You're Dialling In Clean Tones Wrong

Even our "heavier" plugins are great for clean tones. However, reducing the gain on the amplifier often leads to a fluttery-sounding distortion that doesn't achieve the desired tone. Instead, try reducing the input gain on the plugin and then compensating for the level dip by using the Master volume or the output level on the plugin.

Like with tube amplifiers, as you saturate the power amplifier with master volume, the EQ pots have less of an impact on the overall tone.

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Connect with Neural DSP

Connect with Steven

[JimSalvito]

Great point on lowering the Input. It would be a nice feature addition to have a link button that increases Output to match the Input changes so the overall level out is the same. Many other plugins have this.

[adrianamorphous]

That feel when I'm just now realizing that I've never tried to record a clean tone in my life after 12 years of playing guitar

[devingrubbs]

Took me way too long to realize this! This helped me get good clean boosted sound with Plini for funk rhythm and indie rock tones. I’d def love to see more videos like this. Thanks Steven!

[mrnjauX]

For all of you who don't like Abasi while still owning it, try dialing back the input a veery tiny bit. I did that once to try scoop of some of the aggressivnes and lows and it worked. For me at least...

[eanegrin]

This is great, some of us never had a real amp with more than 4-5 knobs so we don't know how to use all this options very well, thank you!

[AcAce]

Thanks for the tip. Just purchased the Omega and godt really frustrated that I couldn't get a proper clean sound.
Really happy with this sim. Soooo brutal, glassy and full sounding. Beats any other sim Ive tried.

[gabriel_facedown]

Im super new to guitar playing and recording, and having a couple Neural DSP plug in's, this was very eye opening

[ashamael]

great tip!!! Just opened the door for so many more tonal options that I never thought of!!

[sampojuuti]

Dayum. I always thought input knob should be thought in a similar way than input gain in audio interface.

[wmxx]

Hm.. this might be helpful for all my tones.

[adilO.o]

Very nice content !! It's a little bit like the volume control on the guitar. I spent years leaving it always at the 10 position until I discovered one day, that one of the best clean I could get out of my amp was actually by rolling off a bit my guitar volume.
In an ideal world for the Neural DSP plugins, I would have preferred that a kind of algorithm manages this adjustment for me 😄. Today we have the volume of our guitar, the input level of our audio interface, the input level of the plugin and the Gain 🤪 🤯 !! It's a lot !! Finding the sweet spot can be time consuming and we could be lost tweaking. I would love that if I bring the gain down on the amp in the Plugin, an algorithm or something would automatically compensate the input level to keep me in the sweet spot. I know the sweet spot is different depending on the people but still Less is more ☺️ isn't this, after all, the philosophy of Neural DSP regarding guitar plugins ? 😜

[umbra_ydn]

What is the part you start playing around 2:05? It's lovely and I'd love to learn how to play it.

[mattarena]

thx man !! i just tried it on Omega. game changer for sure , just a slight drop in the input helps so much !

[aries_]

Great tips, I didn't realize that.

[codesam]

Man, I should've known this! Thanks man...

[agustiniancaggiano]

This is the most helpful video of the week. Thanks

[peterepiscopo]

Great video! I've been getting it wrong all along

[TheSoundHog]

This is great to know! Thanks Steven :)

[MaPa]

Really great tips, thanks! On the plugin wishlist: an emulation of a b-bender / g-bender - maybe in a Brad Paisley archetype, with some great DR Z tones? (throwing money at screen..)

[DavidCoffinshirtguy]

O yeah! More, more, more of this level of detail and insight; was very useful and interesting. Thanks!