AI tone builder

I know what you’re thinking, artificial intelligence and the Quad Cortex? Okay, hear me out. I recently got the Spark 2 amp to play when I can’t get to my QC and in their app they have a feature that lets you build tones using a text prompt. You can say things like, “Create a jimi Hendrix preset” and it’ll generate four presets. it’s not completely perfect, but chances are it’ll create at least one preset that is what you want. I would love something like this for the Quad Cortex. Might be gimicky to some, but also fun and useful.

Got my Spark 2, replacing my Spark 40, and played around with the AI tone creator and was pretty amazed and what it came up with.

You could try asking ChatGPT for instructions on how to set up specific tones.

For the following Input, I got a lengthy response. I did not proof read it because I’m busy right now, but at a first glance it looks pretty good.

Input: “Please give me a detailed description on what blocks to use and what settings to use for each block for a Guitar Tone like Jimmy Hendrix used for a Quad Cortex preset.”

ChatGPT: "To create a Quad Cortex preset that captures the iconic guitar tone of Jimi Hendrix, you’ll want to focus on a few key elements of his sound: his use of fuzz, clean amp settings with high gain, modulation effects, and reverb. Here’s a detailed description of how to set up the blocks and settings for each.

  1. Input Block:

Noise Gate: Start with a light noise gate to keep things tight. Hendrix often had feedback due to high gain, but you’ll want to control unwanted noise.

Threshold: -40dB

Decay: 200ms

  1. Fuzz (Preamp Drive Block):

Hendrix’s sound often revolved around a Fuzz Face, a vintage-style fuzz pedal that he used to push his amp into a distorted tone. The fuzz should be aggressive but dynamic.

Fuzz Model: Classic Fuzz (equivalent to Fuzz Face)

Gain: 80%

Tone: 50% (adjust to taste for brightness)

Volume: 70-80% (to match overall output level)

You can experiment with rolling down your guitar’s volume knob to clean up the fuzz for that signature Hendrix clean-to-dirty dynamic.

  1. Amp Block:

Hendrix used Marshall amps heavily, often a Marshall Super Lead. You’ll want to replicate this tone with a vintage-style British amp.

Amp Model: Plexi (based on Marshall Plexi Super Lead)

Gain: 70%

Bass: 40%

Mid: 75%

Treble: 70%

Presence: 60%

Master Volume: 70%

Tip: Hendrix’s tone wasn’t just about cranking the amp; he often rode the volume knob on his guitar to adjust the level of breakup.

  1. Cab Block:

For the speaker cab, a vintage Marshall 4x12 setup will give you the classic, punchy tone Hendrix was known for.

Cab Model: 4x12" British (based on Marshall 1960 4x12)

Mic Model: Dynamic 57 or Ribbon 121

Mic Placement: Right on the center of the speaker for more aggression or pulled back for a smoother tone.

Low Cut: 80 Hz (to remove unnecessary rumble)

High Cut: 8-10 kHz (to avoid harsh high-end)

  1. Modulation Block (Univibe):

Hendrix famously used a Univibe for a swirling, phase-like modulation effect.

Effect Model: Univibe

Speed: 2.5 (for that slower, hypnotic sweep)

Depth: 60%

Mix: 50% (blend with your dry signal for subtlety)

  1. Reverb Block:

Hendrix’s live tone often featured subtle room ambiance, but for a studio sound, go with a spring reverb to emulate vintage amps.

Reverb Model: Spring Reverb

Decay: 2.5 seconds

Mix: 25-30% (don’t overdo it—just enough to add depth)

Pre-Delay: 0ms (vintage amps didn’t have long pre-delay times)

  1. Wah Block (Optional):

Hendrix’s use of the wah pedal is legendary, especially on songs like “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” If you want to recreate that sound, add a wah block.

Wah Model: Crybaby Wah

Auto Engage: Set to engage when you start moving the expression pedal.

Range: Set the range of the wah sweep to cover from low-mids to upper mids.

  1. Delay Block (Optional):

Hendrix would sometimes add delay to create spatial depth, especially in the studio.

Delay Model: Tape Delay

Time: 300-400ms (set to taste)

Feedback: 40%

Mix: 20-30% (light, just for ambiance)

Final Settings and Notes:

Output Level: Make sure your output levels are balanced, with the amp and fuzz driving the sound without creating excessive clipping.

EQ Block (Optional): If you find the tone a little too muddy or harsh, a parametric EQ can help balance out certain frequencies (cutting some low mids at around 250Hz can help clean up the tone).

With these settings, you’ll have a preset that gets you close to Jimi Hendrix’s legendary tone. You can always adjust the gain, fuzz, and modulation to dial in different songs or performance styles, but this should give you a great starting point!"

7 Likes

That’s actually pretty damned impressive. Actually worried how good and detailed it is!

1 Like

ChatGPT is good. I think it shows you can use RAG to get it to generate presets. You’ll notice it’s prone to hallucinating without it being steered, it’ll make up devices that don’t exist. But NDSP could use GPT to build this feature, give it the knowledge of devices and settings, then automatically build the preset. It the QC app had an API, I would have already done this, haha.

1 Like

Maybe you could give it the device list as a constraint to stop it from hallucinating :thinking: From user perspective, to not being forced to wait until NDSP does something along that lines, if ever

Each time I tried ChatGPT , the response was hilarious at best…

I just tried this prompt ‘Can you give me a detailed description of what blocks to use to create a guitar tone like John Petrucci on the Quad Cortex’ , and it responded : use Soldano amp :man_shrugging:

If I try today , it will say:

  1. Amplifier Block
  • Model: Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ or Mesa Mark IV
  • Gain: 7.0 - 8.0 (for saturated leads)
  • Bass: 5.0 (adjust based on your guitar)
  • Mid: 6.5 - 7.5 (enhances presence in the mix)
  • Treble: 7.0 - 8.0 (for clarity and bite)
  • Presence: 5.0 - 6.0 (to add brightness)
  • Channel Volume: Adjust to taste (ensure it’s loud enough without distortion from power amp).

I didn’t know that a Mesa Boogie IIC+ Model was in the Quad Cortex :upside_down_face: , of course I would use the JP2C model, but ChatGtp never mentioned it …

YMMV…

It definitely struggles. I’ve got a custom GPT I created in ChatGPT where I took the device models as well as valid values for the prompts. It works okay, but even though in the knowledge I’ve given it all of the information, it will still hallucinate sadly.

So much for getting to know and master your gear. Personally I don’t want AI anywhere near anything that involves creativity and associated skills. Creating music, photographs, movies, books. All that should be 100% off-limits for AI.

3 Likes

People really need to accept one simple thing though: AI does not exist.

All these things called AI are just algorythmic learning - essentially googling things really fast. If the information isn’t out there online already, it can’t tell you anything.

Nah googling very fast does not describe neural networks / LLMs at all. It learns what word is the most likely word to follow the word it just put out based on A LOT of knowledge / documents / websites that the devs fed into it to train the calculation of this likeliness.

2 Likes

Well yea, I’m being deliberately reductive, but essentially it’s only using information that already exists and could be found by anyone.

The Spark one (and Chat GPT) can only make a Hendrix preset because that information is out online.

2 Likes

I got better results when I signed in to Chat GPT. Before I signed the results were similar to yours.

1 Like

I was signed in too for the prompt I posted above (and do pay for the plus plan)

I just used your prompt but deleted “can you” and got this response:

To create a guitar tone reminiscent of John Petrucci on the Quad Cortex, you’ll need to consider both his lead and rhythm tones, which are characterized by tight low-end, smooth midrange, rich harmonics, and a singing sustain for leads. Petrucci is known for using high-gain amps, particularly Mesa Boogie amps, as well as delay, reverb, and modulation effects for ambience and smoothness.

Here’s a detailed block setup to help you craft a tone similar to John Petrucci:

1. Amp Block (Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ / JP-2C Style)

Petrucci’s core sound revolves around the Mesa Boogie Mark series amplifiers, particularly the Mark IIC+ or the JP-2C. These amps are known for their tight gain, percussive attack, and smooth lead tones.

  • Model: Look for an amp model on the Quad Cortex that simulates the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ or JP-2C.
  • Settings:
    • Gain: 5.5 - 7 (adjust for tightness and saturation)
    • Bass: 3 - 4 (keep bass under control to avoid muddiness)
    • Midrange: 5 - 6 (Petrucci’s tone has a strong mid-presence for clarity)
    • Treble: 6 - 7 (bright but not harsh)
    • Presence: 6 (adds top-end detail and clarity)
    • Master: 3 - 5 (set for appropriate volume and headroom)

2. Cab Block (4x12 Mesa Boogie V30)

The cabinet IR (Impulse Response) plays a big role in shaping the overall tone.

  • Model: Mesa Boogie 4x12 with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers, which are the speakers Petrucci prefers.
  • Mic Positioning: Use a combination of SM57 (dynamic) and a ribbon mic for capturing both midrange bite and warmth.
    • SM57 on-axis for clarity and aggression.
    • Ribbon mic for a fuller, more rounded tone.
    • Adjust mic distance to control the brightness and tightness.

3. Noise Gate (Pre-Amp)

Petrucci’s sound is tight, and a noise gate before the amp helps cut out any excess noise during high-gain passages.

  • Threshold: Set to where it suppresses the noise but doesn’t cut off sustain.
  • Decay: Moderate for a natural feel.

4. Overdrive Block (Pre-Amp Boost)

For tightness and added saturation, an overdrive block in front of the amp is essential. Petrucci uses a variety of overdrive pedals, but something like a Maxon OD808 or Ibanez Tube Screamer will work well.

  • Model: Tube Screamer (or similar)
  • Drive: 0 - 1 (use this more as a clean boost)
  • Tone: 6 - 7 (adds clarity and bite)
  • Level: 8 - 9 (pushing the amp harder for more saturation)

5. EQ Block (Post-Amp)

To fine-tune the tone further, an EQ block is useful for sculpting the sound.

  • Low Cut: 80 Hz (cuts out excessive bass rumble)
  • Mid Boost: Around 800 Hz – 1.2 kHz (for clarity and presence in the mix)
  • High Cut: 8 kHz (smoothens out any harshness in the upper frequencies)

6. Chorus Block (Post-Amp)

For Petrucci’s clean tones and some of his leads, a chorus adds lushness and depth.

  • Model: Any modern chorus (aim for subtle and smooth)
  • Rate: Slow, around 0.5 Hz
  • Depth: Moderate (around 40-50%)
  • Mix: 30% (keep it subtle for ambience without overwhelming the tone)

7. Delay Block (Post-Amp)

Petrucci’s lead tones often use a stereo delay to create a spacious feel. For his signature sound, you’ll want to use both a shorter delay for rhythm tightness and a longer delay for lead.

  • Model: Digital Delay
  • Time 1: 400ms (for leads)
  • Time 2: 250ms (for a more subtle rhythmic echo)
  • Feedback: 30-40% (enough to sustain but not wash out)
  • Mix: 20-25% for rhythm, 30-40% for leads (adds ambience but keeps the playing clear)

8. Reverb Block (Post-Amp)

To add depth and space, Petrucci uses a good amount of reverb. A plate or hall reverb works best for both leads and clean tones.

  • Model: Plate or Hall Reverb
  • Decay: 2.5 - 3 seconds (for a big but not overwhelming space)
  • Mix: 15-20% (for lead) and 10-15% (for rhythm)

9. Compressor Block (Pre-Amp, for Clean Tone)

For cleans, you may want to add a compressor to even out dynamics and sustain.

  • Threshold: Set to a moderate level where it evens out dynamics without killing natural attack.
  • Ratio: 4:1
  • Make-up Gain: Set to match the output volume of your lead tone.
  • Attack/Release: Fast attack, moderate release.

10. Stereo Widening (Optional)

For a more expansive, “studio-like” sound, you can add stereo widening, particularly for lead patches. You can achieve this with a subtle stereo delay, a stereo widening block, or stereo chorus.

General Tips:

  • Tuning & String Gauge: Petrucci often uses drop-D or 7-string guitars with heavier gauges. Make sure your guitar is set up appropriately for the tuning you’re playing in.
  • Adjust to Taste: Petrucci’s tone is highly dynamic and responsive, so you’ll need to fine-tune your settings based on your specific guitar and playing style.

By combining these blocks on the Quad Cortex, you should be able to capture the essence of John Petrucci’s iconic tone for both rhythm and lead playing.

4o

Yeah that’s essentially it. But it can also combine information it ‘found’ in a multitude of places. E.g. information 1 = Hendrix plays amp XY, Information 2 = The QC has a model of this very amp, Information 3 = Hendrix had the gain knob set to 3 on that amp, Information 4 = Hendrix used Wahl XY, etc.
Its not like it only presents you information (in this case presets) that could be found in its entirety in one single place in the Internet. So it can make research processes for something like that a lot easier (if it does not hallucinates caused by it missing information on some parts or confusing things).

The making up devices that don’t exist party sounds intriguing!

I strongly disagree my friend. AI can process visual information and understand spoken and written language. AI can analyze data from various sources to make predictions and recommendations. AI can learn from its mistakes to improve its accuracy. AI can use reasoning and logic to solve complex problems. Entirely different than a mere search engine.

Search engine = insect,
AI = human,
For now.

I did the same. I cut and pasted that request but changed to an acoustic guitar. Similar response obviously tailored for an acoustic. It recommended an IR which was impressive, but what was scary is that it remembered i had a Bose L1 Pro 8 from when i asked it a question months ago.

Just created a preset for one of my acoustics using this and im pretty blown away by the results. I’ve spent last couple of years trying to get a good tone for acoustic on the QC but this is better than anything I have come up with :grinning:

1 Like