Distortion Recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter elenore19
  • Start date Start date
elenore19

elenore19

Slowing becoming un-noob.
So we recorded a song and I we're having trouble keeping the distortion under control. We've tried recording the guitar with less Gain/Drive and then we just end up making it have not enough distortion for it to sound decent. If that makes any sense. So yeah, I just feel that there is too much 'backround distortion' so to speak, and the tone quality isn't amazing, but when we're just playing around it sounds great when practicing. Are there any devices or methods we could use to make things work out better? We are miking the amps having the mic about 2 feet away from the amp. Any help is very great thanks!


-Elliot
 
So yeah, I just feel that there is too much 'backround distortion' so to speak
Click to expand...

Is the problem with the amp/guitar tone, or are you talking about distortion (clipping) in the recording?

I'm confused. :confused:
 
Get an SM57 and close mic the amp.
Start with the mic at a 45 degree angle in front of the cone, almost touching the grill.

Turn the gain down about 25% from what you use playing live.
Then record the part on 2 tracks, with 2 seperate takes.
 
You might try a compressor in front of that amp to give you a little more sustain when you cut back on your gain. I often notice that what I miss when I cut back on gain and can't have the master volume on the amp turned up to ten is sustain--not distortion.
 
Last edited:
I know shit about amp micing, but gotta say that layering the same thing played twice with low gain works, well. Once layered the same thing 4 times,HUGE, but it was getting muddy, since timing issues due to fast picking.
but 2 times works wonders.
 
I have a hard time buying into the cut the gain thing... this seems to be a mantra.

set your tone using phones that you trust. don't worry about what it sounds like in the room. keep tweeking the controls and moving the mic until you find something you like. if you can't get it, then something has to change... i.e. PUP, amp, speaker or mic. make your tweaks very small

here's two clips with lots-o-gain and I don't think these sounds wimpy or weak. either may not be the tone you're after, but that's besides the point.

Riffs

Heavy Distortion
 
Well, I was talking about rhythm tracks for the most part. For soloing, one can experiment with all sorts of settings.

In your heavy distortion clip, the feedback parts sound okay, but the chords are muddy! Less gain would allow them to be clearer and still remain full sounding. 2 tracks of reduced gain always sounds much better than one overly saturated track...imo.

Nice playing, by the way.
 
Some of your clips sound kickass....but a few are quite muddy sounding...mostly the ones with the Carvin speaker. Maybe it's just the settings of that particular amp, but they lack the smooth punch that most of the other tracks have.

Maybe I'll change my method to say "IF" your recording is getting an overdriven, muddy sound...try backing off on the gain, even if you usually use more during a live performance.
 
the reason some sound differently, is I'm always going for something different every time. what you describe as muddy in my mind may be more lower mids in mine.

I agree not all my clips sounds the same... as designed.

thanks for taking a listen.

the Carvin is a much lower-mid centric speaker than say the V30. also, mic placement or mic selection may be playing a bigger role than gain.
 
Do you mean that you're getting a really gritty sort of distortion? I've had that sort of problem. I thought it sounded fine, but then in recording it ended up being really nasty (not what I wanted, in this case), so it might just be the distortion you're using. Having said that, I still think that you ought to be able to tweak it to sound how you want with the same distortion. Maybe cut back on the highs a little bit? I dunno, I haven't recorded anything in a while... stupid school.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top