Miking a guitar amp

[Geoffrey Taucer]

What's the best way to record an electric guitar amp such that it keeps the punch and smoothness intact?

I'm using a Kendrick 2210 combo amp (a clone of the '59 fender bassman) and it sounds absolutely beautiful to my bare ears, but when I stick an SM57 in front of it, the recording comes out completely dead, overly crunchy and harsh, and completely devoid of the smooth, rich punch that makes this amp so awesome.

I have two condensers (rode NT1A) and one dynamic (Shure SM57) available. What's the best way to record an amp with any or all of these mics?

[dannthr]

Are you placing the mic off center? Try giving it a foot or so and place it at a 45 degree angle pointing toward the center so it's like... off and the sound is just brushing across it.

Play around with different mic positions.

[Fray]

On this subject, is it bad to use a condenser too close to an amp? My understanding was that high sound levels could harm them.

[dannthr]

An SM57 is a dynamic mic

http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_the_sm57.htm

Oh, I see, the post was edited.

Do you need a stereo mix for the amp?

[PriZm]

I'd place the mic as close as possible to the center of the amp speaker. If it is a 4x10, I'd place it in the middle of the two lower speakers. I've always obtained decent sound this way. Keep in mind though, the guitar will not sound the same with your recording and amp, mainly because it is not played back by the same speakers. Also, a tone that could sound absolutely wonderful to you solo could sound awful in a mix, and vice-versa. I once had a friend play a Squier through a Danelectro distortion pedal and a Crate amp and the tone was horrifying, but in the mix it was just smooth and perfect.

Oh and the SM57 should be perfect.

[Sixto]

If you have an NT1A, don't even bother using the SM57 on an amp like that. It isn't a stereo amp, so you just need to use one mic. Place the mic right at the center of the speaker and back about 2-3 inches. Make sure to give the amp a good ammount of volume so the mic gets a good loud signal, but not too loud as condensers can clip the signal alot sooner than a dynamic can. If you need more body, try placing another condenser behind the amp pointing into the open back of the cabinet. But remember that you'll have two mics pointing at each other, so they'll be out of phase. If your preamp has a phase reverse switch, kick that in. Otherwise you can do it in any sequencer, I think, as long as you're not recording into a single stereo track but rather two mono tracks. Buena suerte, amigo!

[Geoffrey Taucer]

By "center of the speaker," do you mean aimed at the center of the cone or at the center between the two cones? (It's a 2x10)

[PriZm]

Try both. In my experience, placing it at the center between the two cones gives a richer and crispier sound while placing it directly in the center of one cone gives a beefier but muddier tone.

[Nicholestien]

i think you should use a small condenser, but that won't work because the amp will rape the poor little mic.

[Nicholestien]

If you have an NT1A, don't even bother using the SM57 on an amp like that. It isn't a stereo amp, so you just need to use one mic. Place the mic right at the center of the speaker and back about 2-3 inches. Make sure to give the amp a good ammount of volume so the mic gets a good loud signal, but not too loud as condensers can clip the signal alot sooner than a dynamic can. If you need more body, try placing another condenser behind the amp pointing into the open back of the cabinet. But remember that you'll have two mics pointing at each other, so they'll be out of phase. If your preamp has a phase reverse switch, kick that in. Otherwise you can do it in any sequencer, I think, as long as you're not recording into a single stereo track but rather two mono tracks. Buena suerte, amigo!

http://www.zzounds.com/item--SENMD421II

> the NT1A for micing cabs, sorry my friend.