Hey Anthony totally understand. I've had my run with amp heads to the triaxis. Currently I have the Kemper and for what I do with home studio it does the job. Great videos..keep it up
Had the two notes, sold it for the Kemper. Two Notes is the kemper minus the amp sounds, just the load box and cabs, but same idea. So you still have all the problems of a real head, just using a Kemper type item with it. About as much sense as using a Kemper or axe fx with a tube power amp. There is a reason many of us went to racks in the 80’s forward. Tube amp limitations. Eventually, guitarists just need to stop and accept what they get is good enough and just play. Let your talent make up any loss you ‘think’ is there. If you can.
Cool stuff man. I find myself wanting to try the kemper a lot...but I'm entirely satisfied with my helix LT honestly. That said, it's something about a real amp, and I'm definitely going to keep looking for what the best one is for me.
Video on why you choose the Two Notes over the million other options out there? May be a cool idea. Your videos have skyrocketed man, love the intro and outro video and overall vibe.
If you are used to tweaking racked gears . Kemper is the best. You just need to know the gear. I am a collector of vintage amps and own a lot IMHO. I am 63 . I rather use a Kemper in live gig than to bring my vintage amps. I'm old haha. There is no comparison between a Kemper and Real vintage tube amps IMHO. It is a user preference. I am just the opposite. I use vintage amps in my studio and enjoy switching them around. I also like to tweak a tone . The search is never ending that is why I enjoy it. It will be boring if you always nail the tone haha. I sound different every time I gig. And if there is chance that I will gig live, I will use a Kemper with a real 4x12 cabinet not the FRFR. And yes I like vintage amps . I will not sell my Kemper though . I guess I will just add it to my collection . It is a keeper IMHO. Peace and rock on. Anyway Sir, I like your post . Thank you
Definitely, need to get a load box. A kemper seems like it would just be all too confusing to learn when I already barely get by with recording at home :P
I bought a boss Katana head as a practice amp, I know it's not a modeller, I use it for rehearsals round a friend's, the others use little cheap practice amps and v drums, we don't need any pa for vocals, the boss with it's little speaker is very good, and I have the foot controller so I have My three sounds clean crunch and lead, I don't use effects pedals It's brilliant For gigs I have a Marshall jvm 100h half stack, have recently used the Katana for a gig and wow what a great surprise I thought I'd do a couple of numbers and hate it And plugging back into my Marshall, it feels very good to play and it's not to difficult to make adjustments on the fly, hasn't quite got the note definition of the Marshall but it's still very good, I only use it on the 50w setting and it's plenty loud enough, Solid state has really come a long way, and it's very affordable too
I thought it was going another rant video about “the kemper not sounding 3D”, but I totally understand the reason why you sold it. You have nice amps and a Torpedo, you can change the amp settings on the fly so the Kemper was collecting dust.
You could run the Kemper to the power amp of a tube amp. That way you would have thousands of preamps and still get the amp in a room sound. But the Kemper will never sound as good as a real Friedman hahaha
Another studio use for the Kemper is profiling whatever amp you're using to record. It's nearly impossible to get mic placement exactly the same and dial up the tone exactly the same on any given amp. So what a lot of guys like me do when recording a band is I profile the amp which captures both the amp settings and the mic placement as well as the preamp. Should you later need to punch in to fix a track or do any correction work you have the sound at your finger tips without facing the impossible task of getting the exact same tone and mic placement etc. I know quite a few professional engineers who do this whenever they are tracking guitar. In your case it may not be as much of a problem since you technically aren't miking your amps but it still could be valuable so you don't have to remember your amp settings.
I have a fractal ax8, its great, but when i use my amps into a load box with the impulse responses they sound wonderful... Its my preference and sound so much alive, its your feeling too with the kemper and the amps? I feel the transients of the amplifier, its lead me to the ecstasy.
Im on the same page. I only play in my room, not gigging or playing in a band, so I don't need portability. I pondered selling my amps and getting a Kemper to record/jam with. Apparently its best I get a frfr cab to play live. Last thing I want to do is waste more money building a whole setup for the Kemper, thats counter-productive. I already enjoy my amps, which took me forever to discover. All I want to do is capture those tones when I record. At this point Im thinking Two Notes Reload is the best move.
I love valve amps and also use load box. There is no right or wrong. I like my Kemper, like how it feels to play through it, and also the creativity. What I think is coming now are amp-sims, such as Neural DSP and STL Tone hubs. They sound good, feels good to play through, you can mix and blend as you want (with different plugins). And the price, there will be a lot of guitar sound for the money. The next step, I think, will be analog pedals to use in front of digital amplifiers. For example, Marty Friedman's new Signature Beyond Tube Preamp. Today I would never buy a Kemper, too much money and it feels a bit outdated.
I literally just purchased my Kemper, it hasn't even reached my doorstep yet lol, and in the first hour of having it I will have saved several thousand dollars purchasing $12 and $30 profile packages on amps that would typically cost me $2k+. Not to mention what you've mentioned by having the ability to transport a whole warehouse of amps in one tiny amp head. The Kemper will be saving me money in shipping cost for when i go out of town and in buying profiles instead of the actual amps themselves. Not to say I wouldn't purchase the real deal amps but being in the early stages of a band means I need to find ways to experiment with amps before I settle on a rig that's permanent or experiment in a recording environment.
I can absolutely appreciate this. Having the Kemper gave me a very good feel for a few of the amps that I have since purchased, and i still miss all the beautiful clean tones and beautiful reverb models. I am sure you will very much enjoy your Kemper.
Being in a cover band, it helps to cover a lot of different tunes with a lot of different tones. That’s the ONLY reason I’m getting into modelers. Just saying 🎸🎸🎸
If u want variety..Kemper. If you’re a tech geek on how perhaps the Kemper doesn’t sound like the real deal..stick to your amp heads. If you just want to stic with amp heads, don’t bother buying a Kemper. Either way, both Kemper and amp heads sound fantastic. Kemper is by far the best modeler hands down. Takes pedals like real amp heads just as well and the sound is AMAZING!
Yes... But, you will have to spend tgebtimevto 'tweak' it properly. Of you do, you should be able to make build a library of 'snapshots' of your favorite Friedman settings that sound so close that you can interchange them without the human ear detecting the difference. The added benefit is that you can set up the Kemper to mount it on a stand within reach and make adjustments on the fly without turning your back to your audience... or, displaying a "plumber's crack" just someone is taking your picture! :-) lol.
I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing. I don’t have a lot of amps & no load box but it just doesn’t sound there with a kemper into a tube heads fx return & amplifying it properly is as expensive as a good amp.
Dig the Kempers and yes tons of amps at your fingertips however they are a computer amp. And yes you can profile any amp which is amazing if you mike it right. If you want a computer amp and want to spend hours and hours learning how to use it then go right ahead. Call me old fashioned or just old but nothing beats a killer tube amp and cab that you can dial in within minutes. I would rather spend my time playing than constantly dialing and searching and dialing and searching for different tones. That sh#t drives me nuts. They are a great tool for the pro studio's though. gonna go shred now. Peace !!
I hope this doesn't sound too critical... but, anyone who has owned and used a Kemper and refers to it as a "modeler" should sell it. IMO, the "Profiler" and a "Modeler" are two very different beasts; the two of which have very different... and equally useful... places in the world of sound... be it on stage or in the studio. However, one should not be referred to as the other.
@Jeff T Not exactly. It profiles the electronics of a 'specific' amplifier. If you, for instance, were to 'profile' a shitty sounding amp (and trust me, they exist), you would get an equally shitty sounding result from the Kemper. While, you can make some enhancement changes, it's doubtful that they would be enough. The Kemper doesn't so much closely emulate an amp's actual sound as much as it 'profiles' what the amp is doing electronically. That is why it is so accurate compared to what the human ear (with all it's faults) can 'dial in'. Hence, it provides you with a more accurate starting point to start tweaking from. Hence, a 'modeler' and a 'profiler' are different beasts. However, both are equally-valueable 'musical' tools. Hence, neither is better than the other... just different.
Hey Anthony totally understand. I've had my run with amp heads to the triaxis. Currently I have the Kemper and for what I do with home studio it does the job. Great videos..keep it up
Had the two notes, sold it for the Kemper. Two Notes is the kemper minus the amp sounds, just the load box and cabs, but same idea. So you still have all the problems of a real head, just using a Kemper type item with it. About as much sense as using a Kemper or axe fx with a tube power amp. There is a reason many of us went to racks in the 80’s forward. Tube amp limitations. Eventually, guitarists just need to stop and accept what they get is good enough and just play. Let your talent make up any loss you ‘think’ is there. If you can.
Cool stuff man. I find myself wanting to try the kemper a lot...but I'm entirely satisfied with my helix LT honestly. That said, it's something about a real amp, and I'm definitely going to keep looking for what the best one is for me.
Video on why you choose the Two Notes over the million other options out there? May be a cool idea. Your videos have skyrocketed man, love the intro and outro video and overall vibe.
I don't understand dislikes here.
Looks like having different opinion is a sin these days.
If you are used to tweaking racked gears . Kemper is the best. You just need to know the gear. I am a collector of vintage amps and own a lot IMHO. I am 63 . I rather use a Kemper in live gig than to bring my vintage amps. I'm old haha. There is no comparison between a Kemper and Real vintage tube amps IMHO. It is a user preference. I am just the opposite. I use vintage amps in my studio and enjoy switching them around. I also like to tweak a tone . The search is never ending that is why I enjoy it. It will be boring if you always nail the tone haha. I sound different every time I gig. And if there is chance that I will gig live, I will use a Kemper with a real 4x12 cabinet not the FRFR. And yes I like vintage amps . I will not sell my Kemper though . I guess I will just add it to my collection . It is a keeper IMHO. Peace and rock on. Anyway Sir, I like your post . Thank you
Definitely, need to get a load box. A kemper seems like it would just be all too confusing to learn when I already barely get by with recording at home :P
I bought a boss Katana head as a practice amp, I know it's not a modeller, I use it for rehearsals round a friend's, the others use little cheap practice amps and v drums, we don't need any pa for vocals, the boss with it's little speaker is very good, and I have the foot controller so I have My three sounds clean crunch and lead, I don't use effects pedals
It's brilliant
For gigs I have a Marshall jvm 100h half stack, have recently used the Katana for a gig and wow what a great surprise I thought I'd do a couple of numbers and hate it
And plugging back into my Marshall, it feels very good to play and it's not to difficult to make adjustments on the fly, hasn't quite got the note definition of the Marshall but it's still very good, I only use it on the 50w setting and it's plenty loud enough, Solid state has really come a long way, and it's very affordable too
I thought it was going another rant video about “the kemper not sounding 3D”, but I totally understand the reason why you sold it.
You have nice amps and a Torpedo, you can change the amp settings on the fly so the Kemper was collecting dust.
You could run the Kemper to the power amp of a tube amp. That way you would have thousands of preamps and still get the amp in a room sound. But the Kemper will never sound as good as a real Friedman hahaha
Another studio use for the Kemper is profiling whatever amp you're using to record. It's nearly impossible to get mic placement exactly the same and dial up the tone exactly the same on any given amp. So what a lot of guys like me do when recording a band is I profile the amp which captures both the amp settings and the mic placement as well as the preamp. Should you later need to punch in to fix a track or do any correction work you have the sound at your finger tips without facing the impossible task of getting the exact same tone and mic placement etc. I know quite a few professional engineers who do this whenever they are tracking guitar.
In your case it may not be as much of a problem since you technically aren't miking your amps but it still could be valuable so you don't have to remember your amp settings.
I have a fractal ax8, its great, but when i use my amps into a load box with the impulse responses they sound wonderful... Its my preference and sound so much alive, its your feeling too with the kemper and the amps?
I feel the transients of the amplifier, its lead me to the ecstasy.
I use an iRig 2 with Bias FX and TH-U on my iPad.
Im on the same page. I only play in my room, not gigging or playing in a band, so I don't need portability. I pondered selling my amps and getting a Kemper to record/jam with. Apparently its best I get a frfr cab to play live. Last thing I want to do is waste more money building a whole setup for the Kemper, thats counter-productive.
I already enjoy my amps, which took me forever to discover. All I want to do is capture those tones when I record. At this point Im thinking Two Notes Reload is the best move.
I love valve amps and also use load box. There is no right or wrong. I like my Kemper, like how it feels to play through it, and also the creativity.
What I think is coming now are amp-sims, such as Neural DSP and STL Tone hubs. They sound good, feels good to play through, you can mix and blend as you want (with different plugins). And the price, there will be a lot of guitar sound for the money.
The next step, I think, will be analog pedals to use in front of digital amplifiers. For example, Marty Friedman's new Signature Beyond Tube Preamp.
Today I would never buy a Kemper, too much money and it feels a bit outdated.
I literally just purchased my Kemper, it hasn't even reached my doorstep yet lol, and in the first hour of having it I will have saved several thousand dollars purchasing $12 and $30 profile packages on amps that would typically cost me $2k+. Not to mention what you've mentioned by having the ability to transport a whole warehouse of amps in one tiny amp head. The Kemper will be saving me money in shipping cost for when i go out of town and in buying profiles instead of the actual amps themselves. Not to say I wouldn't purchase the real deal amps but being in the early stages of a band means I need to find ways to experiment with amps before I settle on a rig that's permanent or experiment in a recording environment.
I can absolutely appreciate this. Having the Kemper gave me a very good feel for a few of the amps that I have since purchased, and i still miss all the beautiful clean tones and beautiful reverb models. I am sure you will very much enjoy your Kemper.
@@itsanthonybest really dig the channel man thanks for reading!!
@@the_gr33n_gobl1n I have pre-ordered one of the new Neural DSP units, so i will be dipping the toe back in modeling again later this year.
Being in a cover band, it helps to cover a lot of different tunes with a lot of different tones. That’s the ONLY reason I’m getting into modelers. Just saying 🎸🎸🎸
Curious, who built the 2 Tele style guitars in the background?
Hugo Mermet of Mermet Guitars
If u want variety..Kemper. If you’re a tech geek on how perhaps the Kemper doesn’t sound like the real deal..stick to your amp heads. If you just want to stic with amp heads, don’t bother buying a Kemper. Either way, both Kemper and amp heads sound fantastic. Kemper is by far the best modeler hands down. Takes pedals like real amp heads just as well and the sound is AMAZING!
I’m thinking about getting a Kemper so I can keep my Friedman home and safe. Will it sound the same ?
Dallas Sheppard the same... no nothing will ever be exactly the same. However it will be close.
Yes... But, you will have to spend tgebtimevto 'tweak' it properly. Of you do, you should be able to make build a library of 'snapshots' of your favorite Friedman settings that sound so close that you can interchange them without the human ear detecting the difference. The added benefit is that you can set up the Kemper to mount it on a stand within reach and make adjustments on the fly without turning your back to your audience... or, displaying a "plumber's crack" just someone is taking your picture! :-) lol.
Sorry for the above typos... sometimes my chemo meds get the 'best of me'...
What load box are you using?
Suhr Reactive Load. The standard version, not the IR version.
You could make profiles and sell them..
I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing. I don’t have a lot of amps & no load box but it just doesn’t sound there with a kemper into a tube heads fx return & amplifying it properly is as expensive as a good amp.
Dig the Kempers and yes tons of amps at your fingertips however they are a computer amp. And yes you can profile any amp which is amazing if you mike it right. If you want a computer amp and want to spend hours and hours learning how to use it then go right ahead. Call me old fashioned or just old but nothing beats a killer tube amp and cab that you can dial in within minutes. I would rather spend my time playing than constantly dialing and searching and dialing and searching for different tones. That sh#t drives me nuts. They are a great tool for the pro studio's though. gonna go shred now. Peace !!
I hope this doesn't sound too critical... but, anyone who has owned and used a Kemper and refers to it as a "modeler" should sell it. IMO, the "Profiler" and a "Modeler" are two very different beasts; the two of which have very different... and equally useful... places in the world of sound... be it on stage or in the studio. However, one should not be referred to as the other.
@Jeff T Not exactly. It profiles the electronics of a 'specific' amplifier. If you, for instance, were to 'profile' a shitty sounding amp (and trust me, they exist), you would get an equally shitty sounding result from the Kemper. While, you can make some enhancement changes, it's doubtful that they would be enough. The Kemper doesn't so much closely emulate an amp's actual sound as much as it 'profiles' what the amp is doing electronically. That is why it is so accurate compared to what the human ear (with all it's faults) can 'dial in'. Hence, it provides you with a more accurate starting point to start tweaking from.
Hence, a 'modeler' and a 'profiler' are different beasts. However, both are equally-valueable 'musical' tools. Hence, neither is better than the other... just different.
kemper is only as good as the profile, most of which are not very good. I hate the thought of using someone else's spotty work for my tones.