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Post by scottkahn on Aug 15, 2016 14:51:05 GMT -5
I saw a final post about this topic. I have to say:
Are racks necessary? The answer is, No, if you play at the semi-pro or casual level and just care about tone and effects. Quality-wise, you can sound as pro as you'd like with today's rack-worthy pedals.
But touring professionals will always have racks, because the needs are different. Once you require multiple amps, fault tolerance (i.e. backup amps, processors, real-time switching between them, etc.), and utmost rugged protection for transportation and fast/reliable setup, then rack gear is necessary.
OK, that's my p.c. answer. You HRI refugees know the real answer -- if you don't have big racks in your rig you suck and aren't worthy as a guitar player. ;-) :-p lol
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Post by algiman on Aug 15, 2016 16:05:09 GMT -5
I have my flame proof jacket on already, but ......
Gear has evolved as technology has allowed, and many former exponents of the huge rack are now using a head or 2 and an axefx or similar (Lifeson, Petrucci, Vai etc) for arguably better quality sounds and certainly better reliability.
Racks are still cool though!
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Post by scottkahn on Aug 15, 2016 16:27:38 GMT -5
I have my flame proof jacket on already, but ...... Gear has evolved as technology has allowed, and many former exponents of the huge rack are now using a head or 2 and an axefx or similar (Lifeson, Petrucci, Vai etc) for arguably better quality sounds and certainly better reliability. Racks are still cool though! This is a flame-proof gathering. Famous last words, of course :-). Don't be too mislead, though. John Petrucci's rig is in a rack and has two Mark JP-2C heads in it. He only uses Axe-FX for effects. He still has a handful of pedals, plus a Dunlop rack wah system. He uses switching products from RJM Music Technology. It's his most streamlined rig ever, but still... the rack is there. Lifeson had around 3 racks worth of stuff on the final tour. He is specifically old-school in his approach. He doesn't even go for automating half the things in his rig that could be automated... though it's a moot point now that RUSH is finished. The rigs of these guys are detailed in my book in more depth than any feature published about them anywhere, actually. Scott |
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Post by t0aj15 on Aug 15, 2016 20:16:56 GMT -5
But IMO the writing is on the wall, your talking about dinosaurs and even they (the ones that are still touring) are coming around. Just look at Fractals artist list and you'll see that even those that still play REAL tube amps are switching their refrigerator efx racks in for gear like the Axe-Fx II XL+, and many younger and/or more progressive thinking bands are forgoing tube amps/cabs altogether and 'traveling light'. For instance I just read that back in 2013 Metallica bought an entire production run of Axe-Fx's. Not being a Metallica fan I can't verify what they use live but I think it speaks volumes about what modern touring bands are doing, and cutting down on cartage costs saves these bands a lot of money. Myself I'm still a bit of a dinosaur and prefer my tubes, but when it comes to playing out I much prefer my 4lb Quilter amp head and my Axe-Fx to hauling my 63lb Fender Super Sonic 100 head + the weight of a cab any day, even though IMO the Fender just can't be beat when it comes to tone. At my age the priorities have changed. And I'll just add that I anxiously await the arrival of the new Fractal Audio FX-8 Mark II pedal-board.......so I can dump a whole slew of rack and pedal efx, and simplify my life even more. |
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Post by NikosGuitar on Aug 18, 2016 6:40:18 GMT -5
I saw a final post about this topic. I have to say: Are racks necessary? The answer is, No, if you play at the semi-pro or casual level and just care about tone and effects. Quality-wise, you can sound as pro as you'd like with today's rack-worthy pedals. But touring professionals will always have racks, because the needs are different. Once you require multiple amps, fault tolerance (i.e. backup amps, processors, real-time switching between them, etc.), and utmost rugged protection for transportation and fast/reliable setup, then rack gear is necessary. OK, that's my p.c. answer. You HRI refugees know the real answer -- if you don't have big racks in your rig you suck and aren't worthy as a guitar player. ;-) :-p lol I agree that with today's pedal market, most of the young players can achieve great tones with them. BUT what make me curious is, that every new pedal of today can do the same things that a rack processor did more than 10 years ago... I haven't find a pedal that does one single innovative new type of effect... |
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Post by gitapik on Aug 18, 2016 15:33:39 GMT -5
I saw a final post about this topic. I have to say: Are racks necessary? The answer is, No, if you play at the semi-pro or casual level and just care about tone and effects. Quality-wise, you can sound as pro as you'd like with today's rack-worthy pedals. But touring professionals will always have racks, because the needs are different. Once you require multiple amps, fault tolerance (i.e. backup amps, processors, real-time switching between them, etc.), and utmost rugged protection for transportation and fast/reliable setup, then rack gear is necessary. OK, that's my p.c. answer. You HRI refugees know the real answer -- if you don't have big racks in your rig you suck and aren't worthy as a guitar player. ;-) :-p lol
BUT
what make me curious is, that every new pedal of today can do the same things that a rack processor did more than 10 years ago...
I haven't find a pedal that does one single innovative new type of effect..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- El Cap? I understand what you're saying. The rack gear has definitely been in the forefront. But some of the pedals are pretty cool, too. |
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Post by scottkahn on Aug 18, 2016 17:01:48 GMT -5
But IMO the writing is on the wall, your talking about dinosaurs and even they (the ones that are still touring) are coming around... Myself I'm still a bit of a dinosaur and prefer my tubes... It's inevitable. We will have amp choices that sound and feel just like real tube amps. We are kind of there now, or at least very close. The answer ultimately won't come from Fractal/Axe-FX though (at least that specific product). There is nothing intuitive and user friendly about Axe-FX. It could sound perfectly tube like, but a guitarist who isn't a tech geek will never bond with it like an analog amp from the interface perspective. Kemper blows Axe away in terms of usability, and has real-amp feel, too, and then in the middle lays the Line 6 Helix. The eventual solution will come from a box that you interact with like an amp, with familiar controls and an interface that is guitarist friendly. The day is close at hand. But may of us will still want real amps just like some guys prefer classic cars. Me, I tend to prefer a shiny new BMW to a 65 Mustang... but I'd like it to be as easy to operate as the latter. :-) |
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Post by chrisaxeman on Aug 18, 2016 22:03:13 GMT -5
Hi Scott,
Nothing is ever cut and dry from person to person.
I agree with your first post. But the question "necessary", is a black and white thing in a sea of colours that's the fun about being human.
Whether it's necessary of not, doesn't mean you still can't have it for the sake of it,or find it useful.
From your last post about the a new BMW and a 65 Mustang? You can have both, especially in a day and age where we have the technology to allow all sorts to exist together.
I agree with Lonnie, about some of these massive pedal boards being just plain stupid in their lack of practicality. A mate mine has a 5 x 3 feet board that he uses live in an 3 piece electronica/dance band - takes up stupid space. It weighs 70KG! Cost $4k+ to build it. Takes two people to lift it sweating, and now his act is touring (self funded) he needs a smaller setup, as he can't fly with it.
He could go rack, but he has an intuitive style that requires "knobs" right then and there, not scrolling through menus on an Axeii or an H8000.
But imo, there is middle ground. Mastermind GT to save floor space, and a rack with a mixture of specialised pieces and pedals.
If it works, it's good.
Chris..... |
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Post by gitapik on Aug 19, 2016 17:06:39 GMT -5
Curious about the take on the Kemper being better than the Axe for performance purposes. I might be going this route in the not so distant future
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Post by algiman on Aug 21, 2016 14:42:25 GMT -5
I have my flame proof jacket on already, but ...... Gear has evolved as technology has allowed, and many former exponents of the huge rack are now using a head or 2 and an axefx or similar (Lifeson, Petrucci, Vai etc) for arguably better quality sounds and certainly better reliability. Racks are still cool though! Don't be too mislead, though. John Petrucci's rig is in a rack and has two Mark JP-2C heads in it. He only uses Axe-FX for effects. Not mislead at all, that's exactly what I meant - I may not have made myself clear. |
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Post by mentoneman on Aug 23, 2016 9:51:11 GMT -5
most average players couldn't be bothered with rack gear.
but i did encounter a handful of touring players who used racks. none on the hri level though.
though it's funny that the best players whose tone i give a rip about all used rack gear
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