Harveys Help: amp miking for a solo guitarist.

[Baz97]

My music is constructed by layering two of more guitar tracks. No drums, bass or vocals. I use a strat and a practice amp, and most of my stuff is clean, but I do use a Phase 90 pedal now and again. I'll will be recording in my bedroom.

I was going to close mike with a shure SM-57 but now I'm wondering if its frequency range is too narrow - remember my music only contains guitar. What would you recommend?

Thanks,

Barry.

 

[Baz97]

Heres an example of what I'm after, if that helps

 

[Baz97]

Suggestions sincerely appreciated,
I'm hoping to buy before the weekend ; )

Thanks everyone.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Is that audio sample somebody else that you want to sound like? To be honest I think you should aim a bit higher. You could very easily get that sound out of a SM57.

If you want a little more flexibility and have phantom power than the usual suspects will suffice. MXL 67, 93 or the SP C1

 

[charger]

You probably don't need Harvey to tell you:
SM57

 

[Baz97]

Probably not,

I'm just wondering though if the SM57 will have a wide enough frequency range considering guitar will be the only thing in my recordings.

The clip I attached above has a sound i often crave - a dirty vintage sound, but this isnt really mic related now that I think of it. I felt the clip added by aine_canby in this forum is cool, and propably more like what I'm after with regard to miking my amp - the guitars sound very full - is this down to the mic and if so could a 57 achieve this?

Here's that clip -
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?s=&postid=409083

 

[gilwe]

Got a SM58 yesterday and had recording of 4 guitar tracks.

I'm using a strat w/ modified Texas Special pickups and a Twin reverb silverface - sound much like Mark Knopfler early tone.

Well, after experimenting with the mic (of course I took the windscreen off) I found that the best position was as much as closed to the amp.

Well, the sound I got WAS narrow. I like my guitar sound wide. In that recording I couldn't get the "live" and "wide" feel that I get when just playing.

This is interesting because most people recommend the SM57 (which as I understand is very similiar to the SM58) for recording guitars.

I thought of using a condenser additional mic and to mix between the two mics - into the console.

What do you think ??

 

[Baz97]

Maybe if I contrast this clip with another of the same tune, but of different recordings. The first has a bell like sound and the guitar commands. In the second the guitar sounds tinnier, and the drums command. I prefer the first example, I like that bell sound, but Im interested in how both might be achieved from a mic perspective.

Both clips are about 5 seconds -

Clip 1.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?s=&postid=409083

Clip 2. (Attachment)
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?s=&postid=410863

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[TexRoadkill]

guys this isn't really all that complicated. Getting a good electric sound is pretty easy if you have a good guitar and amp (some skill helps also).

Nobody can give you an assurance that the 57 will work for you unless they are in the room listening to you play.

The 57 will work fine 80% of the time. A LD condensor is also nice to have. I like using both at the same time also.

 

[nwsoundman]

The killer tones acheived with a 57 are due to the mic pre used. A 57 through a Mackie won't sound like 57 through a Summit. To get the full capability of a dynamic mic you need a better pre than what comes in most consoles. What are you using?

Kirk

 

[Baz97]

mackie 1202 VLZ

 

[gilwe]

Yamaha 1604 ....

Well, I guess this is quite right, although I think it will still be more difficult to get a "wide" sound with no condenser in the setup ...

BTW, I must say that recording directly from my amp's pre line-out to the consloe sounded almost perfect ...

 

[charger]

You're not going to get a "wide" sound unless you record in stereo. That's pretty much the definition of wide. You can do this with 2 SM57's. You don't need a condenser, you just need extra tracks. A stereo reverb or delay also helps. If you think that a LD condenser is going to do this for you, then go for it, but what you are craving is a psychological effect, and not an actual physical one.

 

[gilwe]

or maybe you don't quite understand what I mean ...

 

[jeronimo]

I don´t think a guitar has a wiiiiide frequency range... am I wrong?!

 

[Roel]

Well, it can have quit a range... Why would you think it hasn't got a small range? It won't go below 200 Hz, but the harmonics can go pretty high...

There's alot of nice mics for amps... The md421 comes to mind. Then there's this other mic that I've seen used alot, something fire... Firebird, or whatever. Don't remember it... But it's a nice mic.

 

[Stefan Elmblad]

Guitars go well below 200Hz, excuse me for saying that.

The bottom E-string is about 100Hz, and if you got a 100Hz tone you got subhamonics even further down below.
That's why the usual guitar-GraphicEQ-pedal starts at 100Hz.
If I lo-cut my guitars at 80Hz, a big chunk is removed at the bottom, so it goes well below that as well, even at standard tuning.

Add to this all the drop tunings that's so common, and you're far from 200Hz.

 

[Speeddemon]

Actually Roel, the fundamental of the low(est) E on a electric guitar is at 82Hz(E2). It will go up to 1174Hz(D6) (for a 22fretted guitar). And yes, the harmonics will reach around 5-7kHz.
And when striking full chords with massive distortion, I'll bet there will be some sub-harmonics too, going even lower than 82Hz.
So, there still is 1,5 octave of VERY IMPORTANT INFO going on below 200Hz on a guitar!

 

[Roel]

That low? Hehe... Never knew that. So how low does a bass go? One octave below that which would be 41Hz? And a double bass to 21Hz?

I always wanted to know this... Really did... Never got to looking it up. hehe.

So, what's the name of that fire-thingy mic?

 

[Oysterman]

That low? Hehe... Never knew that. So how low does a bass go? One octave below that which would be 41Hz? And a double bass to 21Hz?

Double basses are in the same octave as bass guitars. "Double" has to do with the size of the things. A bass player in Chicago, named (?) Jauqo III-X, recently had Surine build him a bass guitar, and Dean Markley make strings, that's tuned C# F# B E (low to high). Yes, that E is the E of a regular bass. I'd love to hear that beast being played.

Here he is playing it:

I failed to find the close-up picture where you can see how thick the strings really are. Oh well, I digress.