Interesting to see where this thread has gone...

The Op said: I have this gear, how can I make this sound good?

Everyone: Buy new stuff!

The OP: (again) I have this stuff, how can I make it sound better?

Everyone: Some suggestions, and a new wave of "Buy New Stuff", and "Use something REAL"

LOL, I love this forum but it can sometimes get a bit sidetracked. I really hope the OP found some sollutions here. There are lot's of great knowledge in this thread, although it's a little off topic

Personally, I love using a real cabinet and a mic to capture my guitars but most often I have to use an Amp Sim for various reasons, and as long as it sounds good in the end, I don't care less of what kind of gear that has been used.

Happy shredding!!

16brae


Hello,
I am looking for some advice. My  setup is basic and includes the following, Boss Gt-6 guitar fx, Focusrite Saffire 6 usb, Behringer mxb1002 mixer, two alesis M1 MK2 active monitor speakers, and Sonar X1 producer. My problem is no matter what settings I make to the boss or the mixer, I cannot get a good quality guitar sound through my speakers. I am looking for the same sound quality as I would get plugging my guitar into a guitar amp. I  would appreciate any advice anyone could give me in achieving this. Perhaps different settings, additional software or a new external guitar fx. Thank you.

If your monitrs dont sound the way you want,  How does it sound through a decent set of head phones?

FWIW, there will be just as many arguments for amp sims as against. The main thing is to not let what you feel is a hindrance stop you from making music. The reality of it is none of us will ever listen to any work we do after the fact without saying," You know, that song really needed more, or a better _____________{fill in the blanks}. Keep your eye on the prize and keep moving forward. Any progress is better than none. I found early on in studio work that in working conditions you usually don't have the time to chase the perfect tone or sound. Most producers will get something close to what they hear and cut it. I am sure a lot of us here have worked on a session and walked out thinking,"Wow, I was terrible! My sound was not there, where did my tone go?. I wish I'd used my Strat and Marshall instead of my LP and Fender Twin!" Then after the producer and engineer get done you can't believe how good the track sounds and sits in the song! There are more tools available to us in Sonar than a lot of commercial studios. Just try to get the best sound and performance you can and as you go the lessons will be learned. Now, just go finish that song! Good Luck to you! 

 It is quite interesting how a simple question about recording a guitar generates so much strong opinions and becomes an “engineer” contest with people knowing “the only solution” etc.

I’ll give my 2 cents:

1/ Whatever style of music you do, you should be able to get a very good recorded tone from current commercial amp sims software (I don’t know much about the free ones, so can’t comment).

There are tons of highly successful commercial recordings in all genres (probably excluding classical) that are done this way, and it is now impossible (in a full mix) to tell the difference. (I mean, can someone seriously listen to a track on the radio and say “that was recorded with an amp sim” or “that was recorded with a real amp”?)

I suspect not.

2/ The common misconception about amp sims: People think they are meant to compare with the amp you are playing in the room. That’s not the case. They are meant to compare with the amp you have in the room being micked up and played back through your monitoring speakers (same as your amp sim). So, don’t compare “live” guitar sound with “recorded guitar sound”, it has nothing to do with it.

3/ yes, recording valve amps for real are great, and for some are the best way to get the tone they are after. But it’s far from true nowadays that it is the “only” way to get a good tone.

The suggestions I would make to the OP question in my opinion is:

a/ Put aside your Boss effect unit for now.

b/ use an amp sim and record direct into Sonar (guitar going straight into the instrument input of your sound card). Basically, eliminate any other source that can lead to confusion.

c/ Work on your amp sim interface to find a good tone, effects etc. You are very likely to find something you like with a little tweaking on the amp sim (as you would do with a normal amp)

d/ At that stage, only if you really feel the need, start bringingexternal pedals, your boss etc back in. But at least your core tone is good, and you will know if the effects are actually causing some confusion / really needed.

Of course, if you want / can afford, do buy top of the range amps etc. Of course they are great, of course they record well etc.

What I mean is: it is not compulsory you do that to get a GREAT recorded guitar sound. You should not feel like this is the only way.

You should get good tone with amp sims without having to break the bank.

That’s what I think anyway.

Good luck with it.

vinny199


 It is quite interesting how a simple question about recording a guitar generates so much strong opinions and becomes an “engineer” contest with people knowing “the only solution” etc.

I’ll give my 2 cents:

1/ Whatever style of music you do, you should be able to get a very good recorded tone from current commercial amp sims software (I don’t know much about the free ones, so can’t comment).

There are tons of highly successful commercial recordings in all genres (probably excluding classical) that are done this way, and it is now impossible (in a full mix) to tell the difference. (I mean, can someone seriously listen to a track on the radio and say “that was recorded with an amp sim” or “that was recorded with a real amp”?)

I suspect not.

2/ The common misconception about amp sims: People think they are meant to compare with the amp you are playing in the room. That’s not the case. They are meant to compare with the amp you have in the room being micked up and played back through your monitoring speakers (same as your amp sim). So, don’t compare “live” guitar sound with “recorded guitar sound”, it has nothing to do with it.

3/ yes, recording valve amps for real are great, and for some are the best way to get the tone they are after. But it’s far from true nowadays that it is the “only” way to get a good tone.

The suggestions I would make to the OP question in my opinion is:

a/ Put aside your Boss effect unit for now.

b/ use an amp sim and record direct into Sonar (guitar going straight into the instrument input of your sound card). Basically, eliminate any other source that can lead to confusion.

c/ Work on your amp sim interface to find a good tone, effects etc. You are very likely to find something you like with a little tweaking on the amp sim (as you would do with a normal amp)

d/ At that stage, only if you really feel the need, start bringingexternal pedals, your boss etc back in. But at least your core tone is good, and you will know if the effects are actually causing some confusion / really needed.

Of course, if you want / can afford, do buy top of the range amps etc. Of course they are great, of course they record well etc.

What I mean is: it is not compulsory you do that to get a GREAT recorded guitar sound. You should not feel like this is the only way.

You should get good tone with amp sims without having to break the bank.

That’s what I think anyway.

Good luck with it.

+ 1 I fully agree with this!

Yeah Vinny, +1 from me too!

+1 for both Sidroe & Vinny199, Good results can be achieved either way, Just keep at it.

ProjectM


Interesting to see where this thread has gone...

The Op said: I have this gear, how can I make this sound good?

Everyone: Buy new stuff!

The OP: (again) I have this stuff, how can I make it sound better?

sometimes, new stuff is the solution... right tool for the right job. doesn't need to be the most expensive, but if you need a saw and all ya got is a hammer, it's time to get a saw... 

PorjectM.... yes re-amping is a viable option... that way, at least you don't need to retrace if you need to change the sound and as they say, can't "Fix it it the mix".

I have heard of some real old timers, re-amping using Stereo Speakers to overdub a part ... they would record the overdub, take the tracks to the original space the guitar was recorded... play the part back thru the HI FI speakers and re-record the part in the same room to get the part to fix in with the original tracking sessions.

Jim

A little off topic but with all the guitar tracking tricks being bantered about.... I have this small Fender Champ Amp from the early 70s that just kicks ass for recording. It has three knobs...

VOL
BASS
TREBLE

Anything above 7 volume it really starts kicking in.  And best of all, I get to keep my hearing in tact a few years longer.  I have a Mesa Boogie Road King right next to it and it never gets turned on for recording... its too friggin LOUD.

Jim