The guys that are recording the guitars for most major productions do several things to make that huge spread guitar sound

1. They record with multi amp set ups... three or four amps daisy chained together and all miced up separately all routed to separate tracks. Many times the guitar tracks will be re amped through the amp rigs after recording to make for even more tracks and to add more crunch and room sounds and to increase panning options. .

2. Using the set up described above, they will record multiple passes of the same parts.. 3 or 4 times ... sometimes more.

3. Multi mic set ups.. in great live rooms they will often use distance mics .. mic behind the cabs .. anything to add spaciousness to the sound. They pay close attention to phase issues, insuring all that lovely spread can collapse to mono without canceling itself out. Compressors can make the ambiance of a nice live room stand out more..

5. Short reverb settings to simulate a room in stereo. Subtle use of flange and chorus to add spread and edge ..

6. They spend days recording guitars for just one song.. because of all the overdubbing it just takes a lot of time, making sure all the performances are locking into each other, not sounding doubled but more like just one big guitar sound.

amen kurt!
(but i hate linkin' park's sound on guitars :-) )
a real cool sound on guitars is the one on velvet revolver's album! great sound!
i've read all the details on it too!
great sound really!

Can you find the link or info on the Velvet recordings?

I am really impressed with that album.

Thanks kurt, Ill definately try that.

Kurt summed it up pretty well - but left out the 2 most important items.

1. good guitars. tone starts here. notice that a lot of the new, heavy bands are playing PRS? because they're great instruments. Les Pauls? check. a good instrument will get you a better recording. make sure it's got fresh strings - properly set up - intonation is in..

2. good amps. tone ends here. if it doesn't sound good coming out of the amp - you're not gonna fix it in software. there's a lot of options for getting great guitar sounds - and none of them include using an old 30-watt Crate combo. (not that you can't get ANY guitar sound with said Crate.. but lets be honest..)

3. playing. practice a lot - be able to double and triple the parts TIGHTLY.

4. follow what Kurt said above and rock on
"-)

How do you actually re amp and amp ??? Do I take the recorded guitar sound and run the outputs from my DAW back into the guitar amp and record it again ??

HMNP wrote: How do you actually re amp and amp ??? Do I take the recorded guitar sound and run the outputs from my DAW back into the guitar amp and record it again ??

YEP!!!

http://www.digidesign.com/users/user_story.cfm?story_id=159

here's a good link to some Linkin Park info.

Kurt,

I want to make sure I understand this too...are you saying that while tracking, you record them playing through the distorted amp (not just to a DI), and then RE-RECORD that by sending the now recorded, distorted signal back out of the computer via a mix-bus or "reamp" into another amp, set to overdrive, and record THAT as the distorted signal?!? Would you be able to hear any definition at all like that?!?

Jean-Pierre

we've got access to a roland amp and a marshall amp..
will it work for a killer tone if the left channel from the guitar processor is taken to one amp and the right to the other ... and they miked at the same time in the same room..

PS: it's not a great sounding room.

v3gaS wrote: Can you find the link or info on the Velvet recordings?

I am really impressed with that album.

there is an eq mag issue that has all the background on the recording of the album! it has and akg 414 opened on the cover and it has a picture of velvet revolver too!
that was recorded with a lot of vintage stuff and pres!
if this helps here is a link to the equippent they have:
http://www.belowempty.com/vr/bandinfo_equipment.php

if you can't find the article i'll discribe the recording!