Recording Guitar

[guller]

Hello,

 

I just set up my basement studio and I was wondering if anyone can give me some start-up advise on recording guitars? Anything from mic placement, panning, double tracking, eq, and effects would be helpfull. Thanks

 

Here is the equipment I have:

 

Dedicated P4 computer with a Maudio Audiophile 192.

Sonar 4 SE, and Reason for MIDI.

Maudio DMP3 Preamp.

1-Sure SM57.

67 Fender Super Reverb.

G&L ASAT Deluxe Semi-Hollow F.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808.

 

I play mostly clean jams with a light reverb, but do use the TS808 occasionally.

[Funkwave]

Hey Guller, most of the guys will tell you to place the sm57 right in front of the amp and experiment with what sounds best. IOW, start with the mic up close then pull it back a little. You can also adjust the axis of the mic. That is tilting it up or down in its holder to see if you're getting the desired sound.

 

As far as mixing the track, depends on the genre. You mentioned you do clean jams. A little compression plug-in with the Sonar wouldn't hurt to level out the dynamics of your playing.

 

Alot of the hard rock guys will double or triple their tracks to get that full chunky sound. It is popular to pan one track to the left and one to the right when recording dual tracks.

 

Do not play with EQ too much until mixdown. You may find that your sound is exactly what you desired when you hear the whole song. If not, EQ to taste to have the guitar cut through the mix.

[monstermaker]

I use an SM57 at an angle to the speaker and vary the distance. It seems like there is no constant when it comes to recording guitar. The air changes. Your ears trick you. My amp and guitar sounds different sometimes. I dial in the best I can do for the moment and go with it.

[Billster]

Definitely experiment with the microphone being off-axis to the speaker cone as opposed to straight-on into the cone.

 

Experiment with the microphone aimed at the center of the cone, edge of the cone, and points between.

 

Get the amp up off the floor on a chair or a stand. You get too many weird reflections from the floor with a combo amp sitting directly on the floor, especially if its a hard floor surface.

 

Try to avoid eq until mixing, and at that point, think in terms of cutting frequencies to allow other parts to remain prominent against a rhythm guitar, or cutting frequencies in other parts to allow a lead line to be prominent without getting into all kinds of boosting to make things stand out.