ORIGINAL: mottull

Anyone can give any tip on how to get a more proffessional sound from my guitar on my mixes?

I'm recording direct using a multieffect pedal and I have Guitar Rig 2

Seems obvious, but the first steps to getting a great sound is the guitar... and the player.

Otherwise, Your "front end" signal chain will have a large impact on the resultant sound.
For DI recording, you need a good quality (high impedence) instrument DI input. Typically, this means using a good Direct Box (Radial/Reddi/etc) or a nice Pre-amp that doubles as a quality DI box (Universal Audio Solo 610).
For DI recording, this is the single most important item to get right. It's often overlooked... and has a dramatic affect on final results. If you're on a super tight budget, the Behringer Ultra DI isn't bad. (Much better than going straight into a typical line input)

The quality of your A/D converters will have some impact on the quality of your guitar recordings. But (TBH) recording electric guitar isn't like dealing with the high-transient signals of acoustic drums or DI electric bass. IOW, If you're using a recent make audio interface from M-Audio, Frontier, RME, MOTU, Echo, Focusrite, TC, Presonus, etc... you should be OK on the A/D converters.

If you're using Guitar Rig 2, I'd go straight thru a good DI box (the best you can afford).
IOW, I would eliminate the Multi-EFX pedal.

You need a room full of real american made guitars with pickups that are authentic to the style of music you are playing.

You need a Fender Champ and maybe a Princeton Reverb. (I have 2 - Vibro Champs, 1- Champ, 1- Deluxe Reverb, 1- Super Reverb,)
Collect real guitar speakers like JBL K130s and K150s and mount them in cabs... hook them up an explore their different sensitivity and dynamics.

Get a Tube Screamer, a Rat, and a Fuzz Face.... season too taste.

Collect a few more efx pedals... all analog.

You can use a SM58 or a top of the line large diaphragm mic. If the you can play and make the guitar do the talking then "getting" the sound recorded is real simple.

Amp sims can't cut it once you have the real thing.


best regards,
mike

What Jim Roseberry said plus this:

Amp sims can't cut it once you have the real thing.

Nothing will sound better than the real thing. But I don't think you need a bunch of guitars, amp or pedals (just whats necesary). I myself preffer the sound of an SM-57 over an SM-58 for recording an amp. For FX I do it in the box just in case I change my mind later.

what is a proffessional sound. Its a matter of opinion. What makes one sound more proffessional than another sound. If i like the sound i record it, if i dont i play around with the amp and processors till i do.. There is no magig button to make a proffessional guitar sound...

CJ

No matter how you record your guitar parts, you'll probably have good results if you...
1. Record dry...no chorus, no delay, no reverb...nothing extra to muddy up the sound.
2. If using a modeler or processor, record using the mono out...
3. Using eq, dump the frequencies from the guitar track that you don't need in the mix.
4. Pan the parts to create interest for the listener.
5. Play in tune

RLD

Please allow me to suggest that "professional" sound for a guitar might be judged by what is standard to the genre.

Would you want a 72 Les Paul and a Marshall stack sound on a retro surf band tune?
How about a Strat with "real 54" alnico pickups and a Vibrochamp for a Sabbath tribute?
How about a ES125 and a chorus pedal? Would you use that combo the 12 string sound of the hippy 60's?

So you might say a professional guitar sound would be one that sounds authentic to the genre.

Amp sims can let you paint with sound and create new frontiers in music etc

but I don't think they don't do a good job of imitating the real thing.

The string, pickup, amp, & speaker interface is so interelated it can provide a lifetime of fascination if you take the time to mix, match and encounter classic combos of gear.

I think a silverface Champ, a couple of analog pedals, and a few single coil and humbucker outfitted guitars goes a long way to getting great guitar sounds.

best regards,
mike

Firstly, NEVER record without new strings that were put on that day (make sure they are worn in though, dont want it going out of tune...) I dont know anything about guitar rig 2 or any of those things, so cant comment there.. But what i always do now, is double mic my amps. Infact, mic it with as many different mics as you can (if micing an amp is even an option). Set as many mics up in seperate inputs and record each to a seperate track. Now when u come to mixing you song, you can turn up different mics and listen to the different sounds each mic has and find the one which works best for you song. Then bring in the other mics and just play around with levels untill you get the sound you want. Someone once said in a post "this is the best eq money can buy" and i think they are pretty well on there. Just make sure all the tracks are in phase or you will get cancelling (you can do this by correct mic placement in the first place, or by zooming in on the waveform and nudging the tracks so they are in phase). Oh and ALWAYS when comparing the sounds, make sure you listen at the same volume level. Just one mic could be at -6db, then you add the second mic and its now 0db, so make sure you turn the whole guitar sound back down to -6db. Dont know if that makes any sence at all.. But hopefully iy does.

A few other things ive read - apparently you use more midrange than usual when recording guitar, id say that would be to make sure you dont get masking. Also if you are recording distorted guitars, you need to use less distortion than you would use for a live gig. Too much distortion just gets all muddled and you cant hear what the hell the guitar is doing. So make sure you only JUST ENOUGH distortion, never go overboard.

Aside from clean strings on the guitar, it all starts with a quality valve amplifier and cabinet, and two well placed microphones. Modelers and/or VSTs should not be considered.

ORIGINAL: jweldinger

Modelers and/or VSTs should not be considered.

That's your opinion. I have fooled many with Izotope Trash and Amplitube. And you can't beat the versatility.

ORIGINAL: DaveR

ORIGINAL: jweldinger

Modelers and/or VSTs should not be considered.

That's your opinion. I have fooled many with Izotope Trash and Amplitube. And you can't beat the versatility.

I love Hardware modelers....They way i use it, you cant tell the difference. jweldinger, your wrong. thats just your opinion....check some of my stuff out. No amps, just guitar pluged into my vox tonelab or my boss gs-10
CJ