Topic: How to properly mic a guitar cabinet

[rokpunk]

Obviously...with an SM57 and a Royer 121. Any other way is simply wrong!

[rokpunk]

oh, and don't forget to plug in the mics. 

[Chuck]

How to properly mic a guitar cabinet way # 2

Everthing is exactly the same, except the amp is a Fender Twin Reverb, the mic is an MD 421, pulled back from the grill 1". 

[Patrick]

To each his own...personally I prefer this method:

[rokpunk]

the other day one of the guys in my shop and i did a real informal "shoot out" using a bunch of mics we had around the shop->avalon 737->pro tools. i say it was informal because we literally mic'ed an electric guitar, unamplified as our source. obviously it was not the right way to do this test. if we have some downtime this week, we'll mic up that mesa duel rectum-fire rig, plus a fender twin and run a "real" test. we'll do the same with an acoustic guitar, unamplified. once we do all this, i'll post them in this thread, and you guys can listen and tell me what sounds best to you. the real reason we did this the other day was to test out the new shure beta 181. we tested it against a km184, a 460, a u87, a royer 121, a 414, and a beyer 160. without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

[Church-Audio]

Actually on the 57 I prefer not to have it so close to the center of the cone.. I like the sound of the edge I find it less bright. And easier to get in the mix the royer should also be straight up and down.. and closer to the edge But other than that not bad.


Chris

[DLay]

To each his own...personally I prefer this method:

hahaha niceeee 

Actually on the 57 I prefer not to have it so close to the center of the cone.. I like the sound of the edge I find it less bright.
Chris

^Agreed. Try starting at the center and move it out towards the edge in 2 inch increments or so to hear the difference.

[sparkey]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

[rokpunk]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

[darby]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

I'm not surprised 

[rokpunk]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

I'm not surprised 

you might be surprised how much better the 460's sound vs. the 451's.

[Chris K]

if we have some downtime this week, we'll mic up that mesa duel rectum-fire rig, plus a fender twin and run a "real" test. we'll do the same with an acoustic guitar, unamplified. once we do all this, i'll post them in this thread,

if you do this then try to have all the mics on the cab at the same time and have the player play a riff/segment so the riff is uniform. Otherwise the differences in the players takes and styles can skew the results.

Could you throw in one of these Senn e609 or 906's as well? I have been eyeing a couple so I can just drape those senns over the cab so as not needing a stand or clamp for an sm57. There is a comp on Gearsluts with the Senns 406/609/906 (but alas no sm57 or 421) that can be found here:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/69350-sennheiser-409-609-906-audio-clips.html

[Patrick]

if we have some downtime this week, we'll mic up that mesa duel rectum-fire rig, plus a fender twin and run a "real" test. we'll do the same with an acoustic guitar, unamplified. once we do all this, i'll post them in this thread,

if you do this then try to have all the mics on the cab at the same time and have the player play a riff/segment so the riff is uniform. Otherwise the differences in the players takes and styles can skew the results.

Could you throw in one of these Senn e609 or 906's as well? I have been eyeing a couple so I can just drape those senns over the cab so as not needing a stand or clamp for an sm57. There is a comp on Gearsluts with the Senns 406/609/906 (but alas no sm57 or 421) that can be found here:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/69350-sennheiser-409-609-906-audio-clips.html

The 609/906 mics can't be beat for functionality. I love that they can fit anywhere and doesn't necessarily require a stand in most applications. But to me they sound *just alright.*  They are very much hyper cardioid which is a blessing and a curse, depending on which amplifier it's sitting in front of.  If anything they sound thin and wimpy to me.  But on a loud, crowded stage I don't think anything beats 'em.

[sparkey]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

Seriously?

[darby]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

I'm not surprised 

you might be surprised how much better the 460's sound vs. the 451's.

451s still make great drum overheads though

Seriously?

 

[Chris K]

The 609/906 mics can't be beat for functionality. I love that they can fit anywhere and doesn't necessarily require a stand in most applications. But to me they sound *just alright.*  They are very much hyper cardioid which is a blessing and a curse, depending on which amplifier it's sitting in front of.  If anything they sound thin and wimpy to me.  But on a loud, crowded stage I don't think anything beats 'em.

All the reviews I read say basically the same thing about the 609...too much top end and not enough beef.

I have also read that the sm57 and 609 are pretty indestinguishable from each other...but I don't buy it.

[Chris K]

without giving our results, we were both surprised which we liked the most.

C'mon man, instant gratification!!!

ok, ok....AKG 460's sure do sound great!

Which capsule?

[rokpunk]

if we have some downtime this week, we'll mic up that mesa duel rectum-fire rig, plus a fender twin and run a "real" test. we'll do the same with an acoustic guitar, unamplified. once we do all this, i'll post them in this thread,

if you do this then try to have all the mics on the cab at the same time and have the player play a riff/segment so the riff is uniform. Otherwise the differences in the players takes and styles can skew the results.

Could you throw in one of these Senn e609 or 906's as well? I have been eyeing a couple so I can just drape those senns over the cab so as not needing a stand or clamp for an sm57. There is a comp on Gearsluts with the Senns 406/609/906 (but alas no sm57 or 421) that can be found here:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/69350-sennheiser-409-609-906-audio-clips.html

thanks for the suggestion. yes, we can do it all from the same take so that the results all match each other. we can't use the avalon preamp if we do it this way, but we can run them all into a midas console and use the preamps on it. later this week we will get on this.

[mfrench]

[rokpunk]

thanks for the usefulness. you are always good for that.