Recording Distorion Guitar

W

wang191

New member
I just got some equipment last week and I tried to record a punk style song, just to test out the equipment. I was using a Fender Rock Pro 1000 amp (Has a really nice crunch and not too much fuzz). I find that the mics are not getting the crunch but only a light fuzz sound, which I dont hear from the amp. I tried placing the mics in different places from directly in front of the speaker all the way off to the side where my ear was and I just cant get it to sound right. I know I didn't have the mics in phase because I sat there for about an hour trying it, but I was by myself and the monitors are in the same room as the amp. I tried moving the mics closer farther to get the phase right and I could hear it getting better but not totaly in phase. Even then the sound wasn't that great.

SM57 and MXL2001 into a MOTU896HD

Any suggestions as far as what I can do.

I had tried rolling off the distortion, playing with the tone a bit. Like i said i had the 57 in the center off axis, i moved it on axis, then off to the side, closer, further. Same with the mxl.

The other mics i have at my disposal are Shure SM58, MXL603, and some samson mics (not sure of the model, but I'm sure they aren't that great, they came as part of a deal with my tascam portastudio a couple of years back).

I'm using the pre's in the MOTU.
 
Try a direct line fromm your amp into the mixer. Only problem with that is that you'll risk buzz and lack of warmth.

Another is, try one mic instead of two. Unless you have some sort of stereo delay effects running through your amp, it's not really feaseable (correct me on my spelling?) to use two mics on your amp. If anything, it's harder to work with.

My third suggestion contradicts my second, place one mic, maybe 6-8inches from your speaker and at an angle. Maybe anywhere from 20-45 degrees. Place the other mic about 3-5ft away from the speaker, pointed straight at the speaker. It could be just a matter of getting the mics far enough to capture the freqs just as they fully form.

Think about it, you don't place your ear right next to the speaker when you play. Your ear is probably at least 3ft away from the speaker. The closer you get to the speaker, the more concentrated the sound.

You could even go as far as placing a pantyhose over the mic to soften sounds. But that's just an example of how rediculous it can get.

If that dosn't work, could be the gear. Again, only experimenting will help.

Hope that helps ;)
 
Crunch is a pretty direct effect. I like the 6in away, but I would add to crank that mother freaker up!! Get those tubes glowin
 
There are no tubes in a Fender Roc Pro.

If you have the sound you want coming from the amp, use your ear (literally) and move around to see where you like the sound best and put it there.Try sticking the 603 and the 57 in the same place and listen to the tracks individually. Then keep whichever sounds better to you and toss the other. You're out nothing.

The pres on my 828 mk2 leave much to be desired. You may need a little more warmth, especially with that amp. When I think punk I think Marshalls with overdriven front ends. The Roc Pro is a little sterile when I have heard it, and maybe that's what's coming across in your recordings.

H2H
 
First post. Getting a good crunchie guitar sound can be dicey. The way your brain and ears interpret the air pressure waves is not exactly the same way that the microphone will. Firstly, less distortion sounds "louder" than more distortion. I read that in an AC/DC interview a million years ago.

Secondly, to get a better sound using a 57, make sure it isn't pointed straight at the speaker cone. Think of it like it's a flashlight. You don't want to to make an illuminated spot on the speaker that is shaped like a circle. You want it to be shaped like an elipsoid or distorted oval. Take a maglight and shine it on your speaker. You want the light spot to cover as much of the different angles and details of the speaker cone as possible. Kind of hard to describe, I guess. Great forum, though.
 
THe rock pro has tubes for the pre amp section but that's it. That's why i like the distortion sound on it, but it could use a little more warmpth, I wish i could pull the pre section from that and run it through my Peavy classic 50.
Anyway back to the topic, i'll give some of this a shot. I may be able to blend a direct out with the mic sound and see what i can get. Along with moving the mic further away with out it sounding to distant.

When i go home i'll see if i can get some sounds and make them mp3's and post em.
 
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=27030

Ah, grasshoppah... You did not get the pebble?

Read the post above, if you haven't already. It's super long, but you can find a lot about why microphones work the way the work, and some theory behind mic'ing a guitar amp, (among other things,) from a great mind in Harvey.

There's a ton of great info in that thread. I know that my post doesn't directly address any of your issues, but if you take the time to read through the post above, I firmly believe that you'll be happier than if you just got a "try this" response. Even if it works, because you still might not understand why. But if you read the mic post above, you'll learn all about it, and you will much more satisfied, I promise.

-Speedy
 
There was a series of articles on the old "recpit" at ProSoundWeb.com called "a problem with heavily distorted guitars"

Here are the links... it's gonna take a while to get through them... in this you have some pretty heavy hitters... from guys who've done stuff like Agnostic Front, and Thursday, and a whole bunch of other serious albums.

Enjoy!!

http://recpit.prosoundweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=4095 [a problem with heavily distorted guitars... part 1]

http://recpit.prosoundweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=7486 [a problem with heavily distorted guitars... part 2... but not nearly as long as part 1]

http://recpit.prosoundweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=9419 [a problem with heavily distorted guitars... part 3... longer than part 2, but still not nearly as long as part 1]
 
by Slipperman (from Fletcher's article links above)
Don't look to 'twinkie'. He cannot be trusted. He is a MUSICIAN. THE ENEMY. A irritating blip on the FOF indicator that must and will be erradiacted for the sake of all that is noble and the preservation of man's glorious march into the future. He is hell bent on forcing you to make SHITTY SOUNDING RECORDS AND YOU MUST STOP HIM. But, I digress.
Click to expand...
Classic!!!

:D :D
 
I just started tracking the guitars for an album and I had to get the guitarist into the control room cause I knew if he heard what was coming out of the amp, he would have a hissy fit. After the first track I had him listen in the cans. He almost shit himself :eek:

I'm still amazed at how low you have to set the gain. The lower it goes the heavier it sounds.

Keep working at. There is a useable sound there. You just haven't found it yet
 
Thank you Fletcher!!

I didn't have time to search the forums over there for that thread, so I didn't post it here. I was going to look for it if nobody else mentioned it, but you beat me to it.

I'm having a bit of free time today while watching UofM, so I might just swing over and read it myself.

;)

Thanks again

-Speedy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top