8,720
edits
Changes
m
→Pre-EQ or Boosting
|Kemper KPA Core Tone Tweaking#Post EQ|Post EQ
}}
For more on Pre-EQ and Boosting, see [[Dialing in Distortion Tone]].
I often like to use pre-EQ or some kind of boost/overdrive to tighten up or otherwise enhance the distorted tone. I almost always favor this approach over making big tweaks to the Definition parameter of the Amp block, although I do like to mess with Power Sagging, Tube Shape, and Tube Bias - they alter the tone in ways that are difficult or impossible to achieve using EQ/boosts.
The simplest and quickest way to do this is to use the Green Scream effect, which is a model of a '''''Maxon''''' ''OD808'' pedal, which mirrors the circuit of the original '''''Ibanez''''' ''Tube Screamer''. The typical settings when using such as an overdrive is to set Drive down to 0% and Tone between 60 and 100%. '''The Green Scream effect's Tone parameter at the <0.0> setting matches 100% on a real Screamer.''' Turning up higher than <0.0> has no impact on the tone. I find I am almost always between -1.3 and <0.0>. Volume doesn't matter - I like to leave it at <0.0>. Some like to turn Volume up heavily, but this is only necessary on older real amps that couldn't be pushed into distortion without the input volume boost. It doesn't matter on a high-gain amp - you can use the Gain knob to get the right amount of distortion. The only time it may be worthwhile using a non-0.0 value is when you want to be able to toggle the Green Scream on/off to switch from a cleaner tone to a more distorted tone.
A more powerful approach is to use the Studio EQ effect. It gets you both a more transparent sound (the Screamer tends to add a little compression/color) as well as greater control over exactly how frequencies are manipulated. This features 2 fully parametric bands, plus low and high shelves. Sometimes it's as easy as boosting a parametric band by about + 4-6db, lowering the Q down to like -2 or -3, and then sweeping the frequency to find the sweet spot. Usually it's between 800 and 3,000 Hz. You can use the low shelf to trim some woofy low end - I find a -3db cut around 150 Hz to do the trick. If this isn't refined enough I like to use the other parametric band for this purpose. I'll set the frequency to about 40 Hz, gain to about -4 db, and then lower Q until I can hear the lows start tightening up. Then you can start trying different settings to refine. Sometimes, you may need to also trim some extreme high end with the high shelf if you get a harsh, crackly distortion in the high frequencies.