The Lancaster Audio "Pulse" ... must have FREE software for recording and modeling

[Jim Soloway]

If you're recording at home or you've even considered modeling, here's a FREE tool that will make the process a lot easier. It's the "Pulse" an interactive IR loader from Lancaster Audio. It removes most of the mystery from the whole concept of IR's and provides a huge amount of tonal flexibility in a single easy-to-use plug-in. It's a great solution for a huge rabbit hole. Here's a link to the product page including the free download.

Pulse - Lancaster

[jzucker]

modern jazz guitar forum scott henderson (tribal tech and ex chick corea and joe zawinul sideman) is recommend mixir2 or mixir3. He has a/b'd it with real mic'd cabs and in blindfold tests cannot hear the difference. He says that most of the IR processors are bit-clipping the IRs and that mixir2/mixir3 do not and that it makes a huge diff. I haven't personally tried them yet but I trust his ears.

[Gabor]

What do you recommend/use as a (free) amp simulator?
As far as I understand Pulse IR is only the half of the story, as it is the cabinet simulation.

[Jim Soloway]

modern jazz guitar forum scott henderson (tribal tech and ex chick corea and joe zawinul sideman) is recommend mixir2 or mixir3. He has a/b'd it with real mic'd cabs and in blindfold tests cannot hear the difference. He says that most of the IR processors are bit-clipping the IRs and that mixir2/mixir3 do not and that it makes a huge diff. I haven't personally tried them yet but I trust his ears.

It looks very nice but I like to do my basic learning and experimenting on free add-ins if it's at all possible. $50 is not a lot of money for a quality product but it can add up in a real hurry if you do it often enough.

[Jim Soloway]

What do you recommend/use as a (free) amp simulator?
As far as I understand Pulse IR is only the half of the story, as it is the cabinet simulation.

There are lots of ways to use this: a hardware modeler, an add-in modeler VST, an direct line out from an real amp. My first experiments were with Kuassa Amplification Lite, a free VST amp modeler. Then it was suggested that I try Ignite Amps TPA-1 power amp VST (also free). Now I'm experimenting with the line out on my Milkman "The Amp 50" head. I think tat's my favorite so far. It has a switchable speaker emulator on the line out. I have that switched off so I'm getting the amplified pre-amp signal on the line out and then I'm using the Pulse to experiment with IR's so provide the speaker experience in the recording. It's a really interesting process. Since the speakers are added after the fact, I can experiment almost endlessly with changing the actual track and the Pulse allows me to do that very quickly. If I get comfortable with this, perhaps I'll take Jack's advice and look into the Red Wirez loader and spend the money but for learning, a free add-in this powerful is a great way to get started.

[artcore]

hey Jim, trying to learn some of this stuff, so I am on lower end of the learning curve at direct recording with software. I believe you mentioned you just received a custom cabinet. Wondering why you don't just mike that up. Your sound is so nice and clean. Do you prefer the sound quality in direct recording?