Unleashing the Power of Amp Sims: A Complete Guide for Beginners

[@JoelDubey]

Wow. I feel like I watch a lot of videos on YT, but this was the most professionally done video I have seen. It made it so easy to follow along and understand what was being presented. Nice job!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Wow, thank you Joel! I'm really glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful. Thanks for watching 👍

[@Not_Lewis]

The production quality is great for such a small channel. thanks for the tips!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thank you @Not_Lewis! Do you have any favorite amps sims you're using currently?

[@Not_Lewis]

@@DadRockAndGuitars still dabbling but the only one I've purchased is the NeuralDSP dark glass preamp sim. Since I play bass only I've yet to find good bass amp sims as they're more geared for guitars. I know Neural makes the Parallax but that's more a preamp as well. Sounds killer but not necessarily what I want for a well rounded bass tone

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

​@@Not_Lewis There are definitely more guitar amp sim options than bass! I'm not sure what sound you're looking for, but I really like the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic from Plugin Alliance. I use it with my P Bass for everything from country to pop punk and hard rock. Feels like playing an amp to me. www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/ampeg_svtvr_classic.html I got it free for creating an account. Not sure if they still do that or not, but it's reasonably priced currently. They have other Ampeg options as well. I also use the Bassknob from Bogren Digital sometimes. It more gain available and is a simple mix ready sound. It feels a little weird to play through to me though since it has all of the processing built into the sound, but it's cool. Great for quick demos, etc. bogrendigital.com/collections/all/products/bassknob-std

[@Not_Lewis]

@@DadRockAndGuitars thanks! Yea Ampeg has a full SVT suite which I've downloaded comes with a free 15 day trial which is great. Separate question. I'm only wanting to dabble in bass covers (I have a separate channel for that) my main issue has been trying to source the songs themselves that I want to cover. Obviously Spotify is a no-go but I don't have the MP3 files themselves. Any ideas on sourcing MP3 files for songs I want to cover?

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@Not_Lewis I haven't tried it yet, but one option would be to use something like Moises. It'll remove instruments from songs, so you could remove the bass. It get's pretty good reviews. * My imaginary lawyer says that I have to mention that you may run into KZbin copyright issues of course 🤣

[@eDrumsInANutshell]

Hi, awesome video! Great work! I am gonna be a smartass drummer right know, but I had to figure out that difference... Namely the difference between amp sim and amp modeler. Bias FX2, AmpliTube 5, ML Sound Lab are simulations and AmpliTube TONE X, NeuralDSP, Neural Amp Modeler are amp modelling software. So, the sims are simulating the amp, pedal circuits, speakers and mics or use impuls responses to generate the output signal from the input. The modelers are using deep learning ( a sub section of AI ) to learn how the amp, pedals, speakers, mics are processing the input signal. For this single setup and settings. So the chain and settings are captured in such a profile. That's why you have way more options and parameters on amp sims than on modeler. Of course the companies can capture different settings and blend the profiles of different ... let's say "presence" settings of an amp. I got a few links on that deep learning, neural networking stuff in my Community section. Because, when TONE X came out, I was like ... mhmmh sure... neural networking technology in an amp sim!? That's all marketing... But, it's a real deep learning software ... Anyway, I feel like in the guitar community, modeler seem to create an outstanding sound. Just to comment on the guy above, saying amp sims are crap. Maybe correct, try modeler! Try the free NAM together with the free Tonacracy plug-in... Thousands of amp profiles are already available AND you can - of course - capture your personal amp setup to have it ready in your DAW for silent sessions. :)

[@eDrumsInANutshell]

The story behind the drummer-knows-about-amp-modeling is ... I just want to play along a few guitar riffs and I found a free sforzando sound font, a sampled clean guitar and guide how to setup it in a DAW with amp sim and IR loader to create a huge metal sound. I really was not aware of this possibilities. Next step was, to get a cheap guitar to try those amp sims with a real guitar ... so. 🙂Now, I am filing and polishing frets and pimp my DONNER guitars. Without this technology I would have never been into guitar playing. A real amp was no option ...

[@aeroprof]

I found your discussion about setting input levels eye opening. As you probably know, there is a lot of controversy (lots of YT channels talking about this) about setting input levels with sims with the current wisdom suggesting the input knob on the interface should be fully counterclockwise (at "zero"). But your discussion, I think, is spot on....fundamentally, we do need to consider the strength of the signal into the computer. If the signal coming out of the interface is "not good" (I guess each user needs to define that for themselves) then the sim, right off the bat, is dealing with a "not good" signal.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

You're right, there has been a lot of talk about it. Both approaches can definitely work. Generally speaking, the digital we have these days is clean enough to use the zero approach. I'm just kind of old school and prefer to work with the best original signal I can. And I don't mind pulling down the input level in the plugin to get the sound I'm wanting. Appreciate your comment and thanks for watching 👍

[@skillracoonful]

The idea here is to record a healthy signal that averages -18 dbfs. I’m guessing most interfaces have enough gain as it is to not mess with the input knobs. But I do agree that if you’re not getting a signal from your interface you should definitely turn it up a bit more to get a signal and see if it averages the -18 dbfs point. This also depends on the height of your pickups is set. Pickup height adjustment is the most important imho. That will affect your overall tone and output. Once you get that set correctly, you might find you don’t even need to touch the input knob on your interface at all. Edit: Actually I read that the input knobs were mainly for your mic inputs and line inputs. There should be an instrument switch on your interface that would be for your electric guitars. This is why you would set the input knobs to zero when using the instrument switch on.

[@jimleedy6021]

Great video! I watched this with very little understanding of how this works and I think you answered pretty much every question I had. Thanks a bunch!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching and appreciate you letting me know 👍

[@Bilfford]

Man, what a video. That was awesome. Thank you so much 😊

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and letting me know 👍

[@fang456575]

this is what i needed to get started. thank you. thank you. thank you.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Awesome, I'm glad this helped you get started! Getting into the world of amp sims is a lot of fun 👍

[@canadianintheukbrian]

Very informative I been looking into standalone guitar sim , I did try once with a Behringer U-PHORIA UM2 no matter how much I tried to reinstall the drivers it would not find the Asio drivers on Windows 10 the next time I will stay away from Behringer , but I definitely need a slighter newer machine, my current one is a 13 year Dell XPS running now on Linux Mnt perfectly fine, but if I want to use a Computer as amp you given me enough information in what to look for,

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Glad the video was helpful! ASIO issues seem to be pretty common with Windows setups. I get a lot of questions about that. Usually installing the correct drivers/software from the interface manufacturer fixes that, but it sounds like you’ve done that already. I haven’t used any Behringer interfaces, but I’ve had good luck with Focusrite. Might be worth trying.

[@AngusNB]

Thank you very much. Lots of good info with great details.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thank you! 👍

[@Techo1329]

Great demonstration mate.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thank you 👍

[@Virtual-Media]

Like having the keys to a major music outlet. couldn't calculate how much I spent on amps and pedals in years gone by the expense, hassle, noise, cables are now just a memory. have a neighbor who still does it old school and swears by it but every time we jam it's obvious he's not convinced old school is the way to go. Buyers remorse is hard, but I also have a wife that doesn't want the house full of equipment. The compromise is sweet. if you're on the fence time to hop over..

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

100% agree! So many fantastic options in the amp sim world that sound really good. I do have one amp and I love playing it, but having a bunch of real amps and all of the other gear to go with it is not an option. It's a really good time to be a guitar player! Do you have any favorite amp sims?

[@Virtual-Media]

@@DadRockAndGuitars always seem to be going back to BIAS FX 2. I have the spark 40 and mini as well. I really wanna Spend more time in amplitude, but the interface is so cludgy even after the last update. Guitar rig 6 is cool for experimental type stuff. have a Katana MKII that doesn't get enough attention😔 I hear 2 tone studio is pretty cool.. The only issues I have for amp Sims are the infinite possibilities.. i'd love to check out the neural plugins as soon as I figure out how to add more hours to the day.. Great time to be a guitarist.. BTW, you have some serious Guitar licks..

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@Virtual-Media Yeah, there are definitely no shortage of options! 😅 I used Amplitube for quite awhile, but I didn't like the interface with Amplitube 5. It got to be too much scrolling and searching. I like the Neural DSP stuff because the interface is straightforward and a lot like just using a real amp. And it sounds good of course. I appreciate the compliment as well. Thank you!

[@manhalnaddour125]

Great tutorial. Thanks!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thank you 👍 Are you using any amp sims currently?

[@manhalnaddour125]

@@DadRockAndGuitars I’m fairly new to amp sims. Currently trying out the Neural DSP Morgan plugin with UA Arrow interface. Do you recommend any?

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

​@@manhalnaddour125 What style of music do you play? The Morgan is really good! I also really like the Tone King Imperial MKII from Neural DSP. Similar in some ways, but definitely a bit different. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoTJZJygir2me5o I also like the ML800 and ML Plexi by ML Sound Lab for Marshall tones. Amped Roots is also good for higher gain tones. ml-sound-lab.com/pages/amped-plugins The Bogren AmpKnob Rev C is also really good for quick simple Dual Rectifier high gain tones: bogrendigital.com/collections/ampknob/products/ampknob-revc Two Notes Genome is also really good and has quite a few amps and a lot of options in it. www.two-notes.com/en/genome/ There are an insane number of amps sims out there that are really good, but these what I mostly use.

[@manhalnaddour125]

@@DadRockAndGuitars wow! Thanks for the comprehensive reply! I’m currently demoing the Morgan amp suit and I love it. My tones are mainly blues and jazz. Robben Ford, bluesy John Mayer, Clapton,.. etc. I don’t really need high gain tones but there some that I like in the Mateus Asato plugin. I tend to spend more time fidgeting than playing so my plan is to keep it simple. There are a couple of presets that are perfect in the Morgan plugin. I’m still deliberating between the Morgan and Mateus plugins. Leaning more towards the Morgan plugin.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@manhalnaddour125 Sounds like you're on the right track with the Morgan Amp Suite! I am also a big fan of keeping things simple 👍Partly why I like the Neural DSP stuff. Have fun demoing amp sims! Let me know if you have any additional questions, etc.

[@ratedrsuperstarthega]

​ Great video! I've been trying to get usable tones from amp sims since many many years and don't know what's wrong. They always sound very very weird. Very very boomy in bottom end and very very thin in high end. It just doesn't sounds and feels like it should. I've watched several youtube videos and pretty much everyone gets awesome tones even on default settings. But it just sounds like something is not right at my place. I've tried different interfaces like RME Babyface Pro FS and also the focusrite. I get same results on both. And yes, I connect guitar to the High Z input. Yet it sounds very very muddy and mushy, no matter which amp sim plugin. Tried all, from Neural DSP, ML sound, STL, Th-U, Amplitube. Nothing works at all. All sound muddy and mushy. If I import my friend's DI guitar track file into my DAW (Reaper) and apply the same plugins on his DI, then it sounds awesome. But only when I plug in my guitar (many different guitars), then it sounds horrible. Just not usable. Not sure how to explain sound to someone over text comment. But if you know what I'm talking about, then please let me know what's wrong. Thanks a lot!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Wow, that's weird. Sounds like you've already done a lot of trouble shooting so you have probably already thought of these. But these are the first things that come to my mind with the info you gave: - When you plug into the 1/4 jack on the interface, are you also changing the input to instrument level? For the RME it's changed in the Tools menu for channels 3 and 4 in the TotalMix software. You didn't say which Focusrite interface - some have a button on the front, some change it in the Focusrite Control software. - Are you running through any pedals before the interface? Or just a cable straight into the interface? - Have you tried a different guitar cable(s)? - Does it help at all if you turn the input gain down on your interface? - Just curious, have you tried importing your DI into your friend's DAW and see if it still sounds bad there? Like I said, you may have already tried these, but these are things I've seen cause problems for others. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

[@ratedrsuperstarthega]

​@@DadRockAndGuitars Thanks for these suggestions. I can clearly see you are well versed and experienced in this, just by your suggestions. OK, So with my focusrite scarlett solo 2nd gen, I plug guitar in input 2 with instrument switch ON. I make sure to turn off direct monitoring OFF on the interface. On the RME babyface pro FS, in total mix software, on input 3 and 4, I plug guitar into input 3 (also have tried input 4 in past, both are same). I can see option to select +4dBu or -10dbV. I've tried with both the settings. On both the interface, I've tried with zero gain knob too. I've tried both methods actually. In 1st method, they say you need to raise the input gain knob on interface just so that it starts to clip, then then slightly back off. 2nd method which Ed S recommends is to turn the input gain knob to zero. So I've tried both methods. I'm not running any pedals in front of interface. Just guitar cable straight into the instrument input (with inst switch selected). I've also tried to run it though a DI box into the mic input. But sounds similar to me, so now I just go straight from guitar into the inst input of interface. Yes, I've tried to send my DI to a friend. I think it sounds much better when we record the DI and then again import it in DAW and apply plugins sims to it. But still, it's not satisfactory. Just a little better but not OK yet. I've tried many different cables. I make sure to not use guitar cable longer than 3m. I've even tried those small patch cables of 12inch length by keeping the interface on my lap and running very short cable. This was done to make sure cable capacitance is not causing any issue. I use D-addario cables. When I import my friend's DI into reaper and apply any amp sim plugins to it, then it sounds awesome through my KRK rokit monitors. Or also on headphones (audio technica ath m50x and Sennheiser HD 598SE). Only when I play guitar through any amp sim, then it sounds very very dark and muddy. Imagine running guitar though octave pedal or maybe a very bassy fuzz pedal. Been trying various things since last 7 years. Still no clue. And yes, I've tried multiple guitars with different pickups. Duncan JB's, Dimarzio tone zone, EMG 81, EMG rectroactive, strat single coils. All sound bad and muddy. Something just doesn't seems right.

[@pabloblasco1020]

Hi! Thanks for the video. In case someone wants to use bluetooth headset, what you should change? Only to connect them to the computer and set the AMP SIM output to headphones? Should it work? Thanks

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Hey Pablo! That's correct. If you connect your bluetooth headphones to your computer, you should see them as an option in the output of the amp sim. Select that and you should be able to hear it through the headphones. I've never been able to get it to work without a delay in the signal that's too long to be playable. Let me know how it goes for you and if you get it work well. Thanks!

[@danpena7922]

Is there any way to add delay to Amp knob in standalone mode,? I like the sound but need some delay in stand-alone mode. Thanks. This is a great video. Im learning 😊

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Great question! Unfortunately there isn't a way to add delay in stand alone mode since it's designed to be really simple amp sim. It's a good sounding amp sim though! Not your question I know, but if you open it as a plugin in a DAW, then you could add delay after it. You could also try using a delay pedal before your audio interface. Just watch your input level on your interface. May not be ideal, but may be worth a try. Glad the video has been helpful! I'm happy to answer any other questions.

[@danpena7922]

@@DadRockAndGuitars Thanks.

[@janchance]

Thanks for making this excellent introduction.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thanks for watching and really appreciate your comment 👍 Are you using any amps sims currently?

[@janchance]

@@DadRockAndGuitars I use amp sims (neural dsp, amplitube) in about 50% of my guitar time at home, they sound very realistic at the right settings. It was a long but interesting journey to learn how all the interacting factors affect the tone, as you demonstrate well in this video.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@janchance Awesome! Yeah, there is definitely a lot to explore with amp sims if you want. Amplitube is a good one as well. Lots of mixing and matching options in there. I got the Mesa and the Fender 2 collections several years back and those are a lot of fun. Thanks again 👍

[@janchance]

@@DadRockAndGuitars Ha, that's interesting because I also bought the Fender 2 collection when I started with amplitube. I like the various tweed sounds very much!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@janchance Love the tweed sounds 👍

[@Khuneidi]

Great video for beginners .. thanks

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thank you 👍

[@Vashaco]

what about playing live with amp sims? do i nead a guitar cab or is there a cheaper option for it

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Great question! I might be a little hesitant to have my computer and such on stage in most situations personally, but you could certainly use amp sims for live. You could just use the balanced line or XLR outputs of your audio interface to go to the mixer. If you want more of an amp experience, then you'd probably want to get an FRFR speaker cabinet or a powered PA speaker/monitor. Other options would be to use an amp modeler like some of the Line 6 stuff, IK Tone X, or Universal Audio UAFX pedals. Same idea, just in a friendlier and sturdier format.

[@Broodwich11]

So you pay per amp? By the number of amps you showed looks like a pretty decent investment in Sims. Is there a cheaper option for someone just starting out?

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Great question!
With some companies you pay per amp or a select few amps. neuraldsp.com and ml-sound-lab.com are like this.
Others have a large collection of amps and pedals in a single plugin. Amplitube and Two Notes Genome do it this way. There are lots of other examples out there as well. As you said, it can be a bit of an investment. I always wait for sales to purchase. (And I don’t have a lot of them)

 There are also free options the get you started. Amplitude has a free version and you can add on individual amps if you want or upgrade to a larger bundle later. 
www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitube5cs/?pkey=amplitube-5-cs ML Sound Lab has a free high gain amp sim: ml-sound-lab.com/pages/amped-roots I'm sure if you search "free amp sims" you'll find a bunch more. Neural DSP has 14 day free trials on all of their amps, so you could always just try some out for awhile to get started.

 Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

[@Broodwich11]

Thanks for the reply! Really appreciate it.

[@vaguener]

I just got an interface and tried a lot to plug and play my guitars but i failed for hours. Tomorrow I'll try follow this video.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Hopefully the video answers your questions. If you’re still having trouble after watching the video, let me know. I’m happy to try and help!

[@vaguener]

@@DadRockAndGuitars thanks for the reply. I believe my problem happened in ASIO, i replaced it for magix music maker and it works amazingly for clean effects , but the overdrive effects sucks. I'll try to uninstall and start over from your video this time.

[@ratedrsuperstarthega]

​@@vaguener Please comment here again if it works. I've been trying to get usable tones from amp sims since many many years and don't know what's wrong. They always sound very very weird. Very very boomy in bottom end and very very thin in high end. It just doesn't sounds and feels like it should. I've watched several youtube videos and pretty much everyone gets awesome tones even on default settings. But it just sounds like something is not right at my place. I've tried different interfaces like RME Babyface Pro FS and also the focusrite. I get same results on both. And yes, I connect guitar to the High Z input. Yet it sounds very very muddy and mushy, no matter which amp sim plugin. Tried all, from Neural DSP, ML sound, STL, Th-U, Amplitube. Nothing works at all. All sound muddy and mushy. If I import my friend's DI guitar track file into my DAW (Reaper) and apply the same plugins on his DI, then it sounds awesome. But only when I plug in my guitar (many different guitars), then it sounds horrible. Just not usable. Not sure how to explain sound to someone over text comment. But if you know what I'm talking about, then please let me know what's wrong.

[@vaguener]

@@ratedrsuperstarthega I'll try it later, I'm at work now. My brother says I am cursed. For 20 years everything I try audio related fails >

[@ratedrsuperstarthega]

@@vaguener You are not alone.. I'm exactly there with you. Can you tell me your issue in detail? What problem are you facing in your tone? I've researched a lot, maybe if I have something I can tell you. And vice versa.

[@danielwright8139]

Does this work on an ipad?

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Great question! You can definitely an iPad. You will need an interface and amp sims that are compatible with an iPad, but the idea is pretty similar. IK Multimedia has the iRig for example. Sorry I don't have any videos on it, but I'm sure there are some here on KZbin that could get you started.

[@jeffrowlette]

Tip. Install drivers BEFORE ever connecting the hardware.....

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Absolutely 👍 Thanks for watching!

[@jimshea9248]

Linux computers work great with amp sims as well. Windows and Mac aren't the only systems that can do quality audio.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

You’re absolutely right! Windows and Mac definitely going to be what most people are looking at getting/using. If I remember correctly, is Mac sort of built off of Linux?

[@zack9922299]

@@DadRockAndGuitars Close! It's actually built off of FreeBSD, which is also open source and has lots of similarities to Linux (both are UNIX-like) but is a fully independent code base. Android on the other hand is based on Linux.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@zack9922299 Oh ok, cool! I wasn't familiar with FreeBSD, but just went down a Google search rabbit hole for awhile reading about it. 😅 I've done quite a bit of web development and such over the years, but that's a little outside of where I'm typically working. lol Appreciate the info! 👍

[@garethde-witt6433]

Amp sims are crap I won’t use them they always fall short of expectations.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Thanks for watching! Amp sims are definitely a bit different than real amps, though I think there are some great sounding amp sims. Do you record your amp(s)? Which amp is your go-to amp?

[@zalmangansbourg9195]

Comedic

[@eDrumsInANutshell]

Have you tried NAM?

[@tattllznl7759]

It took a while for me to get into them. Def take some getting used to.

[@MidnaFeetEnjoyer]

Hello, I have a problem, can someone help please? I'm trying to play guitar on my PC with an amp sims and there's a lot of issues with that. I had to buy an audio interface to get rid of interference and horrible latency, mostly. All good. Now, I got a stand alone amp simt, but now the problem is whenever I turn the sim on, it completely takes over my sound card, as in - I can't play any mp3 files, YT videos or other applications in the background while I'm playing guitar, because the sound from my PC is blocked. Everything is gone except for the amp sim until I turn it off. So no way to have background tracks while playing distortion from amp sim. I tried getting some digital audio workstations and the same problem persists with plugin amp sims. I have a dynamics set which connect to my PC. I'd rather it stayed that way. Are there any amp sims, DAW's or other means that. just. WORK? because this is unacceptable babyrage please help

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Sorry you're having issues. It's been a while since I've used PC, but I'll definitely try to help. Before you turn the am sim on, is the other audio (MP3, YT, etc.) going through the audio interface or the PC speakers? If the other audio is going through the PC speakers, then you may need to change the PC audio settings to use the audio interface.

[@MidnaFeetEnjoyer]

@@DadRockAndGuitars Hey, hello. Thanks for replying! I tried fiddling and found out that what's causing the PC sound blocking is me using ASIO4all. Buying and using an audio interface alone wasn't enough to have the best latency. It improved, for sure, but selecting windows audio in the amp sim still had noticable latency. When I select ASIO, there's no latency and it's great. So the question is... how to use ASIO driver so that it doesn't block the rest of PC sound? :( Edit: I managed to sort of fix the problem. I installed Cakewalk DAW using a guide and using WASABI shared instead of ASIO. I can't quite tell if there's latency, probably not as great as ASIO via amp sim, but at least it's not bad enough for be to hear it as an echo.. seemingly