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David Mar Group: Members Posts: 457 Joined: Oct. 2001 Posted: Sep. 09 2002, 05:38 Has Mike used any amps in recent years, or does he just use the virtual amps of the VG-8? If he doesn't use amps in the studio anymore, what does he use live? I wonder if he has Roland V. Amplifiers? Back to top

mdenari Group: Members Posts: 11 Joined: Mar. 2002 Posted: Sep. 09 2002, 11:40 Mike uses a GP 8 also, an old ancester from the GP 100 and shares some architecture with the VG systems Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Sep. 09 2002, 15:13 He mostly has them plugged direct into the desk (going via whatever he's using to get the particular sound of course), though I think he's still got the Fender Twin and probably various other amps, which he might use occasionally. He has them plugged in direct when he plays live as well (with them being fed back through the monitors so he can hear them, of course). Back to top

Horse Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: Aug. 2002 Posted: Sep. 10 2002, 12:11 I think Mike tries to be as hi-fi as possible. And this, of course, means: no amps. Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Sep. 10 2002, 17:19 I thing Horse is wrong. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Sep. 10 2002, 20:23 Perhaps you'd like to explain why you think that, Luke... I would say that Horse has a point - Mike does like to have a 'hi fi' sound, which some of the rougher sounds that many rock guitarists get by using amplifiers perhaps wouldn't really fit in with the overall sound of his work. I think that Mike is now quite used to the concept of playing guitars direct into the desk, having been doing it since Tubular Bells (though he has of course recorded using an amplifier in the meantime - often with the guitar going through a series of studio processors first, presumably because Mike liked the extra control that those offered in comparison to guitar effects pedals). He said, around the time of The Songs of Distant Earth, that he no longer bothers recording the guitar via an amp, because of the extra hassle of miking it up. I believe he also said that he was using the EQ on his Neve Capricorn mixer instead of a wah wah pedal (though I have never been able to find the article that I read that in). I would suppose that his main reason for doing it the way that he does is because of the unique sound that it allows him to get. Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Sep. 17 2002, 17:22 using Line-out from guitar amp doesn't sound Hi-Fi. (maybe I'm wrong, because I work with electronics like technican, not like musican). Back to top

Horse Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: Aug. 2002 Posted: Sep. 17 2002, 18:15 That's excatly why I believe he doesn't use an amp, luke. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Sep. 17 2002, 19:02 Using the line out of a guitar amplifier is certainly less likely to give a hi-fi sound...it depends on the amplifier, of course. When doing that, it's still going through the amp's preamp stage, which is likely to be a less than hi-fi affair (and it's not meant to be - many of these 'shortcomings' of guitar amplifiers - the reduced bandwidth of the speakers, the distortion of the signal, all those sorts of things - are what give them their classic sound). Going through a high quality Direct Injection box is going to be a different story - they're designed to give a pure sound, with little alteration of the guitar's signal (usually, anyway). Going straight in via a digital guitar effects processor is going to be doing similar - giving a signal that doesn't have the blurring around the edges which a guitar amp would be likely to give. Back to top

Horse Group: Members Posts: 29 Joined: Aug. 2002 Posted: Sep. 18 2002, 01:48 Yep, that's right. I sold my last amp a couple of years ago. Now I plug my guitar directly into my Roland GP-100 (please note that the GP-100 is an effect processor and NOT an amp) and then directly into my mixer. This gives a lot cleaner sound than if I played it throug an amp too. I think Mike does the same. And so does Dave Gilmore. Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Sep. 19 2002, 16:47 My last reply is question - I didn't write ? at the end :-). So Korgscrew is right, but look on LXH2 homepage (http://www.netaxs.com/~lxh2/). It's simulation of Marshall amp without using tubes (built on TL074 ic.). If you use this like preamp and out of this connect to mix, we can say thi IS Hi-Fi (but only if we use lower-noise Ic than TL074). Of course, using "Virtual amp modelling" (VG-8 ???) based on digital sound processing is better soultion (it's more near to tubes sound). Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Sep. 19 2002, 16:51 Shit!!! LXH2 isn't working now! (I found it from www.harmony-central.com/guitar). and please explain me what exact is "Direct Injection box". Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Sep. 20 2002, 06:04 A Direct Injection (DI) box is a device to match the impedance of something (like an electric guitar) to that of a mixing desk (or any similar input). Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Sep. 29 2002, 18:06 preamp with high input and low output impedance? Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Nov. 10 2002, 16:57 have someone e-mail to Mike (to ask him about his amp) Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Nov. 10 2002, 17:33 Saying it's a preamp would be inferring that some amplification is going on inside, which isn't necessarily the case - DI boxes can be entirely passive devices. There are ways of emailing Mike, the official one being to send it via mikeoldfield.org. However, I wouldn't expect a reply... If you want any more detail than has been given on this forum (both in this topic and others), you'd maybe have better luck getting in touch with someone like Gary Bradshaw who's acted as guitar tech for Mike on a number of occasions. In case anyone's interested, Mike still has the Mesa Boogie in his studio, I have a feeling he may have used it on Guitars... Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Dec. 20 2002, 17:32 it is really stupid idea to mail mike. but there is still unanswered questions, and this is one more thing making Mike more "atractive" (not sexually - I'm XXX). Back to top

Luke 666 Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Nov. 2001 Posted: Dec. 20 2002, 17:33 so I don't say my first reply in quite good way - i think it is 50% true and 50% not - it depends on situation (sometime yes, sometime no). hmph - the word preamp can be well discused - DI box is impendance matching circuit --> IC with gain of 1. or not? no war. Back to top

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