Hello all! Just got my Quad Cortex 6 days ago and am loving it so far. I’m not new to modeling but am new to the QC.
Can anyone offer tips on how to get the best quality capture that doesn’t sound like a wet fart? While I’ve found a handful of nice captures, a ton of them seem to sound thin, dull, and lifeless when I know the source gear/amp/rig should sound better (ex. I’ve only found 1 Roadster capture that was decent, but it lacked the “fire” that my rig has. I’ve tried every Roadster and Road King capture I found and hated all but 1). The process isn’t in question since I’ve watched numerous videos on how to capture, but rather how to make the most out of the process. How do I make what I hear in-room translate to the capture? Thanks in advance!
Amp rig for reference - Mesa Roadster, Mesa OS 4x12 w/V30’s, L6 Helix in 4CM, Torpedo Reload, CAB M+ for direct, E609 and SM57 mics. I can capture amp DI, mic’d rig, or rig w/speaker sim/IR.
I’m happy to provide any supporting details that might be pertinent, but I don’t want to make my first post too long… which I can easily do HAHA!!
Hi. A little clarity–are you looking for captures or trying to create a capture yourself? Have you tried creating your own yet? What results do you get?
Couple of things when looking for captures on Cortex Cloud:
There’s not a way to know if a capture on the cloud is good or not. Captures with high download counts may not sound good to you. There are many captures with no downloads or info which may be good. Just gotta try them out.
The typical process shown for creating a capture is by putting a mic in front of the cab and cranking up the head. In this way it’s the sound of the head, cab, and microphone baked into the capture.
A capture can also be created by using a line out from a head, or using a load box with a line out to get the amp signal without a cab or mic. In this case you would add a cab block or IR block to the grid in your QC to match. People who use a Two Notes Torpedo Captor for this kind of capture report good results.
So, if/when you download a capture, you should be able to tell from the sound whether it was created as amp + cab (+mic), or just the amp line out. Hopefully the person who put it up on the cloud has written a decent summary of amp settings, cab and mic placement, etc., but that’s never a guarantee.
Thank you so much for your reply!
Duly noted on all of your bullets! I’ve noticed the descriptions (or often lack thereof) and already learned not to go off download count and to check for amp DI vs full rig with captures, so I’m glad to know that I’m headed in the right direction!
To clarify my intent and offer more detail, I am about to undertake creating my own captures in hopes that I can get a more accurate digital representation of the rig I’ve loved for so many years. I tried every Roadster and Road King capture available on Cortex Cloud and was wholly disappointed with all but one. Even still, the decent capture was missing a lot of what I hear when I play my amp rig, so I don’t really consider it viable for my use. I just can’t believe that this is as good as it gets, so I’m hoping I can get something closer to what I’m used to hearing by doing it myself.
If the answer is something along the lines of “keep trying until you’re happy,” I can accept that. I have no qualms about asking others when something is foreign to me. I just want to maximize my efficiency.
I think my question comes in part from downloading 100+ captures and presets (of various amps/rigs that I’ve tried through the years) and only keeping 8 of them that were the “best” of the group. Knowing that I’m going to create my own captures, I wasn’t sure if there are EQ tricks or mic placement details that might differ from how I usually mic my cab or send the amp direct to front of house. I imagine a lot of people uploading captures do it once and think, “that’ll do. I guess that what it sounds like.” I don’t think I’m wired like that
Gotcha. Time to fire up the capture process and try it on your own. Obviously you can fine-tune amp settings and mic placement to your liking.
Keep in mind, too, that you’re not going to get 100% tone comparability. Just won’t happen, but you can get 90-95% if you’re patient enough. This is where the “tUbE-AmpS-aRE-beTtER” snobs love to complain. [Yeah BeerGut1972, we all know that, but we’re not interested in carrying a 55-lb. amp head to gigs anymore, and we need more flexibility, that’s why we’re going digital.]
Have a pen and paper handy and take notes while you’re doing it.
I have captured several overdrive pedals. If I find that the capture is about 95% to the original tone, I typically keep it.
Remember also, you won’t ever get the sound of your amp that you hear in your room. It will be a mic’d up sound like you get when you gig or record. Good luck and have fun!
Capturing your own rig will hopefully be the ‘magic’ you’re looking for. It definitely was the case for my band. BIG difference when you’re using all the elements of your usual signal path.
I think what you describe, and what we all tend to find, is that you can’t suit all rigs with just one solution. Many of the presets or captures that seem to work for their creators just don’t sound good on other setups.
Unfortunately, the capture process is a bit mysterious. There are general rules to go by, but occasionally you will get some aberrant and confusing results. Just keep trying till you get what you like.
My main advice for capturing is to approach it somewhat like recording- as far as mic choice and placement, but remember that you’re NOT recording, you’re training a gain response. Don’t be afraid to experiment. And DON’T rely on the auto-setting for you capture input. Set it manually to try to get a fairly high input level on the meters.
Try some full-rig captures too. Nothing quite like an all-in-one clone of your real-world rig, pedals/amp/cab and all
I’ve carved out a few hours this weekend to go to my rehearsal space and jump down the rabbit hole.
To address a couple of your comments…
I do not expect a perfect representation of my amp-rig, but having heard decent, dare I say GOOD, quality captures of other amps, I know that the Roadster can be better represented, even if it’s only for my own use. I added some Diezel, ENGL, and Friedman captures to my QC that fit the bill nicely, but I’d still like to have my rig.
I’m gonna use my few hours as efficiently as possible and try to take as many captures as possible and sift through them more objectively when my ears aren’t fatigued. Duly noted about input levels, mic type and position, and taking notes on progressive hardware changes throughout the process. That’s how my brain is wired anyway, so I think this is right up my alley!
Keep in mind that on the capture menu “In 1 Level” has no effect on the results-- it’s only the monitoring level when you compare the cap to your original signal. Adjusting it makes no difference in the capture process.
Focus on IN 2 Level and getting the strongest input signal you can. I always have to boost mine, anywhere between +2 and +6. If your capture fails from being too hot, back it down a little till it succeeds and that way you won’t have a barely audible capture like so many tend to be.
Also, don’t forget if you’re making full-rig caps with mics, you have to swipe down for the I/O menu and change the input type to ‘mic.’ (This also applies if you’re capturing anything via XLR cable, like a pedal or preamp, etc) and if it’s a condenser mic you’ll want to enable the Phantom Power.
I truly appreciate the additional details you’ve provided! I’m going in with a condenser, E609, and an SM57, as well as my Loadbox and CAB M+, so these extra details will surely help save what’s left of my sanity! Options are better than none, even if I end up taking the DI capture in the end.
You touched on something that aligns with my thoughts on the “bad” captures I’ve tried. That is, it seems like the posters might’ve been doing this either at low volume or without checking their input levels. I’m reading the capture descriptions thinking, “oh, this should be set to ‘kill mode’” and it’s just… not. I also find I’m boosting the capture outputs by 4-12+db just to get them level with everything else.
To your points, I’ll be sure to check all of my levels, ensure I’m using the correct input type (and power) for each setup change, and I’ll audition the settings between capture revisions.
