I Gigged the Fractal VP4 (And It's Some of the Best Tone I've Ever Had Live)

[@andywoodmusic]

🧡 my guy! You sounded great on the gig!

[@ksharpe10]

My Favorite KZbin Guitar Player. His Style is Extra Awesome.

[@dash4786]

What makes you shine John is that you actually perform with these pedals to show us which is unbelievable I don't see anybody else doing that. Great player

[@Sooth_Sayer]

Regardless of manufacture, I learn more from watching your videos about how to use, program, setup and how they sound over any other youtuber...including the manufacturer demos. Really appreciate all the content you produce!

[@gtrzrus]

Hot damn John! Your tone was great and your playing is simply fabulous! So fluid. You definitely have that 'stream of consciousness' thing going on, in spades. Thank you for blessing us with this and all that you share. Bravo!

[@gtrzrus]

By the way. Please let's all acknowledge the fine playing of your bandmates as well. Well done gents, well done!

[@TheBbtlegit]

I love when you show you playing live gigs

[@andrewbenon]

That solo at the end is so good!

[@thpark8189]

What a killer solo

[@bgrierofficial]

Old Love - one of my favorite Clapton tunes to cover :)

[@MartinWaughGITA]

One of the Uks best, it's truly a blessing to hear yeh play pal.

[@kmjansen]

I feel like this is the best live tone I’ve heard from your vids. I think that Pro Reverb suits you well.

[@MrDevins]

Sounds great, but your amazing playing right there on “Old Love” would sound legit on nearly any rig.

[@andrewbenon]

John’s VP4 videos have inspired me to try my FM3 as an effect only unit. And - it’s super fun! For example, just using a drive block (e.g., the Tube 3 knob) and delay block and NO amp or cabinet sim, but running it into my favorite tube amp rather than my FRFR amp. I imagine this is similar to the VP4? One could argue that using these fractal units for only a few pedals and no amp sim is an expensive solution vs just buying the individual pedals. HOWEVER, it’s so fun to flip between drive pedal blocks and hear how they sound directly into a great tube amp. Maybe an obvious thing but it has opened a whole new world for my FM3.

[@dannybrickwell]

From what I understand, the VP4 fundamentally runs on what is essentially the same software as the Axe-FX/FM, so it's not just "similar", it's the same!

[@danielgreenberg4751]

That’s cool. I just spoke to someone who was doing the same thing with their non-fractal unit and they said it worked more effectively for them than worrying about amp sims/irs and cab sounds and he said it sounded even better once he stopped worrying about those factors. I think I need to try this approach.

[@andrewbenon]

@@danielgreenberg4751 that's exactly it. I usually start building a preset with an amp and cabinet which immediately colors things. Leaving that out and using effects only with a great - real - amp is rewarding. I'm having fun just going through the drive blocks!

[@danielgreenberg4751]

@@andrewbenon That’s cool. Which pedal unit are you using when you do this?

[@andrewbenon]

@@danielgreenberg4751 the FM3

[@bluesful]

Those solos are fantastic.

[@kmac.]

killer solo on the intro brother

[@MotownGuitarJoe]

I have an HX Effects and while I don't have all nine blocks engaged simultaneously, I definitely have presets where all nine blocks are assigned. I think most of my presets have EQ, Noise Gate, Reverb and Effects Loop always on and not even assigned to a foot switch.

[@gibson2623]

That s a little plastic toy

[@89digits59]

John - don't forget your "Old Love" - HX Stomp 🙂

[@bluematrix5001]

You should Gig with the new Ampero, many are raving about it....you tone was great

[@89ji76]

Andy Wood’s TrueFire courses are amazing. Did his mandolin one after getting my first cheapo mandolin. And the guitar heroes one faux slide concept gave me some of my best “wow” solo licks

[@joedavi]

I use HX effects via 4CM. Most of my presets have a compressor and noise gate on all the time, then at most I add a couple drives stacked, some type of mod and a delay. So maybe 6 blocks to 7 blocks at the busiest solo time. Most of the time maybe 3-4 effects simultaneously. I could see some advantages with the VP4 over the HX effects though with having more drive options to swap live. Good summary. Thanks for posting as always.

[@BOSSenjoyer]

Makes sense the drives would be great. Remember the selling point of the Nova System was analog drive dist with digital control and multifx?

[@mikejamstonalspectrumstudi5339]

This is an upgraded version of the FX-8 which I gigged for many years. Wouldn’t mind trying one for my amp rig.

[@AlexGiordaniMusic]

And probably noticed you could have the same sounds with a bunch of analog pedals or with a cheap Mooer or Ampero multi FX?

[@MOAB-UT]

True. In a mix, or live situation you would never be able to tell the difference. Fail.

[@AlexGiordaniMusic]

@@MOAB-UT I am not against this high end products from Fractal, Neural etc...if you have a lot of money why don't buy it? but unless you are pro playing in tour with a mega star of pop, there are far more affordable options that will save your money for a vacation on the beach ;)

[@MOAB-UT]

@@AlexGiordaniMusic I don't follow your comment. Just because I can afford to buy something does not mean I will buy it. I do take holiday on a very nice beach but what does that have to do with an over priced pedal that offers no real value? I see this as a big fail and disappointment from an otherwise highly regarded company. It will flop. You will see. I think this particular product will also effect their reputation. This is not an excellent offering. It is an insult.

[@AlexGiordaniMusic]

@@MOAB-UT Sorry for not being so clear. I meant that Fractal's purpouse Is to release High quality products mainly for pro user but nowadays you can find a lot of more cheap alternatives that gives you almost the same results in terns of sound and FX. So you can save Money and use them in Better ways

[@MOAB-UT]

@@AlexGiordaniMusic No worries. I agree Alex.

[@jumpbackgeno]

Nice tones, mine will be here Tuesday and going to run it in the loop of my KSR Colossus

[@yikelu]

Dang, that hot swapping pedals feature is sexy. That makes the 4 simultaneous effects a lot more palatable.

[@DornAndGrant]

Your live playing is so good :)

[@joeysup]

That ending solo 🤌

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Excellent! ☺️

[@tjnathan]

Is that hold to bring up effect channels a VP4 exclusive feature? That seems like it’d be super handy on FM3

[@TheSASANT]

How about Poly effects Ample and a VP4

[@DavesGuitarGear]

That was my exact thought!!!

[@SteveKuhMusic]

John, can you have one or more effects always on in the background (wah, compressor, etc.) without using up any of the 4 effects?

[@RyanKorea]

Really hope you'll gig a Valeton GP200 soon. Nathania Jualiam is playing it in front of thousands across Asia and it's under 300 pounds. I bet you could get great tones out of it.

[@SteveKuhMusic]

My second question is whether you've gigged with the FM3 for effects only into the front of your tube amp and, if so, how that compares with the VP4?

[@worthmoremusic]

Thus far I have heard nothing but good reviews about the VP4... John, what is that grey cable doing, going out from the expression pedal back into the unit ??

[@Mastertoay]

john i want to see vp4 and nano cotex gig

[@eddysel10]

Great review as alway. I would like to see a streamlined version of the software for their other fx too, in the next firmware update. I want to maneuver the blocks in my FM9 more on the hardware in stead of in the software (FM edit).

[@philippecournoyer9481]

From this video it sound a little bit like the Boss GT-1000. Might just be the youtube audio conversion though

[@aristocaster]

I'll use all the blocks of HXFX, but some blocks are always the same, noice gate for use at home so computer screen noise is reduced, Wah/expression pedal is next, which i haven't connect at all for a year and half, the the rest are some comp, couple of drives (which i don't normally use, i use channels of Amp1) , Chorus (sometimes chorus and leslie on the same switch), harmonic tremolo, delay and that's it, but more than 4 Don't normally use any reverbs, funnily.even i like reverb, but it clutters too much in many situations.

[@DGGriffinMusic]

Love some JC and some Andy Wood. I think your Helix stuff sounds better though. I may have to give the Multitap delay a try for the Halo thing though. My usual go to is the Crisscross.

[@josephestes7076]

Does gapless switching mean that there are trails on wet fx?

[@MNGuitars]

I like to have the option to use combination of effects with my hx fx..I use the 6 buttons to switch fx in and out, I also use analog drives in the fx loop so I can have certain fx pre n others post, not sure the Vp4 can do all that for me?

[@wyldeslash2003]

Now do the same with a line 6 pod.

[@nickblindlemon3383]

I have the same slippers... unfortunately not the same chops ;-)

[@frankieconcepcion7860]

Hey John, I’m wondering if you feel any latency or anything off feeling about using digital drive pedals with a tube amp set up. I get a lot of differing opinions on it and I can usually feel a very subtle difference but that’s really the kind of player I am. I would love to downsize my board into something such as this but just wanted to hear your opinions on it if you wouldn’t mind sharing! Thank you and always your content is the absolute top tier

[@tweeddeluxe69]

So you're just running the VP4 straight into the front of the amp?

[@waltervenicio]

So, Fractal VP4 or the new Ampero II (that comes with a expression pedal)? #sendhelp

[@matteopirola3467]

@john. I have been gigging for a long time with ToneX/IR-X + my beloved Hx Fx. I don't see here a real reason to swith to VP4 and abandon Line 6 Hx Fx even though this brand new unit may include fresher algorithms. In terms of controls and flexibility it looks nothing special. Am I wrong?

[@TreyAlexander]

Woohoooo

[@michael1]

Guitarists getting heckled now

[@christianpucciarelli]

Really? Better or even different from using an fm3 as an fx unit ?

[@wizdeas6064]

First set was good. Your playing top quality (although I wasn't so keen on the bridge pickup sound you were getting). Jake has a really great voice (Marvin Gaye number was delightful)l. Snare drum was crisp and tight.Bass playing excellent also. But after the female guest vocalist did her great number in the second set it all got a bit muddy and "pub-giggy" as everyone turned it up and it was all lost in "mid frequency mush".

[@jakeynez]

Siiiiick playing on the gig brother ❤

[@208414]

You know the music is at a proper volume when the camera is vibrating. \m/

[@Umuliuz]

Ahh…the good old Petrucci forums. Those were the times

[@Metalhead0283]

I was down on this unit a lil bit because I thought someone said it was $899 but it’s $699 so it’s not far off from hx effects price wise, can we get a pros/cons video of both units?

[@MOAB-UT]

Cons 4 effects. No loop. Over priced. No amps. The list goes on. Pro- cool name badge and a few nice sounding effects. That's about it. Wait until it $200 used on a dusty GC shelf. It will drop in value the minute you plug it in.

[@Metalhead0283]

@@MOAB-UT yeah the no effects loop/block is kinda odd to me but i was talking about comparing it to the hx effects so no amps isn’t a concern

[@MOAB-UT]

@@Metalhead0283 HX Effects is half the price. Enough said. Fail.

[@joony4614]

❤zoom ms 50g video again please 😢😢😢

[@MrPinkStrat]

Can you show How you had it Wired up ...Nobody EVER shows this in their DEMOS ? NOBODY !

[@veryveryveryhotboy]

As fas I can see He is going straight in front the amp

[@MayeenNaomee1984]

If you want to check out tone, listen to the new Highly Suspect album. Best tone I have heard so far in 2024 and he uses analogue pedal.

[@ChrisAdkins1985]

Used the HX effects for a while with a Supro RR. Loved it. But the unit is flipping huge I’m using a Friedman IR-D now.. and the size with midi control makes this a no brainer

[@jamesbennettmusic2154]

To those saying the tone wasn’t that great in the clips - a live video isn’t going to reflect how it sounded in the room. Plus we don’t know what the feel of the pedal was like and how much that inspired the playing. There’s so many variables to this stuff and I’m sure it’s a great unit (even if a Keeley Halo is a quarter of the price and it’s largely being used to imitate one of those).

[@basiltiffani8850]

I didn't think those were good tones. At least over youtube into nice monitors, to me, it sounded like a keyboard or a synth. I think too many of the freqs that make guitar sound like guitar are being absolutely nuked and giving this tone that sound really unnatural. At least to my ears. And that's OK. Everything isn't for me. Great playing, though.

[@MOAB-UT]

Agreed.

[@Sperzel]

Yeah, seems lot’s of players nowadays are just killing everything above 5k by default

[@xavibsa]

I can do the same and much more with my FM3. You can buy a second hand FM3 for the same price of the VP4.

[@MOAB-UT]

Absolutely correct.

[@poulwinther]

Absolutely wrong. You can't run nearly the same effects with FM3. Comparing it to second hand make zero sense.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@poulwinther What are you saying- the DSP is not the same? FM3 does not mean you are limited to 3 effects son. FM3 can actually do a lot more. Xavibsa was not wrong- you are.

[@ksharpe10]

I just want to make love to you, we used to do the Foghat version back in the 70's. Sounds like you guys are doing a Jeff Healey version of it?

[@Thekingoffootball9]

Kids are so forward these days. Especially the old kids 😂

[@heymrguitarman7637]

Honestly I didn't like the sounds in this. I suspect it's the overdrives as opposed to the whole thing but it sounded pretty low budget to my ears. Not wanting to hate on it as I've no issue with the unit in general, just didn't appeal to my ears

[@wokeupthismorning]

Sounds 2016, a bit of a wet blanket

[@robertbrown1778]

Wouldn't this separate "Expert"/"Rabbit Hole" mode be an idea for the other Fractal boxes?

[@chromebuoy]

John you sounded very tasteful during that solo, a true classy guitar player.......but that Fractal isnt anything special, you had a better tone through the Joyo Batshit or whatever it was called for me personally.

[@UglyBunnyJase]

For someone looking for a very versatile 4CM setup, this would be perfect. You know, I've had little interest in this, but I also almost never play live with a real amp - but this might inspire me to do just that. Great playing, as always (also, you never responded to my last comment about where I can find your lessons on TruFire or whatever; or, if you don't have a class over there, which classes you might recommend to develop more of your style of phrasing & note choices - it's beautiful!).

[@MOAB-UT]

That is 5% of us. Failed product. They missed the mark which is the broader consumer market. This is a niche, overpriced product. 4 effects and no amps and no fx loop is an insult.

[@UglyBunnyJase]

@@MOAB-UT In general, that was my thought on this. So few places will let a gigging band get loud enough to have a real amp on the stage (or the stage volume would interfere with the soundman's mix). I've been using modelers straight to the board for years now, although I have performed a couple times in one-off situations where I brought my tube amp - usually just doing the Star Spangled Banner or something. Even still; the thought of having to run all those cables and power just turns me off to the idea lol. I've become lazy and spoiled lol! But yes, I would tend to agree with you. Although, devil's advocate, this may be a smart decision because there are a LOT of purists out there that don't use modelers and this might be their first foray into the Fractal ecosystem - so it's appealing to an entirely different market than the usual Fractal clientele. It might even be argued that these folks ARE the broader consumer market; not for Fractal, but that goes back to my previous point. I guess time will tell...

[@tynolayco895]

Where are peoples capable to take any guitar kind and sounds good?

[@iggie_za]

My 2c: my opinion is that it is too expensive for where it is placed in the market and what you get. Yes, Fractal products are very reliable and solid and if you’re a Fractal fanatic you’ll probably buy it….

[@robertlevasseur8896]

great player, but absolutely nothing special about the tone

[@MOAB-UT]

100% agree.

[@thejudge1075]

Facts!

[@matthewfreeman33]

He's trying to sell a product

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

.....but being here on the receiving end of a compressed YT sound clip, likely listening through our phones, we can't second guessing his assessment. Guarantee there are many dynamics we aren't hearing, that he is hearing live.

[@roryt1985]

@@Bridging_the_Political_Divideit was filmed on a phone too, the original comment was clearly made by an idiot.

[@theouterplanet]

$700? Just buy a used axe 2 or save up for Fm9 or Axe 3. Fractal is becoming redundant

[@nethbt]

You're a great player dude, but i feel like you've been playing the same 'flavor' of music since forever, no offense meant but how bout some variety for once?

[@RealFitchEmerson]

Still not buying that shit.

[@Rummy73]

Hard pass. A overpriced and overhyped solution for a nonexistent problem.

[@SugarTouch]

Horrible design :) Someone from the USSR just called, they asked for their 1950s blueprints back.

[@MOAB-UT]

Facts sounds good, but generally a poor value. No effects Loop. Only 4 Effects. After tax and shipping almost $1,000. No way Jose. Some elite influencers (often paid- NOT JNC), will plug it. That is how the sales model works. I do not see most of us average, non-pro's ever buying this except maybe 2+ years from now for ~$200 used at GC. To me, this product is a fail and an insult in so many ways. They like to tease us with watered down versions of their fine products. They are capable of hitting it out of the park, but to keep the money pouring in, they tease us. Why could this not have been 6 Effects, around the same size, with an effects loop and with amps? Answer, it could have been but they chose not to give that to us. Well, we can chose not to buy it then. I really do not see this selling well, despite the name badge. This company does make fine products so a used FM3 for around the same price would be a far better purchase for most of us. You get more effects, more amps, more everything really. This is an add-on product and not an all in one solution. Most of us have no need for such a thing. A FM3 will take up less space than adding this on to an existing rig. Fail.

[@mikemorgan4774]

8 years from now when it's totally obsolete

[@MOAB-UT]

@@mikemorgan4774 It wont take 8 years- maybe 8 weeks.

[@poulwinther]

Couldn't you at least go and check the product before you start trolling the company? "Why could this not have blah blah blah?" Because it's not that product. It's an effects unit in the top tier like Strymon and Meris, where you have to buy a $500+ unit for each effect and those can't run more than two at effects at time. Heck, the press release even said if you just want quantity this product is not for you and to have more it would have simply cost more. I know John said no effects loop but there are no amps so it makes no sense. It has 4CM so you can run before the amp and IN the loop of the amp at the same time. The one thing you said that was right, is that it's not an all in one solution. Exactly, that's why it's less than 2/3s of an FM3 even though that one can't handle nearly the same effects. And you Sir, are not "most people" and a lot of people don't want the amps so why pay much more for a less capable effects unit? Just because it's not for you doesn't make it a fail.

[@peterjessop1878]

I’m not sure I agree with anything you have just written. I appreciate it might not be for you but that does it mean it does not fill a gap for some people . If you purely think about this as an effects pedal it is an attractive proposition. It’s not meant to be an all in one solution they have their other products for that. It’s for people who like amps or use a Tonex or a Simplifier and want good effects as part of a pedalboard. Match this with a decent loop switcher EG Boss es8 or a Gigrig then analogue pedals of your choice and it becomes part of a super powerful rig. You could even put this in the effects loop of a HX stomp. Yes an FM3 is more powerful but a new one in the UK is £1150 compared to £700 for the VP4. Yes more blocks would be nice but that’s per preset and you could do a preset per song if really want to. It has limitations yes, but all gear does and it’s a matter of working around these issues if you want the high quality effects contained.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@poulwinther Settle down and I did check the product son. I do speak for the majority of casual players. This product is not for us. One simple question son- did you buy one? If not, you are a bit of a hypocrite then. I stand by my comment. 4 measly effects. No effects loop. No amps. Overpriced. Any more questions? This product might appeal to 5% of pro musicians who have a specific use case for it. To me, and most of US, that is a fail. Stick to modeling cars and your world of make believe. I live in the real world son. This pedal is about as practical to the majority as a six wheeled Nautilus luxury car designed for Captain Nemo. No wonder you relate to it. You live in your own world. I suggest that you go ahead and run along now. Stop trolling. Try and have a better day. Namaste.