQAAKTG (this folder will grow, and I’d encourage you to ask for different keys/songs and stuff that might suit this type of preset?)
I’ve decided to make it possible to grab both my Helix/HX Stomp bundles (the expression bundle with freeze presets has always been separate) together – https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CCTNL7P2XSQDC – I will then email you a link to both bundles!
Try my general patches for Helix or HX Stomp in this bundle using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=45L8AZ4RYL3HW
You can get my EXPRESSION patches in this bundle using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3PUJ7M8YPS4WU
Try my patches for Pod GO using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2E7DSCRZW45JN
https://www.patreon.com/johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnathancordy – if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
#AMP #MODELER #START #Amp #Modeling #Fender #Tone #Master #Pro #Helix #Quad #Cortex
Originally posted by UCkL4v-tohdDZX7kzmL9b2UA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Xu1lIG5cI
But I mean, I feel like the most important, baseline aspect of analog vs digital is almost never clearly spoken out loud – let alone emphasized or clarified. Sentences such as 'when you plug into an amp… while plugging into a guitar processor' actually encourage the misconception that the two might sound alike… Honestly, I think this is something that should be written on the packaging of a processor: "This does not emulate an amp, but rather the sound you obtain by capturing a certain amp with a microphone".
Every single video should start with this. Not all guitar players have this knowledge. Those lucky enough to read this comment and didn't know this, well, you are lucky, because I just revealed to you the most important aspect of amp modelling.
When you use a digital processor to go into a mixer and then the PA or something like that, you emulate the way a Mesa Boogie, for example, would sound like Front-of-House (meaning the way THE CROWD hears it) if you would capture it with A CERTAIN microphone, placed IN A CERTAIN POSITION (parameters which you set). It has literally nothing to do the way an actual Mesa Boogie sounds like when listening to it directly, when you're near it, in the rehearsal studio.
So the way you hear your guitar in the rehearsal room when playing on an actual amp, where all the Dark Gods incarnate in the speakers and roar as if the ground is about to shatter and open a cosmic gateway towards a ferocious, tenebrous unknown – well, that's not the way the crowd hears it live. But why? Because you put a microphone in front of the amp, and capture a tiny fracture of that sound. That's why you sound fine to yourself and the band, and the crowd says "well, didn't sound that great". Because you're hearing two different things. If you go Front of House and listen to your own guitar, it will sound nothing like the way you hear it on stage.
The processor emulates that exact setup – an amp, which is captured by a particular mic, in a particular position – but definitely much cleaner. And it will most probably sound better, front of house, than if you get a Mesa Boogie and throw a Schure SM57 in front of it.
I think that it is the responsibility of content creators to stop comparing direct amp sounds (or, what is called, "amp in the room feeling") with what a processor does.
It is literally, physically, like the difference between hearing the drums in the rehearsal room, and hearing them from a PA, after they've been captured with microphones. If you have bad mic placement or bad mics, or simply did not invest a lifetime in this and all your money, they will never sound as clear as if simply playing on electric drums, where everything is sampled under sterile conditions and the sounds are crystal clear. (and yes, I am aware that virtually nobody plays live electric drums, I was just doing an analogy). You have been to shows where drums sounded less-than-perfect, right ? Well, same with the guitar – to capture 'the essence' of an amp, live, in some random pub in Bulgaria, you need some serious investment, or it's just plain impossible.
So if you want to compare the processor with something, you don't compare it with the amp, you take the amp out of the rehearsal room, put a mic in front of it, then plug the mic to your mixer, and out on your monitors in the rehearsal room, or whatever PA you have for vocals and keys and whatnot. That's the sound the processor emulates/models, and now you can compare the two.
Fractal is definitely just the best.
I've used many Line 6 modelers and they were decent.
In 2023 i bought a Fender TMP. At first i hated it. It was easy to use, the screen was great but for a metalhead it was shitty.
Then came the updates, with new amps and suddenly it sounded great to my ears.
I mainly play Metal and Pop, and the TMP does the job for both those genres. It's reliable, no latency when changing sounds, it sounds great and it has everything to play live or at home. It's definitely a good unit. Check Rob Arnold's channel (from the band Chimaira), this unit is really versatile.
The latest helix amp models really were a big step up,
All these modelers are great these days, its all a matter of work flow.. I sold my FM9. Although its a great sounding unit with so much awesomeness, I prefer the work flow of my Kemper Profile stage MK2, its the closes to a very amp like feel and Tone. My other work flow is Helix, QC, FTMP.. Like I said, its all a matter of work flow these days…
I agree Fractal fm9 that's the way to go.
I have a QC but now that I see the Fender TM I really like the GUI and how the switches are identified with an individual screen, sometimes I find myself with the QC not knowing what the hell I have in every switch. Both are the same price (around 1500€), I'm thinking about switching to the TM.
I can’t get past the Helix for ease of use and Community , Resources etc etc etc and with the Stadium coming out it will be my World for a very long time but ToneMaster is pretty cool too.
Fractal sounded soooo much better than the Fender. I tried Fender tonemaster in a music store and did not like it…
What is the hate/ irrelevance toward Boss gt1000?
John great vid – TMP gets my vote. If you are used to a few pedals and a fender amp and and you have used an iphone, you basically can turn this on and can get rolling.. $$'s aside of course.
The weird thing about The Helix was I thought it was crap at first.But after the updates I find it very intuitive and cool now.The overdrives aren't impressive though.
If the TMP was out then I would have looked at it.
I have a TMP and I think its great. I haven't explored it completely, but I dialed in a chuggy metal tone and have just been riffing on it.
I've owned an Axe Fx 2, I currently have an HX stomp and Tonex. The TMP for me gets the job done and is easier to use compared to what I've experienced.
Not interested in profilers like Quad Cortex and Kemper. I only adopted Tonex cuz I started with Amplitube.
I prefer an all analog chain if possible aside from reverb or other time effect. There are some great analog modellers out there and generally they all have real knobs instead of "use your computer/phone to make a preset". Having watched John use some of the onboard knobs most of these modelers have, I am left unimpressed. They have used low resolution encoders and so any amount of adjustment requires a number of full turns. I have never been satisfied with a digital modeler as an amp replacement. The clean to rough to max distortion is not my idea of smooth transition that I can control just from guitar pot. I would suggest there are some good analog amp and cab modeler/sims out there. Remember also that even if you find your tube amp's twin with same specs and all, it will not sound the same as yours.
Tone Master without doubt… it replaced my real fender amps nearly perfectly…
If you don’t mind me asking what do you use for the drum sounds on your loops? They always sound really good.
Where sits the ampero 2 in comparison . Good reviews What I heard and you can load in nam profiles
My first foray into modeling, multi-effects unit at age 58, having been a die-hard tube amp player with a pedal board, was a Boss GX-100. I personally have found it to be very flexible, easy to use and a relatively shallow learning curve. I wasn't looking for a million amp models, just a few that I could tweak to my tonal satisfaction, along with quality delays and reverbs, choruses, etc. The DX-100 gave me all of that without having to spend over $600.00. I learned quickly however, to stay away from FRFR speakers. Instead, I use a Seymour Duncan Powerstage to drive two 2×12 cabinets. The FRFR's were so sterile, I could never get a tone I was happy with. Once I switched to traditional 2×12's, I found all the tone that was missing with the FRFR's. I ditched the speaker emulators, and all of a sudden the modelers began to sound good, to the point that I couldn't really tell a difference between the modeler and my '67 Fender Bandmaster. It took me about a year to really find what I would consider a pro-level tone, but now the GX-100 is all I use live. I've thought of upgrading lately, but I'm so familiar with this rig, and it does everything I need it to do and sounds fantastic. Best of luck, and most of all, be patient. It took a minute to tune my ears to a new system; small increments make big changes, so be patient.
I think the tonemaster is PERFECT. They just didn’t market it, which is fine. It doesn’t need it sometimes, word of mouth is better. Eventually i think everyone (besides the Pro’s) will be playing with a Tone Master tbh. It’s the perfect medium between physical amps and digital modding, aesthetically it’s genius. If you really dont care, get rid of your tube amp for gigs and play it at home. How do you know if you really care. If you have the same guitar and same pedals and even the same pedal board as everyone on youtube, then it’s probably not that personal or important to you. If you have ANY gripes about tube amps being inconsistent. Get either a Tonemaster. Or if you can’t handle the modeling tone, get a Roland JC, the best solid state platform, EVER
The sound of your playing doesn’t sound as good in this video as other of your videos. Just the quality of the sound, your playing is always great.
They're all just tools for different jobs right? My modeller is for saving space and keeping quiet at home, and for ease of setting up for me and whoever is doing FOH at a gig. The amp is always for me, as a player. No one else cares but the feeling (both response and actual feel) is always nicest through a real tube amp for me.
I just moved from modelling (Fractal and then Neural DSP) to the Synergy preamp. Best decision I made! Modelling is great for convenience and the Neural plugins are amazing, but after 15+ years away from tubes, this has definitely filled the gap that was missing.
Currently using a Boss GT1000 core for the amps..with a HXFX for midi control and (more)effects.
Seriously mad possibilities across 2 great effects companies.
If you already have a pedalboard you can add something like the iridium, the new tone king or the universal audio as amp modeling and you are done.
The Fractal FM3/9 cannot be beat by anything. The only issue with it is spending so much time messing around with a signal chain to get a tone you like. I end up going into sounds that are ridiculous at times turning my guitar into a synthesizer.
Valeton GP 200 is best bang for buck meddler in my opinion. Excellent tones! Best amp models are, Supro clean, Dr Z, Bad Kat, Vox 15, Fender Tweed. These are best in my opinion to build your sounds on, adding one of the GP’s great Overdrives, modulations, delays and reverbs are icing in the cake, or just on their own. The Bogner models are great as well, with lots of others honourable mention. The Supros are amazing.
I just entered the modeler world with a helix LT full knowing that the stadium was around the corner. There was a price drop and a Labor Day sale and now I have a cool helix. I have had loads of fun and don’t feel bad that I bought a dying model with a new one coming right around the corner. I have had fun with learning modeling and I also use it as a multi effects processor with my amp. I have barely scratched the surface and I’m having a blast.
Headrush wins the ease of use category hands down
If we all stopped hanging on the the "Old and original" sounds of real tube amps and focused on finding sounds that may be new but are pleasant to the ears, idea-inspiring and fit the style of music we play, we may be more open to many more modellers/multi-fx units. May be the "old-school-elitism" is limiting us in terms of options available in the market? May be the final sound when it is recorded and played back through all kinds of speakers and headphones won't be so different after all ?
When I try your true fire code it says $1 for one month then 149?