Do you use one or two mikes on a guitar cab?

  • Thread starter Thread starter brownbearTLE
  • Start date Start date
The more mics you use then you will maybe notice less difference in sound. As you said "the difference from 2 to 3 mics is not nearly as significant as the difference from 1 to 2 mics."

But don't let that put you off using lots of mics. As at the mixing stage you will have more to play with and the sound coulf be significantly better.
 
To the OP, I posted about this on a similar thread a few years back. Here was my response then, and it really hasn't changed much (except that for very distorted stuff, I usually do 2 tracks a side of the identical riffs).

"I usually have guitarists do at least two tracks of everything. Two mics up close to the cab and a room mic. Depending on the song (one song a recent band did sounded exceptionally cool like this), I'll pan the two cab mics left, the other two tracks right, but I keep the room mic MUCH quieter and centered, so whenever they play something strictly on the left or right, it doesn't give you that weird "hey, I kinda feel like I just went deaf in one ear" feeling (especially with headphones on)."
 
conclusion - try it yourself -
it's fun, when you work ,and get payed by clients - work efficiently
that's it ,
worst case scenario - you won't use one of a a guitar tracks you just recorded
 
I actually asked this question out of boredom, i didn't think it was going to get this much attention haha

Since everyone is sharing their techniques i'll tell you mine. For the most part, i get metal artists. I found that putting a 421 on the cone, just right off the speaker cap, then add a sm57 off axis towards the cone. I'll set up the 421 to where i like it (it usually will get dark), then add in the sm57, flip phase, and listen to whenever i hear the low mids wash out. Flip phase back, add the sm57 until you have just enough highs. For high gain stuff i've noticed it kills the hi gain fuzz you may get.
 
It is very often a single microphone will capture all the amp tone you need. Using a single mic also has the benefit of minimizing phase cancellation issues, although it won’t necessarily eliminate them.
 
CraigCyril said:
It is very often a single microphone will capture all the amp tone you need. Using a single mic also has the benefit of minimizing phase cancellation issues, although it won’t necessarily eliminate them.
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When I use two mics it isn't strictly for tone, it's a way to widen the stereo image of the instrument.

Unless you have a reflective boundary or slave cabinet nearby, using one mic does pretty much eliminate phase cancellation.
 
How about one mic, but with the amp also DI'd? Seemed to be the approach when I've been in the studio, not that I was recording guitar ;)
 
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