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game changer!/? FREE amp sim plugin - Neural Amp Modeler

very nice!
nam.jpg
 
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So they're riding the coattails of NeuralDSP? Wonder how long before they get a cease-and-desist?
I don't think so. First, it would have been already done, because NAM exists for a little while now, even if it only recently became super hype. Second, I think the global concept is the same but it's too generic to be patent protected, and the detailed implementation is quite different. I'm not an expert though, but it's what I understood from various readings.

I think what they lack right now is a pedal capable of playing NAM models live. I guess it will happen eventually, but it's not as easy as it seems.
 
I don't think so. First, it would have been already done, because NAM exists for a little while now, even if it only recently became super hype. Second, I think the global concept is the same but it's too generic to be patent protected, and the detailed implementation is quite different. I'm not an expert though, but it's what I understood from various readings.

I think what they lack right now is a pedal capable of playing NAM models live. I guess it will happen eventually, but it's not as easy as it seems.


hardware development never is.

BUT keep an eye out for the up-and-comers like NU>X, Mooer, Donner, etc.

they are coming out with hardware at a fraction of the big players and the tech is getting better.

i bet we see a huge shake up with new modeling/capture product in the next year.
 
It's crazy the a freeware is now able to be the most acurate profiler. I have huge respect for the people that created it.

Even tho it will have a huge influence on the market, imo it can't be a "game changer" for us actual bass players.
1. only usable for bedroom players or the few players that are ok with using a laptop on stage (for now)
2. with profiling, you depend on other users to get you the "profiles" you need. And as bassists, a smaller community, this is a big downside. Even tonex, the big hype product, doesn't have half the profiles I'd need to use it for bass. + with the limitation from number 1. the userbase will remain small and i seriously doubt it will ever have enough profiles to appeal to a wide number of players.
 
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It's crazy the a freeware is now able to be the most acurate profiler. I have huge respect for the people that created it.

Even tho it will have a huge influence on the market, imo it can't be a "game changer" for us actual bass players.
1. only usable for bedroom players or the few players that are ok with using a laptop on stage (for now)
2. with profiling, you depend on other users to get you the "profiles" you need. And as bassists, a smaller community, this is a big downside. Even tonex, the big hype product, doesn't have half the profiles I'd need to use it for bass. + with the limitation from number 1. the userbase will remain small and i seriously doubt it will ever have enough profiles to appeal to a wide number of players.
Yes but it's only the beguining

You can already start using it for recording with a DAW, and then one day, when there will be a compatible pedal, use it on stage

The library is growing slowly but I'm sure that you will eventually get a reasonable choice
 
I avoided NAM since I wasn't impressed with ToneX MAX. I own ToneX MAX and A5 MAX (and STL ToneHub)

I decided to give it a try yesterday

Free, so wth

I installed and loaded it in Studio One Pro 6.1 in minutes

I posted a question in the NAM Facebook group asking about bass profiles

Almost immediately I got replies with links to bass models on tonehunt.org

I had low expectations

But in just a few hours I had 7 excellent models that paired beautifully with my Celestion Bergantino IR collection. The FREE Shiftline IR pack works well too

Some are captured with cabs, so no IRs needed.

Some are great preamps, like the Avalon 737.

With some level adjustment, I was stunned with what I was hearing

Within another hour, I had 20 impressive clean bass models from a variety of amps

Not to mention the drive models

Not just Ampeg or the DB750 in ToneX (others, I know)

I don't want to overhype NAM, but I feel this ends my search for quite a while

With the latest excellent modeling pedals from Zoom, NU>X, Mooer, etc, offering next gen power and price point...

NAM hardware isn't far off, my bet.

The community is growing which is great for us lazy bassists without the amps or time or desire to capture

Proof of concept lies with the ToneX pedal

Just a matter of time if this continues to take off

While we wait, we can benefit from the passion of the NAM community with some excellent recording tones (or laptop live tones) that rival the pricey hardware currently available

For FREE
 
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For me, the biggest limitation is that it captures an amp with a specific setting (for example Gain: 4, Bass, Mids and Treble at noon).

For each capture, it responds very well to the playing dynamics, but if you want to use the settings of the real amp, you have to use one capture for each combination of knobs on the real amp, and navigate through the corresponding files in NAM.

The EQ knobs on the plugin have nothing to do with the real knobs of the original amp, they are just added to the original capture. They don't behave exactly like the EQ or the original amp, especially since they have "standard" center points, probably aimed for 6 string guitars.

What I like in real amps is the ability to adjust in real time the gain and EQ depending on each song, the general mix, the room's accoustics…

So while it's cool to be able to capture the "personnality" of a specific amp, it will not replace the flexibility of some preamp sections.

Thoughts?
 
For me, the biggest limitation is that it captures an amp with a specific setting (for example Gain: 4, Bass, Mids and Treble at noon).

For each capture, it responds very well to the playing dynamics, but if you want to use the settings of the real amp, you have to use one capture for each combination of knobs on the real amp, and navigate through the corresponding files in NAM.

The EQ knobs on the plugin have nothing to do with the real knobs of the original amp, they are just added to the original capture. They don't behave exactly like the EQ or the original amp, especially since they have "standard" center points, probably aimed for 6 string guitars.

What I like in real amps is the ability to adjust in real time the gain and EQ depending on each song, the general mix, the room's accoustics…

So while it's cool to be able to capture the "personnality" of a specific amp, it will not replace the flexibility of some preamp sections.

Thoughts?

I still prefer modelers (or real amps) for this reason

But the quality of the new capture tech is hard to deny.

An honestly, when I find a setting on my amps, I rarely change it

Heck, back in the day, we used to tape our knobs in place so they wouldn't move

Pre-tech Capture
 
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