How to mic an amp?

[msblaze]

I am going to get an sm57 to mic general amps, ow far should i point it away from the front of the amp?

 

[scrubs]

Wherever it sounds good. You have to move it around until you find the sweet spot for the speaker. For a 57, I tend to put it really close (1"-6" from the speaker cone), angled slightly off axis.

 

[TimOBrien]

Here's a guide to get you started:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guitarists_guide_to_recording.htm

(Reading ALL of Tweak's guides is a good idea....)

 

[tourettes5139]

Also this.

 

[Adam P]

You gotta do it like this:

Seriously though, like someone else said, just move the mic while listening through a good pair of isolating headphones while the guitarist plays, and listen for where it sounds best to you.

 

[ozraves]

I think a good starting point is between the cone and the edge of the speaker. For an SM57, I usually start by pointing it slightly toward the edge of the speaker.

Other things...

I prefer getting the amp cabinet off the ground.

I prefer the volume be adjusted just so the amp sounds good and not any louder at all.

I do not like putting big amps in small rooms. I've never had it work that I can remember.

You can use a flashlight on some amps to see through the grille cloth. On some it does you no good and you'll have to guess.

Everyone acts like guitar amp sounds are fairly easy. I've found it among the hardest things to get right.

Distance from the grille to the mic varies. On ribbons, I recommend not getting closer than six inches. With an SM57, I recommend shoving it as close as you think it needs to be. Four inches is probably a good starting point.

I recommend using a pair of Extreme Isolation Headphones to fine tune your mic placements.

 

[punkin]

Bam! what he said

Sometimes folks that are new at this are worried that they'll toast the mic with loud sources. The SM57 can seriously take it without any worries. What's the rest of your signal chain look like?

 

[msblaze]

Bam! what he said

Sometimes folks that are new at this are worried that they'll toast the mic with loud sources. The SM57 can seriously take it without any worries. What's the rest of your signal chain look like?

what do you mean by signal chain?

 

[punkin]

Mic pre amp, audio recording interface etc..

 

[jkokura]

Hey Adamp...where'd you get that pic from? I remember seeing that site, but I've never gottehn back there.

Jacob

 

[Adam P]

Hey Adamp...where'd you get that pic from? I remember seeing that site, but I've never gottehn back there.

Jacob

Its from the Royer website. Its a picture of Ross Hogarth's guitar setup for when he recorded the Devildriver album.

 

[lumbago]

Turn the amp volume and treble way up and the rest of the controls down.

Put the mic where the hiss is loudest.

Restore the original amp settings and reduce volume.

Record.


It isn't foolproof, but it's always been a fair place to start.

 

[Big Kenny]

We always turn the amp up, unplug the ax and find the loudest hum, never fails, Then throw a condenser up about five feet away and three feet up (that may take some shifting around)

 

[soundchaser59]

Everyone acts like guitar amp sounds are fairly easy. I've found it among the hardest things to get right.

The only thing harder then a guitar to get right is a singer. I had never been happy at all with the sound of my guitar tracks until I started trying the things I've learned in these forums...

 

[ozraves]

The only thing harder then a guitar to get right is a singer. I had never been happy at all with the sound of my guitar tracks until I started trying the things I've learned in these forums...

On the singer it's being able to customize the channel that's best for that particular vocalist. Last week it was a Stedman popscreen, Beyerdynamic Soundstar MKII, A Designs MP-2, Aphex Dominator Model 700.