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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

1996.0. "Recording Guitar" by GSRC::COOPER (MIDI rack puke) Thu Oct 11 1990 13:51

    When recording your guitar with a mic, what is the ideal
    volume ?  Seems that if you play too softly, you lose 
    a lot of the squeels and screams, but if you play too loudly
    you load up the mic.
    
    Also, where is the perfect place to put the mic ?
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1996.1yFREEBE::REAUMEI know trouble cuz I amThu Oct 11 1990 14:0410
      Mike placement makes a big difference when recording as well.
    I like the sound you get from a SM-57 with the amp at a reasonably
    loud volume (like 7 out of 10 master volume on a sixty watt amp)
    with the mike at a diagonal about 4 inches from the speaker and
    aimed at the cone, not the voice coil. Try it maybe you'll like
    it.
    
      Maybe you won't, but try it anyway.
    							
    							-BooM-
1996.2Be creative...SALEM::DACUNHAThu Oct 11 1990 14:149
    
    
    
                  For straight miking without any room ambience, do like
       -1 said and just pad the mike level.
    
                  Or..... use two mikes  one on the amp and one at the far
    	wall.  Sure you'll need two tracks but the effect/e.q possibilities
    	are great.
1996.33 way for versatilitySALEM::DACUNHAThu Oct 11 1990 14:175
    
    
                 or you can use the line out TOO.....and cover all
    	the bases.  You just don't know what sound or combination will
    	sound best til you go to mixdown.
1996.4and then the ambient mikes, of course!ICS::BUCKLEYGet the FUNK out!Thu Oct 11 1990 14:1717
    I like an sm-57 direcly on the cone, like:
    
    	/-----\
    
           =
           |
    
    
    But I also like the sound you get when you mike a 4x12 from the top,
    slightly behind, and at a 45 degree angle to the sound coming out the
    front, like:
    		       \
                        =
                        +-----------------+
                        |                 |
                        |                 |
                        +-----------------+
1996.5Missionary Mikes...MFGMEM::DERRICOThu Oct 11 1990 14:5611
      If you have the time, experement with miking positions. Buck and .1)
    have covered most of the bases. The 45 degree from the rear picks
    up the sound of the cabinet, I'm not shure if it picks up the bass or
    the mids.
      Another possible position for the mike (when using a 4x12) is in the 
    dead zone inbetween the speakers. It all depends on what kind of tone
    you are looking for. 
      Use your 4-track with (your headphones on) the tone levels flat, 
    then play with putting the mike(s) in different positions.
    
    /John
1996.6RAVEN1::BLAIRTubular StratmanThu Oct 11 1990 15:414
    
    	Of course - the missionary position!  
    
    	yuk yuk
1996.7PELKEY::PELKEYLife, a state of cluster transitionThu Oct 11 1990 16:4226
	<<Of course - the missionary position!  
 	<<   
    	<<yuk yuk


	yes, we got a bang out of that too!!!


I've had best luck using an SM58, about 3 to 4 feet away from the center
of the speaker cab. Then I take a BIG thik comforter, and make a
makeshift tent that covers the amp and mike, but allows a straight
and unobstructed path for the sound to travel to the mike.
keeps room noise down, and allows us to get a  hot signal
Works pretty good in our studio.  Since we have no separate sound
booth, it helps to isolate as much sound as possible.

Then, I'll simply bounce the single track down to a second track on the
8 track, and pan em out to thinken them up.  Works pretty good but
I've always thought after the mix down, that it could have been
a little better.  (but don't we all!)

I've found too close, and I just don't like the voice of it all.


I really like the idea of using two mikes straight off, one close,
one far away.  I'll try that next time we lay some guitar tracks down.
1996.8no fuss, no mussMILKWY::JACQUESYes, you do need a BoogieThu Oct 11 1990 17:418
    I have a better idea. Connect the (speaker emmulating) recording
    outputs from my Mesa Boogie studio preamp directly into the input
    of the tape deck. All monitoring is done through headphones.
    
    Works for me !!!!!!
    
    Mark
    
1996.9PELKEY::PELKEYLife, a state of cluster transitionThu Oct 11 1990 18:483
re:8..

Yes, but then there's the haves, and the have nots!!
1996.10CSC32::H_SOHyundai insider: I drive a ChevyFri Oct 12 1990 00:307
    
    <Yes, but then there's the haves, and the have nots!!
    
    Yeah, and there are those that just sit there and droooooooooool.
    ;^)
    
    J.
1996.11justificationMILKWY::JACQUESYes, you do need a BoogieFri Oct 12 1990 11:4320
    Yeah, but if you think about it, in order to get good sound on tape,
    you really have to have a studio with good acoustics. You have to
    have good mics, and ofter times you need additional signal processing
    gear (like a noise gate) to get good sound on tape. Add up all the
    expense of building an acoustically decent studio, etc. and the studio
    preamp looks like a real bargain. If you start renting studio time, the
    $600 cost of the preamp gets eaten up in one or two sessions.
    
    If the pricetag of the Mesa Boogie studio preamp gives you sticker shock, 
    check out the Hughes and Kettner preamps. They are about half the price.
    
    I hear a lot of people advocating the use of some really esoteric mics
    like Sennheisers, Beyers, Neumann, AKG. Many of these mics cost big
    bucks, and require phantom power supplies to boot. In my mind the money 
    was better spent on a versatile preamp than a fancy mic. 
    
    Whatever floats your boat, I guess.
    
	Mark
    
1996.12Mark IV silent recording switchMILKWY::JACQUESYes, you do need a BoogieFri Oct 12 1990 11:469
    BTW, has anyone seen the ads for the Mesa Boogie Mark IV combos. There
    is one in the latest issue of GP. The Mark IV has a "silent recording"
    switch which shuts down the power amp section completely. It seems
    like a pretty simple feature to implement and makes the amp a lot more
    versatile IMHO. More manufacturers should include this feature on their
    amps.
    
    Mark
    
1996.13GSRC::COOPERMIDI rack pukeFri Oct 12 1990 13:453
    Might I record direct from my MP1 ?
    
    What outs should I use ?
1996.14ICS::BUCKLEYGet the FUNK out!Fri Oct 12 1990 14:044
    Coop,
    
    you probaby wanna use the direct out on the MP1 for recording into a
    board.
1996.15GSRC::COOPERMIDI rack pukeFri Oct 12 1990 14:067
    Buck,
    
    As in the outputs I run into my power amp ?
    I wonder how it'll sound ?
    
    Thanks,
    jc
1996.16Hmm...GOES11::G_HOUSEBrouhahaFri Oct 12 1990 14:1512
    re: .11
    
    Thinking of it in that way really does add a different perspective to
    the cost of the Studio Preamp (if you're planning on using it primarily
    for recording).  Interesting way to justify that expense.
    
    re: Buck
    
    Didn't you use your old MP-1 direct into the board on the PKs 4 song
    demo?  I liked the tone you got there.
    
    Greg
1996.17GSRC::COOPERMIDI rack pukeFri Oct 12 1990 14:163
    FWIW - I think Buck recorded thru my SP1000 on the PK demo...
    Agreed.  Killer tone.
    jc
1996.18FYIICS::BUCKLEYGet the FUNK out!Fri Oct 12 1990 14:206
    PK Recording info:
    
    RG550 -> Mp1 -> Quadraverb -> Hush IICX -> SP1000 -> 2 Marshall 4x10s
    
    Close miked with an sm57, distant miked with PZMs on the control room
    glass!