Micing multiple amps ?

luxeomni

New member
Ok this is my question :
i m recording 3 amps for one take ( guitar signal splitter ), each cabinet mic ed by a sm57, ok now there is the question, how can i ( before recording ) be sure about no phase problem between the 3 mics?

i heard about a Pink noise technique, but i m concerned about difference level between the pink noise on each cabinet and the true sound on each too so the phase will not response the same to the mic.

Any ideas ?

amps : Mesa road king, Marshall jcm 800 and Vox ac 30.
 
How about starting with the basics and build from there? Phase problems are a result of time differences and/or polarity. Each mic at the same distance from the cone would be a good place to start to minimize that time variable. Check for polarity- (any two cabs placed close together should add low end?)
It should be interesting. Ultimately any mic position x 3 will give different combined tones. Which one is the most 'in phase'? :D
Sounds like fun. Are you planning to do any stereo back mics?
Wayne
 
or to make sure it doesn't really happen....

record one amp with your 57.
split the guit signal direct into your computer on another track.

now i've never really tried this, but I imagine it would still work.....ha.

now output that clean track from your guitar into the amp, and as you playback - record what's coming out of amp 2.

then do amp 3.
haha

works in theory, right?

I'm pretty sure people do that with PODs and stuff to play with guitar tones....ha
 
Record some and then listen back. If you have phase issues it should be pretty obvious right away. I mic'd two guitar cabs a while back and had to flip the phase on one of the mics.
 
If you are just going to close mic each one, isolate them as much as possible. The last project I recorded, we used 2 different amps per take, one in the booth and another in the closet. Came out beautifully.

When we had them in the booth together, they didn't sound as good, bleeding into each other's mics etc, phasing and the like. Not good phasing either :(
 
Shackrock -

I've tried this before and it works perty well. You just have to make sure you are sending the appropriate cable (with the appropriate ohmage) to get it to work right without over or under powering your amp input.

Cool thing about this is that if your guitar playing isn't the tightest, take your direct signal, go back and edit it up some and push it back through the amp. It's kinda cool to have the first amp and then second amp audio be almost the same except on is slightly edited. Makes it feel like you actually did two takes instead of re-amping.

As always, play around and have fun with it. Your situation has tons of creative possibilities.
 
shackrock said:
or to make sure it doesn't really happen....

record one amp with your 57.
split the guit signal direct into your computer on another track.

now i've never really tried this, but I imagine it would still work.....ha.

now output that clean track from your guitar into the amp, and as you playback - record what's coming out of amp 2.

then do amp 3.
haha

works in theory, right?

I'm pretty sure people do that with PODs and stuff to play with guitar tones....ha

"Re-amping", and yes, this is a wonderful method for recording guitar and there are dedicated boxes out there to achieve this. You do need a device to bring the signal back down to instrument level or else the amp will just sound terrible. Radial engineering makes a good one called the X-Amp, also there is a box actually called "Re-Amp". This is also a good option if you are limited with inputs or amps!! :D
 
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