#1
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Demo of Aura Sound Images Created Using Various Mics
https://youtu.be/djFfzUrt-rI
I thought this old vid might be interesting to the folks who are experimenting with different mics and mic positions to create ToneDexter WaveMaps. The demo player doesn't really get into how Aura sound images are created, but I strongly suspect that all of the sound images demoed are custom sound images created using the same guitar/pickup rig that the demo player is using. (To create a sound image, simultaneous recordings must be made of the pickup signal and the studio mic{s} signal.) This demo vid makes no mention of the particular miking techniques used to create these sound images, be at least the listener gets a little sample of how different mics can influence the results. When Aura was first introduced, I recall that the Fishman folks made a very serious effort to explain the technology. They seem to have given up on that effort. Listening to this vid, you'd never get the basic information that a specific instrument and pickup rig must be used in the creation of a sound image. You'd think they were recording off mics alone. |
#2
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__________________
Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 |
#3
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I still think the Aura was a pretty incredible idea. I have always thought however that it sounded best when paired with a guitar that had an exact image recorded. For example, an OM-28 would sound incredible with an OM-28 image. Obviously this seems to be a pretty easy conclusion to come to but I just found it lacking whenever I had to settle for something close to what I had.
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#4
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One of my Taylors has an Aura Onboard that replaced an ancient Fishman Prefix UST/Mic system. Unfortunately, there is no image for this particular Taylor model in the Aura database, and I've always struggled finding the right image that works for this guitar. |
#5
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In any event, when our mutual friend Cormac McCarthy toured thru our area using Aura with custom sound images, his impressive amplified guitar sound verified to me that Harvey is right and that custom sound images are the best way to go with Aura. To my way of thinking, the very cool thing about ToneDexter is that it enables the user to create his/her own ToneDexter equivalent of Aura custom sound images (the ToneDexter WaveMap). That's the big reason why folks are getting such good results with ToneDexter (unless they accidentally use the wrong WaveMap). |
#6
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Hi,
to me the whole Aura thing and the clons like Zoom and ToneDexter try to cure the sick sound of pickups. I´d rather have a good sounding pickup in my guitar. Fishman - why don´t you do that instead of fixing the bugs afterwards? cu erniecaster
__________________
As I am from Germany, I am not a native speaker in English. Please forgive me my mistakes. |
#7
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By the way, I met Harvey Reid, here in Rochester. Harvey was in town for a concert, and whenever he is here he stops in for a visit at my favorite guitar shop, Stutzman's Guitar Center. Harvey was noodling around on several new guitars in the store, and I suggested he try a Huss & Dalton DS. I asked him what he thought of its tone and he said you couldn't do wrong by having this guitar! Needless to say that Harvey's noodling on guitar surpassed anything I could do on the guitar! A Nice Guy and gracious with his time!
__________________
Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 |
#8
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LR Baggs and other companies are taking their best shots at that. When it comes to live sound, I'm very high on the combo of a Baggs Anthem SL-equipped guitar and a Zoom A3 for EQ help. Fortunately, I only have one guitar/pickup rig which desperately needs ToneDexter's help.
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#9
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Harvey has a great deal of recording experience, so it really impressed me when he mentioned that he couldn't tell the difference between mic recordings and Aura (with custom sound images) recordings. |
#10
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#11
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I own an old Blender that I haven't used for years … never did use it much because I never fouund a profile that matched my guitar/pickup combination. At any rate, does anyone know if Fishman or anyone else stills produces custom profiles … or if there a cache of them somewhere on the web.
BTW, I have a friend that uses Fishman matrix in his OM. He found just the right profile for his original blender. The result is as good as I've heard. In other words, when all the variants are right, the Aura, even the older blender works great, IMO. BTW, I loved the form factor and user interface of the old blender. I never thought it was difficult to use. |
#12
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Regarding the EQ with the A3, I use the two digital EQs (graphic and parametric) in series. (I'm afraid that doesn't leave any room for adding additional effects, but you may only need one digital EQ device or none, if you're already happy with your tonal balance. The A3 also has a manual three band EQ which may be adequate for your needs and doesn't take up an effects block.) My guitar is naturally muddy in the low mids, so I cut a lot there. I also suspect that the Anthem SL is a little strong around the crossover frequency (250 Hz) and that probably adds to the excessive low mids. In any event, I adjust the SL's mic level control for the best (to my ears) balance of UST/mic, and EQ after that. In the case of my rig, I need to EQ down both some muddy low mids and some overly harsh highs. My EQ adjustments are: Graphic EQ: 160Hz, -6db / 400Hz, -3db / 800Hz, 0db / 3.2KHz, -1db / 6.4KHz, -4db / 12KHz, -1db / I'd guess that the cut bandwidths are about an octave. Parametric EQ: 1.2KHz, -3db, Q = 1 (about 1.4 octaves bandwidth) / 80Hz, -2db, Q = 1 |
#13
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https://www.fishman.com/support/ |
#14
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I teach at a fairly new school that has a pretty impressive sound system. Every second week on Friday, we hold a talent show at lunch for the students to participate in and watch. One of the teachers here plays quite a lot at it to accompany students on guitar. He has a D-28 cutaway with the barn-door, Aura system. Honestly, it sounded incredible. If I closed my eyes and listened, I would have thought I was listening to a mic'd guitar. It does go to show that the correct image/guitar match can achieve amazing results.
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#15
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Quote:
__________________
"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |