Getting Stereo Separation

[coopkenta]

Thanks guys, I'm learning a lot here. I also have an option to record with DI from my amp since it has a line out straight to the preamp to DAW. Which method is better, mic or DI?

For a cheap amp I would recommend the DI if you want a fuller sound.

 

[doulos24]

do both record it with a di and the mic at the same time. Here is a killer trick for recording small guitar amps. Take your amp and move it near a corner this gives it a lil more bottom end now lay the amp flat on it's back with the speaker pointing straight up at You now take your mic pointing straight down this allows the speaker in the amp to get the most involved in the recording done right you can fake a 4/12 cab this way.

 

[Hibernatus]

do both record it with a di and the mic at the same time. Here is a killer trick for recording small guitar amps. Take your amp and move it near a corner this gives it a lil more bottom end now lay the amp flat on it's back with the speaker pointing straight up at You now take your mic pointing straight down this allows the speaker in the amp to get the most involved in the recording done right you can fake a 4/12 cab this way.

Thanks, I'm gonna try it out.

 

[Hibernatus]

Also, I heard that you should crank the amp to 10 to get the best sound. True? I can't do anything anything close to 10 in my apartment.

 

[nate_dennis]

no, that shouldn't be the case. Tube amps get "better" tone the hotter their run but, as far as I know, solidstate amps/ modeling amps don't get any differnce in tone from volume. Just find a sound your dig and experiment with mic placement.

 

[Mull]

Hi all, its my first post here. My question is how to record a rhythm guitar for maximum stereo separation effect. I only have one mic so far. I know that I need to record one take and pan it hard left, then record second take and pan it hard right. But since I'm using only 1 mic, do I record each track in mono and will I get a decent sound that way, or do I need to record each take in stereo with 2 mics? I figure that since you pan each take 100%, it shouldn't matter if the track is mono or stereo or am I totally wrong?

I can get a really heavy guitar tone. It has a lot to do with the chain before going into recording. I run the guitar to a Sans Amp GT2. This is the best pedal distortion I've ever ever and it's a decent price. Then it runs to an effects unit where it's EQed and pre amped on an acoustic pre amp setting. This really makes the tone tight and clean. Then it runs to an ART pre amp, then through an EQ where mids are mainly scooped, then to the mixer and then into my sound card. I record 3 guitar track. I hard pan one left and another right right. These 2 are mainly high range with some low frquency. Then I send a heavy track down the middle with a lot of low end. The sound on my heavier music is kind of like the gain of Pantera with the large sound of ole Smashing Pumpkins.

 

[Farview]

I can get a really heavy guitar tone. It has a lot to do with the chain before going into recording. I run the guitar to a Sans Amp GT2. This is the best pedal distortion I've ever ever and it's a decent price. Then it runs to an effects unit where it's EQed and pre amped on an acoustic pre amp setting. This really makes the tone tight and clean. Then it runs to an ART pre amp, then through an EQ where mids are mainly scooped, then to the mixer and then into my sound card. I record 3 guitar track. I hard pan one left and another right right. These 2 are mainly high range with some low frquency. Then I send a heavy track down the middle with a lot of low end. The sound on my heavier music is kind of like the gain of Pantera with the large sound of ole Smashing Pumpkins.

Do you have any examples? Could you post this sound?

 

[sloop]

Thanks, any tips on the effects to get a fatter sound?

Sure.. record the single mic into a stereo track. Add .003 seconds to the front of ONE of the tracks(left OR right it doesn't matter). Then run is through a very light chorus effect. Instant fake stereo.

 

[lenMCHC]

you could also send me your DI tracks, and for a small fee, i'll re-amp them for you.
Have a nice list of amps, mics, and cabs available.

 

[pkdasilva]

Sure.. record the single mic into a stereo track. Add .003 seconds to the front of ONE of the tracks(left OR right it doesn't matter). Then run is through a very light chorus effect. Instant fake stereo.

I'm going to try this one. Hey Sloop, do you route both tracks through the chorus effect or just the .003 seconds in front one?

-PK

 

[Mull]

Do you have any examples? Could you post this sound?

I've only recently gotten really serious recording and I do everything from writing to mastering ,so they take me awhile. I've only finished 2 serious so far and they're both decently mellow. One does get heavier, but I'm almost done with my 3rd and it's pretty heavy. I'll let you know when it's up.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

Sure.. record the single mic into a stereo track. Add .003 seconds to the front of ONE of the tracks(left OR right it doesn't matter). Then run is through a very light chorus effect. Instant fake stereo.

That's the thing, though - it SOUNDS like a fake stereo spread. Simply doubling the track takes a little more work, but if you're a tight player sounds way better.

 

[Mull]

Do you have any examples? Could you post this sound?

www.myspace.com/mullecular

The song is mechanize

 

[Farview]

Very Type O Negative.

 

[Hibernatus]

What is the proper use of the stereo expander filter as applied to multiple takes of mono guitar tracks? Is it applied to all the tracks as a group? Do the individual tracks need to be panned left and right pre filter?

Lets say I have 4 mono takes. I panned 2 left and 2 right and sent to one fx channel where I insert the stereo expander. Is this the proper workflow?

 

[Farview]

What is the proper use of the stereo expander filter as applied to multiple takes of mono guitar tracks? Is it applied to all the tracks as a group? Do the individual tracks need to be panned left and right pre filter?

Lets say I have 4 mono takes. I panned 2 left and 2 right and sent to one fx channel where I insert the stereo expander. Is this the proper workflow?

Stereo expander plugins are a great way to turn everything into a phasey mess. But they are not an aux send effect, they are an insert effect. Like an EQ or compressor. You would send all the guitar tracks to a group buss and insert the plugin on that group buss.

If you have everything panned hard, you cannot get any more stereo than that.

The only thing the plugin will do is (if turned all the way up) invert the phase of one side. That will give the effect that the guitars are coming from outside the stereo field, but the guitars will completely disappear in mono.

If everything is panned hard and doesn't seem 'stereo' enough, it's the guitar tone that's screwing you, not the panning.

 

[leddy]

You can experiment with using the room to fatten up the sound. Try backing the mic away from the amp and cranking the amp louder. It all depends on the sound of the room (you can also try different rooms), but you might be able to get the room to react favorably with your instrument to help get the sound. You have to experiment.

If it has not been mentioned, you can also look in to using reverb or parallel compression.

 

[Hibernatus]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. Here's my first guitar recording attempt. I would highly appreciate any critique. Ignore the drums and base.

 

[Farview]

There is nothing wrong with the guitar tone. You've got a compressor just beating the crap out of the mix, but the tone is decent for what you are doing.

 

[noisewreck]

Sure.. record the single mic into a stereo track. Add .003 seconds to the front of ONE of the tracks(left OR right it doesn't matter). Then run is through a very light chorus effect. Instant fake stereo.

Someone should spank you for giving this "tip".

I'm going to try this one. Hey Sloop, do you route both tracks through the chorus effect or just the .003 seconds in front one?

And someone should spank you for listening to that idiocy. Although you should try it for the educational value of it... just make sure you check it in mono before making any judgements.

That's NOT a way to get stereo. You want width? You want rich? THEN DOUBLE-TRACK THE DAMN FUCKIN PART YOU LAZY FUCK!

OK, now that I'm over with that George Carlin moment, there are so many good ways to achieve "width", which is what most of you erroneously call "stereo".

• Different mics/different positions
• double-tracking
• Stereo room mics (if the room is decent and you want some space around the geetar). Although this might take away from the "in your face" aspect of it.
• Different cabinets
• Different amps
• Different effects/distortion pedals chains

Why the hell would anyone do that "copy and shift" "method" when all it does is mess with your sound, make it all fuzzy and unfocused and just plain turn it into more of the shit than it already was?