Distorted guitars?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ecktronic
  • Start date Start date
try rolling off the gain a bit.. also sounds a little boomy.. not 100% sure if that's because you need to turn a bit of the bass down or if it's because you're using a beta 52.. I'm not a big fan of the jcm2000 so that could be part of your issue.. our bass player actually uses one. it's a good bass amp haha
 
pandamonk said:
Well you're using a kick drum mic. Maybe something like an SM57 would be better.
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Ive tried suing other mics. Ive tried an NT2, crappy berringhermic, and an AKG MKIII (looks like an SM57). The Beta 52A seems to be the best mic for the job.

Eck
 
eeb said:
try rolling off the gain a bit.. also sounds a little boomy.. not 100% sure if that's because you need to turn a bit of the bass down or if it's because you're using a beta 52.. I'm not a big fan of the jcm2000 so that could be part of your issue.. our bass player actually uses one. it's a good bass amp haha
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It doesn't sound that heavy already so less gain might make it sound less like metal/hard rock. I did record at a low volume on the amp as it was late at night so I couldn't disturb folk. Maybe if I record at a louder volume then it might sounds meatier?

To me it sounds muddy. I can't seem to get a nice amount of high end without it getting harsh and brittle. Ive tried moving the mic all over the speakers, but with no luck.

Cheers,
Eck
 
lol. I just noticed that you can hear me hitting the strings in the recording. Thats how quiet my amp was!
I used a palm muted track low in the mix to try and add some beef.

Eck
 
ecktronic said:
lol. I just noticed that you can hear me hitting the strings in the recording. Thats how quiet my amp was!
I used a palm muted track low in the mix to try and add some beef.

Eck
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I can't listen as I'm at work, but I would crank that amp up at get the power tubes saturated. Also, less gain will actually sound heavier.....
 
NL5 said:
I can't listen as I'm at work, but I would crank that amp up at get the power tubes saturated. Also, less gain will actually sound heavier.....
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Cheers man.
Gona try recording again in the next few days with more volume, and Ill try out different amounts of gain. Think my tubes might be blown though so might be contributing to my problem.

Eck
 
i didn't hear any evidence of a blown tube at all in your last clip..

it's probably a setting thing.. what kinda sound you looking to get?
 
eeb said:
i didn't hear any evidence of a blown tube at all in your last clip..

it's probably a setting thing.. what kinda sound you looking to get?
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Blown tubes can be hard to detect sometimes I'm sure.
I'm trying for kinda Deftones sounding distortion. Nice and full low end bright but smooth highs.
It just doesn't seem possible to get smooth highs with my set up.
I mean the firepod pre-amps are good enough to get nice high end with so I'm thinking it could be my amp.

Eck
 
yeah i've messed around with a jcm 2000 before for guitar.. never could quite get that smooth distortion outta it at all.. ended up with very close to your results..

if you're not hearing the distortion sound you like coming outta your amp you sure won't be able to record it..
 
eeb said:
yeah i've messed around with a jcm 2000 before for guitar.. never could quite get that smooth distortion outta it at all.. ended up with very close to your results..

if you're not hearing the distortion sound you like coming outta your amp you sure won't be able to record it..
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Dang. Think its time to save the pennys for a new amp.

So true. I kinda like the sound coming from my amp but I lack the experience with what sounds good coming from a guitar amp. I really need to go to a cracking studio engineer to see how (s)he does it.

Eck
 
ecktronic said:
I used a Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 with a PRS McCarty Soapbar guitar, Sure Beta 52A into a Firepod.

I cant seem to get a decent distortion recording.
Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=9944

Cheers,
Eck
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It sounds distant somehow, it doesn't cut, nor does it have the kick I think you want from it. Personally, of that signal chain, I'm blaming the mic. Do you have a large diaphragm condenser you can use along with it? (two sources, the Shure close in for guts, the condenser farther back for nuance and potential phase cancellation...)

Add some 1KHz, 6.3KHz, and some 125Hz, see how it sounds.
 
Llarion said:
It sounds distant somehow, it doesn't cut, nor does it have the kick I think you want from it. Personally, of that signal chain, I'm blaming the mic. Do you have a large diaphragm condenser you can use along with it? (two sources, the Shure close in for guts, the condenser farther back for nuance and potential phase cancellation...)

Add some 1KHz, 6.3KHz, and some 125Hz, see how it sounds.
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Ive got an NT2, but Ive never got a workable recording from that mic for distorted guitars. To brittle.

I have used SM57s, SM58s, C414s also and still not got anywhere near the meaty heavy smooth distortion Ive been looking for.

Cheers,
Eck
 
ecktronic said:
Ive got an NT2, but Ive never got a workable recording from that mic for distorted guitars. To brittle.

I have used SM57s, SM58s, C414s also and still not got anywhere near the meaty heavy smooth distortion Ive been looking for.

Cheers,
Eck
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Well, it may be too brittle by itself, but use an SM57 close in for the meat, and have a LITTLE bit of the condenser in the mix, to give it a little nuance... Try it...
 
Not read what anybody else posted to carefully.
The guitarsound is very good.
But I miss some prescensce, I think a sm57 would do you more justice.
Placed 1-2 inches from the cab.
 
I was just about to mention the lack of presence when I note nakatira had been there & done that.
With my Marshall Superbass I'd just turn up the presence knob but I'm a knob.
I have very little luck with distorted sounds - I now use a tube cube so I can crank & saturate my amp without killing myslef - then add a little bit of a big muff clone (Big Fluff) & then, in the box apply some cab/mic placement settings from Vexengo Boogiex.
 
ecktronic said:
To me it sounds muddy. I can't seem to get a nice amount of high end without it getting harsh and brittle. Ive tried moving the mic all over the speakers, but with no luck.

Cheers,
Eck
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There's nothing muddy about that clip. You've said that before about stuff that is ear piercing with high end. This one is not as bad as some of the ones you've done. You need to start looking at your monitoring situation. Or you could have hearing loss.
 
Eck,
Why not try a stomp box on your clean channel? If you can't get the amp's effects to do what you need, out-source! :D

And I'd see about getting an SM58... :rolleyes:
 
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