The Kemper thread

Jonathanthomas83

grappagreen said:

This may be a little controversial but for this struggling to wade through profiles let me make a suggestion (don't shoot me!).

The 'problem' with the Kemper is the fact that folks consider it a profiler and not a digital sound processor. Hear me out..  

I eventually moved on my KPA Toaster as I was loosing my life to 'profile hunting'. The problem was I was reticent to play with gain, amp EQ etc. as I didn't want to 'ruin' the profile. But that meant me wading endlessly looking for 'the' profile(s).

When I got my stage I took a different approach and am happy.

I implore you all to try something. Grab the infamous Morgan AC20 profile from Rig Exchange and set all of the volumes to 0db (it's not and that's one of the reasons it stands out!). Now take the gain and amp EQ knobs and tweak to get a clean, breakup, crunch, heavy and lead tones. They are all in there and can sound fab just out of one profile.

I have played a whole covers set just using these..

I think it helps break out of the 'if the profile isn't perfect it's not for me syndrome' which I found a nightmare.

You may disagree of course!

Si

Just tried this and I'm embarrassed to say that I really should have tried this sooner. It really does tick many boxes and probably takes a lot of the weight out of finding very specific profiles, doesn't it. Superb post, @grappagreen!

grappagreen

For those that want to dig a bit deeper after the AC20 experiment..

Take note of some of the amp parameters in the AC20 profile;

• Amp Definition
• Amp Compression

Create presets for the studio/graphic EQ stomps that are in the AC20 profile so that these are available when you insert these effects into another profile.

Take another profile that sounds, well, OK'ish and insert the stomps (get rid of any existing for this experiment). Mess with the definition/compression..

You may now like that profile a bit more than you did when you first loaded it. Now tweak to get some different tones..

It may also sound rubbish but that's fine too! I give no guarantees..

And one more point that's been stated a million(ish) times over the years. If you crank the Kemper loud you will have to change the EQ as the top/bottom end will be very different at volume due to the way your ears work. I generally have two profiles for each sound - one for home levels and one for gigs..

The other thing about taking the 'one profile and tweaking' approach is that you get a bit more consistency in your sound (if you're playing live). Using lots of different profiles that jump around sonically isn't always a good thing.

Have fun.

Si

PC_Dave

grappagreen said:

For those that want to dig a bit deeper after the AC20 experiment..

Take note of some of the amp parameters in the AC20 profile;

• Amp Definition
• Amp Compression

Create presets for the studio/graphic EQ stomps that are in the AC20 profile so that these are available when you insert these effects into another profile.

Take another profile that sounds, well, OK'ish and insert the stomps (get rid of any existing for this experiment). Mess with the definition/compression..

You may now like that profile a bit more than you did when you first loaded it. Now tweak to get some different tones..

It may also sound rubbish but that's fine too! I give no guarantees..

And one more point that's been stated a million(ish) times over the years. If you crank the Kemper loud you will have to change the EQ as the top/bottom end will be very different at volume due to the way your ears work. I generally have two profiles for each sound - one for home levels and one for gigs..

The other thing about taking the 'one profile and tweaking' approach is that you get a bit more consistency in your sound (if you're playing live). Using lots of different profiles that jump around sonically isn't always a good thing.

Have fun.

Si

Brilliant, thank you for the tips - I have a Kabinet on the way so i'll wait until that arrives before trying too much so I don't have to duplicate everything

grappagreen

PC_Dave said:

grappagreen said:

For those that want to dig a bit deeper after the AC20 experiment..

Take note of some of the amp parameters in the AC20 profile;

• Amp Definition
• Amp Compression

Create presets for the studio/graphic EQ stomps that are in the AC20 profile so that these are available when you insert these effects into another profile.

Take another profile that sounds, well, OK'ish and insert the stomps (get rid of any existing for this experiment). Mess with the definition/compression..

You may now like that profile a bit more than you did when you first loaded it. Now tweak to get some different tones..

It may also sound rubbish but that's fine too! I give no guarantees..

And one more point that's been stated a million(ish) times over the years. If you crank the Kemper loud you will have to change the EQ as the top/bottom end will be very different at volume due to the way your ears work. I generally have two profiles for each sound - one for home levels and one for gigs..

The other thing about taking the 'one profile and tweaking' approach is that you get a bit more consistency in your sound (if you're playing live). Using lots of different profiles that jump around sonically isn't always a good thing.

Have fun.

Si

Brilliant, thank you for the tips - I have a Kabinet on the way so i'll wait until that arrives before trying too much so I don't have to duplicate everything

Good stuff Dave. I've ordered a powered Kemper Kabinet as well and am looking forward to having a go..

Dan_Halen

I find that quite interesting. I had literally the opposite experience with my Kemper stage after using a Helix.

Gone was the pick an amp model and then spending hours trying to get it to sound like I thought that amp should… often despite never having used the amp it was modelling.

If I wanted a Plexi, search the rig exchange for Plexi and then double click on a bunch until I found the sound in my head. Then it was just a case of tweak to taste or add the right pedals to the foot switches. So much quicker and easier. 

I’m using at at the moment with a set of Genelecs in the spare room rather than gig volume but couldn’t be happier.

I also find mid gain tones sound fabulous. The Helix seemed great for low and high gain but never got an e.g. tweed or vox sound I was happy with. 

Dan_Halen

Should add - no pissing about with IRs, comps after the cab, high/low cuts etc anymore like I always did with Helix. Unless I want to obviously.

Just a case of pick a sound, try a few then inevitably I find a profile that’s 90% there already.

Jonathanthomas83

Dan_Halen said:

I find that quite interesting. I had literally the opposite experience with my Kemper stage after using a Helix.

Gone was the pick an amp model and then spending hours trying to get it to sound like I thought that amp should… often despite never having used the amp it was modelling.

If I wanted a Plexi, search the rig exchange for Plexi and then double click on a bunch until I found the sound in my head. Then it was just a case of tweak to taste or add the right pedals to the foot switches. So much quicker and easier. 

I’m using at at the moment with a set of Genelecs in the spare room rather than gig volume but couldn’t be happier.

I also find mid gain tones sound fabulous. The Helix seemed great for low and high gain but never got an e.g. tweed or vox sound I was happy with. 

That's always been my approach, too. But finding that sound in my head always leads to finding something and then settling, for a time, then wanting to try more things. Not a bad thing, but can be draining...it's OCD, no doubt, in my case.

That said, I loved the approach of just getting a profile and being able to treat it like a real amp, one that plays nicely and doesn't fuck up your volumes as you tweak gain and EQ. So that experiment yesterday really ticked a shed load of boxes for me. Being a Morgan AC20, it had that Vox sound...so there's nothing to stop anyone trying the very same thing with a Plexi profile or a Tweed style profile :-)

Out of curiosity, as you mentioned them, what Tweed and Vox style profiles did you end up settling with? :-)

sweepy

I ended up physically deleting every single profile from my Kemper and only installed the ones I liked/wanted, quite liberating tbh 

Dan_Halen

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Dan_Halen said: 

That's always been my approach, too. But finding that sound in my head always leads to finding something and then settling, for a time, then wanting to try more things. Not a bad thing, but can be draining...it's OCD, no doubt, in my case.

That said, I loved the approach of just getting a profile and being able to treat it like a real amp, one that plays nicely and doesn't fuck up your volumes as you tweak gain and EQ. So that experiment yesterday really ticked a shed load of boxes for me. Being a Morgan AC20, it had that Vox sound...so there's nothing to stop anyone trying the very same thing with a Plexi profile or a Tweed style profile :-)

Out of curiosity, as you mentioned them, what Tweed and Vox style profiles did you end up settling with? :-)

I did similar to Sweepy where I removed all the profiles from the device then just added a bunch I like. Probably up to about 80/90 now on the device itself but I've favorited maybe a dozen that I really like that cover most sounds I'd ever use. That way, if I just want to use it to practice/jam to backing tracks I just pick a favorite. If I'm feeling more adventurous I've got a load of others saved that I know work for me. Then if I feel like exploring I can just scroll through the rig exchange and try other stuff. I find just meandering through profiles for an hour or so, discovering new stuff, quite fun in itself.

Voxy/Tweedy ones I've got saved and use quite a bit are (think they're all stock/free) -

2011 More Gain AC20
Tele Morgan AC20
57 Tweed Band FI 4
ACE 30 KOT OD Dist
Match Avenge G2
BM CC D’lux crunch 2
TAF - FAN Tweed CRK2
TAF - Match HC30 Clean
5E3 Deluxe B1
Gondwana Fan2
GRS FSR 21

There's every chance people who own/use the real thing might think differently but ultimately they work for me. Not done much to the above apart from usually bring the level of some of the quieter ones up a bit, adjust the gain a touch for the guitar in hand, maybe change the reverb/delay/overdrive to what I'd use and that's about it. A lot of the low>mid gain stuff I find is very quiet and you need to hike the volume a bit for it to open up and show it's character.

I'm really not a Kemper expert BTW - I've barely touched scenes, not purchased any profiles, never profiled an amp myself. I just find it sounds great and the format is perfect for me.

crunchman

I did cut down on the number I had on the device.  I had quite a large number and didn't use a lot of them.  It seems to boot a bit quicker with less profiles on it.  I think I have round 60 at the moment including a few bass amps that I use for recording.  I'm thinking of going through and culling a few more.

firepaulmusic

Is the AC20 profile free on Rig Exchange or is it part of a commercially available pack?

PC_Dave

firepaulmusic said:

Is the AC20 profile free on Rig Exchange or is it part of a commercially available pack?

It's a free one

Jonathanthomas83

firepaulmusic said:

Is the AC20 profile free on Rig Exchange or is it part of a commercially available pack?

Search for Rmpacheco

grappagreen

firepaulmusic said:

Is the AC20 profile free on Rig Exchange or is it part of a commercially available pack?

Just sort Rig Exchange by most votes and it will be at the top..

firepaulmusic

To all of you who recommended the AC20 profile...thank you! One profile covering a whole gigs worth of sounds by varying gain levels, great stuff, looking forward to trying them out this weekend...

PC_Dave

Well, my Kabinet has arrived (just in time for them to announce a new Neo version....) and I picked up a power amp last night, so all being well tomorrow I can start getting some profiles sorted for rehearsal on Sunday.

Dan_Halen

PC_Dave said:

Well, my Kabinet has arrived (just in time for them to announce a new Neo version....) and I picked up a power amp last night, so all being well tomorrow I can start getting some profiles sorted for rehearsal on Sunday.

Let us know how you get on. I remember from using modellers with a FRFR speaker that it was a pain getting the EQ right with a band. Patches disappeared in the mix and all that. Definitely interested in whether a designed for purpose ‘make loud’ solution such as the Kabinet works.

PC_Dave

Update from the rehearsal - initially I was pretty stressed, as at home I just couldn't find any sounds I liked, both using studio monitors and headphones. By the time I found something semi ok, i'd try something different, then go back to the previous one and it all just sounded pretty 'meh'. Got to the rehearsal, set up the poweramp and Kabinet, plugged in the Stage, turned it on and selected the first profile, played a chord and I was blown away. I took two core sounds with me - a Deluxe Reverb and one of Burt whatshisnames Bogner EC profiles, and they were really really good. The other guitarist uses a Helix and 2x12 Powercab, and my set up sounded better to my ears.

The one thing I did struggle with was a volume boost for solos - I tried a boost pedal in the Kemper, but it wasn't really loud enough, and just seemed to push the amp more. What's the best way to get a boost? Is it a separate block in performance mode with the volume increased? Or should I use a physical boost pedal in the loop?

Lots more to come, i'm sure.

Musicwolf

PC_Dave said:

What's the best way to get a boost? Is it a separate block in performance mode with the volume increased?

That's the way that I would do it.

I prefer an expression pedal to a footswitch (much easier to hit if I'm also on the mic).  With my Helix this brings in a second amp path but, when I gigged my Kemper, I used the expression pedal as a 'morph' so that I could not only boost the vol but also change effects settings.  This can sound a bit strange in isolation but within the context of a mix it was fine (and certainly better than me hitting the wrong footswitch going into a solo).

Dan_Halen

Boost pedal or maybe an EQ block post amp? Depends if you want purely volume boost or to hit the pre-amp harder I guess.

Glad it sounds good!