mic/recording problem

nyarlothothep

I have a seinheiser black fire mic placed very near off centre from my amp (marshall DX). The problem is up until this weekend, I was getting good sound quality from the left speaker. I usually use both speakers. Now when I record from the left speaker I get a fairly low volume sound as if it was recorded from a distance. This is in cont I've checked to see if the left speaker is actually working and whether its just the right speaker being picked up and the left speaker seems ok. What could the problem be?

TelePaul

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I have a seinheiser black fire mic placed very near off centre from my amp (marshall DX). The problem is up until this weekend, I was getting good sound quality from the left speaker. I usually use both speakers. Now when I record from the left speaker I get a fairly low volume sound as if it was recorded from a distance. This is in cont I've checked to see if the left speaker is actually working and whether its just the right speaker being picked up and the left speaker seems ok. What could the problem be?

A great many things. I'm not sure from your post are you placing the mic in the centre or on the left speaker exclusively?

PaulBrewer

Just run that by us again? I can't quite understand what you mean...

nyarlothothep

The mic is off axis from the left speaker exclusively and up close to it so as to get the maximum volume. Its placed 1/4 of the way, its not at the middle (basically the standard micing technique in relation to mic placement for guitar amps). The sound quality up to last week was perfect but now it sounds very distant. I don't have this problem with the right speaker. I place the mic at the left speaker for certain guitar tracks and at the right speaker for others.

eoin5

Hey Alex, are you leaving the amp close to the wall when youre recording and if you are is it the left speaker thats closest to the wall? Its unlikely but you could be getting some comb filtering with the reflections off the wall.

TelePaul

There's obviously some way to test the speakers individually. I'm not sure how to go about it on your amp, but your best bet would be to test each speaker in isolation.

brettzy

If you solo the recording does it sound weak or is it when played in the mix? Are you doing multiple takes and layering the tracks?

I have a hunch it is phase that is causing the issue. Try reverseing the phase on the weak recording and let us know what happens.

If this isn't the fix then give us some more info.
Are you doing multiple takes
are you stereo micing, does it sound week when soloed
if you leave all setting exactly the same and record the right speaker do you still get the same results
are you recording at really low volumes

studiorat

If the mic isn't broken it sounds like a phasey issue.
Are the speakers in the cab in phase? Could one have been rewired?
Turn on the amp and get down on your hands and knees and listen to the speakers to see if:

1. both speakers are working.
2. the speaker cables are both wired the same way.
3. when you listen in front of the cab you don't hear a hole in the middle sensation that would suggest the speakers are out of phase.

What happens if you swop the leads to the speakers? Is the left still bad?

nyarlothothep

Thanks Eoin + everyone else for the sage advice, now Im more aware about phasing. As it turns out, the sound from the amp was bouncing back off the wardrobe as it was a bit nearer than usual so not even the blanket I normally put over it and the mic prevented this problem from occurring. Interesting though that it only effected the left speaker and not the right which was at a relatively similar distance from the wardrobe. In any case Ive cleared out a space in the room for recording the amp far away from any reflective hard surfaces. The recordings I have now sound much better. Onwards with the album!