Metal Guitar recording tips??
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VesuviusJay
Poser Roaster
I struggled with this exact same issue about a year back as some of you know. I tried any and all solutions found here. Ranted and raved, and even tore a few patches of hair out.
This is the technique I came up with. First of all those of you using anything but an enclosed cabinet for the type of distortion you are after, need to go shopping. I tried with many open back amps including Crate GFX212-T(terrible tone). No matter what technique I tried I could not "fatten" up the sound of that poor excuse. I even tried micing the back of the amp. Still the telltale thin guitar tone prevailed. So the first thing I had to do was fix the amp. So I diched the crate for a super upgrade Mesa Triple Rectifier rig. After recording this rig, ive come to the conclusion that you cannot get good metal tone without somekind of 4X12 or comparable enclosure. Tube vs. solid state is a matter of preference, but I notice the better my ear gets, the nicer tube amps sound. The by far fattest tone I have captured to date is from this amplifier with a SINGLE strategically placed SM57 Beta. Next I place the mic according to a little technique I stumbled apon in my experiments.
Similar to the dual mic technique from earlier I utilize the slight overdrive hiss of the amps overdrive channel. Get your mic set up with headphones in the pre amp loop. Get your cabinet making the slight distortion hiss. Now listen through the phones as you SLOWLY move the mic arround the cabinet perpendicular to its face. You will notice the hiss at drastic differences in volume level in random spots on the cab. Look for the spot that pushes the hiss LOUDER. This is your best sweet spot candidate for metal. Lastly, if you leave the mic perpendicular to this spot, the output is too much and the mic diaphram will send unwanted noise. To smooth out the tone and even control EQ, slowly angle the mic in different directions to about 45 degrees from the face. This smooths out noise and helps produce a nice rolling growl of overdrive. Lastly and most importantly, TRUST YOUR STUDIO MONITORS. Once you think you have the spot, record a test and play it back to make sure you get what you want through the monitors. At this point rely only on your monitors. From there adjust your angle according to taste. Keep in mind, small mic adjustments==>Huge tonal differences through the monitors, so adjust position methodically.
Finally to ensure the classic "METAL" feel record 2 SEPARATE RHTHYM TRACKS and pan hard left and right. Poof guitar tone almost as large as King/Hanneman, with a technique that far simplies all other techniques I have read here.
This is the technique I came up with. First of all those of you using anything but an enclosed cabinet for the type of distortion you are after, need to go shopping. I tried with many open back amps including Crate GFX212-T(terrible tone). No matter what technique I tried I could not "fatten" up the sound of that poor excuse. I even tried micing the back of the amp. Still the telltale thin guitar tone prevailed. So the first thing I had to do was fix the amp. So I diched the crate for a super upgrade Mesa Triple Rectifier rig. After recording this rig, ive come to the conclusion that you cannot get good metal tone without somekind of 4X12 or comparable enclosure. Tube vs. solid state is a matter of preference, but I notice the better my ear gets, the nicer tube amps sound. The by far fattest tone I have captured to date is from this amplifier with a SINGLE strategically placed SM57 Beta. Next I place the mic according to a little technique I stumbled apon in my experiments.
Similar to the dual mic technique from earlier I utilize the slight overdrive hiss of the amps overdrive channel. Get your mic set up with headphones in the pre amp loop. Get your cabinet making the slight distortion hiss. Now listen through the phones as you SLOWLY move the mic arround the cabinet perpendicular to its face. You will notice the hiss at drastic differences in volume level in random spots on the cab. Look for the spot that pushes the hiss LOUDER. This is your best sweet spot candidate for metal. Lastly, if you leave the mic perpendicular to this spot, the output is too much and the mic diaphram will send unwanted noise. To smooth out the tone and even control EQ, slowly angle the mic in different directions to about 45 degrees from the face. This smooths out noise and helps produce a nice rolling growl of overdrive. Lastly and most importantly, TRUST YOUR STUDIO MONITORS. Once you think you have the spot, record a test and play it back to make sure you get what you want through the monitors. At this point rely only on your monitors. From there adjust your angle according to taste. Keep in mind, small mic adjustments==>Huge tonal differences through the monitors, so adjust position methodically.
Finally to ensure the classic "METAL" feel record 2 SEPARATE RHTHYM TRACKS and pan hard left and right. Poof guitar tone almost as large as King/Hanneman, with a technique that far simplies all other techniques I have read here.
FattMusiek
New member
SilentSound, I listened to Serpentine and it sounds great. Could you elaborate on the position of the condenser mic position for us? I've got another Oktava MK012 lying around to mess with this stuff.
I've recorded tons of death, trash, speed, black or whatever metal bands.
The biggest problem you can have are the guitarists. Many of them have a sound like poop in a bucket of vomit.
"Hey, I brought the new CD of (fill in whatever you dig) and I want you to make my guitar sound like that"!
MORONS!
Everything is important, even the pick you use.
If everything is right you'll hear a killer sound coming from that amp/cabinet. Without that big whoomb like most of the morons have.
Now we're talking business, place a Sennheiser MD421 in front of the best sounding speaker, for an agressive bright sound.
For more bottom, grab a Sennheiser MD441.
For a more tight sound, go for a Beyer M88.
For a more warmer sound, try an AKG C1000..........YES, A C1000!!
A SP B1 can do a wonderful job as well.
I hate the SM57 for heavy guitars.
Remember, poop in is poop out.
The biggest problem you can have are the guitarists. Many of them have a sound like poop in a bucket of vomit.
"Hey, I brought the new CD of (fill in whatever you dig) and I want you to make my guitar sound like that"!
MORONS!
Everything is important, even the pick you use.
If everything is right you'll hear a killer sound coming from that amp/cabinet. Without that big whoomb like most of the morons have.
Now we're talking business, place a Sennheiser MD421 in front of the best sounding speaker, for an agressive bright sound.
For more bottom, grab a Sennheiser MD441.
For a more tight sound, go for a Beyer M88.
For a more warmer sound, try an AKG C1000..........YES, A C1000!!
A SP B1 can do a wonderful job as well.
I hate the SM57 for heavy guitars.
Remember, poop in is poop out.
VesuviusJay
Poser Roaster
Gotta Bump This Post
Aaron Carey's post on getting "super fat" guitar tone with 2 microphones is one of the best one I've read on this BBS! Killer tip Aaron! I tried it with a pair of beta sm57's and was blew away with the results. Again Thanks!
Aaron Carey's post on getting "super fat" guitar tone with 2 microphones is one of the best one I've read on this BBS! Killer tip Aaron! I tried it with a pair of beta sm57's and was blew away with the results. Again Thanks!
Simman
Well-known member
Try this, you'll like it!
If you want a real fat chunkin’ guitar here is something you may want to try.
You take a Marshall 100W amp (50 is OK) 2 cabinets (4X12), turn them so they face each other and separate by about 6”. Take a mic with a figure 8 pattern (Royer R-121 is nice
) and center the mic between the two cabinets.
Now, you’re almost ready. You have to reverse the phase on 1 on the cabinets. The easiest way too do this is to make yourself an adapter. Wire a ¼” jack to a ¼” plug with the tip & sleeve wiring reversed.
Now crank up the amp…guaranteed to produce that balls to the wall sound.
Good luck!
If you want a real fat chunkin’ guitar here is something you may want to try.
You take a Marshall 100W amp (50 is OK) 2 cabinets (4X12), turn them so they face each other and separate by about 6”. Take a mic with a figure 8 pattern (Royer R-121 is nice
) and center the mic between the two cabinets. Now, you’re almost ready. You have to reverse the phase on 1 on the cabinets. The easiest way too do this is to make yourself an adapter. Wire a ¼” jack to a ¼” plug with the tip & sleeve wiring reversed.
Now crank up the amp…guaranteed to produce that balls to the wall sound.
Good luck!
VesuviusJay
Poser Roaster
Hey Simman,
That sounds like an interesting technique that may end up with a similar tone to Aaron's technique. When I get my matching rectifier cabinet I will give it a try!
That sounds like an interesting technique that may end up with a similar tone to Aaron's technique. When I get my matching rectifier cabinet I will give it a try!
ericlingus
New member
shackrock said:
just download a free phase reverse plugin
unspokenevil
New member
bad noise...
hmmm..im apparently doing things wrong....i dont have a box around my cab.....i put my mic about 6-8 inches from one speaker and let it fly. Im in an open room thats been reverb-deadened. My recorded sound is decent...but its really dead...especially the mids. Suggestions?
hmmm..im apparently doing things wrong....i dont have a box around my cab.....i put my mic about 6-8 inches from one speaker and let it fly. Im in an open room thats been reverb-deadened. My recorded sound is decent...but its really dead...especially the mids. Suggestions?