7 tips for recording your guitar amp

[Robert]

Good tips here - http://truefire.com/blog/?p=1914

[Spudman]

Whether you’re recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.

1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone’s center. You’ll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ’ing to a minimum.

2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you’re miking “off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You’ll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.

3. Change your tubes.
If you’ve got a tube amp, don’t just assume the tubes are good. You’d probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration. Always have a second set on hand, and unless you’re a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don’t get lazy.

4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you’re recording for yourself, don’t settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn’t have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You’ll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.

5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor’s makeup gain to get more volume.

6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You’ll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.

7. Use more than one amp.
If you’ve got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.

[Jimi75]

Soud, you mention so many points I wasn't aware of, because I do not usually record my amp. Thanks for that info, I will take this into consideration for some upcoming recording sessions I will do for a radio jingle!

[Tig]

2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you’re miking “off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You’ll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.

4. Use more than one mic.


Something to simplify setup...
Try using a looper to provide constant, real world guitar input to the amp while you experiment with mic placement.

[Spudman]

That is actually just the text from Roberto's link. Thank him - I'm just a copy paster.

[deeaa]

All good pointers...I might add a few: with far mikes, be sure to check the phase. Especially layering and panning tones using separated mics is a minefield for phase errors, so check that phase button when mixing.

Also, when using a cab with several speakers, they might not all sound the same. And the positioning can be hard. Have someone play the amp as you would and listen to it holding a toilet paper roll over your ear, move it around listening thru the tube to pinpoint the sweet spot/speaker. Don't linger with it, you could fry your hearing.

Be creative. Sometimes - I find quite often - you get better results placing the 2nd mic not farther front but higher above the amp, or in some cases even on the backside. But remember the phase!

If you're on a DAW don't skimp on tracks...put five mics out there, even accross the room, and record them all. Never hurts to have plenty of tracks to choose from and mix together.

Now, I should just also practice what I preach, but it's always about time and other limitations...:-)

[Tig]

2:1 Rule of Ambience
To capture an equal amount of room ambiance, a cardioid microphone must be placed twice as far from a source as an omnidirectional pattern microphone. Keep this in mind the next time you are trying to capture some of a room's natural sound when recording!

3:1 Rule of Microphone Placement
When using two microphones to record a source, normally you will get the best results by placing the second mic three times the distance from the first mic that the first mic is from the source. Confusing? An example: If the first mic is 1 foot from a source, the second mic should be placed 3 feet from the second mic. Using the 3:1 Rule will minimize phase problems created by the time delay between mics.

This rule originated when engineers were micing multiple sources in the same vicinity. The same principle applies. If you are recording two different sources of sound, their respective microphones should be at least three times further apart than they are close to their respective sources. Keep in mind that rules are meant to be broken; you may prefer the sound created by ignoring the 3:1 Rule - experiment and let your ears be your guide!

[deeaa]

That phase issue is a big problem when recording drums in our rehearsal place. Sometimes it's pretty straightforward, i.e. when recording snare with two mikes, one on top one on bottom - you just flip the phase 180 in the mixer and it's perfect - but then what about the kickdrum mic that's real close to snare bottom already?

The problem would be much easier to solve if we could listen to the mics while placing them in a separate room, but as we can't, it's anybody's guess when placing the mikes, whether they will be badly out of phase or not. Plus the lack of proper stands for all the mics...

[chelsea.dale321]

thankx for the useful tips

[Commodore 64]

Thank goodness it will be a long, long, time, if ever, before I will be good enough to ever consider recording myself in this manner.

[deeaa]

the sooner u start the more you get from it...:-)

[otaypanky]

Although my recording attempts are definitely on the amateur level, I have never gotten great results with a mic right up to the grill cloth. I usually use an SM57, put place it a foot or so away. To catch a bit of the room I place a condenser a few feet back. I record each mic to it's own track and see how things sound and adjust as needed.