Line 6 POD HD Thread

[RickyCigs]

I've googled and searched and haven't found a final answer yet, though I'm sure this question has been answered somewhere in this thread:

How is the tuner on this thing?

Yes it has. But that was about 180 pages ago....

It's fairly good. It bounces around a lot though.

It can tune the F# on my 8 string, but it doesn't register anything lower than B on my bass. Slightly frustrating when I tune it to Bb.

 

[OfArtAndArsenal]

K. That answered my question. Do not sell the turbotune.

 

[RickyCigs]

K. That answered my question. Do not sell the turbotune.

Haha no don't sell it. If you have a really good tune, the pod is no replacement. If you jut have a cheap tuner then it would be stupid to not use the pods tuner.

 

[OfArtAndArsenal]

Done and done. Just picked up a 500X. Took about an hour and a half at guitar center trading in some bass gear I don't need anymore. I am a happy guy right now.

And I still have my turbotune.

 

[Wings of Obsidian]

Idk what is going on...but I just can't seem to get a good tone out of my POD anymore. I spent all afternoon today (3 hours before work) trying to make my own tone that I am hearing in my head, but it just didn't work. Then I used one of RickyCigs's patches as a springboard and blueprint, and it still wasn't sounding as good as I thought it would.

Might try again tomorrow with a different guitar other than my Schecter Blackjack ATC C-8 with Painkillers. (See if I got a buddy somewhere that could let me borrow an axe to play with...)

What really got me is that the guy who is mixing and mastering my first project's first album told me that he didn't like the tones I was using from the POD. So I re-recorded, and he STILL didn't like them. So now he is having me track DI (which is why I had been asking about DI alot lately in our Facebook group).

I understand that things in studio are different. And getting a professional sound is different, and usually the producer or sound engineer dictates that (which is why all bands produced by Joey Sturgis have the exact same guitar tone for example), but I'm being led up to a road believing that I just can't get a good tone out of my POD HD500 anymore...

 

[meambobbo]

https://soundcloud.com/meambobbo/lost-not-forgotten-mix-test

latest petrucci patch. i'll have it up with all of them soon.

 

[RickyCigs]

Idk what is going on...but I just can't seem to get a good tone out of my POD anymore. I spent all afternoon today (3 hours before work) trying to make my own tone that I am hearing in my head, but it just didn't work. Then I used one of RickyCigs's patches as a springboard and blueprint, and it still wasn't sounding as good as I thought it would.

Might try again tomorrow with a different guitar other than my Schecter Blackjack ATC C-8 with Painkillers. (See if I got a buddy somewhere that could let me borrow an axe to play with...)

What really got me is that the guy who is mixing and mastering my first project's first album told me that he didn't like the tones I was using from the POD. So I re-recorded, and he STILL didn't like them. So now he is having me track DI (which is why I had been asking about DI alot lately in our Facebook group).

I understand that things in studio are different. And getting a professional sound is different, and usually the producer or sound engineer dictates that (which is why all bands produced by Joey Sturgis have the exact same guitar tone for example), but I'm being led up to a road believing that I just can't get a good tone out of my POD HD500 anymore...

It's not an issue with good tone. Good tones are easy. Great tones are hard. Amazing tones are impossible. And I'm pretty sure we all want amazing.

One thing to keep on mind is that any producer should keep the musicians vision in mind. If he is hearing a certain tone in his head, that should at the very least be an option.

 

[mnemonic]

Idk what is going on...but I just can't seem to get a good tone out of my POD anymore.

Is this a new thing and you were previously happy with it? What is your normal train of thought when putting together a patch?

I only ask because way back 100 years ago when I first started using a podXT, I would just pile on effects and EQ's trying to get a good tone, and wonder why it was shit.

It took a while before I figured out the best way to squeeze a good tone out of a pod (or any unit, really) is to go as simple as possible (noise gate, maybe a boost, amp, cab, no extra effects or eq's) and just fiddle with things, sweep knobs around to unusual configurations so I can really get a feel for how each knob reacts, how they interact with eachother, etc.

I'm not sure if the podhd is similar regarding the EQ, but with the podXT's EQ, more often than not, didn't react the same way a normal amp EQ would. Meaning that the treble knob didn't necessarily control the treble, higher bass setting didn't mean the tone was actually any bassier, etc. I don't think I've ever come across an amp in real life that needed the mids set to 100%, but on my podxt with some models, I needed to dime the mids and then some, and sometimes it would still sound scooped.

TL;DR, try unusual things and spend a long time getting to know how the EQ responds, and you'll be more successful in getting tones you like.

 

[GunpointMetal]

Idk what is going on...but I just can't seem to get a good tone out of my POD anymore. I spent all afternoon today (3 hours before work) trying to make my own tone that I am hearing in my head, but it just didn't work. Then I used one of RickyCigs's patches as a springboard and blueprint, and it still wasn't sounding as good as I thought it would.

Might try again tomorrow with a different guitar other than my Schecter Blackjack ATC C-8 with Painkillers. (See if I got a buddy somewhere that could let me borrow an axe to play with...)

What really got me is that the guy who is mixing and mastering my first project's first album told me that he didn't like the tones I was using from the POD. So I re-recorded, and he STILL didn't like them. So now he is having me track DI (which is why I had been asking about DI alot lately in our Facebook group).

I understand that things in studio are different. And getting a professional sound is different, and usually the producer or sound engineer dictates that (which is why all bands produced by Joey Sturgis have the exact same guitar tone for example), but I'm being led up to a road believing that I just can't get a good tone out of my POD HD500 anymore...

if he's simply mixing and mastering, you're the producer and its not up to him. I've worked with a few guys over the years who basically have a mix they are going for and you play through their tones/patches/channel presets cause they don't want to have to make adjustments to what they already consider a really good mix. If you were happy with the tones you recorded, his job is to make the recording sound even/balanced/audible through all instruments. I go through at least one day every month where everything I own sounds like shit and I wanna throw it out the window....think its a guitar player thing.

TL;DR
Don't let a guy you're paying tell you what you're supposed to sound like, and we all get discouraged with our tone/gear from time to time. Just keep playing!

 

[daedae]

Yes it has. But that was about 180 pages ago....

It's fairly good. It bounces around a lot though.

It can tune the F# on my 8 string, but it doesn't register anything lower than B on my bass. Slightly frustrating when I tune it to Bb.

I just ran into that problem last week trying to tune the new bass down to A... I got close enough by tuning to the 12th fret harmonic, but it had never really occurred to me before that that the tracking might only be so-so or non-existent at lower frequencies.

 

[bcolville]

Here's a song me and my friend did on my Pod HD Pro in Reaper with EZDrummer. We plan to add vocals.
Here's the link:
https://soundcloud.com/brendan-colville/drew-and-brendan-demo-1-no

Anyone think we should get female vocals?

Edit: Solo near the end. It's meant to have lyrics so don't feel bad skipping ahead.

 

[HoKrll]

Also fretting say the 7th fret on the 5th string, if you are tuning to A. That will give you your E. Just watch how much pressure you put on it, or it will sharp.
But ya harmonics are a good way to get that low string in tune as well

 

[RickyCigs]

heres a comparison of the q filter and screamer. can you tell which is which?

https://soundcloud.com/rickycigs/q-filter-vs-screamer

 

[Wings of Obsidian]

if he's simply mixing and mastering, you're the producer and its not up to him. I've worked with a few guys over the years who basically have a mix they are going for and you play through their tones/patches/channel presets cause they don't want to have to make adjustments to what they already consider a really good mix. If you were happy with the tones you recorded, his job is to make the recording sound even/balanced/audible through all instruments. I go through at least one day every month where everything I own sounds like shit and I wanna throw it out the window....think its a guitar player thing.

TL;DR
Don't let a guy you're paying tell you what you're supposed to sound like, and we all get discouraged with our tone/gear from time to time. Just keep playing!

To be honest, I think you have defined the situation exactly...

Thanks man! I feel better now!

 

[Wings of Obsidian]

Is this a new thing and you were previously happy with it? What is your normal train of thought when putting together a patch?

I only ask because way back 100 years ago when I first started using a podXT, I would just pile on effects and EQ's trying to get a good tone, and wonder why it was shit.

It took a while before I figured out the best way to squeeze a good tone out of a pod (or any unit, really) is to go as simple as possible (noise gate, maybe a boost, amp, cab, no extra effects or eq's) and just fiddle with things, sweep knobs around to unusual configurations so I can really get a feel for how each knob reacts, how they interact with eachother, etc.

I'm not sure if the podhd is similar regarding the EQ, but with the podXT's EQ, more often than not, didn't react the same way a normal amp EQ would. Meaning that the treble knob didn't necessarily control the treble, higher bass setting didn't mean the tone was actually any bassier, etc. I don't think I've ever come across an amp in real life that needed the mids set to 100%, but on my podxt with some models, I needed to dime the mids and then some, and sometimes it would still sound scooped.

TL;DR, try unusual things and spend a long time getting to know how the EQ responds, and you'll be more successful in getting tones you like.

I actually have been very content with my POD HD500 for the longest time now. Got it when it first came out. Sold my POD X3 on Ebay to buy the HD500.

It's just recently I've been rather bummed out. Compared it to a buddy's Axe-Fx, and the tone out of the POD just felt "ball-less" (yes, without balls) in comparison.

I usually go as simple as possible. RickyCigs on here taught me that after I've examined some of his patches.

I got some REALLY good patches.....but it's just not "ballsy" or "meaty" (or "realistic") enough for me as of lately.

 

[Wings of Obsidian]

I've been toying with my Schecter Blackjack ATX C-8.....

....must....get....INFANT ANNIHILATOR TONE MATCH!!!

 

[DigitalisDestructi]

I got the HD500 for some time now and it really blew me away, which is not hard to do considering I was coming from a crappy solid state practice amp, haha. Here are some stuffs I recorded with it.

soundcloud.com/user9260191/shading-horizon

soundcloud.com/user9260191/proxy-fusion

Line 6 released a Soldano update a while ago, but I'm having trouble getting the tone to cooperate with the picking attack. It just sounds "thuddy" when playing quick lead stuffs. Any suggestions?

 

[mnemonic]

It's just recently I've been rather bummed out. Compared it to a buddy's Axe-Fx, and the tone out of the POD just felt "ball-less" (yes, without balls) in comparison.

I know what you mean there, I've had many similar moments.

Its actually the main reason I'm afraid to try an axe-fx, I think the same thing will happen to me.

 

[Zalbu]

How does one get a 'smooth' lead tone, like Paul Waggoner? I've been getting something that's decently close, but it still has some of the unwanted grittiness to it.

http://youtu.be/19UZd_DKs2Q?t=6m27s

 

[Alice AKW]

How does one get a 'smooth' lead tone, like Paul Waggoner? I've been getting something that's decently close, but it still has some of the unwanted grittiness to it.

Between the Buried and Me - Selkies: The Endless Obsession *FULL SONG - YouTube

What I usually do is use my usual Pre EQ method (Graphic EQ) To cut a little of the 80hz range, leave the 200hz range at 12 o clock, boost the 400-ish range a fair bit, give a slight boost at 1.1khz, and cut out some at 2.1khz. If you want it even smoother, you may even cut instead of boost at 1.1khz