Guitar recording

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:56 am

My setup: Running Cubase Se1 on a MAudio Delta 44 4 ins 4 outs with Maudio monitors. Ashdown bass amp, SGH and a crate guitar amps, two Audio technica dynamic mics, MXL condenser with an ART tube preamp.

Question1: I want to get the best guitar sound with distortion, when I record clean it sounds fine but I am having trouble getting great distortion sounds from my guitarists. I use a condenser on the edge of the cone should I use a dynamic? I do find mixing it on Cubase works well afterwards. Is there anything else I could do?

Question2: I am wondering about recording direct out from an Ashdown Bass Amp running a Spectorcore active bass through the amp, I am not getting enough volume anytime I run direct. How do I fix this before going to the mix.

Question 3: best way to record drums with my setup?

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:38 am

#1) Is the tone from the amp in the room where you want it to be in the first place? You have to start there. Having no idea which models of these mics you have, I'd say start with a dynamic as the close mic. Crate amps tend to be "fizzy" in their distortion, close-mic'ing that with the MXL will tend to aggravate that. If the room is decently large, you can always use the MXL as a "room mic".
#2) Is the DI output of the Ashdown "pre" or "post" the volume/EQ controls? If it is "post" and the settings are low, you're not likely to get much from that. This is why you should still have a decent DI box in your tool kit. This way, you can tap the signal BEFORE the amp attenuates it.
If there is a "pre/post" switch on the amps' output, try it on "pre"...
#3) 2 dynamics and a condenser on the kit, eh? Once again, this is a shot, but have you tried putting one of the ATs on the kick, the other on the snare, and the condenser as an overhead, high enough to pick up the cymbals and still the toms? Be sure to "aim" the OH so that the cymbals don't swing in and out of the mics pattern; you'll know this by the "swishing" phase-shifting you'll hear as the cymbals "rock" back and forth in/out of the mic's sweet spot. Play with the positioning to get the right balance of toms vs. the cymbals. Don't be deterred on this, as MANY times, you can get better results on a drumkit with less mics. Good luck.

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:54 am

thanks that is a great help, Yeah I figured it is probably the tone of the guitar and where the amp was placed. Also I will use the AT to close mic the amp. I believe the bass rig has a pre post switch so I will try that. And for the drums I have tried different senarios with micing and I think your senario will work the best. Thanks for the input it is greatly appreciated.

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:03 am

Hope that it helps. BTW, what the hell is a "SGH" amp? Laughing

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:26 am

A lower end guitar amp copy of a marshall

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:43 am

Thanks. Well, at least the cheaper stuff FORCES you to learn technique to get better tone from it. Many times the "good stuff" spoils you and makes you lazy Smile

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:41 pm

Try finding a cd that has that sound your looking for. Then isolate the sound and A B it to your current sound. I was working on a project mixing drums and had come across a great Megadeth tom sound, I then A B'ed it to my toms and with a little critical listening and freggin, I got what I was looking for. When I mean critcal listening, I mean breaking down how the tone sounds to its basic elements. EX "the tom sounds like theres water on the top of it, that makes that "thwack" sound. It seems to be a deep bass that is really tight. The room sounds really dead". When you study you learn.

Mark

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:16 am

moonbaby wrote:

Thanks. Well, at least the cheaper stuff FORCES you to learn technique to get better tone from it. Many times the "good stuff" spoils you and makes you lazy Smile

So THATS my problem!!!! Laughing

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