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guitar amp neccessary?

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(@jsmviper22)
Active Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

Hello I just have a couple of question to ask maybe you can help out. I play guitar at church and I am connected directly from guitar to pedal and pedals to mainboard, no amp or anything. Our sound guy says I don't need an amp that just connecting straight to the mainboard is good enough is that true? or do I need an amp, and run the amp tho the mainboard. THe reason why i ask is becuase on my pedals i have to add boost every once in while to be able to hear a certain effect and it distorts the sound of the effect and i don't like that. Another thing is on my Overdrive and distortion pedals I have to turn the level all the way or almost all the way up to be able to get the right level on our PA system. is having the level all the way up a good thing or not?


   
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(@slejhamer)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3221
 

I assume you're talking about electric guitar given the use of distortion pedals.

You don't need an amp but you probably want to run through a direct (DI) box.

Have a look at this thread where we were just discussing something similar:
http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=42307&start=0&hilit=

Also a box with amp and/or cabinet emulation will go a long way toward improving your sound.

Simple DI box with speaker emulation, inexpensive:
http://www.behringer.com/GI100/index.cfm?lang=ENG
(I have used the model without speaker emulation and it did a good job as a cheap DI box; I gave it to church to run the e-drums through.)

This one has amp and speaker modeling, with distortion, also inexpensive:
http://www.behringer.com/GDI21/index.cfm?lang=ENG
(I have the bass version as a backup; again, it does its job well esp. for the $20 ebay price.)

Some people hate Behringer (my own experience with them has been hit-or-miss, mostly miss) but they are cheap and some of their stuff works well.

Or there's the Tech21 "sansamp" products, similar but higher overall quality (and pricier):
http://www.tech21nyc.com/sansamp_intro.html

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

I often run a floor pod directly into the pa system -- and the sound guy sometimes does run that through a DI as well. I think you should be all right.

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

if you have an amp, it might do you well as a monitor, in addition to being able to more easily manipulating your sound. it's obviously not necessary, but you're also running into problems without one. if you have one, i don't see why you don't bring one in. if you don't, of course it might be a burden to buy one.


   
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(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

Good point -- if you're playing with a band, you'll need a monitor and can use your amp for that as Jason says. If you're doing this at church, I'm assuming you're playing at fairly low volume or solo. But you'll need to hear yourself.

And welcome to the musical madhouse!

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
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(@jsmviper22)
Active Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

well its not that I need a monitor we have the in-ear monitor system, which works great, but I just that that running through an amp would make the guitar sound cleaner, since the volume of my pedals would be lower, or is this just a myth i heard that the higher the level, not the gain, would make the sound distort more. also I am running thourgh a direct box, but it's a bery simple direct box, pretty much just to convert from 1/4 to mic.


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

so bring your amp in and see if it helps. if not, turn it off and leave it out of the loop.


   
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(@notes_norton)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1497
 

I gig with a Zoom GIX Direct Box/FX/Amp Simulator plugged directly into the PA Mixer. We use small 15w monitors. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_2_6?url=search-alias%3Dmi&field-keywords=zoom+g1x&sprefix=zoom+g . It's relatively inexpensive and it sounds decent.

The advantage is that I can simulate a few different amps on the gig, plus I can stack different effects. I mostly play almost-clean (just a little 'verb) with a Fender Twin Reverb amp model but I have a couple of other settings for different songs, and even an acoustic simulation. Plus I have a little "boost" setting so that when it comes time for soloing, I stomp on the box and I have an identical model, "right next door", with a volume boost.

The disadvantage is that none of the amp models do exactly what that tube amp can do, but IMHO they are good enough for the audience.

The reason why you need a direct box is the guitar's pickups do not generate as much electricity as other instruments. The direct box will boost the signal to "line level" so the sound guy won't have to crank the gain up on your channel to the non-linear region.

There is more than one right way to do this, and what is right for me might not be right for you.

Bob "Notes" Norton

Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com Add-on Styles for Band-in-a-Box and Microsoft SongSmith

The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<


   
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 Cat
(@cat)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1224
 

Nope...go ahead and stay playing through the board. It will be as clean OR as dirty as you want it to be, too.

When I'm at work...we're usually just three inputs...all sitting at the console with beer and pizza. Drum synth, six string, key synth.

If I wanna get more energetic about it...I'll use a direct box...splitting the guitar so I'm still in the board but there's also an amp out in the studio room with two mics on that, too.

THIS is where a good grip on ProTools comes in handy as anything...

Hope this helps!

Cat

"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"


   
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