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What Is An Isolated Master Track ?
TYPE 1 - Audio Clip Required for Tone Matching
There is some confusion about what type of audio track is required in order to CORRECTLY perform a Tone Match of a recording...
The hands down best type of audio track to work with to build a Tone Matched Preset is an Isolated Master Track of the particular instrument you are interested in coping.
An Isolated Master Track will provide the best isolation for the given instrument with many available sections you can work from through out the song.
While this sounds simple enough, there are still a few things that can mess up a Tone Match even if you have the isolated track available
Please read on to Learn More...
1. Example of a MERGED Isolated Master Guitar Track
In this example, all guitar tracks including;
Rhythm / Lead / Cleans / Overdubbs / FX etc...
have been merged into a single Stereo Master Guitar Track...
2. Example of a TYPICAL Isolated Guitar Master Track
In this example BOTH Rhythm and Lead guitars are played, but never at the same time. Generally it will be all clean and rhythm parts, except for when solos are played, at which point the rhythm guitars will drop out. Typically overdubs and FX are completely left out.
3. Example of a Rhythm Guitar ONLY Isolated Master Guitar Track
In this example ONLY the Clean and Rhythm Guitars can be heard
Things to watch out for...
Even though you may have found the isolated track of the song you are wanting to copy, there are a few things that will make or break your ability to correctly perform a tone match of the isolated track. Below are the main issues to look out for.
1. Different Left / Right Guitar Tones...
You need to be aware that if a recording has been made with drastically different tones for the Left and Right channels, it may sum down from stereo in an unpleasing way OR may just not sound like the origin due to the combined EQs being summed.
If you want to EXACTLY copy the stereo spread of a recording that has different tones for the Left and Right channels, you will need to purchase 2 Tone Match services, and load each cab into a STEREO cabinet IR block.
EXAMPLES
Original Tracks
Original Stereo Guitar
(Double Track Recording)
Original Stereo Guitar (Double Track Rec
00:00 / 00:15
Original Stereo Guitar Summed To Mono
Original Stereo Guitar Summed To Mono.mp
00:00 / 00:15
Tone Matched Tracks
Mono Tone Match of Summed Channels
(Single Track Recording)
Mono Tone Match of Summed Channels (Sing
00:00 / 00:15
Stereo Tone Match
(Single Track Recording)
Stereo_Tone_Match (Single_Track_Recordin
00:00 / 00:15
Left Channel Only Tone Match
(Single Track Recording)
Left_Channel_Only_Tone_Match (Single_Tra
00:00 / 00:15
Right Channel Only Tone Match
(Single Track Recording)
Right_Channel_Only_Tone_Match (Single_Tr
00:00 / 00:15
Mono Tone Match
(Double Track Recording)
Mono_Tone_Match_(Double Track_Recording)
00:00 / 00:15
Stereo Tone Match
(Double Track Recording)
Stereo_Tone_Match_(Double Track_Recordin
00:00 / 00:15
2. Overlaid Sections
Be aware that you need TOTAL isolation during the section you want to perform a Tone Match to.
This means, you can not Tone Match a guitar solo IF a rhythm guitar is also playing at the same time.
Likewise, you can not Tone Match a rhythm guitar IF a bass guitar is also playing etc...
EXAMPLES
CAN be Tone Matched
Clean Guitar
Isolated stereo clean guitar
Clean - CAN.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Overdrive Solo
Isolated overdriven solo guitar
OD Solo - CAN.mp3
00:00 / 00:13
Rhythm Guitar
Isolated rhythm guitar
Rhythm - CAN.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Solo Guitar
Isolated solo guitar
Solo - CAN.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
CAN NOT be Tone Matched
Clean + Slap FX
Slap FX with reverb covers clean tone
Clean + FX - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Clean + Rhythm + Slap FX
Slap FX + rhythm guitar covers clean tone
Clean + Rhythm + FX - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:07
Clean + Rhythm + Melody Lead
Clean + rhythm guitar covers lead melody tone
Clean + Rhythm + Lead - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Clean + OD Solo
OD solo guitar covers clean tone
Clean + Solo - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Rhythm + Slap FX
Slap FX with reverb covers rhythm tone
Rhythm + FX - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:15
Rhythm + Solo
Rhythm guitar covers solo tone
Rhythm + Solo - CAN NOT.mp3
00:00 / 00:17
NOTE
The above samples have been taken directly from the 3 videos at the top of this page, that depict the various "versions" of isolated audio tracks you are likely to find.
If you listened to the full "Merged Isolated Guitar Track" video, you will see that there are a few parts left out from the CAN be tone Matched list.
The small accent solo in the end clean section, and the melodic solo after the clean section.
This is to highlight that even if you have found multiple version of isolated audio for the song you want to tone Match, you may still not be able to find all the parts of the song in isolation !
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