Recording Metal Guitars (Cheaply)?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FathomBear
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FathomBear

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Recording heavily distorted guitars, while keeping a good sound, seems like a challenge. I've gotten some good tones already but I'm pretty new.

Any general tips to point me in the right direction would be helpful, thanks :)

I'm really trying to get a thicker tone, not necessarily fatter, if you know what I mean by that.
 
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Double tracking would make things thicker without having to raise the volume crazily.

I'd love to help more, but I dont know anything about your recording set-up. Could you tell me what it is?
 
I probably should've been more specific in every area.

I'd like a tone something like Mustakrakish (Dethklok), but really anything good is good.

I'm using a very cheap setup, so I'm aware I'd be better off with nicer gear.

Guitar Amp: Peavey Vypyr 30

Guitar: Peavey Signature EX

Mic: MXL v63m Condenser

Preamp: Art USB Dual Pre (Project Series)

Mixer: Mixcraft 5

Any help?
 
Deathklok (at least for the show, not sure on the cds) is just Reason drums and a line 6 pod xt.
 
FathomBear said:
I probably should've been more specific in every area.

I'd like a tone something like Mustakrakish (Dethklok), but really anything good is good.

I'm using a very cheap setup, so I'm aware I'd be better off with nicer gear.

Guitar Amp: Peavey Vypyr 30

Guitar: Peavey Signature EX

Mic: MXL v63m Condenser

Preamp: Art USB Dual Pre (Project Series)

Mixer: Mixcraft 5

Any help?
Click to expand...

HAVE YOU SEEN THE THUNDERHORSE EXPLORER?!?! its beautiful.

anyway- finding the tone is something that only you can do by experimenting with your amp and guitar, if your guitar has a tone knob use it to sort of roll of excessive low end.

recording it, you may have to do some eq'ing on your mic so that it doesnt color the tone of your amp too much. i also would experiment with mic placement, and try to find the sweet spot of volume on your amp and set up an area to record it, maybe in a blanket fort or something. also like i said double tracking is usually a great way to thicken things up, almost everyone does it.
^ thats just what to do with stuff you have.

if you want to buy something new I recommend an SM57, its the industry standard for recording guitars...

Experimenting is the key that opens the door to greatness. getting things right is tedious, but hang in there, good luck.
:drunk:
 
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As above, the SM57 is the go to mic for guitars. for a little less, you can get an audix i5 which is similar, but has a rougher sound (which i prefer, as i play a lot of thrash). close micing is a definite, but you dont want to be shoving a condenser right against the grille cloth, so a dynamic mic would be a good purchase.
and double tracking? yes! try using a mic track and putting the guitar into the computer through a v-amp or something, as these seem to give very beefy sounds. then just combine the tracks however you like and voila!

for thickening up, even though it is not really necessary on a distorted guitar, try a bit of compression (free VST plug-ins... theres a great one from Audio Damage).

and again, as kidkage mentioned above, experimentation is the key. moving the mic 2 cm from the centre of the speaker sounds completely different, so just play around until you find the the sound you like best!

good luck!

ps- dethklok = awesome :)
 
I just can't get myself to like the i5. I'm not biased in the sm57 battles, I just can't get a sound out of the i5 without this washy-chorusy almost phased out sound to it. Can't pinpoint the frequency either. Could be my mic is bad...
 
janthemetal said:
As above, the SM57 is the go to mic for guitars. for a little less, you can get an audix i5 which is similar, but has a rougher sound (which i prefer, as i play a lot of thrash). close micing is a definite, but you dont want to be shoving a condenser right against the grille cloth, so a dynamic mic would be a good purchase.
and double tracking? yes! try using a mic track and putting the guitar into the computer through a v-amp or something, as these seem to give very beefy sounds. then just combine the tracks however you like and voila!

for thickening up, even though it is not really necessary on a distorted guitar, try a bit of compression (free VST plug-ins... theres a great one from Audio Damage).

and again, as kidkage mentioned above, experimentation is the key. moving the mic 2 cm from the centre of the speaker sounds completely different, so just play around until you find the the sound you like best!

good luck!

ps- dethklok = awesome :)
Click to expand...
Do you have some distorted tone examples of yours you could post?
 
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