Recording guitar amps

Nice article.  Should be referenced every time someone has questions about micing an amp.  Good stuff!

Yes, good article.  While I'm happy with the sound I get currently, there are some techniques in the article I'd love to try when I get a chance.

batsbrew


THE

DEFINITIVE


THREAD. 
 


http://www.badmuckingfastard.com/sound/slipperman.html

     Right on,thats killer.

Interesting article. I come away with a couple of strong suggestions that seem to be tried and true. It would appear that you can't go wrong starting with an SM57 into a well placed Amplifier Cabinet in a room. I assume once you get this set up about optimally, then add extra microphones ( If another Dynamic, right next to to minimize phase cancellation ) or another type (Ribbon, Condensor) for spice. (add for ambience , frequency or smoothness ) 

Certainly some interesting ideas in this article. After I first read slipperman's, my recordings improved a lot. That was because I started spending about 2-3 hours setting up, before I hit the record button. Most of that time was spent getting the perfect distortion tone so it fit well in the song. Then a huge amount of time getting the mics right. As my headphones aren't that well isolated when you crank a 100W Marshall up to the 10, I often resort to recording lots of snippets with the mic at different positions. Then I go back to my monitors and see which one works best. I'll usually do that with just a 57, up very close. I'll then usually bring in the condenser about 1-2 feet back. I almost always use a combination of both mics.

I have tried the multi amp technique as well, but never stuck to it as I feel it actually gave me TOO much flexibility and I began to lose the idea of what I wanted it to sound like. Same kind of thing as having a million pluggins and not knowing which to use. If I can't get the sound I want from my Marshall though, that's when it's time to change amps (or guitars, if I had a second one...) and/or use multiple amps.

I think this article really sums up everything you need to know. The rest must be learnt from experience.

Great link Stevenmikel !
 
Does anyone know of a simular article, with sound clips, for drums?  I find trying to mic an acoustic kit THE most difficult task in all of recording.

the rig:




RIG AND PEDALS:


guitar goes to the pedalboard, with the requisite overdrive, compressor, noise gate, tuner, wah and vibe....

that goes into a 1981 Mesa Boogie Mark2B 60 watt short shell head....

out of that, directly into the Palmer PDI-09, which is how i capture the sound that goes on the recording. at line level.

out of the palmer thru a parallel out, into a Weber Mass lite attenuator, so i can bring the cabinet volume down for monitoring  or micing, at either whisper or screaming volume.

out of the Mass Lite, into a AVATAR vintage closed back cab, with a Celestion Heritage G12. 


i can mic that cab using either a sm57, or a AT4033, and blend it with the direct Palmer sound, or just use the Palmer signal, which is what i typically do.

A Yamaha DG stomp effects pedal, is in the effects loop of the boogie, which is great live, but i never use it for recording..

i always record bone dry, and add effects at mix down.


the way i record with it tho, the palmer pdi-09 comes directly off of the amp output, BEFORE the weber sees it, and that's what goes to the mixer. 

the weber then attenuates, and i have the option of micing the cab at that point, so the direct sees full output, the cab sees the attenuated output. 
i can control the 'monitoring' volume at any volume up to full output (60 watts is pretty freakin' loud)...... 

or i can crank down on the attenuator, and record the boogie at full output, but at whisper volume. 
i'd prefer an isolation room with a wide open cabinet, but alas, the landlord does not like that sound. 

LOL 

i dig it,

it works.

i a/b'd it against the THD hotplate, the marshall power brake, the original Scholz Power Soak, an Airbrake, and one more i can't remember...

here's some info:
http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm





the Junction is capturing the amp sound BEFORE the attenuation, so i have to pay attention to what the Palmer is hearing, instead of focusing on what's coming out of the cabinet.