A Tonedexter II Demo in Live Gig

[aschroeder]

I played a four hour gig over the weekend and thought I'd share a quick video showing the Tonedexter II in action in a loud bar "real life" setting. Listen with quality speakers or headphones to get a more accurate sound demo.

I installed a Schatten HFN passive pickup into this guitar only a few days before. I trained the Tonedexter the morning before the show. I plan to record more IRs with this guitar to experiment more, but this was literally a one and done training session. I have the best luck recording in the low position pointing off axis at the soundhole. I used a cheap Sterling Audio ST131 Small-Diaphragm Mic I got at Guitar Center for $40 on sale. I have the best results with the small diaphragm mics.

The video sound quality isn't great with a little distortion since it's just a quick iPhone video, but it gives you an idea. I also had the vocals a little hot so they drown out the guitar a bit, but it sounded great in person. My only regret is I didn't grab my Olson SJ (seen in the background) for this James Taylor song. The Olson also has a Schatten HFN pickup and sounds incredible through the Tonedexter.

And if you're wondering, I create the vocal harmonies using a TC-Helicon Play Acoustic pedal that I turn on and off with an external footswitch. I don't use any of the guitar settings on the Play Acoustic pedal and only use it for the vocal harmonies.

My PA is a Bose L1 Compact with a secondary powered speaker added on a stand.



Here is my pedalboard setup:

1. I use the Boss LS-2 as a preamp for 2 guitars so I can quickly switch between them and have the gain adjusted differently for each guitar
2. Turbo Tuner ST-300 Tuner
3. Tonedexter II
4. TC-Helicon Play Acoustic as an effects loop off the Tonedexter just for the vocal harmonies
5. Old Bespeco external footswitch to quickly turn the vocal harmonies on and off

[Petty1818]

Sounds good! However, if that's a loud gig then I am not sure what you would call the venues I play at lol. It is nice to hear the TD II in action but this is still pretty intimate in that it's a single guitar. For me, IR's stop working well in a busy setting with multiple instruments. I still say that the Aura is the only one I have tried that truly cuts through the mix.

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Sounds good! However, if that's a loud gig then I am not sure what you would call the venues I play at lol. It is nice to hear the TD II in action but this is still pretty intimate in that it's a single guitar. For me, IR's stop working well in a busy setting with multiple instruments. I still say that the Aura is the only one I have tried that truly cuts through the mix.

I definitely agree that a lot of what IR pedals add is lost in a crazy loud bar or large band. This was later in the night when the crowd had thinned out so it was still noisy, but not as rowdy as many venues I've played. Those gigs wouldn't even be worthy of recording.

What I end up doing is adjusting the wet/dry setting depending on the type of venue I'm playing. Really loud venues I go more "dry" so it is much more of the pickup. Intimate settings I go with a much wetter IR tone. But even with the setting at 25% IR 75% pickup it still makes it sound much more natural. Even in a rowdy bar. The Tonedexter is really a Swiss Army knife that can quickly be dialed in for a number of scenarios.

[Robin, Wales]

You have a great voice!

Personally, I think that you could perhaps have come down a bit on the overall volume at the venue, particularly as the crowd got thinner. Even in a loud bar, if you are there as background live music, then it is not a bad idea to keep the volume down. No point in "competing" with a crowd who are essentially there to talk to their friends.

The guitar sounds nice. Perhaps a little "immediate" with some boom on the bass.

I have played similar Friday night bars just using a mic'. That corner you were sitting in probably would have worked for me using a 58 for voice and 57 for guitar. If the back wall had been softer then a single lcd could have been OK but you would have lost the ability to use the vocal harmony peddle.

Here's my friend Nick Broster using a single mic' at a small Friday night bar gig. You can't get a more natural guitar sound and balance than this (Gibson L-00). The pa is a pair of Bose columns, one each side of the stage. iPhone recording.



The concept of the IR is to get that mic'd guitar timbre in a live setting. So, if the gig will allow, why not just try a mic' first? By keeping the overall volume down it is possible to draw the audience in.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by aschroeder

I played a four hour gig over the weekend and thought I'd share a quick video showing the Tonedexter II in action in a loud bar "real life" setting. Listen with quality speakers or headphones to get a more accurate sound demo.

I installed a Schatten HFN passive pickup into this guitar only a few days before. I trained the Tonedexter the morning before the show. I plan to record more IRs with this guitar to experiment more, but this was literally a one and done training session. I have the best luck recording in the low position pointing off axis at the soundhole. I used a cheap Sterling Audio ST131 Small-Diaphragm Mic I got at Guitar Center for $40 on sale. I have the best results with the small diaphragm mics.

The video sound quality isn't great with a little distortion since it's just a quick iPhone video, but it gives you an idea. I also had the vocals a little hot so they drown out the guitar a bit, but it sounded great in person. My only regret is I didn't grab my Olson SJ (seen in the background) for this James Taylor song. The Olson also has a Schatten HFN pickup and sounds incredible through the Tonedexter.

And if you're wondering, I create the vocal harmonies using a TC-Helicon Play Acoustic pedal that I turn on and off with an external footswitch. I don't use any of the guitar settings on the Play Acoustic pedal and only use it for the vocal harmonies.

My PA is a Bose L1 Compact with a secondary powered speaker added on a stand.



Here is my pedalboard setup:

1. I use the Boss LS-2 as a preamp for 2 guitars so I can quickly switch between them and have the gain adjusted differently for each guitar
2. Turbo Tuner ST-300 Tuner
3. Tonedexter II
4. TC-Helicon Play Acoustic as an effects loop off the Tonedexter just for the vocal harmonies
5. Old Bespeco external footswitch to quickly turn the vocal harmonies on and off

Nice vocal and guitar performance with wonderful guitar tone. Do you have any song videos when playing more aggressively with a flat pick?

[shufflebeat]

Good performance.

If you’re going for a totally natural sound (I don’t always) then the higher frequencies and initial transient of the note (and where they overlap) is a bit intrusive. Some EQ taming or fast acting compression (or both) could pull the guitar back behind the vocal while retaining it’s character and musicality.

You may find that doing that means you can ease off the bass a touch without losing punch.

[BDiamond]

Sounds great! Nice job keeping the song down-tempo. I enjoyed that performance.

You HAVE an Olsen SITTING RIGHT THERE and you played a JT song and didn't grab it? Lol.

Very nice and tasteful use of the harmonizer.

Are you using fingernails? Bare fingertips? Hard to tell.

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

You have a great voice!

The guitar sounds nice. Perhaps a little "immediate" with some boom on the bass.

The concept of the IR is to get that mic'd guitar timbre in a live setting. So, if the gig will allow, why not just try a mic' first? By keeping the overall volume down it is possible to draw the audience in.

First of all, thank you. Singer/songwriter music is sort of my sweet spot.

In a perfect world I would just mic my guitar. But I do play in some loud bar settings, and this venue was much busier earlier in the night. My goal with the Tonedexter is to have a rig that gets me close to a mic'd sound, but I'm able to use it in a variety of settings.

Do you have any song videos when playing more aggressively with a flat pick?

Unfortunately I'm not much of a flat pick guy. Even when strumming I use my nails. But here is another video from that night where I am strumming:

If you’re going for a totally natural sound (I don’t always) then the higher frequencies and initial transient of the note (and where they overlap) is a bit intrusive. Some EQ taming or fast acting compression (or both) could pull the guitar back behind the vocal while retaining it’s character and musicality.

I agree that the bass was a bit heavy. It is a new guitar and first time at this venue. So kind of went on the fly for this one. It may have needed a little cut on the low frequencies (or some compression).

You HAVE an Olsen SITTING RIGHT THERE and you played a JT song and didn't grab it? Lol.

Are you using fingernails? Bare fingertips? Hard to tell.

I didn't know I was being filmed or would have definitely grabbed my Olson I typically switch guitars between breaks in the set, and was using this one for the final hour.

I play with my fingernails. In the past I used bare flesh/nail for fingerstyle and a pick for strumming. Then I switched to Tiptonic removable nails for both fingerstyle and strumming. Earlier this year I decided to get my nails done at a salon (nail Dip) and they are so durable I can strum and fingerpick with my nails now. I'm not a huge fan of using a pick, so this has been a great solution for me.

[AeroUSA]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

You have a great voice!

Personally, I think that you could perhaps have come down a bit on the overall volume at the venue, particularly as the crowd got thinner. Even in a loud bar, if you are there as background live music, then it is not a bad idea to keep the volume down. No point in "competing" with a crowd who are essentially there to talk to their friends.

The guitar sounds nice. Perhaps a little "immediate" with some boom on the bass.

I have played similar Friday night bars just using a mic'. That corner you were sitting in probably would have worked for me using a 58 for voice and 57 for guitar. If the back wall had been softer then a single lcd could have been OK but you would have lost the ability to use the vocal harmony peddle.

Here's my friend Nick Broster using a single mic' at a small Friday night bar gig. You can't get a more natural guitar sound and balance than this (Gibson L-00). The pa is a pair of Bose columns, one each side of the stage. iPhone recording.



The concept of the IR is to get that mic'd guitar timbre in a live setting. So, if the gig will allow, why not just try a mic' first? By keeping the overall volume down it is possible to draw the audience in.

That is a sight for sore ears. I LOVE it! Definitely a great option for some performers.

[leew3]

Excellent work and the sound is quite natural and equally well done. As observed above, this was what I'd call an inattentive crowd, but not especially loud.

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by leew3

Excellent work and the sound is quite natural and equally well done. As observed above, this was what I'd call an inattentive crowd, but not especially loud.

I wish you could edit post titles because "loud" was a poor description. The bar was very loud earlier in the night. But during this video there was a lot of people talking, but definitely not a rowdy, loud bar.

[Greyhound]

You can edit titles, just click on advanced on the edit screen. By the way, loved the performance, vocal and guitar tone! I too, play in loud environments…but by the last set it calms down a bit.

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by Greyhound

You can edit titles, just click on advanced on the edit screen. By the way, loved the performance, vocal and guitar tone! I too, play in loud environments…but by the last set it calms down a bit.

Thanks for the tip! I've been a member of the AGF for almost 20 years and it never once occurred to me to click the "Go Advanced" button.

[Medford Guitar]

Originally Posted by aschroeder

First of all, thank you. Singer/songwriter music is sort of my sweet spot.

In a perfect world I would just mic my guitar. But I do play in some loud bar settings, and this venue was much busier earlier in the night. My goal with the Tonedexter is to have a rig that gets me close to a mic'd sound, but I'm able to use it in a variety of settings.



Unfortunately I'm not much of a flat pick guy. Even when strumming I use my nails. But here is another video from that night where I am strumming:





I agree that the bass was a bit heavy. It is a new guitar and first time at this venue. So kind of went on the fly for this one. It may have needed a little cut on the low frequencies (or some compression).



I didn't know I was being filmed or would have definitely grabbed my Olson I typically switch guitars between breaks in the set, and was using this one for the final hour.

I play with my fingernails. In the past I used bare flesh/nail for fingerstyle and a pick for strumming. Then I switched to Tiptonic removable nails for both fingerstyle and strumming. Earlier this year I decided to get my nails done at a salon (nail Dip) and they are so durable I can strum and fingerpick with my nails now. I'm not a huge fan of using a pick, so this has been a great solution for me.

I think both your videos are great. You're a really good singer and it shows. I agree with some other that the bass is probably a wee bit loud for the guitar. I didn't thing your vocals overpowered the guitar. The Tonedexter is definitely impressive. I too often play in nosy environments. I would love to simply use a very nice microphone for my guitar. However, I play accompaniment guitar for 3 female singers and I use a looper for some songs just to add a little solo over a few songs.

Anyway, I thought you nailed the JT song. pretty awesome. As well as showing how the Tonedexter shapes the guitar sound. Thanks!

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by Medford Guitar

I think both your videos are great. You're a really good singer and it shows. I agree with some other that the bass is probably a wee bit loud for the guitar. I didn't thing your vocals overpowered the guitar. The Tonedexter is definitely impressive. I too often play in nosy environments. I would love to simply use a very nice microphone for my guitar. However, I play accompaniment guitar for 3 female singers and I use a looper for some songs just to add a little solo over a few songs.

Anyway, I thought you nailed the JT song. pretty awesome. As well as showing how the Tonedexter shapes the guitar sound. Thanks!

Thank you! I'm a big JT fan and have seen him in concert close to 10 times over the years. I always mix in at least three of his songs in every set.

I've gone through countless different preamps and pedals over the years and can't say enough about the Tonedexter. It has so many ways to adjust the EQ for the pickup and IR that you can really dial in your sound. It really simplified my pedalboard since I don't need additional EQ pedals.

This is only my second gig using it, so still learning as I go. But even in a loud setting you can dial back the IR in the wet/dry blend setting to still work well. Even with a small amount of IR added it makes the tone much more natural. Plus the Schatten HFN pickup already sounds good without an IR, as it has much more natural midrange that a traditional piezo undersaddle.