I want to use n-track on an iPad Pro to get the best sound possible out of my semihollow electric hybrid when playing live in my living room to a flat powered speaker or to take to an open mic and plug into the house PA. I’m discovering that either that’s not very easy to do - or - I might be a little obsessive and picky. Part of my problem is my guitar (Dean Colt) which is a thinline semi-hollow with a piezo bridge so there’s no body to speak of, it’s all piezo.
Currently I’m using an iRig Pro Duo as a dual interface (for a mic and guitar) with nTrack as my main hub and routing the guitar’s signal to a variety of inter-app programs such as Amplitube, Bias FX, Tonebridge or GarageBand. Electric tones are no problem whatsoever, tons of very nice options there, but trying to get convincing acoustic tones has been a bear. I’ve about exhausted my patience with Acoustic sim plugins and multiple parametric equalizers. There has to be a better way.
I’ve come across a new concept to me called an IR or Impulse Response. Is that something nTrack can utilize? Modeling in general is mysterious and even more mainstream tone-shaping methods like exciters, envelope or combing filters are voodoo to me. What method have you had success with?
THX!
So n-Track has a built in Convolution Reverb with some IR’s built into the presets. The effect itself is very easy to control and make changes per your taste. In general Convolution Reverbs on iOS consume more CPU than other reverbs, many will crash iPads depending on your model. Fortunately n-Track allows us to Freeze tracks that may have effects on them to save CPU. If you’re looking a clean guitar sound, I would suggest using only the bare minimum effects of any kind. My formula uses an app called Brusfri to remove noises, and then n-Track’s own Compressor/Gate effect with some EQ to taste for your particular Guitar. N-Track has a wonderful built in EQ with tweakable presets that you can save when you get something you like. Then maybe a little Reverb, IR or regular, to fine tune your sound. Good luck!
Thanks for that reply Dave - I had been experimenting with IR loaders such as Thafknar and Fiddlicator, using some IRs from 3Sigma Audio and a few free ones, before it dawned on me that n-Track’s own ConvolVerb plugging can load IRs too. That is such a game-changer from the old days of acoustic simulators and extensive parametric equalizing narrow bands. I know I’m on the right track. Now my main problem is managing my own expectations for perfection with this hybrid Dean Colt’s piezo bridge…it just ain’t never gonna sound like a real acoustic played live. But this has gotten me so much closer
Lately I’ve been attempting to use 2 IR loaders simultaneously and blend the good parts of each. Thuis has caused more than its share of crashes on my iPad but the hunt goes on for the best possible tone I can get using the least resources. The tools are there now I need to learn how to use them to their fullest.
