FREE Custom IRs for Your Guitar and Its Pickup (Acoustic Guitar IR Impulse Response)

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Slim

How is the Cuki's IR with EQ Match accomplished? Do you live with the original IR output and then EQ it as an effect on top of what's coming out of the IR pedal?

First it depends if you are using the "light open source version", my own full algorithm or my own custom process.

1. With the light open source version it is an automated EQ process I made myself. It's pretty straightforward, the algorithm tunes the EQ parameters until satisfaction.
2. With the full process, I use commercial routines that are way more powerfull that my straightforward algorithm. I could not release an "open source version" using those of course that is why I developped my own simplified algorithm for the open source version.
3. With the custom process, I use commercial plugins. So basically I EQ it as would an audio engineer in a studio with plugins you find on the market. The difference between 2 and 3, is the human ear. The commercial routines are a black box code. You could basically implement it in a VST plugin and get what companies are selling you. The added value of the VST plugin is the graphical user interface that let's you cancel or fine tune some EQ correction that are "wrong"... The IR process can generate "digital artefacts" as well as "real physical resonance" from your guitar top. Some you want to EQ out, some you don't. an automate software can not know that.

Note than on my website there is a page to show how to embed an EQ plugin response into an IR file. It was published 02/2021.
http://acousticir.free.fr/spip.php?article209

Originally Posted by Buckeye Slim

Is it possible to apply this desired EQ as part of the process of generating the IR so that the resulting IR file contains it rather than having to post-process it?

It is the case already. All the "M files" produced by the algorithm include that last process. In Aaron's video, I just sent him a wav file. That's why it would work with any IR pedal.

Originally Posted by Buckeye Slim

If you want what the IR file produces to be different than what it produces from comparing the pickup channel to the mic channel, which input (or both) should you play with to modify its input values? Let's say that you agree that you like the sound of the mic'd version better, but even that version leaves some room for improvement. Do you do something like make the contrast between the pickup and the mic in the area you want to "improve" even greater so the algorithm boosts the adjustment? Or is it preferable to post-process the output from the IR pedal to finish it off?

In this case, I would honestly recommand Tonedexter. Doug Young described his training process very well. If you are after a certain tone that's in your head, the most straightforward way to achieve it is to have a device that gives you a nearly instant feedback. Tonedexter does that.

For example, when you are setting your overdrive pedal, you tune the knobs until you get the sound YOU want when YOU are playing.

Same approach can be done with Tonedexter.

1. Make an IR/Wavemap and test it
2. If not satisfied, change the mic position, make a new IR and test it
3. If still not satisfied, repeat step 2

I am pretty sure Doug tried both pre-process and post-process and ended up recommanding that approach so I think it is the way to go.

The only reason I don't do it is that I have no "tone" in my head I would want to reach. Most of my IR adventure was from an "engineering" perspective and not an "artist" perspective.

If you ask my opinion from a "player" perspective, my answer is:
I prefer my home made dual source pickup.

• Internal mic in Doug Young's recommanded position
• Some piezo pickup (UST or SBT)
• Anthem-style home made preamp with a crossover at 250 Hz

That's my go to amplification rig. I like the "feel" better.

I don't use IR. With my custom process and a HX pedal, I can go pretty close to that but if I had to choose between analog and digital for nearly the same result, I would always choose analog.

Cuki

[jonfields45]

If you want a great amplified acoustic guitar tone, then nothing beats a sound room and a mic.

If you want the convenience of using the ubiquitous under saddle piezo transducer your guitar likely already has, then a decent IR is a miracle.

But now you need some sort of IR loader to use that IR which contradicts the simplicity argument to some extent. The feature set of the IR loader alone can become a good excuse to buy a ToneDexter, for example.

The average AGF contributor is not typically interested in simple compromises anyway. But the people who stumble on this stuff via Google contact me roughly monthly to generate an IR for them, or to give testimony that they are using my simple generator successfully. And lately translating it to other programming languages.

To my ear, you can get decent IRs from any of the commercial products, my script, and Cuki's scripts. A little work to make sure you like the sound of the mic reference is the MOST important part. Which script or product you choose is not even secondary.

Which does not imply an expensive mic (an SM57 clone can work great), or that at stage volume a great acoustic guitar tone is even desirable.

[Adrianw]

I find the chase for the holy grail of amplified acoustic guitar tone fascinating and more than a little frustrating. There are so many variables in playing live and amplified that are usually out of the control of the performer.... sound system, sound man, room acoustics... it's an endless list. I find that usually and for most players who perform at different venues with house sound you set your own gear as best you can and then hope for the best. What I would find more interesting would be using the current technology to provide an easy way to record an acoustic guitar directly to a DAW that results in a track that is indistinguishable from one recorded to a quality microphone in a real room.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I am pretty sure Doug tried both pre-process and post-process and ended up recommanding that approach so I think it is the way to go.

I have tried both ways. I recorded the inputs to ToneDexter, so I could retrain with the same input (mic and pickup), and then tried EQing the mic to "fool" ToneDexter into making changes. That sort of worked. I also post-EQ'd by extracting an IR from ToneDexter, EQing it in a DAW to taste after listening to the IR applied to a pickup, then saved the EQd IR, to load into an IR loader. The best IR loader I've used is the CabM, which also has some nifty software that lets you combine multiple IRs, EQ them, etc, before loading them into the pedal. So you can do all kinds of crazy stuff, which may or may not get a better result.

In the end, I stopped doing that, as the changes were subtle, and didn't necessarily translate to a better sound on a real gig. ToneDexter alone just does the job without all that extra effort. 15 seconds of training, and it's done and sounds great. If you don't like the results, move the mic a few inches and try again.

I've also used the Baggs Voiceprint, and there, the IR created is somewhat dubious-sounding, but with 2 separate 7-band parametric EQs, you can post process - you can't really pre-process with the phone being used as a mic - and end up with a pretty decent sound. I found using a looper to play back my guitar while playing thru my live signal chain to be very effective for the EQ process, so I'm hearing what the audience hears, and not being fooled by bleed from the guitar.

[Mdfire]

Looking for some help here. I have recorded a clip of my acoustic guitar via a mic and the pickup i.e. two separate tracks. I have used fabfilter to tonematch the pickup up recording to the mic. I really like the results and would like to create an IR from the eq'd pickup track, but i dont have a clue how to do it. apologies if it has been asked already in the thread.

[Mdfire]

Has anyone had any problems using Cuki's IR generator on a mac since the last mac os update?

I have used in the past no problem. Mic and guitar into a scarlett audio interface, connected to the mac. When i try it now I cant get any signal in the test recording. All i get is a message saying "signal too weak (within the black lines) increase the gain. Ive tried increasing the gain to full on the interface and even tried the quad cortex as the interface but nothing works. Spent ages on this so hoping someone can help.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Mdfire

Has anyone had any problems using Cuki's IR generator on a mac since the last mac os update?

I have used in the past no problem. Mic and guitar into a scarlett audio interface, connected to the mac. When i try it now I cant get any signal in the test recording. All i get is a message saying "signal too weak (within the black lines) increase the gain. Ive tried increasing the gain to full on the interface and even tried the quad cortex as the interface but nothing works. Spent ages on this so hoping someone can help.

Just send me a link to a Google drive or Dropbox with your files. I will make the IR file

I just had another feedback on Mac recently. I don’t own a Mac anymore so I can not do debug it…

[Mdfire]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Just send me a link to a Google drive or Dropbox with your files. I will make the IR file

I just had another feedback on Mac recently. I don’t own a Mac anymore so I can not do debug it…

Hey thank you so much. do i send you this via pm?

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Mdfire

Hey thank you so much. do i send you this via pm?

Yes please

[gdgross]

Has anyone made IRs from non-UST pickups, like a K&K or other SBTs? (or even internal mics?)

I assume they would also work fine, and curious how much they improve the sound of the SBTs by themselves.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by gdgross

Has anyone made IRs from non-UST pickups, like a K&K or other SBTs? (or even internal mics?)

I assume they would also work fine, and curious how much they improve the sound of the SBTs by themselves.

Here is an old video with the old process


Check my website acousticir.free.fr there are many IRs including Dazzo, HFN, K&K, TA amulet…

[gdgross]

Thanks Cuki -

It's nice to hear the IRs significantly improve even the legendary trance amulet!

I may go with just an SBT based pickup in my gibson advanced jumbo then, since a UST is kind of a pain to install in that particular bridge.

One thing I notice about the IRs I've shot, and most of what I've heard online: they tend to be missing some of the "room" feel, for lack of a better description, when compared to the mic. I may try to use Jon F's algorithm with mics at different distances and compare them or maybe even blend them. Previously, I've only really done the 12" from the 12th fret kind of placement.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by gdgross

It's nice to hear the IRs significantly improve even the legendary trance amulet!

Note that it was a "bad" Trance Amulet install... The Amulet sounds much better when properly installed... It just took me years to figure out how to install it properly (lol).

Try also my online generator. Jon's algorithm naturally blends in some dry signal. If you want more room feel, it might work better for you.
http://acousticir.free.fr/spip.php?article244

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by gdgross

Has anyone made IRs from non-UST pickups, like a K&K or other SBTs? (or even internal mics?)

I assume they would also work fine, and curious how much they improve the sound of the SBTs by themselves.

I've made several ToneDexter WaveMaps of a few guitars and they're available somewhere in this Acoustic Amplification section of AGF.

[gdgross]

We need a "like" feature on this forum to say, "thank you, I appreciate what you have to say but I have nothing intelligent to contribute."

Thank you, I appreciate what you have to say but I have nothing intelligent to contribute.