Peter_IK wrote:Just like with reverb, gain on amps can be reigned in a lot more than your ears tell you it should if you let them deceive you. It's kind of like the whole AC/DC sound where those amps are actually not "distorting" as much as "assaulting you with force" if you catch my drift.
This is wisdom! "Less is more" (usually!) with gain. A lot of classic guitar tracks have less gain than one might think (especially on multi-tracked rhythm parts).
Keep an eye on the meters on the Input/Output bar (at the bottom of the GUI). Remember that the manual recommends: "Set your audio device’s input gain so that AmpliTube’s INPUT LEVEL meter is starting to go into the red, then back off just a touch." If you have hotter pickups and/or the level on your interface cranked up, then you can easily make the input level too hot for what you want. Also, whacking a big, low power chord will produce more level than if you are playing wildly leads high up the neck. Thus, as the manual more-or-less suggests, I usually aim to peak in
yellow (around the final "L" in "INPUT LEVEL" under the meter, or not much higher). Likewise, keep an eye on the OUTPUT LEVEL, which can easily be driven into the
red.
In fact, if I use the stock "Classic Clean" preset for the JH Gold, even with my input level where I want it (just peaking in
yellow), the preset has the output gain set to +6.1 dB, and that puts me into the
red on the output meter. I have to dial it back at least a couple of dB. In contrast, the stock "S Clean" preset for the British Lead S100 has the output gain set to -1.4 dB. I can crank it up to about +2 dB before I run into trouble.
But, in any case, too much on either the input or output will mess with an effort to get a good a cleaner tone.
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