What Method Do You Use To Record Guitars?

Squidgy Black

What way to you guys record your guitars? At the moment I'm using a sennheiser e609 up front on the grill, and an SE X1 a bit further back and higher up as more of a room mic, and mixing the two.

Does anybody use amp sims etc? I haven't had much luck with these in the past, they never sat in the mix for me.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

digitech gsp1101 modeller direct

or a blackstar ht5 with an sm7-b

if6was9

What I've been doing for most of my projects lately is tracking the Di's and monitoring using amp sims. Then re-amping later focusing on just the tone with takes we're happy with. It's great to be able to have both myself and the player getting a hands on approach without worrying about the playing. Super flexible and saves a good bit of time too as i change out pedals and heads alot depending on the section of song.

Micing wise I've been liking the 57 /Audix D2 combo lately. I feel they suit each other really well.

Amp wise it varies alot but usually my trusty old JCM 800 2204 makes some appearance on most of my recordings.

GTE

I always DI whatever can be DI'd and I actually use amp sims quite a bit. There was an album I did and the amp they had was pretty bad so it was good to have the backup.

The built in amp sim in Cubase is nice. I had the chance to use Overloud TH1 for that album and it was very good. If we had a great amp it would be better to use that but I guess we all dont have that luxury.

DamagedTrax

depending on where i am, mic choices vary but i do like re20 (front cone) and 421 (off axis) combo. both about 5/6" back. not really into micing right up against the grill at all.

Seziertisch

The main guitar part on the verses in this track were recorded with a Coles 4038, an AEA R92 and a Thomann ribbon mic (not sure which one) all on axis about a foot back (one mic on each cab/speaker).

The room mics were a pair of 414s on omni. We also reamped a blend of the 3 cab mics out through a monitor speaker into the live room which we then miked using the 4038 and the Thomann.

At mixdown they were panned to different positions left and right, with the R92 panned closest to the centre, making it the main part of the perceived sound/locator of the sound in the stereo spectrum.

http://soundcloud.com/tiny-telephone-exchange/city-song-master

Dord

I've been using a Palmer PDI09 DI recently and quite like it. Just plug it between my amp and speaker. Not bad if I just want to plug and play rather than faffing about with mics.

drumdrum

Dord wrote: »

I've been using a Palmer PDI09 DI recently and quite like it. Just plug it between my amp and speaker. Not bad if I just want to plug and play rather than faffing about with mics.

But doesn't that mean that you are effectively bypassing your cabinet and using the cabinet simulator in the DI box?

I don't know, most of those cabinet simulators can be a bit dodgy. Its a pity you don't seem to be able to bypass the cabinet simulator on the PDI-09 to load in an IR of your own.
(or can you? I dont see a bypass option on the device...)

Dord

drumdrum wrote: »

But doesn't that mean that you are effectively bypassing your cabinet and using the cabinet simulator in the DI box?

I don't know, most of those cabinet simulators can be a bit dodgy. Its a pity you don't seem to be able to bypass the cabinet simulator on the PDI-09 to load in an IR of your own.
(or can you? I dont see a bypass option on the device...)

Yes, that's exactly what it does. My attenuator has a line out also, which is unaffected.

drumdrum

Dord wrote: »

I've been using a Palmer PDI09 DI recently and quite like it. Just plug it between my amp and speaker. Not bad if I just want to plug and play rather than faffing about with mics.

Dord wrote: »

Yes, that's exactly what it does. My attenuator has a line out also, which is unaffected.

Ok now I'm confused...

So do you use the attenuator feature of your PDI-09 or is there something else in your chain that you forgot to mention?

BTW, I hope I dont sound like I'm "grilling" you, I'm just curious....and confused! :pac:

Dord

drumdrum wrote: »

Ok now I'm confused...

So do you use the attenuator feature of your PDI-09 or is there something else in your chain that you forgot to mention?

BTW, I hope I dont sound like I'm "grilling" you, I'm just curious....and confused! :pac:

Hahaha no problem. The PDI-09 doesn't have an attenuator built in. It's purely a DI but does have some cabinet simulation. In addition to this I use a Weber Mini Mass attenuator to record quietly or silently with full gain.

Usually it goes Amp (part of combo) > Palmer > Weber > Speaker.

The Weber knocks off some highs (like most attenuators) so I stick it after the Palmer.

Like the OP I also have an e609. I quite like it but I soon realised that the rooms in my apartment aren't suitable at all for micing amps. They're too hard (lots of glass, marble, tiles, wooden floors etc). The DI was the perfect solution. I picked it up on adverts for 50quid.

drumdrum

Dord wrote: »

Hahaha no problem. The PDI-09 doesn't have an attenuator built in. It's purely a DI but does have some cabinet simulation. In addition to this I use a Weber Mini Mass attenuator to record quietly or silently with full gain.

Usually it goes Amp (part of combo) > Palmer > Weber > Speaker.

The Weber knocks off some highs (like most attenuators) so I stick it after the Palmer.

Like the OP I also have an e609. I quite like it but I soon realised that the rooms in my apartment aren't suitable at all for micing amps. They're too hard (lots of glass, marble, tiles, wooden floors etc). The DI was the perfect solution. I picked it up on adverts for 50quid.

I was having a though time nailing a sound in my head this evening to no avail using amp modellers, so I came back to this thread for some inspiration...

Anyways, Dord after re-reading your reply, something struck me...

So you go: guitar -> Amp -> Palmer -> Weber -> Speaker...

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the output from the amp rediculously high? (IE, thats why you cant go from amp output directly to interface...)
So would it be a better idea to put the Palmer AFTER the Weber so as not to hit the electronics of the Palmer too hard? Does it make a difference if you switch these?

I was thinking of getting a Weber but not a palmer and just loading up a cab sim in my DAW after the Weber...

Dord

drumdrum wrote: »

I was having a though time nailing a sound in my head this evening to no avail using amp modellers, so I came back to this thread for some inspiration...

Anyways, Dord after re-reading your reply, something struck me...

So you go: guitar -> Amp -> Palmer -> Weber -> Speaker...

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the output from the amp rediculously high? (IE, thats why you cant go from amp output directly to interface...)
So would it be a better idea to put the Palmer AFTER the Weber so as not to hit the electronics of the Palmer too hard? Does it make a difference if you switch these?

I was thinking of getting a Weber but not a palmer and just loading up a cab sim in my DAW after the Weber...

It shouldn't make a difference. I use the Weber to cut down on noise as I'm living in an apartment. I could as easily crank the amp and just record with the Palmer on its own with the signal going through to the speaker.

Theres a pad on the Palmer if it's too much for the interface/desk/whatever.

drumdrum

Dord wrote: »

It shouldn't make a difference. I use the Weber to cut down on noise as I'm living in an apartment. I could as easily crank the amp and just record with the Palmer on its own with the signal going through to the speaker.

Theres a pad on the Palmer if it's too much for the interface/desk/whatever.

Cool! Is the pad on the Palmer enough to not need a Weber?

I'm guessing its not seeing as how you use a Weber!
Anywho, cheers Dord!

Dord

drumdrum wrote: »

Cool! Is the pad on the Palmer enough to not need a Weber?

I'm guessing its not seeing as how you use a Weber!
Anywho, cheers Dord!

The guitar amp is a tube/valve amp and as such needs to see a load. That's what I use the Weber attenuator for. To reduce the volume going to the speaker. That's it.

What works for me may not be what you need. I'm using a very old guitar amp with basic controls (on/off, volume, input and speaker out).