Session DI on my new pedal board...

[Caleb_Elling]

I will add a +1 to the "try both, and see what you like" idea. I personally prefer to run my guitar signal chain like I would run a signal in my studio mixing chain. However, even in the studio, different instruments/tracks require a different signal chain to achieve the best results. It's not a one-size-fits-all method.

My approach is usually to compress and EQ the guitar to get the best tone that I can, then I'll add effects on top of that to get the best and most natural response from my effects. I really don't like to compress reverb, if I can avoid it. It changes the tone and response/feel of the reverberation (for better or for worse).

So try both ways, and just use your ears.

[Martin Maniac]

Hey Martin Maniac, thanks for sharing your setup and pedal board! Qn... is it better to put your reverb after or before your session+venue setup? Have you tested the difference which is better?

Thanks!

No I haven't tested reversing the reverb and Sessions pedals. I'm happy with the current chain. Personally, in my mind, I want the Session unit at the very end of my chain so it controls my entire final signal. I think it would be pointless to have effects after the Session because it would defeat the purpose of the multi-band compressor. Seriously, what's the point of compressing a signal, then adding effects to it later ??

You're certainly welcome to try other signal chains to your heart's content and feel free to report your findings here in this thread.

[ukesam]

Hey Martin Maniac, thanks for sharing your setup and pedal board! Qn... is it better to put your reverb after or before your session+venue setup? Have you tested the difference which is better?

Thanks!

[Martin Maniac]

Okay here's an A/B test for you, same clip off the looper,...

https://soundcloud.com/djwayne2000

This is a D-35>Lyric Pickup>Ditto Looper> Venue set at 12:00> Session at 2:00 or off >Computer. All other levels remained the same. These clips can be downloaded for closer examination.

[Martin Maniac]

After listening to these two tracks many times, I can definitely hear the difference the multi-band compressor in the Session is making. It is now a permanent effect in my recording rig...it makes the recorded track sound much more professional.

[Martin Maniac]

For comparison...here's basically the same track without the Session's compression and saturation, and no chorus, and the Venue set at 12:00...basically a dry signal....you'll notice that the volume between the finger picking parts and the strumming is substantial.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

[Martin Maniac]

More clowning around with an old song thru the Venue and Session...

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

You know what's interesting about this recording is the dynamics between the finger picking and the hard strumming sections. They're both at similar volume levels, just like what you'd hear on a record...I have to attributive that to the multi-band compressor in the Session DI.

Please excuse my rough playing of that song as I haven't played it for 30 some years... just starting to re-learn it now....

[Martin Maniac]

More clowning around with an old song thru the Venue and Session...

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

[Martin Maniac]

Just playing around with my pedal board, on one track I have the Lyric>Venue>Session and on the other track I have an AT 2020 mic. So this is a blend of them both...

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1


After making multiple recording demo's tonight, I have to say the Lyric sounds best when blended with a mic. The Venue and the Session definitely help, but adding a mic to the Lyric gives the best results.

[Martin Maniac]

Here's a much better recording of the Lyric/Reverb/Venue/Session chain....I also put in a sound hole cover on the guitar to help eliminate feedback problems I was dealing with......so far I like it, it seems to help the Lyric out quite a bit !!..

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner, but I was playing out the last couple of nights...

[Martin Maniac]

Thanks...I'm all about continuous improvement !!

[Caleb_Elling]

Very nice! That is a noticeable improvement.

[Martin Maniac]

Success !!I got rid of the sqeaky strings by changing them to Elixer Polywebs....somebody suggested that and it worked...

Here's the same sample recording with the new strings...

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

[Martin Maniac]

Well in the above video, the guy states that he likes to "scoup out" the bad frequencies with the EQ, then compress the remaining good frequencies. That sounds like a good plan to me. After listening to what he did with the eq...I liked what he did. He cleaned up that guitar track nicely, then compressed it. That's what I want to do too..


Now on to my next project...getting rid of squeaky string noise in my recordings....

[Caleb_Elling]

Ok,
A lot of people have different thoughts and get different results. I'm just an advocate for trying different things to see what you like the most. Let your ears be the judge.

Thanks for sharing.