The Ultimate “Modern Blues” Tone Recipe: Getting the “Blue Note” with Audio Assault Plugins 🔥🎸
When we talk about a “great blues tone,” we’re looking for the Holy Grail of guitar sounds: The Edge of Breakup. It’s that magical territory where your tone is clean and bell-like when you play softly, but growls with “teeth” when you dig in for a bend.
Using Audio Assault’s Amp Locker, we can bypass the $50,000 vintage market and build a world-class blues rig using their “USA” and “British” boutique models. Here is your step-by-step recipe for a blues tone that breathes.
1. The Amp: The “Glassy” American Foundation
For a versatile blues tone, we want an amp with a big bottom end and a “glassy” top. We need something that responds to the nuances of your fingers.
- The Audio Assault Choice: American Clean (Modelled after the Fender Twin Reverb).
- Alternative: Special Drive (Clean Channel) for a more “boutique/Dumble” SRV-style flavor.
The “Edge of Breakup” Settings:
| Control | Setting | Why? |
| Gain | 5.5 – 6.0 | This is the “sweet spot” where the tone begins to saturate beautifully. |
| Bass | 4.5 | Too much bass will make your low-E string “fart out” during heavy riffs. |
| Middle | 7.0 | Crucial. Most blues lives in the mids; this makes the guitar “sing.” |
| Treble | 6.0 | Provides the essential “snap” and “sparkle” for lead lines. |
| Presence | 5.0 | Adjust this until the notes feel like they are “right in front of you.” |
2. The Pedals: Adding “Grit” and “Sustain”
In blues, pedals shouldn’t mask the amp; they should enhance it. We want to “push” the amp into a creamy sustain.
- The Overdrive: The Klone (Modelled after the Klon Centaur).
- Gain: 2.0 (Keep it low! We want “transparent” drive).
- Output/Level: 7.5 (This “slams” the virtual tubes of the Finder amp).
- Treble: 5.0.
- The Secret Weapon: Compressor (Mini Attack).
- Setting: Place this before your overdrive.
- Ratio: Low.
- Why: This helps those long, slow blues bends sustain without needing a massive amount of distortion.
3. The Cab: The 1×12 or 2×12 “Bloom”
Blues needs an open-back cabinet. It allows the sound to “bloom” and feels less compressed than a closed-back metal cab.
- Audio Assault Choice: Finder 112 (Based on a Fender 1×12 with an Oxford or Jensen speaker) or in alternative any tweed and vintage cabs.
- Mic Setup:
- Mic: Ribbon 121.
- Position: 2 inches away from the grill, slightly off-axis.
- Why: Ribbon mics are naturally “darker” and “warmer.” They take away the digital “ice-pick” highs and make your leads sound “woody” and expensive.
4. The Finish: “Vocal” Ambiance
A dry blues tone can feel stiff. We need to place the amp in a “room.”
- Reverb: Vintage Spring.
- Mix: 25% (Adjust until you hear a nice “splash” on the muted notes).
- Delay: Analog Delay.
- Time: 300ms (Very subtle).
- Feedback: 1 repeat.
- Mix: 10%.
- Why: This isn’t for an “echo” effect; it’s to thicken the guitar signal so it sounds like a record.
5. The Pro Tips for Blues Soul
- The “Pinky” Trick: Set your amp and pedal so it’s quite crunchy with your guitar volume on 10. Then, roll your guitar volume back to 6 or 7. This should be your “rhythm” tone. When it’s time for the solo, dim the knob to 10 for an instant boost.
- Dynamics: Pick near the bridge for a “stinging” Albert King sound, and move your hand over the neck pickup for a “flutey” Clapton sound.
- The “Dropped” Pedal: If you want that heavy, “Texas” feel, use the Dropped pedal in Amp Locker to tune down to Eb. The lower tension on the strings makes those big 1.5-step bends much easier!
The “Blues Recipe” Summary:
- Amp: Finder BK Deluxe — Mids up, Gain at 6.
- Pedal: The Klone — High Volume, Low Gain.
- Mic: Ribbon 121 — For that vintage warmth.
- Reverb: Spring — Always!
Using Audio Assault’s Amp Locker, we can recreate the touch-sensitive response of a high-end American boutique amp. Here is your recipe for the “Blue Note” sound.
The “Delta Sparkle” Recipe Table
| Parameter | Setting | The “Modern Blues” Logic |
| Amp Model | American Black-Panel (6L6 Based) | Provides those deep lows and “glassy” highs associated with classic US blues. |
| Gain | 4.5 – 5.5 | This is the “sweet spot.” Use your guitar’s volume knob to clean it up. |
| Bass | 6.0 | Adds the warm “thump” for slow, soulful bass lines. |
| Mids | 4.0 | A slight scoop creates that “bell-like” clarity. |
| Treble | 6.5 | Sharp enough to cut through, but smooth enough not to “ice-pick” the ears. |
| Reverb | 3.0 | A classic Spring Reverb is essential for that 3D depth. |
The “Soul” Secret: Dynamic Control
Modern blues is all about dynamics. To make the most of this signal chain:
-
The Clean Boost: In Amp Locker, place a Clean Boost or a Klon-style drive before the amp. Set the gain to 0 and the volume to 7. This “gooses” the preamp tubes, giving you more sustain without adding digital distortion.
-
Cabinet Choice: Use a 1×12 or 2×12 Boutique Cab with American-voiced speakers. This provides a focused, intimate sound that feels like a smoky club rather than a stadium.
The “Stinging” Lead Finish
For those soaring solos à la John Mayer or Joe Bonamassa, add a touch of Analog Delay. Set it for a “slapback” effect (short time, 1-2 repeats) to give your single-note lines more weight and presence.
