Amp Designer microphone parameters in MainStage

Amp Designer provides seven virtual microphone types. As with other components in the tone chain, different selections can yield very different results. After choosing a cabinet, you can set the type of microphone to emulate and can place the microphone, relative to the cabinet.

The Mic pop-up menu is near the lower right. The speaker-adjustment graphic appears when you move your pointer in the area above the Mic pop-up menu.

Note: The parameters described in this section are accessible only in the full Amp Designer interface. If you are in the small interface, click the disclosure arrow to the right of the Output field to switch to the full interface.

Microphone parameters

Microphone XY pad: Microphone position is indicated by the white dot in the XY pad. Drag the dot to change microphone position and distance. Placement is relative to the cabinet and is limited to near-field positioning.
By default, the microphone is placed in the center of the speaker cone (on-axis). This placement produces a fuller, more powerful sound, suitable for blues or jazz guitar tones. If you place the microphone on the rim of the speaker (off-axis), you obtain a brighter, thinner tone, making it suitable for cutting rock or R & B guitar parts. Moving the microphone closer to the speaker emphasizes bass response.
Mic pop-up menu: Choose a microphone model.
- Condenser models: Emulates the sound of high-end studio condenser microphones. The sound of condenser microphones is fine, transparent, and well-balanced. Choose from: Condenser 87 and Condenser 414.
- Dynamic models: Emulates the sound of popular dynamic cardioid microphones. Dynamic microphones sound brighter and more cutting than Condenser models. The mid-range is boosted, with softer lower-mid frequencies, making dynamic microphones a good choice for rock guitar tones; useful if you want guitars to cut through other tracks in a mix. Choose from: Dynamic 20, Dynamic 57, Dynamic 421, and Dynamic 609.
- Ribbon 121: Emulates the sound of a ribbon microphone. A ribbon microphone is a type of dynamic microphone that captures a sound often described as bright or brittle, yet still warm. It is useful for rock, crunch, and clean tones.
Tip: Combining multiple microphone types can produce an interesting sound. Duplicate the guitar track, and insert Amp Designer on both tracks. Select different microphones in each Amp Designer instance while retaining identical settings for all other parameters, then set track signal levels.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Instruments: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Effects: Apple Books | PDF

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