Unmixed, unEQued, and uncompressed clip

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guitarer
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Guitarer

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Alright, my friend and I are redoing a song we made 2 years ago. I just got done recording the guitar tracks, and I want some crits on how they sound

We work over the internet. I just record and send, so I'm leaving all the mixing and everything to him.

What I'd really like to know, is, how this sounds as far as mic choice, mic placement, and the fact that I haven't done any sound absorption in my room or anything.

http://media.putfile.com/Keep-Me-Sane-Guitar-Clip

Oh, and my chain was a Peavey Classic 50/212 (volume at 1 3/4 of 12) > Sm57 a half an inch away on center, and a Karma K-6 2 feet back on center > DMP-3 > US-122 > Garageband
 
Holy gain-to-11 batman! Back that gain knob off, a lot! Turn it down to what you think is the minimum for "your sound", then turn it down even more. There is no power in the gain knob, that's all in making the speaker move. Turn the amp up, let the tubes do their thing, get some air moving. Make sure the sound you're getting from the amp is the sound you want on record.

If your room doesn't sound good (and it doesn't, no offense) then you have no right to be putting room mics on your guitar. The 57 alone should get the job done. What you need to do is get somebody to move that mic around while you're playing (or vice versa) until you hear something you really like.

Lastly, try playing the rhythm parts (and even the lead parts) several times, and layer the takes, panning them opposite each other. It doesn't even have to be hard panned, especially for lead sounds. 25% left and right for a lead part will give you a ton of "body", and 75% left and right for rhythm will give you your "fullness".

Also, do some research. There's a plethora of information about high gain miking on the net, and it's not even that difficult to find!
 
Thanks for the info. I like the sound I'm getting with the gain like that (Wouldn't think a Peavey Classic could get like that, would ya?). My bedroom is right above my parent's, and it was kinda late, so I couldn't turn it up any more than that. I'll be getting an attenuator soon.

I think if I had a better room I'd get the exact sound I'm going for. I'm going to try recording it in my closet tomorrow.
 
Guitarer said:
Thanks for the info. I like the sound I'm getting with the gain like that
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So back it off a bit, track twice, and I think you'll like the sound even more. I still think you should ditch the room mic. Fool around with mic placement a bit, that should help the most.

If you can't push the volume, then you're going to have to settle for less than stellar sound, an attenuator won't help you in that regard. It will help by pushing the tubes more, but that heavy sound comes more from the speakers physically pushing air.

I'd also turn up the mids and turn down the treble on your amp. Your amp sounds completely different when the speakers are on the floor pointed at your ankles than it does pointed to your ear, where the mic is going to be. Back the volume off so you don't hurt yourself, and get down and stick your ear in front of the speaker and move around. stick the mic where you hear the sound best.

The closet will help if there's enough stuff deadening it. Just be careful with the tubes, they can overheat relatively easily.
 
Thanks again man.

The amp is actually set up on top of a 412, so I had it off the ground. I will try your middle and treble suggestion though. I have tried micing this amp with just the sm57, and it was okay, but I think I get a much more full sound with both of them.
 
Somebody told me something a while ago that makes way too much sense, and has helped me get much, MUCH better guitar tone than I'd been getting before:

"If you want your guitars to sound huge, then record 'em huge!"

Meaning: if you're tracking an amp at 1 1/2 on the volume and the gain at a billion, it's gonna sound like a quiet amp with way too much gain no matter how much you eq it! Talk to your parents/neighbors/whoever, and ask them when a good time to be really loud is. Schedule it. People generally get mad if they don't know you're gonna do it, and you explode their heads during a pleasant dinner conversation they were having! Let 'em know you're gonna be loud, turn the f*cking gain knob down to about 65% OR LESS, and turn the volume up until just before it starts to sound worse instead of better. Oh, and put your headphones on first so you don't explode your own head.

Record.

Listen.

Thank me later :)


If your riffs/playing don't sound as good with the gain at that level, then you need to practice with your amp CLEAN and make it sound as heavy/articulate as you can. THEN start adding gain.
 
steve.h said:
"If you want your guitars to sound huge, then record 'em huge!"
Click to expand...
If your riffs/playing don't sound as good with the gain at that level, then you need to practice with your amp CLEAN and make it sound as heavy/articulate as you can. THEN start adding gain.
Click to expand...
Bingo.

If you can't get a good heavy guitar sound from a 57 you're doing something wrong. Mic placement mic placement mic placement mic placement.......etc.
 
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