How to record clean/distorted guitar

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gordholio

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Question to people who record guitar-based rock and roll:

Say you've devised a song with two or three distinctly different guitar sounds (I don't mean layers of guitar, I just mean a song where the guitar begins clean and relatively quiet, then moves to a chunky sound, then to loud full-blown distortion, and back again - the type of thing you'd do on stage by using the buttons on a stomp box). How do you record something like this?

The way I see it, you can either:

1) Record the whole thing as you would on stage with a stomp box or some other device that will change the sound of the guitar in real time. The obvious disadvantage here would be that you may not hit the button at exactly the right time, or maybe the button itself makes a noise, etc. Furthermore, you may want sounds from different stomp boxes, amp emulators, amps, etc.

2) Record everything clean, then add software amp, distortion and effect sounds later. The disadvantage here would be that software sounds aren't nearly as cool as those you get through real equipment. Also, stuff such as palm muting, etc. just wouldn't sound as good this way.

3) Record each of the three parts, then fit them together. The disadvantage here is that the switching of parts may not sound natural if your timing isn't EXACTLY correct.

4) ????

I am baffled as how to do this. I'm sure there's an easy solution, but I'm just too stupid to figure it out. :-) Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

gordo


PS: I record direct to my computer via a Hughes and Kettner Tubeman and Tech21 Tri-AC, through a Mackie mixer, and Delta 66 sound card.
 
In these cases I always use option #3. I've never had a timeing problem doing it this way. YMMV.
 
number 3.

record all clean
record all distortion.

come in at the right time and do editing to make it perfect. works fine.
 
#3

recorded to 3 different tracks.......

play thru right before and after the change and that should help with timing....for instance, when it goes from clean to dirty, dont just start with the dirty part.....but after you record, cut the unwanted part off....then to help ease it, try a volume fade on the beginning and end......may or may not help.....
 
Thanks so far!

Guys and gals:

Great info so far. Thanks Gidge - that's a great tip for a newbie like me.
 
Yup #3....

A Pasted transition is going to be miuch more accurate than a live stomp with your foot....

Good Luck!
 
Don't be afraid to change your mic setup for each guitar tone so you can really get the best tone for each part. The beauty of doing them seperately is that you can really dial in the sound for each part seperately and not have to compromise on mic placement and signal level. You don't even have to use the same guitar and amp for each part.
 
#3

it would be a little more different if you were going for various clean sounds....but in this case, distortion is your friend and can be key for covering things up
 
What Gidge said. Tha's the way I would do it and have done so in the past.

It also works for other instruments too. I've also used the same track with more than one instrument. If the passages have enough of a break between them, this works well too.

Working in analog, I'm slightly track-challenged and have to devise ways of doing things that may seem unorthodox to some, but it works.
 
That's easy, First, ask the guitarist if he wants to use the stomp box and then go back for overdubs to clean it up.(what they say goes). Some musicians prefer to play together rather than "step record" If not, Put the distorted guitar and clean guitar on separate tracks. When the dist. parts comes press record. Use software amp? Move it in editing? I guess a lot of people using software to record never learn the fundamentals of recording.
 
The most effective way od doing this would involve three (the same) microphones, a good space, like for instance a halway, and the use of gates.

The microphones should be set up with the first one aimed direct at a speaker, about 1" from the cloth.
The second mic should be approx. 12 feet away, the third another 12 feet away.

Gate the second microphone, so when you play the 'softest' guitar part, the gates keep the second and third mics shut.

Then set a level for the 'middle volume' guitar part, and set the gate on the second mic so it opens when you play at the middle volume.
When the second gate opens your sound will get much bigger.

Now do the same for your third part, so that the high volume openes the third gate.

All you have to do is ensure you set the distances between the mics correctly so you don't incur phasing problems.
 
Don't you run the risk of distorting the first and maybe the second mic's signal when the playing really gets loud for the third mic?

Did I miss something there?:confused:
 
No? Why would you? You set up your input levels for the loudest sound.
 
Isn't that the way Brian May used to record?
 
yup, as well as many others. The first time I used that was I think 1968
 
I read somewhere about David Bowie doing vocals like that as well.
 
I'd like to do something similar with 3 mics but what will i have to take into account if I dont have 3 of the same mics ?
which 3 of these would you use and how would you set them up:

1 x sm57
1 x sm58
2 x studio project c1's

those are all the tools i have for now
 
damn I cant do that actually.. I only have 2 preamp channels :(
 
No? Why would you? You set up your input levels for the loudest sound.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I got it. I was thinking the loudest sound that each mic would hear, not the loudest overall.
 
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