Getting Good Guitar Tones - Tutorial

[Guitarguru777]

The following Tutorial will help you understand how to get good guitar tones to tape using Mics aswell as Direct recrding preamps like the Pod and V-amp.

Nowadays you can get decent tone out of running direct but noting beas Mic'ing a cab. For about $150 you can get pro quality guitar tracks with minimal effort.

Microphones
Nowadays with ebay and other auction sites you ccan pick up PRO QUALITY used ger for about 1/3 what you would pay retail. As most of you know the Microphone of choice for the past 20 or so years has been the Sure SM-57. This microphone was originally designed as a vocal mic to give singers a bit more presence and warmth in their vocal without alot of high end. The same type of mic EQ id what you want to go for with your guitar tracks. You want a nice smooth tone without any harsh highend or muddy lows.

Recently the AKG 421 has been popular amoung the metal communtiy. Similar to the SM-57 the AKG 421 is more pricey abut ti does have a crisper sound. I you have the cash id say go with the 421 but the 57 will do perfectly for most senarios.

Direct Recording Preamps
The Line 6 Pod and The Behringer V-Amp have become very popular with guitarists pro and non-pro alike. With their amazing flexability they are perfect for demo recording or getting near professional results on a budget. Putting a mic on a cab is cheaper, but its more hassle. the Pod and Behringer have presets for Mic placement so you dont have to fumble around with a mic and a stand which is pretty conviennt if your straaped for time.

Getting a good tone
The 1st priority when recording your tunes is getting a good tone either direct or by micing a cab. The better the tone going into the software the less work you will have to do later on when mixing. Even the cheapest amps can get a good sound. Carcass's Heartwork was recorded using a marshall 1x12 combo for some guitar tracks along with 4x12 cabs and a 5150. So just cause an amp is small doesnt mean it cant get a good tone. Just about any amp will do if your going to mic it. Its all about the placement of the mic.

Guitars ar a big part of your tone aswell (duh!!) the pickups type of picks and strings all attribute to our tone as well as your technique. The best advice i can give is find something that works for you. dont try to copy someon elses tone. Its nearly impossible, you can get close but not exact.

A few things for starters that most guitarists fail to realise is there is usually more than 1 guitar track on any given song. For rythm guitars in metal and rock theres usually a minimum of 2. One panned right and one panned left. By doing this it leaves the stereo spectrum open in the center for things like bass guitar, kick drum, and snare drum. Remember to pan your guitars around in the mix till you find a good spot for them to sit.

Use as little effects and EQ as possible. Over Eqing something will kill you mix faster than an iraqui with a machine gun. Get as much tone as you can out of the AMP before recording. If you find yourself boostin or cutting frequencies more an 2 or 3db then you know the sound going in wasnt good at all.

EQ and Frequency Response
This is a general guide for finding areas to EQ when mixing, remember not to OVER DO IT.

50hz -
Increase to add more fullness to lowest frequency instruments like bass drums, toms, and the bass. Reduce to decrease the boominess of the bass and will increase overtones and the recognition of bass line in the mix. This is most often used on loud bass lines like rock.
100hz -
Increase to add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments.
Increase to add warmth to piano and horns.
Reduce to remove boom on guitars & increase clarity.
200hz -
Increase to add fullness to vocals. Increase to add fullness to snare and guitar
Reduce to decrease muddiness of vocals or mid-range instruments.
Reduce to decrease gong sound of cymbals.
400hz -
Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume.
Reduce to decrease boxy sound of lower drums like bass drums and toms.
800hz -
Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass.
Reduce to remove "cheap" sound of guitars.
1.5Khz-
Increase for clearer, cleaner bass.
Reduce to remove dullness of guitars.
3Khz -
Increase for more attack of guitars.
Increase for more attack on low piano parts.
Increase for more clarity on voice.
Increase for more attack on the snare or other drums.
Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals.
Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals and guitars.
5Khz -
Increase for vocal presence.
Increase low frequency drum attack.
Increase attack of piano, acoustic guitar and brightness on guitars.
Reduce to soften thin or tinny guitar
7Khz -
Increase to add attack to percussion instruments.
Reduce to decrease sibilance or that annoying ssss sound on singers.
10Khz -
Increase to brighten vocals.
Increase for slight brightness in acoustic guitar and piano.
Increase for hardness on cymbals.
Reduce also to reduce sibilance
15Khz-
Increase this will pretty much brighten anything, but use sparingly as hiss and other nasties are here.

Overview
When a Q control is available, play with it to see what widths will give you the best results.
Remember, these are just general starting points, and by all means do not overdo it!
It is always better to cut to achieve the results you are after.

(thanks to my good friend at http://www.ilovemetal.co.uk/ for this invlauable info)

Rememeber to back off on the gain. Most guys into rock and metal usually crank the gain. This is ok in a live setting but not when recording. Too much gain just adds mud to the mix. It kills the definition of in the guitars and cuts down on its dynamic response. If you find yourself reaching for the gain knob for more distortion DONT DO IT. Once ou multi track your guitars the amount of gain you want will be there. A good area to start is cutting your gain about 25% of what you normally use live. Start there and once you multi track listen to the clarity and definition

Andy Sneaps Tips On Recording Guitars (also from the above mentioned website)

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Q/ Do you use the same sound-set up for the lead parts as the rhythm tracks?
A/ Treat the lead like a vocal, try the same compression and boost around 1k ish. I usually put a bit more mid in the leads anyway.

Treat it like a vocal. You may need to stick a few more mids in there if you have the same sound as your rhythms. Compress around 4.1 (or maybe limit around 10.1, depends on how it sounds really) and try pulling rhythms back a db or so behind the solo and using a slight delay (400/500ms) just sat in there.
Make sure your in the same area level wise as your main vocal also, so listen from the vocals and balance that up.

Get the low end out of there also, filter up to 200hz, until you really start noticing it then go back a bit and maybe give it a lift around 900 and 3k, try offsetting it from the centre slightly, see if that helps


Q/ Andy how low do you let the guitars go?
A/ I'll usually filter from 60 hz down, what I do use alot on gtrs these days is the C4 Compressor with PT's with just the low mids compressing and compress that area between 120- 300, that really pulls the gtrs into shape and stops any low end jumping round, if you have your mac linked to internet and C4 comp, I'll gladly send you the preset.


...Well, you'll be struggling with the Pod, they're fine for demo's , odd overdubs etc, but you really need some speaker movement. I usually track gtrs 4 times, twice if we are really pushed for time, SM57 in the right place on a celestion vintage 30

Oh and I usually use two amps, so two tracks of each, I'm digging the peavey xxx at the moment with, dare I say it ...passive pick ups. Just used it on new Arch Enemy with mikes esp V, which has a Seymour Jeff Beck. That and a 5150 and it's sounds great.

Q/How many guitars?
A/when Im going for old school thrash then its usually 2, other stuff 4. Sometimes we vary amps, usually same cab, mic (s) and gtr

I'll usually use 2 different set ups (different amps) and track 2 of each, but you have to be a tight player to do this, I'll pan 2 hard left and right and 2 in slightly. Compression, I'll compress around 160, 200hz with a bandwith compressor.

5150 settings:
amp settings are pre gain 2: 6
bass: 7
mid: 0
treble: 5.5
post gain 2: 5
resonance: 7
presence: 7.5

your in the right area, I'd maybe have a bit more of the mids in there, I'm presuming your on the lead channel there. You're probably over complicating things, especially using the 1960 cab, that's going to phase things up quite nicely (in a bad way). Try 1 Sm57 (not beta) at the centre of cone, an inch away from the grill cloth. Try this on each speaker, then compare, find your favourite speaker, then move it about an inch -if that, off centre to try and get rid of that high 10k fizz, maybe filter 60hz down and 12 k upwards out. If it's sounds great in the room, it has to be something your doing later. Nothing drastic was done to the EC gtrs in the mix. I think we used the rhythm channel though, with Tube Screamer, though that doesnt sound like the problem, as I use the lead channel also some times.

With your gtrs filter from 60/80 hz down and also from 12 k up, see if that helps.

Here's a 5150 mark 1 setting by Andy Sneap:

Lead channel
Pre 11 oclock
Low 1 oclock ish
Mid 9 oclock ish
High 11.30ish
Post 9.30, 10 oclock
Res 2 oclock
Pres 3 o clock

Tube screamer
Drive 9 oclock
Tone 11 oclock
Level 12 o clock


5150's:
When we did the second Machine Head album, we were swearing by the early 5150 without the signature, but I've had both since, including Bill Steers old one, which I sold cause it didn't sound as good as the signature so..... I don't think there's really any difference between those, more of a tube issue there.
The 5150 II doesn't seem as well made, seen at least 2 of these break down, and they seem a little fizzy.
I have a Dual Rectifier thats pretty cool, we used it on Nevermore and Kreator. It's an older rack mount one, I've tried the newer one, Boogie gave us one to try out when we did Exodus, but for some reason it sounded very average. Though we were in modded Marshall land at the time so.....
One thing I've just bought here in Germany is the Maxon OD 820 Overdrive Pro, which is their re issue tube screamer, it sounds great, very, very close to the original TS 808, and actually better than Ibanez re issue 808, we have 5 different Tube screamers here at the moment. Modded TS9, 2 Originals, Maxon and Ibanez re issue, and the Maxon stands up to the best of the originals.

Playing:
I actually spend alot of time when tracking telling guitarists to play closer to the bridge, watch out for the squeak between that B and D chord etc.
Alot of the time, I'll end up taping up strings that arent getting played, dampening springs on a trem, the old hairband around the headstock, every little bit helps.

Filtering:
"I judge it by ear, how tight whoever is playing, what cab etc is being used. I find with my Marshall loaded with Celestion 30's I'm having to cut 10/12k and above because of a fizz that I don't get on the boogie cab. Same with the low end, the boogie is more controlled. I think the trick with lower tuned stuff, is to get a more aggressive mid range, to try and get the note to come through. Also with the bass, try getting the DI, run it through something like amp farm /sans amp and filter everything below 800hz-ish and above 2k-ish and mix it in underneath your main sound, see if it helps bring the bass out, especially on smaller speakers." A.S.


Muddy boogie?
Mesa Boogie.. I picked a Dual Rect up 4 months ago.. Im still struggling with getting a decent sound out of it that doesnt get all muddy when we grind.
Andy says "Get a tube screamer and use with gain down, tone according to taste, and level at 0. Will tighten all that muddy low end nicely. Use gain from pedal tiny bit, then use mainly amp gain."

5150
Q.Do bands record with the 5150 using the lead channel as their main distortion or do they use the crunch on the rhythm?
I'm trying to get a sound similar to either Stampin' Ground or Arch Enemy, who use this amp.
Also, on the cab, where abouts does it sound best to mic it and with what mics.

A.I find both channels work very well for the main rythm sound. The rythm channel has a slightly tighter bottom end, so I tend to use that more.

Cabs and micing:
" I am not keen on Peavy 5150 cabs for recording purposes, and tend to use Marshall or boogie cabs with the 5150 head. For the sounds you are after, mic with a shure SM57 on axis very close to the cone (maybe an inch from the cloth, slightly off centre to the middle of the cone. Experiment to find the sweet spot. I often also use a sennheisser MD421 off axis about the same distance away - but beware of phasing if you use more than 1 mic."
Source: http://www.davechang.co.uk/

"Those speakers [in a 5150 cab] are actually a rip off (according to Peavey) of the Celestion Green back, so the centre of the cone is pretty small, which is good. Get a mag light, and point the 57 directly at the centre of the cone, straight on, about an inch back from the grill cloth. I usually move it about half to 3/4" off centre so the edge of the 57 is aiming at the edge of the centre of the cone. Again, trust your ears a bit, if you think the mid range is more to your liking a bit (and I mean a fraction) more off centre then go with it. Listen to the fizz in the highs, and also the cloudiness in the lows, but to me the mids are where a good tone is."

1 cm makes a big difference on 25 or 30 wt cones because the centre is so small. You can find a nasty phasey sound pretty close to the centre so ,...after all why eq it if you dont need to, all you are doing is messing with the phase.

You really shouldn't overlook it, 1cm back and forth from the grill gloth makes a difference as well, especially with the tightness of the low end

Left and right can sound different, depending on how cab is wired.
I always check every speaker as they all sound different, and if one is on its way out, it will alter the impedence.

one thing I have found though is the 75wt celestions work better at concert pitch and the 30's better with the lower tuning.



Low Mids
Q. Do you guys find yourself pulling low mids out of the guitars or bass (or drums, for that matter)? I've found that you really have to watch that area if you want a clear mix, but at the same time I'm always afraid of taking too much body away from the guitars or bass.

A. yeah, thats where you have to be careful definately, and its a fine line not to make things thin ala black metal. Bass I find has its place around 160 and those gtrs usually need compressing around there. Drums - usually with the smaller toms I'll be rolling out around 400 then by the time I'm at the bigger toms and Kick around 250.
As far as the amount, that just depends what needs doing

Mic position
Get a mag light, and point the 57 directly at the centre of the cone, straight on, about an inch back from the grill cloth. I usually move it about half to 3/4" off centre so the edge of the 57 is aiming at the edge of the centre of the cone. Again, trust your ears a bit, if you think the mid range is more to your liking a bit (and I mean a fraction) more off centre then go with it. Listen to the fizz in the highs, and also the cloudiness in the lows, but to me the mids are where a good tone is.

In Closing
Hopefully you guys now have a better grasp at how to get a good guitar tone to track. If you have questions about anything here feel free to post or ask me via email.

Good Luck and Happy Recording
Da Fukn Guru

[wahwah]

Wow! Great post...allow me to spend October reading it!!!!

[Avalon]

Excellent post and info

[Rythameen]

A ton of great info, thanks.

[Sister_Wrath]

I'm putting this post in my favourites, Thank you GG!

[POD GOD]

Great post! Thanx

[nroberts]

Another micing trick I was shown that I haven't seen anyone write about ever is to turn the mic at an angle to the face of the speaker. It seems to work really nice but I've never seen any article or tutorial on mic placement mention this technique. As the person that showed me said, not many people know this one.

Good article.

[axeshredder]

excellent experienced info....one of the most informative threads that cover subjects rarely ever covered...a definate favorite now/////thanks!

[bluepowder]

An absolutely unbelievable article...so informative:-)...didnt know a lotta things about the EQ...

ps. a small suggestion....i think the article would be better if you removed the statement abt the iraqi....IMHO thats all

[Drak_nyen]

Great post.

Thanks very much.

Dont understand all of it but I will do some research till I can understand it all

[supercharged 350]

Great read. Thanks!

[JPF]

Thanks guru....Excellent info!!!

[Guitarguru777]

No problem guys .... let me add this to the article .....

The Micing trick wherw you turn the mic at an angle to the speaker give the same effect as moving the mic a little to the left or right to get rid of that 10k buzzy frequency. It also helps you pick up the sound of THE ROOM. I would recoomend this technique for lead tones and rythm tones for anything EXCEPT metal. For METAL you want to have the tightest guitar sound possible. So not picking up room ambience is something you want.

Hope that helps why it wasnt covered

Ill be posting some more tutorials soon. I have some major info from some inside sources about recording different instruments aswell. As well as tutorials on using EQ and Compression properly .... Ill be posting about 1 a month so you guys can read them all and experiment with them.

Im glad you all enjoyed it and im glad i could help

Da Fukn Guru

[wyzyguy]

Any tips for direct recording?

[strat78]

What is your opinion on Exciters and Maximizers?