Guitar recording issues

R

Richie Basic

New member
Hello. I am multi-tracking with Cubase24 and can't seem to achieve a desired guitar sound. Basically what I'm shooting for is something like on the new Chixdigit record, which is full, big rocking guitars. Basically a Rob Cavallo sound circa first weezer record or Muffs (Blond and Blonder). It doesn't seem like this guitar sound should be that difficult to achieve (Punk rock, right?), but I'll be damned, I've tried just about everything.
The amp I'm using is mainly a Marshall JMP (from the 70's) through a 2x12 Marshall cab, or a Laney combo amp (1x12). I've been micing with an SM57 and have tried just about every position (tight, far, on axis, off axis). I tried a AKG c1000s (?) and that just didn't work well at all (sounded muddy). Basically, the guitars are sounding like they're coming through a megaphone when I play them back (make any sense?). I've started doubling up the mic signal with a direct signal and that does sound a little better, but the mic signal still sounds all nasal (hard do describe sounds with words).
I know that there is no magic microphone solution to this, but any tips that anyone might have would really be appreciated. Oh, and the room I'm in is my bedroom which has fairly high ceilings, a wood floor, and laundry strewn about everywhere. Do you think i need to clean up? THANKS!
 
Have you tried using the 57 about 6" to 1' away of axis and the 1000 about 5-6' away?That way you get a direct mic sound as well as some room with the 1000.
 
Firstly what's the quality of your monitoring/playback system?

What I'd do is crank your amp, stick the SM57 about 1/2 inch in front of the speaker grill just slightly off axis and record at least 4 different rhythm guitar tracks. If you are a really tight rhythm player then do 6 individually tracked guitar tracks!
 
put the mic 1/4 of an inch from the grill :Dhaha...anything more than 2 inches in my oppinion is too far and your gonna loose depth and pick up transients.
what kind of room are u using...if its not a pro room, and your amp is loud, ur gonna get an ugly sound...stick it in the closet. and if ur looking to get that thick distorted sound weezer has...u need to get that sound coming out of the amp. sounds like a distortion box to me.
 
Hello again. I'm monitoring on a pair of Alesis monitor one's through the Alesis power amp. uhh...and the what's going into that is a MOTU 24i.

You know, this may sound weird, but I actually don't have a closet. Can you guys recommend a way to treat a room for better sound recording? I was in this studio the other day and I noticed that when I clapped my hands in there, there was a slap-back delay-sounding echo. I guess that makes it a live room? In my bedroom, there is no such echo, which surprised me because of the wood floors and high ceilings.
 
What you could do is build like a tent from heavy sheets to enclose the amp and the mic...that'd give you a fairly dead environment to record in.
 
What about putting a carpet down and hanging some tapestries on the walls? Don't you want a certain amount of "live room" sound, though?
 
I personally don't like any "live room' sound in my rhythm guitar tracks... I guess it's personal preference - but that's probably due to the fact that as I do 4 to 6 rhythm tracks, any hint of 'verb tends to muddy things up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top