spantini
COO of me, inc.
How to choose the best microphone for your electric guitar amp
Because a great amp sound deserves the right mic for the job...
www.guitarworld.com
Article : Microphones for miking your amp
- Thread starter spantini
- Start date
www.guitarworld.com
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Over the years, it's been a journey of trial and error and while I've never used a ribbon mic, I have found that both dynamics and condensers do the job. I've never used a SM57 but I frequently use an SM58 and I like what it does.
That all said though, I am a home recorder that is of the opinion that any mic can be used to record any source. There's a certain gritty shitty electric guitar tone that can be nabbed using a headphone as a mic. You may only use it on 2 songs you'll ever do, but the sound is unique.
Also, one to file away in the back of one's mind for future use ~ playing a6 or 12-string electric guitar without an amp or sim and recording it as an almost acoustic. Great sound, if you like that kind of thing ~ which I do.
That all said though, I am a home recorder that is of the opinion that any mic can be used to record any source. There's a certain gritty shitty electric guitar tone that can be nabbed using a headphone as a mic. You may only use it on 2 songs you'll ever do, but the sound is unique.
Also, one to file away in the back of one's mind for future use ~ playing a6 or 12-string electric guitar without an amp or sim and recording it as an almost acoustic. Great sound, if you like that kind of thing ~ which I do.
"Also, one to file away in the back of one's mind for future use ~ playing a6 or 12-string electric guitar without an amp or sim and recording it as an almost acoustic. Great sound, if you like that kind of thing ~ which I do."
Funny you should say that Grim'! A couple of weeks ago I was Skyping my son and he held up his Tele clone to the USB mic he uses and did a quick 'country' lick. It sounded pretty bloody good!
I am now going to email him (he in France) and ask him to repeat and record the exercise, maybe with his Ricky 303 as well. If I can convince him to do it I shall post the clips.
Dave.
Funny you should say that Grim'! A couple of weeks ago I was Skyping my son and he held up his Tele clone to the USB mic he uses and did a quick 'country' lick. It sounded pretty bloody good!
I am now going to email him (he in France) and ask him to repeat and record the exercise, maybe with his Ricky 303 as well. If I can convince him to do it I shall post the clips.
Dave.
TalismanRich
Well-known member
That was a bit of a useless article, a fluff piece. Essentially, you can use a ribbon, a condenser or a dynamic mic. There really wasn't much in the way of specifics.
50 years ago, you had a limited number of mics from which to choose. You probably stuck a 57 or a 421 on the amp and hit record. Maybe if you had a big studio, you might use a ribbon or condenser. Today there are a 500 different condenser mics, 500 dynamic mics, and 100 ribbon mics available. Everybody has 15 or 20 mics! LDC, SDC, passive vs active, tube or FET. It saturation city... too many choices!
Play with the ones in your mic drawer, pick the setup you like and stick with it.
50 years ago, you had a limited number of mics from which to choose. You probably stuck a 57 or a 421 on the amp and hit record. Maybe if you had a big studio, you might use a ribbon or condenser. Today there are a 500 different condenser mics, 500 dynamic mics, and 100 ribbon mics available. Everybody has 15 or 20 mics! LDC, SDC, passive vs active, tube or FET. It saturation city... too many choices!
Play with the ones in your mic drawer, pick the setup you like and stick with it.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I have 13 ! And 7 of those are 2 sets of drum mics.
I kind of agree with this, yet, when one reads through what was being used even in the 1960s, there was a huge choice of mics.
I agree. I also find that even with 13 microphones, {9 dynamic, 4 condenser}, the scope of combinations and positions is ridiculously high !
CoolCat
Well-known member
SM7b or SM57 on the grill here,
maybe even a blanket tossed over the amp and mic too.... keep it simple.
anything to keep the room reflections out...
its a 8x12x8 drywall room these days, not an AIR studios cathedral room with sounds to salivate over an capture, no...drywall with a drumset sitting 2ft away, and a glass window so thin I can hear people talking when they walk by outside.... it was fixed up nice years ago but the nagging ex wouldnt have it.
I got some nice headphones for her, not a bad trade.
funny hendrix .., read in one of his books he played some track so loud the control room couldnt hear their monitors..lol
maybe folklore? or was it true? I wasnt there. I didnt know Kramer used a ROYER on his amps though.
a magazine article writer wrote "so many famous guitar tracks done with a sm57, why am I even doing this comparison test?"
maybe even a blanket tossed over the amp and mic too.... keep it simple.
anything to keep the room reflections out...
its a 8x12x8 drywall room these days, not an AIR studios cathedral room with sounds to salivate over an capture, no...drywall with a drumset sitting 2ft away, and a glass window so thin I can hear people talking when they walk by outside.... it was fixed up nice years ago but the nagging ex wouldnt have it.
I got some nice headphones for her, not a bad trade.
funny hendrix .., read in one of his books he played some track so loud the control room couldnt hear their monitors..lol
maybe folklore? or was it true? I wasnt there. I didnt know Kramer used a ROYER on his amps though.
a magazine article writer wrote "so many famous guitar tracks done with a sm57, why am I even doing this comparison test?"
markmann
Active member
that's interesting because I have one solid body electric in particular that has a great acoustic sound and I have recorded it without an amp and it sounded excellent.
PorterhouseMusic
Mitakuye Oyasin
This ^^^^^^
rob aylestone
Moderator
I did a video a while back about real vs fake 57s - might be useful info?
I don't play hard rock, so my amps are a Fender Rumble for my bass and a small Crate for my acoustic-electric guitar.
My ribbon mics really sing when picking up cabinets. I don't need aggressive highs, rather a mellower sound, and the ribbon is sweet on the ears for that purpose.
C.
My ribbon mics really sing when picking up cabinets. I don't need aggressive highs, rather a mellower sound, and the ribbon is sweet on the ears for that purpose.
C.