Cliffs Tips
Tips from Cliff's posts on TGP:
(On Level Setting) --- I rarely would adjust the level in the cab block. As I said I usually adjust the level in the amp block. The fx blocks are basically unity gain. It's the amp block that causes the most difference in level.
The mixer at the end of the grid is useful, along with the Volume Inc/Dec feature, to even out the levels between patches. Otherwise I don't use it when creating patch.
Think of it like this. If you were to make a preset that were just a row of shunts you could never clip the outputs (if your output mixer level were 0 dB) if your input is not clipping (and you don't want that). Now change a shunt to a delay. Since the delay block is unity gain again you can't clip the outputs. Repeat for reverb, chorus, etc.
However, the amp block has tons of gain so you can easily clip the outputs with its level set to 0 dB.
I use my clean presets as a reference for all other presets. I set the amp block level so that the output clip LEDs light when playing really hard. Then I back the level off about 6 dB. I adjust my other patches for the same volume relative to this reference preset. The more gain an amp block has the less dynamic range it will have and the louder it will sound for a given clipping headroom. So by adjusting the clean presets to never clip you are guaranteed to never clip any presets that have more gain by simply adjusting them to the same apparent volume. It's all about peak-to-average ratio and statistics but that's the rule-of-thumb. ---
When I gig I have an expression pedal connected to Output 1 Volume. I use this to fine tune my volume for the song and as a boost for solos. Back before the Axe-Fx I used a volume pedal in my amp's loop for the same purpose (I used my tuner as a buffer).
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(On Master Volume) --- I think the major source of "farty" is people set the Master too high. With a real high-gain amp people don't crank the master volume because the amp is then insanely loud. On an Axe-Fx you can crank the master but keep the actual volume to talking levels. For the high-gain models I find the sweet spot on the Master to be less than halfway.
