Recording Clean Tube Amps

[IronFlippy]

If you have a decent room, try pulling the mic back a foot or two, and letting the room add to the sound. It gives a more relaxed feel to the track, instead of being in your face. Plus, it adds dimension to the song.

 

[Nick The Man]

Here's the only immediately available sample of this tecnique I have. The guitar was a semihollow dot/es335 kinda guitar with old ass strings, bass is a standard fender jazz bass. Both were miced at the 12th fret with a CAD m177 and DI into a Firepod. I'm not proud of this recording. It's a guitarist a band I work with playing all of it.

Rate of Release

Yeah, that sounds good, unique sound. I would be proud of that recording, the drums sound great if you ask me. Sounds like a tightly tuned set. Very cool!

 

[Ironklad Audio]

Is it bad to record loud sources with mics that don't have very high SPL levels? I feel like i remember reading about people damaging the diaphram when recording loud sources with condensors.

in all honesty, almost all mics made today will work on almost any source - the only real exclusion being ribbon mics...which are actually usually rated @ ridiculous SPL's, but need to stay away from anything that creates a large "puff", i.e. in the hole of a kick drum

i seriously can't remember the last "modern" mic that i've seen that couldn't handle at least 130db...which i REALLY doubt that any amp will hit with a clean tone - my 100w tube head into a 4x12 cab hits 127db when it's maxed out.

 

[Nick The Man]

in all honesty, almost all mics made today will work on almost any source - the only real exclusion being ribbon mics...which are actually usually rated @ ridiculous SPL's, but need to stay away from anything that creates a large "puff", i.e. in the hole of a kick drum

i seriously can't remember the last "modern" mic that i've seen that couldn't handle at least 130db...which i REALLY doubt that any amp will hit with a clean tone - my 100w tube head into a 4x12 cab hits 127db when it's maxed out.

Yeah, well thats good to know, thanks. With that said, what pattern do you think i should set the 4050? It has omni, 8, and cardioid. I'll try them all but what do you think would work best?

 

[TripleJ]

Depends on the sound you're going for. The cardiod will result in the most 'direct' sound and not much of a room sound. Figure 8 will start to involve the room a little more, and omni will capture the entire room as much as the amp. It's a matter of how it sounds, try it out, that's what this game is about!

You'll probably find you want to use Cardioid unless you have a fantastic room but that's not always the case.

 

[punkin]

Same as any amp. Move the mics around until it sounds interesting. I'll usually use a 57 or ribbon up close and a condensor or ribbon out in the room.

What TRK said. Watch the phase/positioning of the room mic. I also find that the elevation of the room mic plays part in boominess of the sound. I have my speaker cabs on an 8 inch platform which seems to help a little. Placing the mic too low and it seems to get muddy or bass boomy, too high and it seems to get a little brighter.

Mix the close mic and the room mic to taste and voila!

 

[grinder]

Screw my post. I didn't like it. I change it!

if you play good, the amp sounds good...Start with your SM57 on the sweet spot of one of the speakers you're pumping that baby through. If you really need more than that, take your best condenser and...Don't shoot me...Mic the strings of the guitar.

This sounds BADASS if you are playing harder. You'll get the amp in this mic too. Creates a very detaild picture of the guitar's sound.

Billy Gibbons did this on the intro to Brown Sugar with distorted guitar/miked strings, panned apart. Sounds great.

 

[JuliánFernández]

Here's the only immediately available sample of this tecnique I have. The guitar was a semihollow dot/es335 kinda guitar with old ass strings, bass is a standard fender jazz bass. Both were miced at the 12th fret with a CAD m177 and DI into a Firepod. I'm not proud of this recording. It's a guitarist a band I work with playing all of it.

Rate of Release

The drummer is sloppy, but i like the sound of the kit... Can you share the chain used to record drums on that track? Thanks!