I can't mic a guitar anymore

DankStar

DankStar

Her Little Mojo Minion
Maybe I never could, but just thought it was working (or didn't have the tools to do otherwise back then with usable results).

No matter how I try to mic my guitar cab these days, it doesn't sound as good as running out of my amp's line out into a hardware cab sim, or recording clean and then applying a digital amp sim.

I guess it works to my advantage to be able to record at odd hours (I work better at night), but a part of me is like, "no, it should sound better mic'ed!").

Anyone else having this issue? I think technology finally caught up to those of us that can't mic very well (or don't want to/don't have the time to mess with finding the exact thweet thpot) or don't have really nice mics and preamps.
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

innerdreamrecords.co said:
Are you putting a compressor on them when you mix? I would if you're not.
Click to expand...

sometimes, sometimes not depending on how much it sounds squashed by the amp's settings. sometimes when I put a compressor on really distorted guitars they don't sound better to me and I'll leave it off.

I think I need to do the dreaded shoot-out. I'll do some test runs and won't tell people what's what, and let the people decide. It's brilliant!
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

You sound like you suffer from over analyzing - the old I love it today hate it tomorrow! Welcome to recording. LOL ;)

I can listen to a record today and think it's brilliant then hear another record and think that's brilliant and hate the first one...and so it goes. :)
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

innerdreamrecords.co said:
You sound like you suffer from over analyzing - the old I love it today hate it tomorrow! Welcome to recording. LOL ;)

I can listen to a record today and think it's brilliant then hear another record and think that's brilliant and hate the first one...and so it goes. :)
Click to expand...

I always say I'm a Keep It Simple Stupid kind of guy, but when it comes down to it I wig out on stuff pretty hard.
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

innerdreamrecords.co said:
You know what? The average listener could give a rats ass. Does the song move you or not, that should be the focus.
Click to expand...

good point. it's the last song on the EP so it's turning into a head game, but yeah, I just need to get my punk attitude back and stop worrying about crap. thanks!
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

DankStar said:
good point. it's the last song on the EP so it's turning into a head game, but yeah, I just need to get my punk attitude back and stop worrying about crap. thanks!
Click to expand...

I am never satisfied listening back, especially the longer it is from having recorded it. That's cool though, you move forward and get better hopefully. Think of how many cool sounding records the artist and producers probably wish they could have done better.
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

innerdreamrecords.co said:
I am never satisfied listening back, especially the longer it is from having recorded it.
Click to expand...

hehe, I'm kind of opposite in that respect - the more time goes by, the more I like my crappy 4 track tape deck recordings from 20 years ago and the less I like what I'm doing right now!
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

What kind of mic are you using? With what kind of preamp?

What software are u using? What effects are you applying on top and in what order?

This is how i mic an amp.

SM57 micing a blues junior amp.
The way i set the mic is in between the center of the speaker, and the cone. So it is actually covering both the center of the speaker and the cone (not too trebly , not too bassy). And it is angled towards the cone, and away from the center.

My preamp is an ART Tube MP. I set the level to where it is a little bit under max level. I try hitting the strings loudest and hardest, and make sure there is no clipping occurring.

I record into cakewalk 3.0 and add in the following order:
Surround (Sonitus) with 7 DB boost - gives it a more 3D sound, and makes it stereo.
COMPRESSOR - vintage dbx style (Sonitus). I try to make it as gentle as possible. With a very smooth curve, and slight boost. I make the attack around 50 ms and release about 200 ms or higher. So it is not a rip-your-face-off compression. But just a little smoothness to the quiet parts, and calming of the loud parts.
Multiband EQ (Sonitus). I make sure the highs and mids are present. I bump mids until the sound is full bodied, but not too middy. And i bump the highs so the roundness of the strat comes out, but without being icepicky.
Then comes delays (Sonitus). I love friggin delays!
Then reverb (Sonitus).

Check out my video of lenny in the Tips and Clips, to see a demo. Its mostly clean sound though, no distortion.

take it easy.
Alex
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

I am suspecting you need a good compressor and EQ plugin. Like maybe the Waves SSL bundle. Assuming you have a SM57 and a decent pre.
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

DankStar said:
hehe, I'm kind of opposite in that respect - the more time goes by, the more I like my crappy 4 track tape deck recordings from 20 years ago and the less I like what I'm doing right now!
Click to expand...

That's funny, because I have often felt exactly the same!
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

thanks for additional links and input!

I typically use a 57 clone straight into my fostex mr-8, do some stuff in logic express afterwards (varies a lot what that may be).

here's my latest non-mic'ed test, for what it's worth:

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=7358779&q=hi

not sure if I'll keep along these lines, but with some distorty midrangy bass I think it may work. for this dealio I'm likely just gonna do a bunch of takes, including mic'ed (incorporating some if the new ideas here) as well as directs and see what pairs well with what. probably a combo burrito of some sort.
 
Last edited:
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

DankStar said:
thanks for additional links and input!

I typically use a 57 clone straight into my fostex mr-8, do some stuff in logic express afterwards (varies a lot what that may be).
Click to expand...

a 57 clone? You mean one of the Chinese fakes?
 
Re: I can't mic a guitar anymore

supernosher said:
a 57 clone? You mean one of the Chinese fakes?
Click to expand...

probably made in china. one of those ES57's off ebay. I like it for vox. for guitar, I dunno. I'd rather have a nice condenser, but it's not in the cards anytime soon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

FuseG4
Npd: two in one ambient reverb
Replies
3
Views
295
Sam SG
S
DankStar
super quick mic test
Replies
15
Views
693
El Dunco
El Dunco
blakejcan
Guitar stuff I learned today
Replies
8
Views
660
Chistopher
C
P
pickups and frequency emphasis issues with DIY baritone guitar
Replies
7
Views
247
pjd3
P
I
Why don't singers have signature mics?
2 3
Replies
57
Views
2K
Inflames626
I
Back
Top