Recording Progressive Metal - First Timer

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:23 pm

I've searched the forum and not really found what I am looking for, sorry if this question has been asked before.

My question is simply can someone give me a few good hinters on recording.

My setup is:
Intel Q6600
Vista 64bit
RME FireFace 800
Shure Beta 57A
Shure PG 48
Rode NT4
KRK Rokit Powerd 5
Presonus HP4

I'm using Cubase 4 Studio.
I'll narrow it down for those whom are willing to help me.
My main thoughts right now are the following.

If you have something you wished you had known the first time you recored just go with it, I'll listen to anything.

I need some tips on how to record high distortion, multitracking, micpositioning and fx in Cubase.

I'll have more questions if someone can answer this post Smile

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:57 pm

I'd love to help you but you're asking for a lot of information - a textbook's worth, and then some.
There are very few things that fall under the guise of recording that have not been covered on this site.

Do you have anything specific you want to learn about, i.e. how to mic a snare drum, where to put a mic on a guitar amp, etc. ?

I'll start:

One tried and true way to record a snare drum is to put a 57 on the top head and another on the bottom. More often than not you should flip the phase on the bottom (two mics, same source, fattens it up). Blend both to taste.

My favored way to mic a guitar amp is to aim a 57 directly at the glue edge of the dust cover, play with the angle and proximity until desired sound is achieved. If the amp is an open back design, throw another mic behind it. Phase may again need to be flipped on these.

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:28 am

Thanks for the reply.

The main thing I'm trying to do now is to get "clean" distortion, first time I just placed the Beta 57A in front at the edge of the cone and recorded on one track in Cubase.
I got alot of noise so some info on how to tune the amp would be great. (I'm use Joe Satriani Sign. Half stack from Peavey)

That didn't sound all that good, so I asked around and was told that I should place the mic in the center of the cone, use 50% of the desired distortion one the amp, and record it 2-4 and stack tracks up on each other.

Am I going the right way with this now ?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:00 am

You've gotta move it around until you get the sound you're going for.
Once you achieve that, then send it to tape.
When you get that sound you can then double, triple track, etc.
But don't just throw a mic up and expect to fix it later, fix it from the start.

Quote:

I got alot of noise so...

What kind of noise are you getting?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:20 am

Wouldn't call it a buss noise just like the sound isn't "clean" like a professionaly recorded song.

I know this may sound stupid, I'm just looking for tips on how to record, mix and setup.

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:09 am

Well, the easy answer is to play with the knobs on the amp until it sounds good in the room.
There's nothing written in stone (though Peavey does have samples of certain settings posted on their JSX page).
Unless the amp is bad, the drivers are fried, the power is dirty, the guitar is falling apart, or the cable is shot, you should be able to get a good sound (or at least a usable sound) out of it.

It all depends on three basic things:
1) The amp
2) The guitar
3) The room

And not necessarily in that order.

Get a good sound first, then throw up a mic or two.
Throw one up in front of the cone, and another in the room a few feet away, see which one you like better, or mix them together - your call.

And remember, unless you're recording a live show, that amp doesn't need to be cranked to 11. Keep it's output volume down.
I once again suggest a smaller amp in the studio.
4x12's and 100W+ heads are for the stage.

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:05 am

Ok ... that got me thinking, would it be a good idea to have the Shure Beta 57A around 1" away from the speaker, and then have the Rode NT4 stereo overhead like 1 meter away.
Thus recording 3 tracks at once.

Think this would be a good idea ?

I will also try to keep the volume on 1.5 Smile

and the distortion as low a possible.

Also a thought about the room, it's a garage with not so much stuff and concrete walls, should I put some foam or something around the area where the mics are ?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:28 am

Quote:

Think this would be a good idea ?

Sure, experimentation is key to learning.

Quote:

should I put some foam or something around the area where the mics are ?

Not necessarily, at a low volume it'll probably sound good in there. Some of my favorite guitar sounds I've gotten have been with amps in my bathroom and laundry room.

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:10 pm

Thanks you've been great help.

I'll post some more after my session tomorrow.

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:28 pm

You're welcome!
Thumbs Up

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:53 pm

one more thing...

I created a track for in Cubase for talkback and asigned one of my inputs to it.
Can anyone tell me another way to do it on the fireface.

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