RECORDING HEAVY GUITARS

S

Scratsh

New member
Well........ i am recording a Progressive Heavy Metal album.... i recorded the
guitars...... i loved the sound.... but it's not perfect.

I work with just my computer and a few accessories..... i record, mix and master on my
computer directly to a CD-R to be pressed after...

I already posted this message on the newbie seccion.. but i thinked that here is better... :) Here it's:

I have a Shure SM58 to record it.... to obtain real puch heavy metal guitars do you have some tips ??? Wich amp ? Mic positioning... i don't have a mix, so i equalize after all the record phase..... certanly it will improve my sound, right ?

Thanks...
 
I can't give you much advice about what amps to use since i only have experience with my Marshall...the Marshall sounds great. I'm not sure if you know this already or not but, there are two tricks that I ALWAYS use to get a good heavy guitar sound.
1) Record LOUD. Most amps output their sweetest sound when turned up about 3/4 of their full potential. Master volumes are designed so that you don't have to blast your amp to get a "good sound", but this is not really true when it comes to recording. Oh yea, don't ever record guitar with a direct line (use the mic)
2) Double the guitars and pan them 3 and 9 oclock. If you have never doubled your guitars before, you are in for a FAT suprise when you listen to this. Don't mistake doubling for stereo micing your cabinet (not as good in my opnion, but maybe good for some other applications)
Hope this helps...
Jeff
 
Thanks Jeffy !!!

I did it, but i made more pan, but i am not mixing right now.... this band is progressive, we have just 1 guitar, so we will really do it !!! And i puted the copied guitar some miliseconds after to get some atmospferic sensantion... it was a test !

About reccord loud.... don't the microphone have a limit ? Will it note distort ? It's a dynamic microphone... a Shure SM58.

Thanks !
 
Do you like the sound of the guitar on this recording: www.mp3.com/dropd
This is what you'd get from using the recording out on a Line6 Pod of Flextone amp, no micing involved :).
But if I had the money: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo head with two Mesa cabs (4X12) cranked to 11, miked slightly off-axis.

Oh yeah, for that recording I was using the Dual Rectifier emulation on my Line6 Flextone :)

[This message has been edited by DropD (edited 01-08-2000).]
 
Scratch,
What do you mean when you say "i made more pan?" Just to make sure that we are on the same level: when you record the "doubled" guitars, you need to record one take first one one track then record another take (played the same) on a separate track. So when you get to mixing you pan them left and right. Even if you are not mixing yet, give it a quick mix and see how much it is different from recording the guitar only once.
As far as recording loud: Yes, every mic has a limit to the amount of "loudness" that it can take but if you turn down the gain on the mic then the signal should not be distorted (at least not distorted from the mic or the pre amp). Are you following me?
I don't know much about the line6 but i'm sure (as Drop mentioned) it's possible to get a good sound out of a direct line...i've just had trouble doing this with MY amp.

Jeff
 
Hey guys,
First post, I got a digital recording setup going (cubase, cake, plugs...ya ya ya) but the weakest link is my soundcard - a SBlive! its ok better than a SB 16 (whatever that means..lol) and i play bass in a progressive band this goes out to neone who records guitars - we need a nice warm tone (tool..metallica..) from a marshall Valvestate. Any reasonable ways to do such using what i have...a good guitar sound is good.

We are checking out a POD and trying to get a used one on E-bay.

Any help would be great!

Thanx guys!

BTW - good shit Drop-D
 
Well... thanks everybody fot the answers... but, jeffy, the nick is Scratsh with SH ! :) It's one of my band's name... and DropD, i will listen to your reccording latter when i got home 'cause i on the job...

Well, Jaff... the problem is that i am not the guitarrist, i am the bassist, and i am trying to produce the band, but the members are crazy... they (keyboards and guitars) pay very very difficult riffs so we get much time to get perfect... i will try to convince him to reccord again ! :) I reccord the solos yesterday and i got a really great sound !

And Hush, now i am learning better to reccord the guitar.... you raly learn just doing... one of the songs is C# .... i reccorded it much heavier than metallica, and the usual E when i make a quick equalization i got a real puch style..... i heavy a ordinary soundboard too, i use cakewalk (here on Brazil it was soooo expensive), and i reccorded mic'ing it with a SM58.... well... with the other Band, Scratsh, we will use the Marshall Valvstate.... i show you the sound... and what do you want to buy ? Amp, guitar or soundboard ? :)
 
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