Recording Guitar

[EleKtriKaz]

How loud does the amp need to be turned up? I know the signal coming into the computer should be hot, but I don't have a soundproof studio, so stuff starts to rattle and buzz when the amp gets too loud. Thanks

 

[64Firebird]

You want it as loud as you can get it without clipping.

 

[keilson]

what is rattling? If there is a snare drum in the room turn the snares off. I turn my tube amp up all the way and throw a heavy blanket over it to avoid any room pickup. If that is the sound you are looking for. Gate might also help if you are picking up excessive noise.

 

[Vurt]

The signal into your recorder from the preamp should be as hot as possible, but cranking the amp doesn't usually result in favorable sound, imo. I start out with the amp silent and turn up until it sounds good to my ears, right in front of it. That usually doesn't take long - probably around 50-70 db.

 

[wjgypsy]

you can get some nice"real" sounds from micing the amp, but 8 out of 10 times i record myne direct. (but i go trough my fuzz first)

 

[keilson]

nah mic the amp...it'll be much better

 

[wjgypsy]

yeah. plus i can get some great feed-back by micing the amp. but if i needed a real clean,full,soft guitar,i think that i myte would record it direct.

 

[EleKtriKaz]

Yeah, I definitely mic it. I don't like the sound of direct at all

 

[Clive Hugh]

Have to agree on the mic, but how do I stop the bloody dog from barking at crucial stages?

 

[TamirE]

simple - you don't. just acoustically seal your studio.
Or you can get a POD or something like that if you can't.

 

[StevenLindsey]

A well placed bullet will do wonders for a barking dog

 

[Track Rat]

Have to agree on the mic, but how do I stop the bloody dog from barking at crucial stages?

Place the amp directly on top of the dog. It works every time.

 

[destorctr]

lets not for get mic placement you can have mic realy close and amp not so loud or amp really loud and mic further away but its all about signal controll a good rule is turn the amp up to where you like it and adjust mic placement accordingly the diffrence in you case would be with the amp turned lower you would get a more up front amp sound but might not have the level or the sound you want but if you move the mic back then you start to hear room so you need to find a good middle between the 2 thoughts

 

[milesmaxwell]

I do direct

Maybe it's just me, but I record 90% direct. Mic'ing the cab is cool and all and I'm sure that's the way we're "supposed" to do it but I just can't get the results I want without a pod into my mixer. Perhaps it's somehow tied to the fact that I just don't like my amps though...

destorctr: I don't mean to be a dick here but does what you write make sense to you after you type it? I read your bit about creative expression and that's all fine and good, but there's a forum for your EE Cummings impersonation and it's certainly not in a place where communicating your opinions and your valuable advice is at a premium. Using punctuation coordinates your thoughts and clarifies your meaning to the reader/listener. Please try your best to use these tools to yours and our benefit. If you're not a native English speaker, there are plenty of textbooks that I'd be happy to recommend.

milesmaxwell

 

[keilson]

milesmaxwell, what type of amp you using?

 

[milesmaxwell]

uuhhhhmmmm,

a Les Paul Studio, a Casino and a Lone Star Strat through a,




gulp,



Fender Blues Junior.

but I NEED to sound like Neil Young AND Walter Becker at the same time. Of course, I get neither of these magical tones from this piece of outgrown gear. If I wasn't so busy lusting after decent monitors, that would be next on my list. I was toying with the idea of a Line6 AX2 but that would be kind of a waste considering I'd be laughed off the stage if I gigged with it.

Have you heard anything about the relatively new Marshall Bluesbreaker 2x12" combo?

Any suggestions in general for a Neil Young/Pixies/Built to Spill sound with the versatility to do SDan?

Thanks for inquiring Kielson. Any suggestions would be appreciated...

~mm~