recording my rectifier

[[email protected]]

Im working with:

Mesa Triple Rectifier with a Mesa Cab
sm57 mic
Alesis 8 Channel Firewire mixer
Cubase SL 3

I am getting a crappy sound when i attempt record. I am going for a heavy sound. Where should i place my mic? What should my tone settings be at? Any other equipment I need to buy?

 

[RJ2213]

not sure how to help since you didnt mention alot of things. first off, what type of music are you playing? 6string or 7string? what tone are you trying to achieve? in what way is it a crappy sound(tinny, hollow, like its far away, too boomy, etc)?

 

[Guitarzan]

I like the KSM 32's!

 

[[email protected]]

right now im recording metal. im using a 6 string gibson sg. the sounds sounds too muddy and not tight or full enough. bands like as i lay dying use a rectifier but their sounds is brilliant. i know most of it is in the mixing stage how they get that sound...but im clueless what to do there too.

 

[MusicManJP6]

double tracking is key! Thickens up the guitar tracks. I like to place the mic in the center of the speaker vertically and halfway between the edge of the speaker and the center horizontally. YMMV...

 

[RJ2213]

i like my mic pointed just barely off axis directly at the edge of the dust cap of the speaker. also i found i had to drop my bass control quite a bit to get it to record without getting muddy.

 

[[email protected]]

how many degrees off axis? like 10-20 or 45-60? and whats the dust cap? do i have to cut out the bass completely?

 

[RJ2213]

well, i use a triaxis, peavey classic 60/60power amp(until i get tubes for my 2:90), into a genz benz gflex 2x12. so my rig has a naturally bass heavy tone. when i started recording i ended up getting a crisper sound recorded by dropping the bass from like 5 to 1. but this is also me playing my Caparison Horus, which has a naturally thicker rounder sound than most of my other guitars.

 

[[email protected]]

www.myspace.com/hammerofdawn6

i just recorded that demo today after messing with a few things. i recorded with two mics on my rectifier, one close at the center of the speaker and one about three feet from the amp. i recorded another track with my marshall MG100 with the same mic placement. im pretty happy with how it came out but if there are any tips you guys have let me know.

oh ya..there is only drums and guitar on that track

 

[mrd]

A few tips:

The drums are mixed way too loud compared to the guitars, particularly the snare and cymbals. Turn 'em down a few dBs.

Also, when you record your guitar with more than one mic, you have to be mindful of phase relationships. If you don't know what that means, it's basically the relationship between when the two mics each receive sound from your amp. You said you placed one mic close up and one a few feet back. Well, the one a few feet back is gonna receive sound a few milliseconds later than the close one. Might not seem like much, but when you mix the two sound sources together, you can get some really ugly phase cancellation. Depending on how far apart the mics are, different frequencies will be cancelled out.

You can go in afterward and edit the wave files so that the waves match up perfectly, or just record with your mics on the same plane so that sound hits 'em at the same time (or close enough, once they get really close together, you will still have phase issues but they are so, so small that they're undetectable probably even by the DSP in your soundcard).

As for the song... not exactly my cup of tea, but whatever :lol:

 

[[email protected]]

ok thanks. ill take that into consideration next time im recording. when i have more time ill line them up. i was looking for more input concerning the sound of the guitar (ill worry about drums later). maybe tips on mic placement or anything along those lines.

ya i know the song was terrible. i wouldnt even call it a song. my friend came over and i wanted to record something with my new equipment to see how it comes out. all he plays is metal and all i usually play is alternative rock so thats what came out

 

[kk]

Check the rigs and tones posts... a lot of good settings up.

Another decent resource is Metal Shop Podcast: http://www.myspace.com/metalshoppodcast

I have some clips up at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=763302&content=music.

I used a sennheiser 606 directly on the cab, directly on center of cone... You can get similar tones with the 57...

Some people consider the center cone placement a no-no, but to me, it gives gives the flattest response and most resembles just being in the room with the amp.

If you don't like center mic placement, put on the headphones and monitor your mic placement while gradually moving near and away from center of cone until you hit a sweetspot that you like.... One easy trick to fatten those guitar tracks is to double track and pan one hard-left and one hard right. This will give you fat sound without sounding muddy. It will also leave the middle of panorama open for vocals, bass and drums....

Good luck and be and post some samples so we can hear your stuff!

 

[Strategy500]

Don't forget the room treatment. It's often overlooked, and has a HUGE affect on the sound quality you achieve. And without a good sounding room, better recording gear will only expose it more.

 

[TheSon]

one essential for me is to find somewhere to do your recording where you can isolate your mic'd speaker cab from your working/listening area ... this lets you:

1) crank the amp for tone... personally I now never record unless its a time and place where I can have the amp (loop bypased) with a master vol of at least 1 o'clock ... and dont go all the way if you want to keep your metal tightness, 1-2 o'clock should be great tone but not over saturated

2) tweak your sound and tone from what you hear through monitors (proper nearfield if you have or can get) or speakers, not from listening to the amp in front of you ...

If its a bedroom or small room, I like to put something infront of the cab like a matress or something big and absorbent to reduce the roominess revebiness ... walls can be a hindrence ... which also bring me to say that when ever opportunity arises, I have found it best to record in as large a space as possible like a hall or church or something ... theres something about letting the beast out to roam free and breath that brings out the best in it rather than being locking in a tight space.

I too like the closer to centre on axis mic placement and about an inch from grille... Im not so keen on the senhieser mics direct on cab aproach, i know many do tho... so many PA guys argue with me to use their senhiesers instead of SM57, but I think the 57 is still the far truer guitar mic.

just a few thoughts, hope it helps in someway

 

[eventide_awakening]

I used a sennheiser 606 directly on the cab, directly on center of cone... You can get similar tones with the 57...

Some people consider the center cone placement a no-no, but to me, it gives gives the flattest response and most resembles just being in the room with the amp.

I use the 57 dead center and I agree that it gives a great, flat response. I recorded two tracks at once using the 57 on center and my beta 58 a little farther back on center (it picks up a MUCH hotter signal than the 57, and hey, it's the only two mics that I have)

One easy trick to fatten those guitar tracks is to double track and pan one hard-left and one hard right. This will give you fat sound without sounding muddy.

I took my two tracks and panned them hard right and hard left...and it was wonderful...great spacious sound that seems to come from everywhere. Hope you can have the same luck.

 

[J.L.C.]

To double track the guitars, are you guys playing the part twice to record two track and then panning them, or just copy/pasting the track and then panning?

 

[Strategy500]

IMHO, playing the track twice is much better than cloning a track,IF you have your parts down tight. Otherwise it can really make things sound sloppy, in which case cloning might work better.

 

[rockstockrob]

i have a di for my rectifier a hughes and kettner red box classic http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/...ight or wrongs its just personal preference!!

 

[metal190]

I actually started a thread in the modern amps area that probably should have been in this section actually. It got a lot of replies and helpful information in regards to micing techniques for a recto tone and how to avoid phase cancellation. Check it out if you're interested it's titled something to the effect of "Desperately Need Help Recording My RK II"