Cabinet Mic postion???

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

I generally used one MD421 for my guitar tracking and want to try a dual mic set-up. Any help with placement and mics would be awesome. Pics would help too if available. Also if the any polarity switches need to be made due to the 2 mics phasing, do I polarize one mic or both?

Im probably gonna purchase a sennheiser E609 and try and sm57 as my mics. Any pointers or suggestions. The guitars are going to be tuned to D if that helps any. Mesa dual recto and mesa big square cab or marshall 1960. Thanks in Advance!!!!:Spin:

 

[Kazrog]

I'm very happy just using an SM57. If you can get a great sound with one mic, then keep it simple! My best advice for multiple mic placement is that it's going to take some trial and error to get the results you want without phase issues.

 

[Radd]

I'm curious to know how many people here use 1 mic vs. more than 1 mic.

Share your preference!

 

[STINNETT]

I always use more than one mic. My typical approach is a SM57 and a Sennheiser e609s on the same speaker, the exact same distance away. I think those mics compliment each other really well. I'll put one straight on the center, and the other a little to one side, nearer the edge of the speaker. Balancing the two mics is a great EQ as well during mixing!

 

[estigma2001]

well i use a SM57 and Beta58 on the same cab and SM 57 and SM 58 on the other cab so i obtain 4 guitar tracks (2 on a 5150 cab and 2 on a Crate cab)

 

[Youowemeapony]

I use a 57 most of the time, I've also experimented with a D4 in combination since I've heard the D4 is essentially a mini 421. One of the last projects I did kept saying their tone wasn't bassy enough so I put a D6 on the cab and rolled off the highs in combo with the 57.. added beef for sure.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I usually use two mics because I'm not good enough with only one yet : two SM57, or one SM57 with a E602 or one SM57 with a NT1000... To check the phase, position your first mic, turn on the amp and cut any noisegate so the amp is doing some noise (like a white noise or so), invert the phase on the second mic, put headphones, and position it while listening to the summing of the two mics in the headphones. You'll find places where the two mics almost cancel each other, stay there, invert the phase on the second mic, and there you go, they are in phase.

 

[Carrier Flux]

I currently use one Shinybox 46c ribbon mic. It's a bit more forgiving than the 57 as far as placement goes, although it doesn't have as solid low-mids and lows as a 57 [and the proximity effect with this thing can be a deal breaker if you want your mic right up on the grill]. the top end is MUCH more smooth however..

one mic is much easier to deal with in so many respects that I've decided to stick with the single mic, 4 takes method.

 

[Executioner213]

On a related note, I actually started reading in another forum about people mic'ing the backside of cabinets as well to capture the low end. Anyone else try this too?

 

[A Toolish Circle]

the band i'm currently recording we have gone with 2 57s mics on the same cab ( mesa ) . one mic doing 4 takes is hard for a lot of dudes who don't have much experience . i actually did this bands preproduction for their EP with one mic 4 takes and comparing 1 mic and a/b them it seems to me the benefits in having 4 takes is perhaps a little more stereo width and abit more fatness/sludgyness and the opportunity to blend different amps , not worth the time when a band is on budget or isn't as experienced in recording .


i check for phase after aligning all the mics by recording both mics and zooming in the waveforms checking for phase alignment , if u did a good measuring job u should get very close to everything close to being in phase already . next solo both tracks and see which has a better tone and move the other mic around a little bit ( in 5cm increments ) to check for phase . if the other mic recorded waveform is slight behind the mic with the better tone move it in front , and if it's ahead , move it behind .

it's a bit hard for me to explain it in detail but hope that helps , a local studio dude taught me that and he's been recording some pretty sweet stuff

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

On a related note, I actually started reading in another forum about people mic'ing the backside of cabinets as well to capture the low end. Anyone else try this too?

I too have at least tried that a couple of times. You get a very roomy and un-focused sound - depending on how you many set up your tracking barriers. It tends to be a bit sloppy for fast picked down tuned metal. But maybe with the right attention given, Maybe??? It seemed to work out ok for a rock project i did that allowed for more of an ambient environment. Hmmmmmm???

 

[KeithRT99]

i used to record with an sm57 and a vocal mic, but now i just use a single sm57 pointed about 15-20 degrees above the center of the speaker and i get great results.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

On a related note, I actually started reading in another forum about people mic'ing the backside of cabinets as well to capture the low end. Anyone else try this too?

Guitar tone on Dream Theater's "Awake"

 

[guitarguru777]

Ive dine it a few times usually when playing more sludgy stuff thats not so tight. I like the results alot actually.

 

[Executioner213]

Guitar tone on Dream Theater's "Awake"

Well, thats the type of sound I'd like to capture. Is that what they did?

 

[Executioner213]

Lemme take that back.....thats the type of clarity I'd like to capture. The actual closeness to sound I'd like to capture is that of Soilwork (Natural Born Chaos, in particular) and/or Opeth (Blackwater Park/Ghost Reveries tones)

 

[dreamcatcher]

On a related note, I actually started reading in another forum about people mic'ing the backside of cabinets as well to capture the low end. Anyone else try this too?

I've only done that with an open-backed cab. Hmmm...

 

[Executioner213]

I might actually go get my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe back from my Dad so I can try this technique. It's a single 12 with an open back. Might be easier for me to get the sound out of it I want, too...since I've been having trouble doing recording lately with my wife around.

 

[guitarguru777]

as far as i can recall Awake was a Mesa Recto with a Mesa cab with v30s 2 57s on the front and 1 behind. The 7 string was a 92 Universe black and green with stock pickups. Guitars were johns JPMs with this custom pickups Air Norton and a steves special

 

[moose209]

one 57 bang on centre - get the tone you want from the amp and the player.