danyoung1994
New member
Why would you place a guitarist in say the console room and his amp in the live room when tracking guitars? Why not have them both in the same room with headphones?
Guitarist and Amp in separate rooms?
- Thread starter danyoung1994
- Start date
ibleedburgundy
The Anti-Lambo
Mostly because guitarists are dumb and they'd probably hurt themselves if left in a room alone with no helmet on. So unless you have helmet headphones...
Seriously though, it might sometimes be better to hear what's coming out of the monitors straight up without actual amp bleed. This way they can make sound adjustments based on what is being recorded rather than how it sounds in the tracking room.
Seriously though, it might sometimes be better to hear what's coming out of the monitors straight up without actual amp bleed. This way they can make sound adjustments based on what is being recorded rather than how it sounds in the tracking room.
famous beagle
Well-known member
There are advantages to both methods. If you're both in the control room, communication is easier. Also, if the amp is really blasting, it can be more comfortable to be in another room, and it will probably be easier for him to hear everything. But if the guitarists wants to get any feedback, for example, he'll probably need to be near the amp.
Have you recorded any loud amps lately?
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I'm sure he means the second set are for the engineer.
I don't see the point of an amp in the control room and then everyone wearing headphones in the control room...it kinda defeats the purpose of having a seperate control room....but if it works for you, go for it.
The reason to put the amp out in the live room and the player in the control room is so he can hear the playback through the monitors instead of headphones, and/or so he can really crank the shit out of the amp and not have to be there next to it with headphones on.
My studio is just one space, so it's a moot point, I always wear headphones unless I'm recording something DI, like bass guitar or maybe a keyboard....plus with the headphones, I can still crank the shit out of the amp and not blow out my ears.
It just takes an extra pass to then hear the playback through the monitors after the fact....but it's not as big deal, as I think we always end up listening to playbacks many times anyway between takes.
famous beagle
Well-known member
I'm sure he means the second set are for the engineer.
I don't see the point of an amp in the control room and then everyone wearing headphones in the control room...it kinda defeats the purpose of having a seperate control room....but if it works for you, go for it.
The reason to put the amp out in the live room and the player in the control room is so he can hear the playback through the monitors instead of headphones, and/or so he can really crank the shit out of the amp and not have to be there next to it with headphones on.
My studio is just one space, so it's a moot point, I always wear headphones unless I'm recording something DI, like bass guitar or maybe a keyboard....plus with the headphones, I can still crank the shit out of the amp and not blow out my ears.
It just takes an extra pass to then hear the playback through the monitors after the fact....but it's not as big deal, as I think we always end up listening to playbacks many times anyway between takes.
I think he actually meant to have the amp and guitarist in the tracking (live) room, wearing headphones. The way he stated it isn't exactly clear, but I think that's what he meant.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Mmmmmm...yeah, I see your point. He kinda leaves that last "room" reference vague...could mean either.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Radial makes the SGI Tx/Rx devices that let you put the amp & cab at very long distances from the player without any signal/quality loss from the guitar...it makes the option of playing in the control room feasable.
Radial SGI - Studio Guitar Interface System
I always thought the SGI was cool....but never had a need as my amps are only about 15-20' from my mixing position anyway.
Radial SGI - Studio Guitar Interface System
I always thought the SGI was cool....but never had a need as my amps are only about 15-20' from my mixing position anyway.
haunt
Maker of Noise
Yikes.
Farview
Well-known member
I always had the cabinet in a different room, with the amp and guitarist in the control room.
1. It was much easier to communicate.
2. We could dial in a sound through the mics, which is the way the rest of the world will hear it. What the amp sounds like in the room doesn't matter at all, no one is in there listening to it. The only thing that matters is what it sounds like through the mics. Having the guitarist only hear it that way cut down on tone arguments.
3. If he keeps screwing up the same 3 chord pattern because he drank too much while the bass player was laying down his parts, you can hit him in the head without having to get up.
1. It was much easier to communicate.
2. We could dial in a sound through the mics, which is the way the rest of the world will hear it. What the amp sounds like in the room doesn't matter at all, no one is in there listening to it. The only thing that matters is what it sounds like through the mics. Having the guitarist only hear it that way cut down on tone arguments.
3. If he keeps screwing up the same 3 chord pattern because he drank too much while the bass player was laying down his parts, you can hit him in the head without having to get up.
Sky Blue Lou
Well-known member
Ding ding ding...
I made different experiences. I think it is important that the guitarist gets 'his sound' in the room with the amp first.
Then it is all about making it translate to tape or hd in a way he can agree on.
Otherwise you may end up an insecure guitarist who is way out off his comfort zone. You should at least give him the illusion that 'his sound' somewhat matters.
I think it's mostly better when a guitarist can hear what he plays in the proper context, meaning in the control room, unless he has to work his amp or needs too much level to play what he means.
And I prefer not to be in the room with the guitar cab.
I think it is difficult to properly evaluate the tracks on studio monitors right after listening to the same performance right beside a thrumming guitar cab on the verge of blowing. Does not work for me.
Farview
Well-known member
Nah, have him get 'his sound' in the control room through the mics. It's ussually not that far off from what he has. If it is unusable sounding through the mics, 'his sound' sucks and you need to help him fix that.
I've also noticed that most guitar players' "sound" has little to do with the actaul sound coming from the speakers and more to do with the feel of it. For example, a lot of guys that have a huge amount of fuzzy gain are really just looking for the smoothness. You can back off the gain alot if you plug in a comp/sustainer pedal to give them the smoothness back.
I've also noticed that most guitar players' "sound" has little to do with the actaul sound coming from the speakers and more to do with the feel of it. For example, a lot of guys that have a huge amount of fuzzy gain are really just looking for the smoothness. You can back off the gain alot if you plug in a comp/sustainer pedal to give them the smoothness back.
I think what Jay is trying to say is that a sound recording engineer of decades standing and experience is far more likely to get a good guitar sound than some 10% deaf already, wet behind the ears guitar super ego!
Dave.
Wow.
And you talk about super ego guitarist?
A recordists job is to serve, not to dwell in his own greatness.
And given I was the guitarist, I would not give a flying fuck about what you think I should sound like.
That's the musicians and/or producers call.
Sound recording engineers of decades standing and experience should have got that down.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I get what Jay is saying...that the sound that ultimately matters for the producion will be what is coming out of the controll room monitors....but, you still have to let the players find their own comfort zone, and with guitar, there's something to be said about playing at the amp/cab VS 50' away in the control room.
I mean, there can be legit reasons why you would want to do a "remote" setup...and for some players, the control room can be their comfort zone....but you can't just TELL them where to play or that they are deaf anyway or that they have no sense of what is the "right" tone and where to find it.
I mean, there can be legit reasons why you would want to do a "remote" setup...and for some players, the control room can be their comfort zone....but you can't just TELL them where to play or that they are deaf anyway or that they have no sense of what is the "right" tone and where to find it.