Do I really need to turn the amp up to 10?

[Demonstealer]

Do I really need to turn the amp up to 10 to get "the sound"

I'm always using my amp at 3-4 in the jam room or even on a big arena stage I'm at MAX hitting 5 on the master volume.

For my album I tuned it up to 10 and recorded it.

But I'm just wondering do I really need to turn it up to 10? I've been doing some video recordings, demo's of bands songs and guitar lessons for the company I work and been recording the amp at volume 3-4 and its sounding fine for these videos.

I'm going to also actually record it at a lower volume and hear the difference so I'm not taking the easy way out just just posting here to get an answer. But I would like to hear from the more experienced engineers their thoughts on this as they always have a lot of reasons for doing certain things.

Cheers!

Links
This is my band which I recorded using my Laney with the amp turned up to 10



These are videos of the same amp recorded at much lower volumes but in mono for these videos

 

[Vinny]

I find most amps get crackly/brittle when turned up to 10/11.
I find myself recording in between 4 and 6 most of the time.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

its all preference, but for the vast majority of metal records are not even turning up the volume a lot. Most of the time the famous 5150 setup for many albums, including Sneap's are in the 2.5 area, which is actually quieter than practice volume. Also, you turn up more on bigger stages than jamming? Typically if the place has a good sound system, you play much quieter than if you where jamming/rehearsing. The norm is to keep usually have the volume lower for recording/playing shows than playing in an acoustic setting. Sound guys will thank you and recorded tones will be much tighter.

We are playing Metal, most of our distortion from the preamp, so their isn't a need to use such high volumes as it kind of become counter productive to the sound.

 

[Plankis]

IA is awesome! Thanks for that vid.

On topic: Just record on the level where it sounds good to you. Record each version and make sure you compare them on the same level in your DAW.

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

each amp has its own sweet spot, fiddle around and you'll find it pretty easily I'd say. My JMP has it at 5,5, my 800 at around 4, most 5150's I've recorded at around 5, some marshalls at 10 but that's really rare.
Just turn it up and see 'til where it gets fatter and from where it gets more fuzzy, before it gets fuzzy, that's where you want it to be.

 

[tobin1]

I thought i remember seeing Sneaps Machinehead 5150 settings and the post on the amp (master volume) was set to around 8, so i dont know where you would get that they put the amps on 2.5 ;p

 

[Demonstealer]

A going down to my studio to give that a shot anyway.

And live actually my volume really depends on if it is a big stage or a smaller venue. On a bit stage I crank my amp because I never listen to it on my monitors because somehow or the other it was either my guitar or vocals or drums or something never perfect so I just get the vocals and drums + keys on my monitor and crank up my amp, not too loud though.

My jam room is my studio so I use the same volume except when I turned it up to 10 for my album

 

[guitarguru777]

No!

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/production-tips/650178-short-how-do-mic-cabz-_o.html

Amp volume on all those samples is on 2

 

[ahjteam]

Sneap said that he records at slightly quieter than practice volume (sorry, couldn't find a reference link), but I don't know what is his practice volume and/or how deaf bastard he is since I think it was our lovely moderator Brett who said that Andy even mixes fucking loud.

 

[Demonstealer]

@Guitar Guru - I saw the video and great job on that btw. Am going to hear the samples now.


Here is some shit I recorded a while back, tell me if I'd doing something wrong.

The amp volume was 3.5 and I used a 57 on Axis pretty much mic'd center of the cone. I've recorded 1left, 1 right and 1 center guitar.

Absolutely RAW clip, nothing on there AT ALL!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS NO EQ LANEY.mp3

This is the same clip but now processed with EQ and some plugins
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS PLUG+EQ LANEY.mp3

This sample is with the previous EQ+Plugins and a slight top end boost
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS PLUG+EQ LANEY-TOPBOOST.mp3

I know this is not the rate my tone thread but since it is relevant to my initial query hope it is ok.

Cheers!

 

[CubanDude]

Seriously.. What did you do with that EQ? Or is it just me? Your raw tracks sound way better than the eq'ed ones... They're very muddy and bassy...

 

[Demonstealer]

^^^ Yeah I always tend to do really weird things to my stuff when I start recording projects (probably complete lack of objectability) and then someone on the forum generally tells me something which makes me less paranoid and probably work in another direction. Or maybe its my Tapco monitors.

 

[ahjteam]

I also agree that the raw tracks sound a bit better, but I think that you could get better sound from the source.

 

[Arsenu,]

@Guitar Guru - I saw the video and great job on that btw. Am going to hear the samples now.


Here is some shit I recorded a while back, tell me if I'd doing something wrong.

The amp volume was 3.5 and I used a 57 on Axis pretty much mic'd center of the cone. I've recorded 1left, 1 right and 1 center guitar.

Absolutely RAW clip, nothing on there AT ALL!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS NO EQ LANEY.mp3

This is the same clip but now processed with EQ and some plugins
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS PLUG+EQ LANEY.mp3

This sample is with the previous EQ+Plugins and a slight top end boost
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1953726/ON AXIS PLUG+EQ LANEY-TOPBOOST.mp3

I know this is not the rate my tone thread but since it is relevant to my initial query hope it is ok.

Cheers!

dude!
raw track is WAY to dirty.... unless that's what your'e after, not my taste anyway

and both EQ'd tracks sounds much worse than the raw one...

 

[CubanDude]

Don't they sound very muddy at your end? I'm just wondering about the "raw tracks sound A BIT better"... The eq'ed tracks sound really horrible at my end...

To elaborate that: They sound like lowpassed at 3kHz or so..

 

[Wolfeman]

It all depends on the amp I'd say. Some poweramp designs sound pretty sweet when they get cranking.

A lot of amps hit their max wattage way before the master volume control is fully turned, and going past that point is just clipping the hell out of the phase inverter and power tubes for no reason.

 

[Demonstealer]

lol damn, I'm definitely doing something wrong. I'll head down and get some more samples done I'm definitely doing something all wrong. I'll go down in a bit and get some better stuff done. I think I need to change the battery on my guitar as well.

Drawing board time.

 

[mattias_a]

The Slipperman distorted guitars from hell(or something like that) has a cool tip.
He says that you should turn the master volume up until the cab starts to excurse.
I don't know if that work everytime.

 

[Demonstealer]

^^^ dude this guy is fucking hilarious. Pardon my ignorance for I know not "The Slipperman". My excuse is I live in India

 

[xFkx]

Don't over-do it, you may be distorting the mic which is pretty counterproductive