Beginner Guitar Miking & stuff

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Pariah85

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Ok, I have a 4 track digital recorder that I can use okey dokey, but I need some guitar help. I've heard the SM 58 is a good entry lvl amp miking , is this true? What sort of positions are optimal for getting a big, fat distorted rhythem sound? I've heard recording w/ 2 mics in 2 different positions help, but how should I place them. Also, any tips on a good clean sound? Does "clean sound" miking utilize different techniques than "distorted" miking?

I hope my topic isn't too broad, but any general help to begin experimenting with things would rock.
 
I may be able to help on part of your question. The SM-58 is a good all around microphone, but is really more suited to vocals and drums. The SM-57, which is about the same price as the SM-58 will do a better job recording an amp or acoustic guitar. I've been recording on a Fostex X-55 4-track for about 7 years and usually place the 57 about 6 inches from the cone of my Fender Champ. For recording acoustic guitar I used to place one 57 about 5 inches away pointed at where the neck meets the body of the guitar and another 57 about 5 inches from the lower bout of the guitar pointed toward the bridge. For the past few years, though, I've used an Audio-Technica 4033S for recording acoustic instruments.

This has worked well for me, but it really depends on the room you're recording in. The best thing is maybe, to try the above, and if it doesn't sound right, try moving them around a little.

For me getting the "fat distorted sound" is more a matter of playing with your amp and guitar controls than mic placement, but I'm sure there are others more knowledgeable who can help you with that. Most of my experience is recording acoustic instruments. Good luck.
 
You need to be initiated as I was a few days ago over in the Microphone forum.

Look for the thread with about 500 posts. It'll take you three hours to read, but it's well worth the edjumacation.

Here is a link to a compilation of the meat of the lessons.

At least I think this is it:

Microphone Primer (Microphones 101)
 
I've had very good results mic'ing cabs with AKG D690, a cheapie. I have an SM57 but frankly, I don't use it much. I just like the AKG better. Here's a cool tip for getting clean rythym sound ala Pete Townsend. The first hard part- learn to play Tommy. Then jack a POD set on "tube preamp" (no effects other than a little reverb) into a clean power amp in "live" mode (no cab modeling). Jack the amp into a cab and mic it with a 57 or whatever dynamic. Then take a small diaphragm condenser (Oktava MC012, MXL603, etc) right on the guitar body. That's right, mic the solidbody like it was an acoustic. Put the mic where the soundhole would be if it was an acoustic. Because the amp gain is low, the guitar mic will pick up a lot more percussive pick noise, the sound of a real human playing a real guitar. Start with just the mic'd cab, and then mix in the guitar mic until you get that sound. With this technique, my SG has been mistaken by most people, including a few engineers, for an acoustic!-Richie
 
Im slowly starting to get slightly better gear..
I mainly record acoustic guitar because for 10 years I was too broke to buy an electric one.

Im using my 4track as a mixer to my computer.

At first I was recording acoustic with just a dean markley pickup.. the kind you put under the strings, and I was inputting that into the microphone in jack of my soundcard because it wasnt loud enough for the line in jack.

Then came a Bluetube preamp ($99) to jack up the volume so I had to do less editting to make the sound audible.

Shortly after came the cheap ($50) AudioTechnica dynamic mic along with the pickup to go for the stereo effect..

Yesterday i buckled down and bought a Sure PG81 condenser ($120) to mic the acoustic, and the quality of the sound is 3 million times better.

So my suggestion to you is dont waste your money trying to get cheap mics (radio shack) that sound good because you'll end up spending more than if you just buy something decent.

(Ill spend the weekend trying to get a nice stereo sound with the Sure and the Audiotechnica because I dont have another ($80) for a SM57.

Just my 37.5 cents.
 
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