Tonedexter in the field - Page 4

guitaniac · #46 08-30-2018, 07:20 AM

There's no doubt in my mind that ToneDexter is working as intended with that lithium battery. The guitar sounds very good to me - no doubt better than it would sound if it were being close-miked.

I think the guitar is quite loud enough for that setting. You just happen to have one of those tenor voices that cuts thru a noisy room very well. You probably could have done fine with a lower mic level.

Vancebo · #47 08-30-2018, 07:47 AM

Sounds like I am listening to the guitar, not the pickup. That’s successful I would say.

Marshall · #48 08-30-2018, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitaniac

There's no doubt in my mind that ToneDexter is working as intended with that lithium battery. The guitar sounds very good to me - no doubt better than it would sound if it were being close-miked.

I think the guitar is quite loud enough for that setting. You just happen to have one of those tenor voices that cuts thru a noisy room very well. You probably could have done fine with a lower mic level.

Yeah you're right. The sound guy always brings vocal up real strong. I'd prefer more balance. But it's outta our hands.

Petty1818 · #49 08-30-2018, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

Yeah you're right. The sound guy always brings vocal up real strong. I'd prefer more balance. But it's outta our hands.

You have probably said this already but what pickup are you using? Also, where's the character knob set? I really like your overall sound but the guitar does have a hint of that boxiness that I often hear with wavemaps. I am still getting to know the TD but I find that having the ability to blend now is crucial to achieving a great sound.

Marshall · #50 08-31-2018, 10:21 AM

It's a Schatten HFN pickup with VT controls.

Character is straight up 12:00

With this guitar I boost the bass on EQ. With my 1957 J50 (Schatten HFN also) I cut the bass EQ a notch.

Yes there's a touch of boxiness. But there's NO QUACK. I hate crunchy piezo sounds. This is as close to the natural sound as I've ever heard. Far, far, far more natural sounding than anything else I've tried. When I'm running through an amp and in more control, I'll mix in some reverb. I might play with a touch of compression too; just to see what I can do. But the TD is front end for me. Hands down.

PS - I made 2 wavemaps for this guitar. One with Neumann K184 and one with a Shure KSM32. I used the Shure wavemap that night. Its a warmer sound and maybe not as clear as the Neumann. This is a custom Nick Lucas style guitar. Smaller body. More trebly sound by itself.

guitaniac · #51 08-31-2018, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

It's a Schatten HFN pickup with VT controls.

Character is straight up 12:00

With this guitar I boost the bass on EQ. With my 1957 J50 (Schatten HFN also) I cut the bass EQ a notch.

Yes there's a touch of boxiness. But there's NO QUACK. I hate crunchy piezo sounds. This is as close to the natural sound as I've ever heard. Far, far, far more natural sounding than anything else I've tried. When I'm running through an amp and in more control, I'll mix in some reverb. I might play with a touch of compression too; just to see what I can do. But the TD is front end for me. Hands down.

PS - I made 2 wavemaps for this guitar. One with Neumann K184 and one with a Shure KSM32. I used the Shure wavemap that night. Its a warmer sound and maybe not as clear as the Neumann. This is a custom Nick Lucas style guitar. Smaller body. More trebly sound by itself.

That's interesting about the added bass. I was thinking that for my own taste I would have preferred a little less bass. One possible advantage of less bass would be that the sound person might feel a little freer to raise the overall level on the guitar with less danger of ringing or feedback. (You'd commented earlier about not feeling that the guitar was loud enough in the mix.)

On the subject of having the vocals too loud, we performers tend to forget that our perspective is a little different than those listeners (including sound persons) who don't already know the lyrics. I was listening to this "acoustic" performance of Eric Church's "Springsteen" today and thinking that this (presumably very professional) mix also has the vocals WAY out front - as much so as in your own case. Albeit, the bass was taking up a different sonic space and mixed pretty loud.

https://youtu.be/8HBh7cVZubk

Marshall · #52 09-01-2018, 08:43 AM

They could use a ToneDexter on those quacky guitars.

guitaniac · #53 09-01-2018, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

They could use a ToneDexter on those quacky guitars.

He could use a more resonant voice, too, but apparently you only need good looks and good songs to be a big star. I give him credit for releasing quite a few good songs.

Marshall · #54 09-10-2018, 09:49 AM

I'll post one more ToneDexter video from this last weekend in Iowa

This is my 1957 Gibson J50 with Schatten HFN (no interal preamp or battery drectly into TDx). I used the wavemap made with a Shure KSM32. Character 12:00. I actually trim the bass down -1.0 for this guitar. It's naturally bassy.

Petty1818 · #55 09-10-2018, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

I'll post one more ToneDexter video from this last weekend in Iowa

This is my 1957 Gibson J50 with Schatten HFN (no interal preamp or battery drectly into TDx). I used the wavemap made with a Shure KSM32. Character 12:00. I actually trim the bass down -1.0 for this guitar. It's naturally bassy.

Sounds great! By the way, I sent you a PM about a week ago, not sure if you saw it!

phcorrigan · #56 09-24-2018, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gfirob

I use a Ear Trumpet Edwina condenser mike to train with...

I'm going to try one that belongs to a friend this week.

phcorrigan · #57 10-03-2018, 02:11 PM

I just got my ToneDexter two weeks ago. I have made two wave maps--one with an inexpensive small condenser mic and one with an inexpensive semi-large condenser mic, both aimed at the 12th fret. The wave map with the large condenser is a bit bassier then the other.

I have played three open mics with three different sound systems, and the first wave map sounded better on two of them and the second on one of them. To me, that's a good reason for multiple wave maps with different mics.

In all cases, the ToneDexter sounded significantly better than the raw output from my K&K Mini. It really sounds like a "mic'd" guitar, with no quack and no muddiness.

Now, if I just had a battery-powered version small enough to clip on my belt...

gfirob · #58 10-03-2018, 06:10 PM

I have had my Tonedexter long enough now that is seems less of a miracle to me and more of an essential tool. I just loaned it out to a friend for a performance he has coming up and I really miss it. I had forgotten how much I count on it. Very difficult to go back to the raw K&K sound. You never miss the water til the well runs dry...

Marshall · #59 10-16-2018, 10:45 AM

I have to say I've noticed a little chink in the armor.

Meaning the sound i get with the ToneDexter in the field is boxier than I'd like. I suspect it's mostly a case of the sound guy adding reverb or effects he uses with every other guitar. Or the speakers or the room. But the result is my guitar doesn't sound exactly like my guitar when I hear it in the headphones on the ToneDexter. It's not as pleasing.

Petty1818 · #60 10-16-2018, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

I have to say I've noticed a little chink in the armor.

Meaning the sound i get with the ToneDexter in the field is boxier than I'd like. I suspect it's mostly a case of the sound guy adding reverb or effects he uses with every other guitar. Or the speakers or the room. But the result is my guitar doesn't sound exactly like my guitar when I hear it in the headphones on the ToneDexter. It's not as pleasing.

I struggle with this a bit as well. That's why I like to take the blend back, even to 60% wavemap. I find the HFN is natural on its own so 60% of the Tonedexter is enough to just give it even more clarity. I don't think a lot of people use the blend and more so rely on 100% wavemap but I have always found that to be too much.