Guitar Tone

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kingofpain678
  • Start date Start date
EQed multi tracks

...and if you want to take it to the next level, make each of these passes a stereo track. Record each take with a pair of sm57s panned hard left and right and experiment with distance. Jimmy Page said "distance equals depth" so place one mic 2" from the cab and one 18" for more of the "sound of the room". with 3 stereo tracks, each uniquely EQed, and moving the mics around you've quickly built an ARMY OF GUITARS.


http://nobodieknew.blogspot.com/
 
Jewishjay said:
...and if you want to take it to the next level, make each of these passes a stereo track. Record each take with a pair of sm57s panned hard left and right and experiment with distance. Jimmy Page said "distance equals depth" so place one mic 2" from the cab and one 18" for more of the "sound of the room". with 3 stereo tracks, each uniquely EQed, and moving the mics around you've quickly built an ARMY OF GUITARS.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about the stereo track thing. Each time you use a stereo track instead of using 2 seperate mono tracks recorded as different takes, you're robbing your guitar track of some of the subtle differences that give layered guitars their effect. Personally, I'd rather take 4 individually recorded mono takes and pan them around the stereo field instead of 2 stereo tracks recorded with multiple panned mics.

I just don't like dealing with stereo tracks in the first place unless its drum kit overheads, a synth, or if its using an effect that's dependant upon being stereo for effectiveness (chorus, flanger, ping-pong delay, etc.).

But I will agree with you on your quote from Jimmy Page (a really underrated studio engineer, IMHO). Some of my favorite guitar tones of his are obvious examples of the mic being placed far enough away from the amp such that it picks up a lot of room ambience along with the guitar signal. In a good sounding room, that ambience can really make a guitar part go from good to truly memorable.

Prime example: in "Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin, after the sloppy guitar cadenza a guitar comes in to establish the double-time riff towards the end of the song. That guitar is definitely mic'd distantly and it has such a perfect effect on the feel of the song. But it's best used as a spice and not an entree because that guitar tone wouldn't be able to hold together an entire album of guitar-driven tracks.

I do like the idea of using mic placement as another variable in the formula for making layered guitars distinct in the mix. So panning, EQ, reverb (or room ambience as a result of room vs. close micing) are all things to vary when stacking guitars in a recording.
 
well i tried the 3 tracks (high, mid, and low) and panned them left, center, and right and it didnt really work out for me so well....

but here's what i came up with. i dialed in a different eq (subtle changes here and there) and miked up the cab with a new mic position: on axis with the cone about 2 inches from the edge of the speaker. also, i took the back of my cabinet off, though it wasnt intentional for this recording. i thought one of the solder points on the input jack of the cab had come undone because my amp was making a weird hum and forgot to put it back on. oh well, i think this is by far better then the other guitar tones i have posted in this thread and i dont wanna mess with anything. and this is only two tracks, one left and one right instead of two left two right.

also i turned the amp off and back on again and the hum was gone :confused::confused: ... weird. oh well, it'll be a lost memory once i get my hands on a new tube amp.

anyway, heres a link to the new mix: New Mix Link
i REALLY messed this one up :D lol. oh well, its not like its going on a demo cd or anything.

i think this ones alright, but im still open to ANY suggestions to improve my sound while im waiting to pay an engineering school thousands of dollars to kick my ass :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top