Guitar mic'ing examples. Clips & Pictures.

[metalhead28]

Hey guys. I had some spare time this weekend and I decided to throw together these examples of some guitar mic'ing methods since I see alot of questions on here about that. I don't mean to imply that I know everything by doing this, just trying to give some ideas to the ones that may want it. This will also serve as a way to hear a sample of a couple of widely used guitar microphones.

The signal chain:
Jackson Soloist with Seymour Duncan JB bridge pickup.
Peavey 5150 II, Rhythm channel.
Marshall 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion G12T-75's.
Mic Pre: M-Audio DMP-3. Soundcard: Delta 66

Here's the amp setting used for every example....everything is on 5

Mic set-up pictures and sound clips to follow......

[metalhead28]

Here's an SM57 straight on. Double tracked on each side.

SM57 ON AXIS

Here's an SM57 with another SM57 aligned as shown mixed in at -5DB

SM57 on axis + SM57 off axis at -5 db

Here's the same setup with the off axis mic at -0 db

SM57 on axis + SM57 off axis

[metalhead28]

Here's an SM57 with a e609s off axis at -5 db

SM57 on axis + e609s off axis at -5 DB

Here's the same setup with the e609s at -0 DB

SM57 on axis + e609s off axis at -0 DB

[metalhead28]

Here's an e609s straight on

e609s on axis

Here's an e609 with an SM57 off axis mixed in at -5 DB

e609s on axis + SM57 off axis at -5 DB

Here's the same setup with the SM57 at -0 DB

e609s on axis + SM57 off axis at -0 DB

[musickey]

Silly question but, do you normaly make any phase corrections when using 2 57's in the on and off axis setup? And when you say Double tracked on each side, are you saying that each mic is armed for recording 2 tracks each and then panned left and right?

[metalhead28]

Originally Posted by musickey

Silly question but, do you normaly make any phase corrections when using 2 57's in the on and off axis setup?

Well, I just place the mic with headphones on to try and find the best spot. By the way, these examples are not optimized in any way. They are tracked as shown and that's it. No EQ or processing at all. They could obviously sound alot better as finished products. I just kept everything raw and basic for simplicity's sake.

[metalhead28]

Originally Posted by musickey

And when you say Double tracked on each side, are you saying that each mic is armed for recording 2 tracks each and then panned left and right?

There are two performances on each side. Four total.

[punkin]

Very cool demo showing the various set ups. Kudos to you!

[Dogman]

Sweet, metaldude...Thanks.
Ed

[thajeremy]

Im really diggin the 609 with the -5db of 57. I just got a 609 for Christmas and I cant wait to put it up beside one of my 57's. I remember when Sonixx did a similar test between a 57 and a 609 several months ago and that got my mouth watering for one.

I always track with several mic's on guitars anyway and blend to taste...the last band I recorded...I used a Fender 2 X 12 cab loaded with Colestion Greenbacks...I had a 57 and an ATM29he on one speaker and a 57 and a SP B1 on the other speaker...double tracked it and used 6 of the 8 tracks...I cant wait to get that 609 mixed in....

[cvd]

Is it still permissible to ask silly questions?

What does -10dB mean? Is that something you control at the mixer, or is there a setting on the mic to switch that?

Hell, the only mic I have is one 57!!

And I promise, if I ever get this stuff figured out, I'll try to hellp you folks as much as you've helped me

[thajeremy]

some mics have a -10db switch. This cuts the signal by 10db inside the mic. Its needed when recording loud sources. Your SM57 does not have this switch.

[cvd]

Jeremy,

Thanks for the response.

Maybe MetalHead will come back and explan, but the way I'm reading his post is that he's applying this cut to the 57. Do some 57's have this switch? If not, is one just being mixed lower than the other?

Sorry for the braindead response, I have a lot of learning to do

[Ford Van]

metalhead, do you have a LD Condenser?

To tell you the truth, I really wasn't digging any of those captures that much. I REALLY think blending a LD with either the 57 or the 609 will yield much better results, ESPECIALLY for metal!

Personally, I favor a AT 4050 and a 57 blend.

[metalhead28]

Hey, thanks guys.
When I said -5 db I meant that I mixed it at 5 db below the other mic. When I recorded I set the gain to record every mic at the same level.

At -0 I meant that I left both mics at the same level.

Yes I have a few LDC's. I don't like them for metal rhythm guitar. The sound on these clips I think sounds alot better in a mix than just on it's own here. Even though I honestly wouldn't exactly use this sound, I would dial in the amp differently and I would record a couple of other amps as well. Like I said I was going for just really generic tracks.

[musickey]

This is a link to some recordings i did for my band, the Guitar tracking consist of a Mesa triple rect, and 4x12 cab with celestions and one sm-57 and 2 performances of that setup panned left and right, and then another performance using Guitar Rig (User preset) and i mixed it center, but with a little bit of cut in level in the mix. i have sense been tweeking this system and getting great results on newer recording's but i would definatly like to try some of the other techniques mentioned in this thread!
http://www.myspace.com/exesion

[metalhead28]

Hey Musickey. Your stuff sounds good! I see you are in Exesion, that must mean we're neighbors. I used to play lead guitar in Laid to Rest and we played up at 1123 a bit.
I am on Myspace as well..

www.myspace.com/themetallab

Hit me up if you want to get in touch.

[musickey]

hahahaha, THATS CRAZY AS HELL MAN!!! YEAH I HAVE PLAYED A SHOW WITH YOU GUYS. damn man yeah and i have already came across your myspace page great sounding stuff by the way, we need to get up and exchange some ideas and software or what not, i have a ton of shit software wise, any way man im sending you a friend invite through my personal page on myspace. (its a small world lol) later man...........KEY

[metalhead28]

Originally Posted by musickey

hahahaha, THATS CRAZY AS HELL MAN!!! YEAH I HAVE PLAYED A SHOW WITH YOU GUYS. damn man yeah and i have already came across your myspace page great sounding stuff by the way, we need to get up and exchange some ideas and software or what not, i have a ton of shit software wise, any way man im sending you a friend invite through my personal page on myspace. (its a small world lol) later man...........KEY

Did you play a show with them when I was still in the band? I'm the tall, bald bastard.
Hey wait....did you change the name of your band? Now that you mention that you guys look familiar, haha.

Cool

[CyanJaguar]

thanks for taking the time. Very informative.

I hate the sound of multitracked guits but very informative.

[metalhead28]

Thanks The time was no big deal, I'll get some use out of these when people come in here to record. It helps when trying to define certain sounds to them.

[musickey]

[QUOTE=metalhead28]Did you play a show with them when I was still in the band? I'm the tall, bald bastard.
Hey wait....did you change the name of your band? Now that you mention that you guys look familiar, QUOTE]

yeah we had a different name then i was that short bald bastard!!!

[chadsxe]

Originally Posted by Ford Van

metalhead, do you have a LD Condenser?

To tell you the truth, I really wasn't digging any of those captures that much. I REALLY think blending a LD with either the 57 or the 609 will yield much better results, ESPECIALLY for metal!

Personally, I favor a AT 4050 and a 57 blend.

Errr....I don't think I would agree with you there......are you talking about a LD as a room...?

[EleKtriKaz]

Originally Posted by Ford Van

metalhead, do you have a LD Condenser?

To tell you the truth, I really wasn't digging any of those captures that much. I REALLY think blending a LD with either the 57 or the 609 will yield much better results, ESPECIALLY for metal!

Personally, I favor a AT 4050 and a 57 blend.

I'm loving the combination of one of my Unidyne 545s In close and my AT4060 backed off a few feet. Lots of warmth and low end from the 4060.

[musickey]

Just another lil tid bit, i have been tampering with using the slave out on the back of my Mesa Triple Recto and running it into the mix as well, you have to eq the piss out of it but it adds some high end clearity.