mics on guitar amps... condenser or dynamic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheBones
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TheBones

TheBones

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i'm currently recording my guitar by placing a Blue Spark condenser microphone infront of the speaker on my guitar amp, running it through a presonus tubepre and that goes through a line 6 toneport into sonar. i've played around with mic placement for a few hours now and modified my guitar tone to try to make corrections, but i'm still getting a sort of high end sizzle when i'm using alot of distortion. i'm not clipping or anything. i wondering should i go buy a shure sm-58 or something to that effect. will that cut down the sensitivity a little bit? i would rather start with a good sound rather than fix it with eq or somthing later. any comments?
 
Use a ribbon microphone and it can be a cheap MXL of Nady for well under $100. You'll get a captured performance that will be very true.
 
You can try the SM-57, SM-58 is more for vocal, so it gets more mid-high freq.
And yes, both SM-57 and 58 are less sensitive than your condenser mic.

TheBones said:
. i've played around with mic placement for a few hours now and modified my guitar tone to try to make corrections, but i'm still getting a sort of high end sizzle when i'm using alot of distortion.
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The more you put the mic near the center of the cone, the more highs you'll get, with condenser mic, it will record lots of frequency that maybe most of them we don't need in the mix.
For distortion sounds, you can try pull down the gain.... I usually record my distortion guitar with 20-30% lower gain than what I set for live performance, so that when you stack your guitar tracks, it won't sound muddy and harsh with all the mid-high freq
 
If you're getting too much high end from your mic, then using the dynamic will help this a little, though as the 58 is designed for vocals it's got a bit of a bass roll of so your bottom end will probably lack a little. I'd suggest, moving the mic of axis of the speak cone (so don't point it to the middle) and more towards the edges of the cone and then possible just twist the mic so it's pointing at an angle. This will reduce the hi end pick up. If it still persists just talke some top off the amp with the eq on the amp. unless you're listening to the speak head on at the same height you're going to be hearing less top anyway, so adjust the amp to how it sounds on mic rather than how it sounds where you're standing in the room.

If you want a heavy but duller distortion sound, try a fuzz box rather than a distortion, something like a Big Muff or a bass distortion unit. Also try turning the tone down on the guitar to dull the sound a little.
 
In addition, try cutting the presence control on the amp if you're using it. That sizzle' range is very directional coming off the cone and so is the mic up there. Try rotating the mic as well.
 
Try cutting back on the gain a little bit. Less gain is needed when recording than when playing live.


ivanyoung said:
You can try the SM-57, SM-58 is more for vocal, so it gets more mid-high freq.
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That's not true. They've got the exact same specs because they're the exact same mic.
 
guitaristic said:
That's not true. They've got the exact same specs because they're the exact same mic.
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But based on my experience, the SM-57 can record more low end than the SM-58, and the SM-58 is a little more sensitive for vocal....
 
Here's a different tack- ditch the Toneport and get an interface that's meant for mics, not guitars. The Toneport is simply a glaring weakness in that signal chain. Then set your amp for the way you think it's supposed to sound. Then put a dynamic *and* the Spark on the amp and mix and match to taste. With the condenser, the room is mission critical. Find a good room. Good luck-Richie
 
thanks for all the tips guys. i ended up getting a 57 and i have been fooling around with putting both mics on the amp and i'm getting a much better result. i recently did try to get rid of the toneport, kinda checked out a presonus audiobox and wasn't real impressed to the point where i took it back and have been running with the toneport again. just not ready to drop the couple hundred on a real step up, but you're right i need to ditch it for sure.
 
Have you played with mic placement much with the condenser? Closer to the edge of the speaker than the center an/or putting it off axis in relation to the speaker by varying amounts?

There's one guy I record fairly often that plays a Tele with a tone that turns into an instant icepick through the ear if I aim the mic directly at the speaker, and especially the center of the speaker.
 
ivanyoung said:
But based on my experience, the SM-57 can record more low end than the SM-58, and the SM-58 is a little more sensitive for vocal....
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guitaristic said:
They're the same ;)
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I have a theory about that. The 57 lets you get what, 50% closer? (1/2" vs 3/4? I'm guessing, haven't looked recently..) Plus less pop filtering, = 'seems like a more sensitive mic.
Try it with the ball off the 58
 
moresound said:
Use a ribbon microphone and it can be a cheap MXL of Nady for well under $100. You'll get a captured performance that will be very true.
Click to expand...
What is your favorite low budget ribbon for guitar?
 
mixsit said:
I have a theory about that. The 57 lets you get what, 50% closer? (1/2" vs 3/4? I'm guessing, haven't looked recently..) Plus less pop filtering, = 'seems like a more sensitive mic.
Try it with the ball off the 58
Click to expand...

Basically right. They are the same mic capsule but the different design of the grill/popshield does give a slightly different frequency response and sensitivity. Here's a comparison of the measured response of the two microphones:

5758response.jpg


Since the capsules are the same, the difference is purely down to the grill materials and design.
 
yeah im recording a strat so it's pretty much the same ice-picky thing in the middle of the speaker. im playing around with combinations of both. thanks for all the replies guys.
 
Best thing to do is try them out and see which is better for the song. Sometimes you want that detail, sometimes you use both, one close and one further out.
 
Save your money for the Avantone. Then you wont have to buy again for quite a long time.
 
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