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Hello again,

I'd like to record a guitar sound with the stereo depth you can hear in this recording: http://www.youtube…"]YouTube - Pantera - Revolution Is My Name (Video)[/]="http://www.youtube…"]YouTube - Pantera - Revolution Is My Name (Video)[/]

I realize the best way is to mic 2 amps set up as a stereo amp arrangement - either from a guitar fx pedal or amp chain (use a direct out from one amp into another amp, mic both).

But in the recording I'm doing this weekend, we don't have the option to use a stereo amp setup. Given that, what do you suggest as the best method(s) to get a nice stereo guitar amp sound?

Here are some ideas:

* 2 mics on same amp, different positions (what positions do you recommend for stereo use and minimal phase problems? The amp is an all tube Peavy stack, mics are SM57)

* 1 mic on amp, another line for the amp's direct out, trick is placing the mic so it has minimal phase problems with the direct out

* What about overdubbing the guitar in unison and stereo panning it with the original? If so, should the amp setting be exactly the same or would the stereo sound benefit from a little variation in the overdub?

Thanks again

Comments

RemyRAD Fri, 11/05/2010 - 14:30

Yeah, you can accomplish this sound in real-time but it's not done in real time. Just like the other poster indicated, you'll want to do a guitar overdub to obtain that sound. At the same time, you may want to also change to a different amplifier & different microphone combination for that second pass.

In another way to accomplish this, utilizing a direct DI box off of the guitar (an active DI is a better choice because of its higher input impedance versus a passive transformer with a 50 K. ohm primary input winding), to be recorded to its own track has lots of advantages. You are still going to record the guitar/amplifier with a microphone to its own track, during your tracking session, while simultaneously recording the direct guitar feed to an adjacent track. After you're done, you'll play the direct DI track back and patch that track into another guitar amplifier (or the same one) in a different position in the room, with a different microphone and record that to another track. Add some VCO-based time delay to both guitar tracks and voilà.

When you really think you need another piece of equipment you probably don't.
Mx. Remy Ann David