record / mix clean electric guitar

[gianmetalbass]

hi.

i need to record a clean guitar part (played with pick) that is a series of strummed chords on open positions..
i can't seem to find a way to make it sound clear...
I hope someone can help me...
thank you very much

[Bill Denton]

I'm afraid we need a bit more information in order to answer your question...

Are you trying to mic an amp? If so, which mic and which amp?

What audio interface are you using? If you're mic'ing an amp, what preamp are you using? A separate preamp or one built into your interface?

But here's a quick 'n dirty answer...if your audio interface offers an "instrument input" (sometimes also known as a "DI" or "HiZ" input), just plugging your guitar directly into that input will usually give you a good result...

[albee1952]

I'm with Bill. I might go one step further and use a direct box, AND an amp(set for a clean sound). I little chorus(plugin) and maybe a Pultec EQ to give it some "shimmer"(I can't work without a Pultec). Speaking of Pultecs, if you don't have one in your Plugins, even the lowly Bomb Factory bundle is useful, and can be found for about $50 on the used market. I never do a mix without a few Pultecs on lead vocals, hat, overheads, and anything that needs a bit more "air" or "sparkle". No other EQ does high end the same

[gianmetalbass]

hi, thank you for the replies...
i have a digi 003+ and i'm micing an amp (a crate bv 120 with a marshall 4x12 cabinet) with a sm57 and a "sm58 like" mic.
I like this setup and it sounds fine recording arpeggiato with the clean sound (for example something like the intro of metallica's fade to black)
but with the strumming of chords i can't find a way to eq either the amp or the eq i use in pro tools (i use the bundled 7 band eq) everything comes out too chaotic... i don't know what is the main problem....
i hope this helps a little bit more...

[CME]

Where are you placing the mic? And does it sound like you want coming out of the amp? And lastly are you playing the guitar or someone else?

With a 57 and the 003 pres you should be able to get a workable tone.

If someone else is playing, let them play and put on the most isolating pair of headphones you have. Move the mic around until is sounds like you want. Move it closer/further, left/right, angle towards/away from the speaker, and anything else you want to try. And for cleans moving it back can help, but you'll get more room tone. And that may become detrimental at a certain level.

However if you're playing the guitar, that can throw a curveball. Because how an amp sounds played back is different than how you hear it when playing. At least for me when I started recording myself that was the case. I think sometimes we mentally "alter" the tone/performance to sound more like we want it to sound like instead of hearing what it truly sounds like.

So maybe it's a case of tone tweaking and altered technique. Recording myself has been a huge help to my playing. And now when I hear myself, I hear it pretty much like it sounds on "tape". And with your description it sounds like you may have too much gain or strumming too hard. And while I'm a fan of more mids, sometimes dialing them back a bit helps smooth out clean tones.

[gianmetalbass]

thank you for the reply
i'm the one that is playing and after reading you reply i can tell you that the sound i'm hearing from the amp it's not exactly what i want....
i don't think it's the gain cause the clean channel of my amp is really clean and is not capable of doing overdriven like sounds...
i think it can be partly because of my strumming that it's too hard....
so i'm asking... does the pick make a lot of difference? (i'm using a dounlop nylon 1mm)
secondly the mids on the amp are set fairly high... maybe that too it's another problem...

[CME]

Every little thing makes at least a little difference. A thinner pick is definitely a start. I'm not familiar with your amp to make any specific suggestions. But less mids could help.

Do you have a direct box? Another way to dial in a tone is to record your guitar straight into pro tools. Then re amp it and dial it in while it's playing back, so you can listen without playing. Really a re amp kit is ideal for this but just a basic di box can do the trick.

If you do have one, plug your guitar into it and then into the interface. Try and play it exactly like you're playing through the amp. And if the di has a through output, run that into the amp and record both the dry guitar and the amp mic'd.

Then send the dry guitar track into a line out on the interface into the di box (the same jack you used for an output before) and then from the guitar in of the di box, into the amp. You may have to adjust the level a little to get it sounding just right. But if you recorded two tracks before, you'll have one of the amp to compare too.

Now once you've got the playback sounding just like, or as close as possible, to the recording, start tweaking. Start at the amp and turn every knob all the way each way. Keep messing around until you're totally happy with the tone.

Now mic it up and move the mic around until it sounds as close to what you want as possible.

Now you may need to tweak the amp a little more. And then the mic a bit. Go back and forth until you've got it. If the performance was good enough you can simply record the re amped signal. If not plug back in and play it again. It should sound awesome.

And once you've done this enough you will start to be able to dial in really nice tones that record and can be mic'd easily to begin with. :)

[albee1952]

I am one of those oddballs that don't find the SM57 to be my "go to" guitar cab mic(though I have no beef with Eddie van Halen's tone). The 57 and 58(and anything that "sounds like a 58") all have a hyped upper mid-range (IOW, accuracy is not their strong suit). I suggest you nix the "58" and add a ribbon mic. My favorite is the Royer 121/122, but the price tag is hard to swallow. A great option on a budget is the Cascade Fathead II, and if you sign up for Cascade's email list, they have special deals several times every year, making them an even better bargain than they already are. I suggest NOT buying the original Fathead as its thinner ribbon doesn't hold up as well as the II version. If you are new to ribbon mics, remember some cautions:

Don't blow into them
Don't use on bass drums or anywhere they might get a big air blast
Keep them upright, especially in storage to avoid ribbon sag
some ribbons can be damaged by 48V, but the Cascades don't mind it

[musicman691]

A pick is only part of the problem. I'd change the strings first and see if that helps. Cruddy strings on arpeggiated lines won't be too bad but strummed chords and all that crud in the sound builds up. You haven't mentioned if you're using single coil pickups like on a Strat or humbuckers like on a Les Paul - old humbuckers can make for a sour sound (have an old 40 y/o Dimarzio super distortion humbucker that's gone sour).

Also try different speakers on the 4x12 as they won't all sound the same. Room acoustics will also play a part in ruining your sound.

[gianmetalbass]

thank you for the replies....

humbuckers seymour duncan (neck) on a jackson...