Why I Love Modelers

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Күн бұрын

- Grab the "JM Pedalboard Preset" here: justinmuncy.etsy.com/listing/...
- Grab the JM Preset BUNDLE here: justinmuncy.etsy.com/listing/...
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**GEAR I USE**
As A Sweetwater Affiliate I earn a small commission from the links in this post. I only advertise products I use and/or believe in!
Guitar Modeling
Neural DSP Quad Cortex - sweetwater.sjv.io/4PY0yZ
SKB Quad Cortex Case - sweetwater.sjv.io/PyZEmY
Line 6 Helix - sweetwater.sjv.io/xkPab1
Amp Load Box / DI
Two Notes Torpedo Captor - sweetwater.sjv.io/757qDQ
Guitar Pedals
Walrus Audio Deep Six - sweetwater.sjv.io/Mm1zgK
JHS Bender Fuzz - sweetwater.sjv.io/DKrGBn
Jackson Audio Belle Starr - sweetwater.sjv.io/5g3EKL
JHS Moonshine - sweetwater.sjv.io/QygL03
Strymon Mobius - sweetwater.sjv.io/eKGXaz
Strymon Timeline - sweetwater.sjv.io/JzaXBE
Strymon BigSky - sweetwater.sjv.io/B0QaBq
Walrus Audio ACS1 - sweetwater.sjv.io/nLzxAX
I'll admit it, I was a former member of the guitar tone snobs. I used to judge people up and down the internet on how good their tone was. And if used a modeler, that was an automatic disqualification. Then I tried out the no amp guitar setup, and I didn't hate. Now, I've done a complete 180 and LOVE guitar modeling options. Whether it's the Strymon Iridium, Walrus Audio ACS1, Neural DSP Quad Cortex, Line 6 Helix... I really do love them all. But it's not for the normal reasons you hear: modelers are more convenient, they are more reliable on tour, no one can tell the difference live... All of that is great, but to me, the ultimate reason why I love modelers is that they allow you to build a fully customizable rig for each gig, tour, down to each song.
I love guitar pedals and boards, but the logistics of touring with guitar pedalboards can at times get a little hairy. Also, I hate having to re-organize, re-wire, and re-program my pedalboard every time I want to swap out a pedal or add a pedal. It's annoying and truthfully, expensive. With modelers, I can add in any sound I want with just the click of a button, no re-wiring or extra purchases necessary. Now sure, I don't typically build a specific rig within the Quad Cortex for each song, but I do utilizes a few different templates.
The first template I use features parallel routing for my delays and reverbs. The guitar signal is normal through the drives, amps, and modulation, but then gets split. One line hits the delay and goes straight to the output. The second line hits the reverbs and goes straight to the output. This allows you to really crank the wet FX without losing the clarity of your guitar, very similar to a wet dry wet rig.
My second template features a standard series routing like most pedalboards. I re-created my pedalboard in the Neural DSP Quad Cortex and ended up with a preset that sounds as good, if not more realistic than my pedalboard & ACS1 setup. I've got the sounds of all of my go-to pedals: Deep Six, Bender Fuzz, Belle Starr, Moonshine, Mobius, Timeline, BigSky, and ACS1 all inside of the Quad Cortex. I'll take you through the process of dialing in the perfect set of stereo amps in the Quad Cortex; how I utilized parametric EQ to match EQ the amps in the Quad Cortex with my real tube amp. This was game changing-
And I'm not going to lie to you: modelers and multi-fx are not as plug and play as pedals and an amp. You have to put in the time and effort to tweak and experiment to get them sounding just right to your ear. But I actually enjoy that process! I love the challenge of getting to learn a new piece of gear and getting it to sound as good if not better than your previous setup. And yes- my tube amp and pedalboard are magical. But I find modelers to be magical in their own way.
Be sure to grab a copy of one of my Quad Cortex presets through the links to my Etsy store, like the video, share it with a fellow Quad Cortex user, and subscribe to the channel, if you haven't already-
Connect With Me, and INQUIRE about Ableton Lessons, Guitar, Music Directing, etc:
IG: / justinmuncy
TikTok: / justinmuncy
Website: justinmuncy.com
Chapters
0:00 I'm A Former Tone Snob
1:17 Pedalboards vs. Modelers
3:21 Parallel Routing is Game Changing
4:25 Series Routing Like A Pedalboard
5:49 Unlimited Sonic Creativity
6:47 Let Me Clarify
#quadcortex #neuraldsp #pedalboard #virtualamp #guitartone #guitarpedals #kemper #line6 #line6helix #neuralquadcortex #pedalcapture #worshipguitar

Пікірлер: 51

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

It feels like just yesterday when I was over here hating on Modelers. Now, I love them. Go figure.

@claytonmurrayguitar 7 ай бұрын

I’ve been consistently impressed since I got my QC a few weeks ago! It’s a serious game changer. Love it so much

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Nice man!! So glad it’s been amazing for you!!

@warwicker22 7 ай бұрын

I used to joke that the only times my Fillmore 50 combo left my apartment was when I moved. I’ve only been able to use modelers live for a while now and the QC was a godsend.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Haha for sure. My amp hasn't left since 2021 I think. I'm late to the game lol

@warwicker22 7 ай бұрын

@@JustinMuncyIn a massive twist of irony, I now get TONS of opportunities to use my bass amp/pedalboard rig live. 😆

@blueberrysalt6788 7 ай бұрын

Keep up the work on the QC love the content on it!

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Thanks homie! There’s plenty of QC videos here!

@robmortenson5566 6 ай бұрын

oh my gosh! you were such a Prima Donna about not using modelers! I'm glad you came over to the Light Side...

@JustinMuncy 6 ай бұрын

Back then, modelers didn’t sound very good yet. They’ve come a long way in the last couple of years.

@jash500 7 ай бұрын

Regarding parallel routing delay & reverb, I did this for awhile, then tried series again, and found there’s a very specific CCW vibe to the series sound, and I haven’t gone back. However, like you said about the mix knob, you can definitely crank it in parallel and it’s really cool. With the Big Sky I feel like I’m a 2mm adjustment away from it gobbling up my delays at any moment lol

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Haha for sure!! I think the worship sound is in many ways the sound of a lot of fx running into an amp, so series routing gets you that vibe quicker. I still prefer series for every day things just because I’m used to the sound of a pedalboard into an amp, but parallel can be a cool flavor to pull from time to time.

@noahfickel 7 ай бұрын

Sick whammy bar track bro 🤘🏻 Pedal playground > pedalboard planner

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Thanks man!! Couldn’t have done it without you 😜 and for real-

@Ambergoo532 7 ай бұрын

Aaahhh!!! I ditched my X3 live years ago for lunchbox amp(s) small cab (2X12”) and a pedalboard with a switcher (ES8) but got tired of the cab (church and band are all on IEMS) so I went to a Simplifier DLX. But now (at 58) my back is just screaming for “lighter” and I’m thinking QC. But my heart is breaking over selling it all and going back to a modeler! This video helps a lot, I’m feeling a bit better and more decisive now.😎

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

I’m glad it was helpful! Yeah I feel you!! Maybe you can just get a QC in addition to your amp and pedal setup? I’ve kept my amps and pedals because they do indeed sound better. But you know, it is a small difference for sure. I just use the QC for gigs for the most part.

@Ambergoo532 7 ай бұрын

For sure I’ll be keeping my Revv G20. But the H&K Grandmeister will probably get sold. I use an H9 and DD500 and your vid makes it seem like I could probably let them go too… when I used an X3 live it was ALWAYS plugged into the return of a tube combo so I see the value of that’s sort of (4 cable) setup.

@JHSmithmusic 7 ай бұрын

Been using a Helix since December 2017 and two years ago ended up building a pedalboard around it with actual drives, pitch fx, and reverb (mainly to free up some DSP) and I have to say, it absolutely rules! I can still run it like a traditional pedalboard into my amps if I want, but can also run DI to FOH. Also having the Helix as the brains/controller of the rig, allows me to completely rewire my signal chain internally within the software of the Helix. I am a firm believer that hybrid rigs are the way of the future for guitar players.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

That's sweet!! Yeah there's definitely something cool about the hybrid rig setup- Gives you the best of both worlds.

@Ranz-san 7 ай бұрын

That split between the reverb and delay sounds awesome! I need a quad cortex ! Does it have a reverb similar to the cloud reverb on the big sky?

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Thanks! You can get it to sound similar through routing/stacking fx, but there isn’t a simple “cloud reverb” type option.

@Mike.D.Martinez 7 ай бұрын

I’d actually really love to know your thoughts on the new Headrush Prime. There’s obviously some amazing sounds that can be had from the QC. Wondering if you can get that sound from a Headrush too! 😂

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

If Headrush wants to send me one, I’d love to check it out! Who do I need to talk to? Hahaha

@musicafteroldage 7 ай бұрын

2005. Just got my new POD XT Live. I was already set up and the sound guy said “no amps!” Instead of getting violent, I decided to comply and went straight to the mixer. Wow! I was impressed! Sold my amp and never looked back lol Poor guy with a bad back, that was the best thing that ever happened lol

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Hahaha word. I played on one of those a long time ago. We've sure come a long way. Especially from that red bean looking one haha.

@jacobfagan7594 7 ай бұрын

I realized I was a tone snob so I just became an audio engineer and made it my job 👍

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

HA!! 💀 😂

@jacobmoore1898 7 ай бұрын

I started out as an “amp” guy but I just played into a cheap half broken solid state amp I had. Eventually bought a strymon iridium to put on my pedalboard for playing in church and playing direct at home with headphones and it sounded great. I ended up playing a convention with a guy who used a tube amp and after some research ended up buying an AC15c1. Recently played a gig at a church that had an iso room and ran stereo with said vox and a deluxe reverb that I borrow from a family member and my tone has never sounded better. Although I love the modeler for ease of use, nothing sounds better than an actual amp (or two in this case)

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

For sure! Tube amps sound better than digital. There’s no argument against that. I don’t think anyone moves to fake amps because they sound better. It’s about touring logistics, reliability, flexibility, and consistency.

@MickelMart 7 ай бұрын

Oooh. 4:59 sounds so good.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Thank you!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

@kodymiller1602 7 ай бұрын

Are you using the built in cabs, or are you using 3rd party IRs? Have you tried the XR IRs from tone factor?

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

I’m utilizing built in Cabs. I think the internal stuff sounds fantastic if you play with it/figure it out. And nope! I haven’t purchased any external IR packs.

@christopherhampson7621 7 ай бұрын

What’s everyone using as an output either at home or gigging with the QC? Deciding whether to get FRFR speaker or a cab - thoughts?

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

On tour I just send mine straight to the house through the XLR outs. That’s kind of the point to me. If I wanted stage volume, I’d just use an amp haha! At home, through my monitors-

@m4ssi86 6 ай бұрын

I have the same opinion, i went back and forth from analog to digital for years, i've had all the modelers and at the end i sold everything to keep the FM9 only. QC is awesome but i am not interested in captures and the numbers and quality of amps/effetcs inside fractal was the winner factor

@JustinMuncy 6 ай бұрын

For sure! It really comes down to preference. With the right tweaking, they all sound about the same to me.

@danrdavila 7 ай бұрын

While I do enjoy modelers, my biggest struggle with them is how they react to fuzz. I’m a huge fuzz user with the volume knob rolled down. Digital fuzzes never clean up the same way and if I run a real fuzz into a modeler 99% of the time it has no idea what to do with it.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

Interesting! There’s definitely a difference between running pedals into an amp vs a digital interface, but I’ve been pretty impressed with the QC. It’s a pretty similar sound. I don’t use a ton of fuzz though, but I could see that being a thing for sure-

@elijahobcemea3065 6 ай бұрын

i wanna know how u dial in your tone for your strat

@JustinMuncy 6 ай бұрын

Pretty much the same way I do for all of my other guitars. Using my same preset template as a starting point.

@gibson2623 7 ай бұрын

Tone snob with a modeller? LooooooL

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

0:01 "former member of the tone snobs." Keyword: former ;) LOL

@gibson2623 7 ай бұрын

@@JustinMuncy LoL.... Good boy, heheh :) They would have expelled you anyway if they knew of the Quad Cortex, hehehe. Take care bro :). I d love to have an AXE Fx III...But i m not paying for that, it has a ridiculous high price.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

LOL I left before they could expel me. I have no interest in being a grumpy dude on the internet haha! I feel you- the Axe FX III is awesome. Maybe split the difference and try an FM9? Those aren't too bad compared to the price of their competition.

@gibson2623 7 ай бұрын

@@JustinMuncy Yeah mate.....You read my mind actually. The FM9 is very good also, and pretty similar in most things. The QC is very good also, of course. :) I have a GT1000 and a TMP. And like 5 real amps , but these things are fooking loud, I do have a Captor X, but meh, an amp should be run with a real cabinet :)

@nomad100hd 7 ай бұрын

For a long time, modelers didn't sound good. The current gen sounds pretty good.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

For sure!

@lets_rock_it 7 ай бұрын

All that is great but if your modeler brakes when you playing,you fked while a pedal you still have all others.

@JustinMuncy 7 ай бұрын

I understand your argument, but the same thing can happen to you on an amp. If your amp goes down, there’s not much you can do. That’s happened to me on tour before and it’s the same process. You pick and choose what risk you want to live with.

@lets_rock_it 7 ай бұрын

@@JustinMuncy where does the modeler plugs?inst it on the amp? Beside theres nothing like feeling the sound coming from an amp. Thats why all big bands have spare amps already ready if anything happens.