My First Mic'd Amp Tracks!

[Dustin RoscoeParticipant]

Don't know if I'm going backwards or in a good direction. I've been using Amp sims for years now. I finally took the plunge and mic'd my first amp.

The first track below is an amp sim (Amplitube) and the following two are both recorded with an OLD beat up MXL 991 and a Crate GT65 combo amp. The mic and cab are, unfortunately, all I have right now.

I was very surprised that even though the mic'd combo amp sounds bad, I can tell it's REAL, unlike the "better" sounding amp sim.

Would I continue to improve the sound by investing in a small amp head and separate cab, along with a couple SM57's?

Also, unfortunately all I have is MODO bass, which in my opinion, just does not sound very good. I need to find a good bass VSTi to work with. (or maybe I'm not very good with using MODO Bass)

https://soundcloud.com/dustin-roscoe/jump/s-YQW5iHbT9Ap

https://soundcloud.com/dustin…/amp-record-test/s-o9bjLtXcStg
^ 0:38 the added guitar melody sounds very bad. I had a hard time making this sound decent.

https://soundcloud.com/dustin-r…/testingmicamp/s-sSJPx5B6NBm

• This topic was modified 3 years ago by Dustin Roscoe.

[John MoriartyParticipant]

Unfortunately your two test tracks aren't up anymore, so I didn't hear the mic'd amps in comparison. But I think some feedback on this would still apply. There's a saying that goes something like "better it sounds going in, better it sounds coming out" or "crap in, crap out" depending on your perspective. 😉 But even with what you have now, you will be surprised at how much you will continue to improve the sound just with moving the mic around, different amp settings, etc. But eventually that will hit a wall that cannot be improved without some better gear, or really gear designed for what you want the end sound to be. Although I have a head and cabinet from my live playing days, I also have 2 small combo amps (a 15 watt and a 6 watt) that work out wonderfully in a home studio environment. I can actually crank those amps in my converted closet-turned-amp-iso-booth and get them into their sweet spot without my family threatening to moving out. A good, low watt tube combo and a couple pedal options will give you a lot of versatility. As for the mics, getting at least one SM57 would be a great start. If you wanted a second mic, get one with different characteristics that you could use for specific sounds or to blend with the 57. A Sennheiser 421 is probably the most common second mic paired with a 57 while recording electric guitars. But that one will cost you over $300, so there are other less expensive second mic options available if you look around. I've gotten great sounds out of a Sennheiser e609 and that one only runs about $110. But it's closer in sound to a SM57 so it may not give you the variety you want to have in the end.

Good luck, and keep experimenting!

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by John Moriarty.

[Elliott ClarkeParticipant]

Just jumping in here, for anyone looking for cheap mic recommendations - not tried it myself, but I've GREAT things about the Rode podcast mic (based on SM7/RE20/Md421 type broadcast dynamics) , as used on guitars.

I wouldn't mind getting hold of one to A/B on guitars, snares etc (as I've got access to the SM7/MD421 and a few other choice bits and pieces ...)

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