I just read AC's post on recording bass. Good info on impedence and the need for a DI box.

I like to use a similar method for recording Electric guitar. I Use the DI and split the signal to the board and the amp. Also I like to put two or more mics on the amp itself just so I have more options when mixing. Blending the sound sometimes eliminates the need for the extra EQ. Just have to watch out for phase cancellation and comb filtering. Also, having that clean DI track means you can re-amp if you really need to or play around with some extra FX.

Mic placement on amps:

The center of the speaker cone creates higher, brighter frequencies. The outside of the cone gives off warmer tones.
Distance from the speaker plays a pretty big role too. I have a small home studio so I pretty much always have the mic within a few inches of the speaker, but I've had the opportunity to work with a large live room. Distant miking sounds better for some styles of music more than others. Obviously, it will sound more ambient and "lively".

My philosophy tends to be to use as many mics as you can while in the studio. But that's probably cause I'm new and haven't gotten intimate with all those wonderful mics out there yet to know which is best for doing what with...

Miking the guitarist?
Well, I haven't done that yet, but i would like to try it especially with a hollow or semi-hollow body guitar. You got to make sure he's totally isolated from other sounds for best results.

i'm just getting started with recording. i've been playing guitar for about 6 years and have pretty much been assigned to carry the burden of recording our music. this isn't really a problem because i love this stuff but i am having trouble capturing the sounds coming from the amp onto hard disk. it just doesn't sound as good as it does coming from the amp.

i wonder if it is mic placement or am i just never going to get the same sound? i guess this may be a dumb question but if anyone can give me any hints i would appreciate that a lot.

I know what you mean, I have that problem too. It's usually mic selection and placement that I have to play with to get a decent sound. I know Shure SM57s are pretty standard for guitar amps. I don't have any other specific recomendations, as I don't personally have a great selection to choose from. But I get a better guitar amp sound with my $10 Philips from Walmart than I do with my Nady cm88 condenser (not to say that the cm88 is bad or that condensers are bad on amps-- different mics work better with different applications). You just have to play around until you get the sound you want.

thanks for the help! i have a buddy that has a sm57 he would let me borrow, so i'm going to start playing around with that. i guess i just need to log in some more time to figure out how to get the right sounds. i've been reading a lot more about this and i got some ideas placing the mics, so we'll see how it goes.

thanks again

hi folks,

target: recording a great metalsound, maximum distortion:)!!

MY equipment:

guitar: ESP M-1 reverse head
Preamp: Rocktron piranha tube
FX: Digitech S100
Soundenhancer: BBE maximizer kinda old.. 226?
D.I.: Hughes & Kettner RedBox Pro MK4 or Palmer DI9?

chain:

Guitar==>Rocktron===>BBE maximizer==> Redbox Pro==>computer
send ¦ ¦return
¦ ¦
digitech S100 *phaser, pitchshift*

putting the S100 in the signalchain of the of the rocktron gives you a warmer tone, more plastique and with more roomdetail, without beeing "reverbed", an additional dimension..

the perfect thing: i go with the same chain into my Marshall JCM900 *only use the return of the amp* for LIVESOUND!! *D.I. split for amp and one for the FOH*

so your option is to put your favourite FX in the loop of your favourite amp/preamp and do the same experimnt.. it worked out with this equipment.. but didnt had the chance to use other equipment!!

I prefer Guitar>hard drive. Amp eliminated. it gives me a dry guitar signal that i can manipulate using different amp models, effects, etc etc. and when i do use an amplifier i don't mic it at all. i use the headphone jack to go straight into my computer. not to mention the signal can be manipulated to sound like different things.

amp wise, i like how adam jones from tool uses three different amps. each has their own strengths and weaknesses. great guitar sound...even better is when you play something twice as fast as it should be (and an octave higher), and record at 30 ips and then slow it to 15 ips.

But then none of this really has to do with miking the guitar.

NIN0 wrote:

I prefer Guitar>hard drive. Amp eliminated. it gives me a dry guitar signal that i can manipulate using different amp models, effects, etc etc. and when i do use an amplifier i don't mic it at all. i use the headphone jack to go straight into my computer. not to mention the signal can be manipulated to sound like different things. amp wise, i like how adam jones from tool uses three different amps. each has their own strengths and weaknesses. great guitar sound...even better is when you play something twice as fast as it should be (and an octave higher), and record at 30 ips and then slow it to 15 ips. But then none of this really has to do with miking the guitar.

Trouble here for me is, I play my guitar on the edge of the feedback zone. I stick some tape on the floor at a distance I know I'm where I'm on the edge of feedback. I use this so the pick-ups interact with the amp output and this gives me endless sustain, if I want it, or I turn away and it dies.... This can't be achieved with the direct method.

Something to think about. - so although I use a DI, I also stick some mics up too.
_________________
Recording Studio Suntans

Hi there, my way to get a cool guitar sound to Hard songs, it's between the cone and the dome in front a simply SM57 at 3 inches away, after that i serach details trying with different angles, Once that i have a nice sound, a put a U87 or AT4050 or a 414 at rear of the amp, obviously in phase, and record generally in one channel each, but if i am poor of tracks, must summing in a buss, with a good balance, the 57 gives me precense and the crispy sound, and the other gives me that "fumm".

Another, to a more light music, a common mikking at front, and if i've got a good room and if the musician is doing an overdub, put a far mic using the rule of 3:1 in a extended way. If de first mic it is in a 30 cms of the speaker the other mic (generally condenser) wold be 180 cms at distance away and i lift it 60 cms more and i search a nice sound. This way YES i print it in separate channels, and in the mix the first mic goes to a 40 % to left (for example) and the other 40% or fully right, it depends of the instrumenstation. Of course always i chek this in mono, for phase cancelation.

what d u think??

when in ample space, a great consistent guitar sound can be derived from placing one shure sm-57 on axis (centered on the speaker) 3" from the mesh and one mic off axis (towards the center of the cabinet) 3" away from cab. and an Ibanez tube screamer is almost crucial to get a good crisp distortion w/ loads of articulation.

Quote:

target: recording a great metalsound, maximum distortion:)!!

Does a great metal sound really require maximum distortion? The best sounds I've gotten while recording metal, I plugged the guitar straight into a combo amp, left the gain about 2/3rds up and put a couple mics on it. Maybe some other fx while mixing. Just my opinion tho. I thought it turned out ok.

WELL:

AC I have accomplished FeedBack on the pc too...

guitar->Interface, using Amplitube as a VST plugin, and using the loudspeaker. The feedback is not as clear, but I can still accomplish the "Endless Sustain" you talked about.

RhoneRanger wrote:

WELL: AC I have accomplished FeedBack on the pc too... guitar->Interface, using Amplitube as a VST plugin, and using the loudspeaker. The feedback is not as clear, but I can still accomplish the "Endless Sustain" you talked about.

And do you like it?
_________________
Recording Studio Suntans