"boominess" when recording amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chamelious
  • Start date Start date
I like it mostly...you should just use the high pass on your preamp if you think its boomy for what you want to put with it.
 
Hmm. The palm mutes create massive spikes in volume. Lowering the amp's bass just makes the whole sound thinner and the spikes remain, software compression does little to help.
 
Can't listen at the moment, but obligatory Slipperman tip o' the hat:

http://www.badmuckingfastard.com/sound/slipperman.html

Bass swings are pretty much his jumping off point for the entire rant that follows, so if somehow you've missed this, read and digest.

Again, without listening... Yeah, hitting that with a high-pass is going to make the whole thing sound "thinner" and less "bass-y"... but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hi-pass, walk away for a while, listen to something else, come back, listen... And then listen again with a bass guitar in the mix. You really don't need a ton of low end energy from your guitars, if you've got a good bass tone supporting them. What you're really after is midrange snarl, for a good metal tone.

3120... Active EQ, right? Where's the bass set? What's the guitar?

Compression on its own won't necessarily do anything (it'll make the non-bass-swing stuff seem to drop out on the chugs, if you really slam it), but I suppose you could also try a multiband compressor set to really crush anything below, oh, start at 600hz, maybe, with a threshold set at a little under your non-chug sustain, and start working your way down until the chugs start poking back through, then go up a little bit to play it safe. That said, my money is either lowering the bass on an active-EQ amp with the bass way too high, or just high-passing the recorded product, will get you better results.
 
Mic placement

Where are you placing the mic in relation to the amp? You might try placing the mic in a couple of different spots around the amp remembers the SM58 is a unidirectional mic and it is not immune to proximity effect. Also you might try recording the guitar track straight through with a DI box and then reamping through the guitar amp. Then you would have control of the signal before it hits the amp via plugins or outboard gear.

Cheers
Nicholas
 
to manage the proximity and for better balance move the mic back a bit.

you can also use a MBC to help with the bottom.

I'd describe the tone more as nasally than as boomy and I hate to add that the distortion is not very pleasing to me.
 
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The guitar is a jackson DKm2, and the 3120's active EQ's were flat (12 o clock) except the mids which were on like, 1 o clock. Gain is on around 10 o clock.

I will read through the article Drew cheers.

Sonixx- any thoughts on what about the distortion you dont like?
 
Sonixx said:
I know I can't describe it sufficiently.

You're after a fairly tight High-Gain tone?
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I like it man..good stuff...kinda Faith No Moreesqe..I think the guitar tone is fine its just kinda mixing weird with the super wet reverb on the vocals..maybe just tone back on the reverb just a little...come play on Maui!
 
ggunn said:
No, it's not; it's a cardioid. That means it is only "somewhat" directional. Its pickup pattern across the front 180 degrees is pretty much the same as an omni.
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I think we have a nominee for this years VP award.;)
 
Sonixx said:
I'd describe the tone more as nasally than as boomy and I hate to add that the distortion is not very pleasing to me.
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This was my impression as well. The SM58 seems to work best when you position it dead center of the speaker, almost touching the grill cloth, and exactly straight. If you angle the mic too much or have it off center you will get that nasally tone just like in your sound clip. After recording apply a high pass filter as previously suggested. You may also need to add more presence, treble, and mids than you would normally use.
 
Honestly, that sample sounds pretty good. I'd need more to be able to tell you anything other than that. But as has been said, if you're recording with a band, once the other instruments are added usually what you don't like disappears into the mix because it's very subtle.
 
Walt-Dogg said:
Honestly, that sample sounds pretty good. I'd need more to be able to tell you anything other than that. But as has been said, if you're recording with a band, once the other instruments are added usually what you don't like disappears into the mix because it's very subtle.
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Sometimes. Other times the only thing you can hear in the mix is what you don't like about the tone of an instrument.
 
I liked the sound, good middle-range honk without fizz.

-No way around it, return the bass from your amp to the bassplayer. :)
-I'd try a sm57.. it's a tad narrower directionally taking less of the "booming" from surroundings.
-Placing the mic is IMPORTANT, as you all know. Spending time at that point pays off later in the mix, as you can actually choose at that point what you're recording. Move the mic towards center of the cone, and keep it in a straight angle to the speaker. Straight in the grill is not always best... backing off 2-4 inches might do wonders.
-EQ the shit out of the sound mercilessly.
 
ggunn said:
No, it's not; it's a cardioid. That means it is only "somewhat" directional. Its pickup pattern across the front 180 degrees is pretty much the same as an omni.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm...well a PZM is a unidirectional...the cardiod will pick up much stronger what its pointing at than what is over to the side...even though it will pick up a little off axis.

Id say that his track could do with a bit of compression...if he is going to have alot of tracks with a Bass guitar and Bass drum fighting for space then the high-pass at 100hz would be a good thing...but durring intros and solos keep it how it is.
 
That slipperman article is horrific. I'm sure the guy knows what he's talking about but i don't have the patience to try and figure out exactly WHAT it is he's talking about.
 
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