View Full Version : Recording Electric Guitar?
gabrielM
02/11/09, 03:21 PM
hey my name's gabe and i'm in a band and we've been trying to record electric guitar for the longest and its just not working. we've gotten pretty frustrated. this is wat we are using and trying.
we have an M-Audio mobile pre and a (cheap) condensor mic MXL 990. and we have ACID 4.0 and Audacity.
thing is, we've tried plugging the guitar straight into the mobile pre, we tried running it into the amp and recording from the line out, we tried recording without mic infront of the amp, we even bought a Shure sm57 (which i've heard is a great instrument mic) and used it with the amp and still didnt work.
we tried switching guitars, guitarist, computers, programs, cables, position of mics and nothing.
all we get is a loud shitty noise. like a roar. almost like a constant static and you cant hear the guitar well at all. its extremely frustrating and disencouraging.
does anyone know how i should put the gain on the mobile pre? or volume on the guitar? anything that can help please?
thanks so much.
bassdrummer2333
02/11/09, 06:56 PM
Gain should be relatively low, and if your using DI then use a pedal with it, or some amp-modeling software, the extra crap that comes with recording guitar should be less noticeable when drums are put behind it in the recording. check my myspace to see what I did for guitar with the MobilePre.
www.myspace.com/awakenthenight
gabrielM
02/11/09, 07:51 PM
ok thanks, i'll try that. and srry if i sound dumb, but wat's DI?
we have an M-Audio mobile pre and a (cheap) condensor mic MXL 990. and we have ACID 4.0 and Audacity.
I suggest ditching the mxl and recording with the 57.
is, we've tried plugging the guitar straight into the mobile pre, we tried running it into the amp and recording from the line out, we tried recording without mic infront of the amp, we even bought a Shure sm57 (which i've heard is a great instrument mic) and used it with the amp and still didnt work.
if you're plugging straight into the mobile pre, get a Direct box to take of the hi-z freq, and/or patch in a gate in acid to get rid of unwanted hiss before recording. The sm57 IS a great mic, but it's very quiet, you'll need an external preamp, not the shitty ones on a cheap (or any, really) audio interface. the sm57 is a different beast through a sexy preamp, try a cheap art or presonus tube, or if you're feeling a bit peckish, the True Systems P-Solo is a fine choice in the sub $500 category.
gabrielM
02/11/09, 10:11 PM
ok thanks. do u kno if Amplitube would help? with recording it str8 into the mobile-pre?
Tristan Needler
02/11/09, 10:17 PM
ok thanks. do u kno if Amplitube would help? with recording it str8 into the mobile-pre?
From every source I've heard, Amplitube is very good. I have the LE, and I like it a lot.
ok thanks. do u kno if Amplitube would help? with recording it str8 into the mobile-pre?
it would, but again you need to fix the SOURCE, and can add effects/virtual amps later. get a direct box or a preamp. the preamp will also work wonders with micing an actual amp- just run the mic through the pre into the interface. no amplitube needed!
gabrielM
02/11/09, 10:52 PM
k. gotcha.
alex.parent
02/12/09, 05:08 AM
What kind of amp, guitar and pedals are you using? If you are using cheap stuff and don't know how to set it up it isn't going to sound good. When I record I prefer to have very high volumes on the amp, then adjust the gain on my interface accordingly.
gabrielM
02/12/09, 06:58 AM
ok and how should the volume be on the guitar if your amp volume is high? and are u recording with a mic to the amp or from the line out?
alex.parent
02/12/09, 08:41 AM
The volume on the guitar is all preference. I guess I should have a better understanding at what kind of music you're recording. For distortion on a tube amp, high volume on the amp is good. I always record with a mic up to the amp, you can get away with the line out if you're doing the clean channel sometimes.
recording at high volumes is unnecessary, you should only do it if the amp is being mic'd in a separate room, so that you can hear the metronome in headphones.
read this: http://www.tweakheadz.com/guitarists_guide_to_recording.htm
gabrielM
02/12/09, 10:03 AM
nice. im gona read up on that. thanks alot.
alex.parent
02/12/09, 07:49 PM
recording at high volumes is unnecessary, you should only do it if the amp is being mic'd in a separate room, so that you can hear the metronome in headphones.
read this: http://www.tweakheadz.com/guitarists_guide_to_recording.htm
A lot of your tone comes from playing at certain volumes and pushing your speakers, thus making it necessary to record at high volumes.
Tristan Needler
02/12/09, 08:05 PM
A lot of your tone comes from playing at certain volumes and pushing your speakers, thus making it necessary to record at high volumes.
That's absolutely wrong. You can have your at and high gain, and push your tubes, but high volume isn't necessary at all.
alex.parent
02/15/09, 08:41 PM
That's absolutely wrong. You can have your at and high gain, and push your tubes, but high volume isn't necessary at all.
High gain pushes your tubes, high volume pushes speakers. I'm not saying you should record with your amp at 10, but I tend to turn mine up to 6 or 7 which is fairly loud. And turning up the gain just adds more fuzz. I'd say not to turn your gain past like 5 ever, but thats just me.
High gain pushes your tubes, high volume pushes speakers. I'm not saying you should record with your amp at 10, but I tend to turn mine up to 6 or 7 which is fairly loud. And turning up the gain just adds more fuzz. I'd say not to turn your gain past like 5 ever, but thats just me.
you want your signal as clear as possible, even from an overdriven, distortion pedal-ridden amp. you'll kill your headroom by just mashing the master volume past 3 and gain past 2 in most situations, especially if you're micing the amp within a foot. volume does not equal better!!! concentrate on a good tone, let your mic pre(audio interface one or otherwise,) bring the volume up to listenable in your DAW.
I mic my amp and run the mic through a pedal that I don't use and then convert the 1/4" plug to an 1/8" plug and run that directly into the microphone jack on my cpu. It's not the best or most professional way to do it, but it consistently works.
alex.parent
02/18/09, 08:23 PM
you want your signal as clear as possible, even from an overdriven, distortion pedal-ridden amp. you'll kill your headroom by just mashing the master volume past 3 and gain past 2 in most situations, especially if you're micing the amp within a foot. volume does not equal better!!! concentrate on a good tone, let your mic pre(audio interface one or otherwise,) bring the volume up to listenable in your DAW.
If you've ever played a tube amp, you'd probably know that you need your amp at a certain volume to get decent tone. I usually record my amp at about 5 or 6 with my gain around 3, and it sounds pretty comparable to a professional recording, and I've never had a problem with headroom.
theguy77
02/18/09, 08:50 PM
when i was in the studio we recorded with a 100 watt tube amp turned past halfway and close mic'd it, sounds great to me. you just need a capable dynamic mic (i mean an SM57 does well) and meticulous, proper mic placement. really with the right equipment high volumes on an amplifier shouldn't give you problems.
when i was in the studio we recorded with a 100 watt tube amp turned past halfway and close mic'd it, sounds great to me. you just need a capable dynamic mic (i mean an SM57 does well) and meticulous, proper mic placement. really with the right equipment high volumes on an amplifier shouldn't give you problems.
more important than mic choice and placement is room choice, signal path, quality of hardware effects, mic pres, etc. turning the amp up to compensate for the 'quiet' 57 is a common mistake; a 57 is a diff beast through a quality preamp (not the ones on your mixer or cheap $250 interface.) you may THINK it sounds good, but once you get the right signal chain, you realize you don't NEED the amp that loud, and that you're just clipping way before you even get in the DAW!!!
If you've ever played a tube amp, you'd probably know that you need your amp at a certain volume to get decent tone. I usually record my amp at about 5 or 6 with my gain around 3, and it sounds pretty comparable to a professional recording, and I've never had a problem with headroom.
you don't need it at a certain volume, that's a common misconception. just b.c it sounds someway to you ear, does not mean that is how it's gonna come out on tape.
good rule of thumb for ANY effect on anything. turn it up enough so you can barely hear it through your monitors, then down just a smidgen.
with good mic placement and preamps and a/d converters, you'll be just fine without cranking the amp.
theguy77
02/18/09, 11:51 PM
more important than mic choice and placement is room choice, signal path, quality of hardware effects, mic pres, etc. turning the amp up to compensate for the 'quiet' 57 is a common mistake; a 57 is a diff beast through a quality preamp (not the ones on your mixer or cheap $250 interface.) you may THINK it sounds good, but once you get the right signal chain, you realize you don't NEED the amp that loud, and that you're just clipping way before you even get in the DAW!!!
i mean i was just speaking from the experience i had in the studio with an engineer whos been doing this for a long time i really couldnt tell you myself. but obviously high quality preamps were used. the studio ive been going to is not like a high profile/reputation studio yet but it puts out records that sound like what the pros put out.
i mean i was just speaking from the experience i had in the studio with an engineer whos been doing this for a long time i really couldnt tell you myself. but obviously high quality preamps were used. the studio ive been going to is not like a high profile/reputation studio yet but it puts out records that sound like what the pros put out.
It can be done, but the pro's don't outweigh the cons. why crank the amp when a much lower setting will be easier to manage, and easier for the mixer and master to deal with as well? besides, it's much easier to hear things like clicks and such, and your ears won't fatigue as easily allowing you more takes in a day or so than if you just cranked the volume.
theguy77
02/19/09, 04:15 PM
It can be done, but the pro's don't outweigh the cons. why crank the amp when a much lower setting will be easier to manage, and easier for the mixer and master to deal with as well? besides, it's much easier to hear things like clicks and such, and your ears won't fatigue as easily allowing you more takes in a day or so than if you just cranked the volume.
oh no the cab was in another room while i played the guitar in the tracking room.
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