GuitarCab micing suggestions w/ my locker

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

I need some suggestions for miking my guitar players guitar cab. I might want to try dual miking but is there any ways to get around or minimize phase problems? What mic combo would work the best, and what are some positions to try with dual miking?

Here are the mics I have:

SP C1
SP C4 matched pair
SM57
Sennheiser MD421


Ted Rules!

 

[Thorguitarist]

Ah, you gotta check past posts... Sennheiser e609 is still my top mic, well for guitar cabs.. Go with the Senheisser

 

[DJL]

I and what are some positions to try with dual miking?

If he has an open back amp... you could try the MD421 on the front and the SM57 on the back of the amp... heck, try all your mics, and etc, etc.

 

[Ronan]

SM57 & Sennheiser MD421.

Just make sure that they are both the same distance from the grill on roughly the same part of the cone and you should have very mininal phase problems.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

same distance from the grill on roughly the same part of the cone

I don't think I understand what you're saying. Are you saying put the mics in the exact same spot, like one mic laying right on top of the other?

If I were to try the 421 right on the grill and a condenser for that warm thick guitar tone and then put a condenser farther back to pick up a more detailed would that cause phase issues. How could I attempt this while minimizing phase and other problems?

 

[Ronan]

I don't think I understand what you're saying. Are you saying put the mics in the exact same spot, like one mic laying right on top of the other?

If I were to try the 421 right on the grill and a condenser for that warm thick guitar tone and then put a condenser farther back to pick up a more detailed would that cause phase issues. How could I attempt this while minimizing phase and other problems?

I am saying that the two mics should be the same distance from the cone of the speaker. They can be right on top of each other or even on different speakers. The 421 & SM57 combo is exactly what I have used on records with six figure budgets with huge mic lockers. Its one of my favorite set ups.

You could put a condensor further back if that is a sound you dig. You will get phase distortion, but keep this in mind, phase distortion is not always a bad thing!! It will end up cutting some frequencies and boosting others. You may just love the results. Try fipping the phase of one of the mics for a different phase shift. You can also move one of the tracks into phase if you are recording with a DAW. Phase distortion can be a cool creative tool as well as a pain in the ass.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

What is the difference in sound between using a mic up on the grill and one farther back, and 2 the same distance?

 

[mynameisscott]

What is the difference in sound between using a mic up on the grill and one farther back, and 2 the same distance?

the mic further back will get more of the room sound and the one aginst the grill will get the sound of the speaker/cab

i dont know anything about using 2 at the same distance though.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

the mic further back will get more of the room sound and the one aginst the grill will get the sound of the speaker/cab

i dont know anything about using 2 at the same distance though.

I mean, like stereotypically, what types of music would each approach tend to compliment? For what I'm recording I want the guitar to be powerful and warm, but I also want it to have some high end bite, for lack of a better way to describe it. If I were to use a 421 on the grill and one farther away, what would everyone recommend for the mic that's farther back? A condenser? the sm57? If a condenser, which one would be better for guitar, a c4 or c1?

 

[Ronan]

What is the difference in sound between using a mic up on the grill and one farther back, and 2 the same distance?

Hey BRIEFCASEMANX, I hope this comes off in the spirit it is intended (helpful!) I would suggest that you dig into some books and do a little research on mic theory. There is not a really short answer to your question. There are a lot of factors involved: Polar patterns, proximity effect, Frequency response, off axis response. Once you get a bit of a grasp onto some of the fundementals you can have a lot more fun with micing and a lot more creative control over your sound.

 

[DJL]

The 421 & SM57 combo is exactly what I have used on records with six figure budgets with huge mic lockers. Its one of my favorite set ups.

........................


BRIEFCASEMANX... a good starting point would be with the MD421 back about 4 inches from the grill and on the outside rings of the speaker but pointed more towards the cone. Remember, mic speaker rings = more bass... and mic speaker cone = more treble.

 

[TripleM]

Here's what I've been doing recently for crunchy guitars...

I use an SM57 and a MC-012. OK, maybe many people would not use the Oktava for something like this, but it's the only SD condneser I own.

I put the SM57 just off the grille, on axis and just off the center of the cone. I put the 012 the same distance from the grille, on axis, but a bit further away from the center than the 57. The 012 at that position provides some better low end response. When I mix, I keep the 012 a little under the 57 - the 57 is the "dominant" track, the 012 provides a little "subtle low end."

Since I prefer not to deal with phase issues (because I don't think I'm advanced enough), I've come up with a trick. I use Cakewalk. So I do a test record first. Then I'll blow out the waveforms of each track and make sure the peaks line up. If they don't, I'll move the 012 in or out depending on what's needed.

It's improved my guitar sound. Any reactions to this good or bad? Any alternative suggestions?

 

[Ronan]

Remember, mic speaker rings = more bass... and mic speaker cone = more treble.

Right. An additional way to think about this is also the cone is a little edgier with more clarity, and the out towards the edge is smoother, less definition, perhaps "less high" as apposed to "more bass"