How to Record Electic guitar
From WikiRecording
Contents |
Setup
There are so many different kinds of guitar sounds to be had today, that there really is no "right way" to mic, and record electric guitar. However, there is a generally accepted standard with which to start. Basically, the guitar/pedal/amp setup is the same as if it was just being played, and the microphones(s) are placed in front of a the speaker cabinet. This is very simple, but the placement, mic type, amp type, and a slew of other factors can make of break the sounds achieved.
Choosing Microphones
There are quite a few different ways to mic a guitar amp, but maybe the most important factor is the type of microphones used. Each Microphone has a unique character, and so it is advised that different options are tried to find the right sound for any particular situation. There are three main types of microphones used when recording guitars:
Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic microphones are the most popularly used mics in recording guitar amps, namely, the Sure SM57. It is the microphone by which other mics are judged when it comes to capturing a neutral guitar amp. Is has a completely flat sound. The bottom line for this mic is, how the guitar sounded is how it get recorded. There is almost no unique character added by this microphone.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones are not as bright but are punchy on the low-end. They have smooth Mid-range, but are not very bright on the highs. Neumann makes the standard in condenser mikes for guitar cabinets, and one affordable option is the Neumann TLM 102. There aren't really a standard in condenser mics like there is in dynamic, but Neumann is a well recognized name.
Ribbon Microphones
Ribbon Microphone microphones can give the recorded sounds incredible warmth, and feeling. They are probably the most expensive of the mic types, but they are good for vintage and blues genres of electric guitar styles. This category also has a standard. The Royer R-121. This gives a great warm sound to your guitar recordings.
Microphone Placement
There are many places to place the microphone on an amp, and I have even heard of some people who mic the back side of the amp to get a warm wood tone in mix with the front side. For this tutorial, we are going to focus on the two main linear positions. Center and off-center.
- Center: This gives a bassier definition to the tone of the amp. To follow this method, place the microphone 90ยบ from the from of the mic cabinet and place it directly in front of a speak cone.
- Off-Center: This is similar to the center micing technique, but the microphone is not placed directly in front of the speaker cone, but instead is placed as far to the side of the cone as possible. The mic should still be in front of the cone, but right on the edge of it. This placement gives a hollower, dull tone.
- Distance: The Distance from the amp's grill is also important in the tone. When the mic is placed in the center, but pulled back a few inches at a time, the bass reduces, allowing for a thin sound.
The Optimal neutral sound is 4" away from the grill, and centered on the cone.
Recording Tips
- If there is still something lacking, try different placements or microphones. As stated earlier, there is no "right way" to do it, but there are a tips that can help. Just keep trying things until you find what you want.
- There has also been a good deal of success micing the same speaker cone with two different mics as close to together as possible. Then panning the mix left and right to thicken up guitar sounds.
- There are also some who place a mic a few inches to several feet away from the front of an amp. From a few inches, this gets a mix of the middle and edge the speaker cones's tone, and from feet away, the entire guitar cabinet and some room elements are captured.
- One thing to remember is that guitar amp typically sound better when they are cranked up to higher volumes. Even if you don't think so, try that as well. It may give an extra bit of definition that would otherwise not be achievable.
- Keep in mind that the closer the mic is to the amp, the less leakage from other instruments is to be heard in the recording.
