Does using multiple amps require quad-tracking?

[H-evolve]

I was reading on the forum that it is common to use 2, if not 3, amps when recording.

I thought that each panned track required its "mirror" panned on the other side. Therefore, if you want to use 2 amps, you would need 4 tracks.

Left1 - Right1 using Amp1.
Left 2 - Right 2 using Amp2.

Or is it possible with dual tracks

Left1 - Amp1
Right1 - Amp2

This would mean that the right track is not the mirror of the left track, so intuitively I thought it was wrong...

But I can't believe that using 3 amps (Arch Enemy I think does that?) would require 6 tracks!?

So, please tell me how this is normally done. I'm lost!

 

[Fandus]

It is possible to split the signal and run all 3 amps at once. but its also possible to hexatrack. all options you listed are valid, and are used.

 

[ForHerDeadEyes]

There are many different things to try out, as long as it sounds good to you..
You could run one guitartrack with two different amps to the left, and then another track with two amps to the right..

 

[FrankTheSmith]

If I ever quad track I always pan 2 hard left and 2 hard right with the same amp. The only time I ever use a different amp is for like leads, center panned riffs and extra stuff like that.

 

[egan.]

I was reading on the forum that it is common to use 2, if not 3, amps when recording.

I thought that each panned track required its "mirror" panned on the other side. Therefore, if you want to use 2 amps, you would need 4 tracks.

Left1 - Right1 using Amp1.
Left 2 - Right 2 using Amp2.

Or is it possible with dual tracks

Left1 - Amp1
Right1 - Amp2

This would mean that the right track is not the mirror of the left track, so intuitively I thought it was wrong...

It's a common modern practice to mirror but there is no reason you have to. You just have to pick complementary tones.

With multiple amps, you can use multiple performances or send a single performance through as many amps as you want (with as many mics on the cab as you want).

 

[Jormyn]

However many amps you have, I always pan everything that was recorded in the same take identically - you can EQ the different amps individually to bring out the best parts of each tone, but all the tracks for each take should be treated the same when you place them in the overall mix. Otherwise I find that your stereo image doesn't sound as clear, definitely not as wide, and you can start to lose tightness for faster parts as the different takes start blurring together.

 

[Mago]

having different amps/tones that work well together actually helps to get the guitars wider.
You can go pretty far with it. As long as the same frequencies are most prominent in both tones they can sound quite different on their own, but you won't nearly hear as much of the difference when they are panned out...for dualtracking at least.
For quadtracking I almost always use different tones for the different pairs.

 

[mickrich]

I often use different amps for left/right.
As Mago says, if they don't have a similar character you will get centre shifting.
So a 5150 left and rectifier right doesn't (usually) work very well.
Luckily I have a H&K Triamp and channel 3A sounds very like a 5150 and 3B sounds very like a rectifier so I can easily set up with different amps left/right.

A bit of psychoacoustics explains why different amps left/right sounds wider...
Our ears and brain decode phantom centre from a stereo pair of speakers when the exact same signal at the same level comes from the left and right speakers.
When the exact same rig is used for left/right, we decode this as a very similar sound and it will appear narrow. The more difference between left and right, the wider it will seem.
I will ALWAYS change something between left and right.
Sometimes even a different overdrive each side will be enough to make it wider but avoid centre shifting.

When quad tracking I use a different pedal for left/right and a different amp for the second layer. In this case, an amp with a very different character will let you hear both layers clearly so 5150 for layer 1 and rectifier for layer 2 will work very well. The king for second layer quad tracking for me is a Marshall which will push through the high mids.

 

[jackobme]

A wise man turned me onto the Radial JD7. It was spendy but well worth it. Look it up!

 

[jval]

You can use different amps for left and right.
I never understood the obsession here with quad tracking... seems like such a waste of time and it sounds worse! IMO, i guess.

 

[Heabow]

You can use different amps for left and right.
I never understood the obsession here with quad tracking... seems like such a waste of time and it sounds worse! IMO, i guess.

I'm not agree. It depends on the music style AND the playing. It will sound worse if the playing is not tight but if the player is great, the result can be awesome if it fits the music.

 

[53Crëw]

I do one amp left and one amp right if they are complimentary tones.

Or occasionally I choose the amp I want to be the dominant tone and record that left and right. Then record the second amp left and right (or reamp the original performances) but bring it up just underneath the dominant amp tone in the mix to thicken things up. i.e. a Marshall as the dominant tone then bring in a Mesa underneath the Marshall to thicken things up a tad.

Kinda depends on the style, song, and arrangement...

 

[Grå Värld]

Thread hijack.
For people recording different amps left and right do you use the same cab and same mics in same position eg Left Recto into Marshall Cab Sm57 Right 5150 into Marshall Cab sm57
Does anyone use different heads and cabs (and different mics or positions) for left and right

Those that Quad track I understand you just change the head and keep the cab and mic positions the same right

 

[MultiM]

Thread hijack.
For people recording different amps left and right do you use the same cab and same mics in same position eg Left Recto into Marshall Cab Sm57 Right 5150 into Marshall Cab sm57
Does anyone use different heads and cabs (and different mics or positions) for left and right

Those that Quad track I understand you just change the head and keep the cab and mic positions the same right

I use the same cab and mic, but I don't think changing the cabs and the mics would sound bad.

 

[Mago]

Thread hijack.
For people recording different amps left and right do you use the same cab and same mics in same position eg Left Recto into Marshall Cab Sm57 Right 5150 into Marshall Cab sm57
Does anyone use different heads and cabs (and different mics or positions) for left and right

Those that Quad track I understand you just change the head and keep the cab and mic positions the same right

really comes down to how different the tones are.
anything can or can't work

 

[alex-sonic]

I asked this question few months ago on the forum, I don't know if I get it wrong, but when I asked for quad track, people told me to use 4 takes and not 2 when you use 2 différent amps as it seems to be said here or did I not understand something?

For a better understanding:
Take 1 ==> Peavey Right and Peavey Left
Take 2 ==> Mesa Right and Mesa Left

 

[MrBongo]

i track once, no matter how many amps.

do whatever you want to, it´s perfectly fine to use the same number of tracks and amps, or less tracks than amps.
1 take Peavey right, 1 take Mesa left, no problem with that.
in fact, the fewer takes you use at the same time, the more clearly you can hear what´s played

 

[alex-sonic]

i track once, no matter how many amps.

do whatever you want to, it´s perfectly fine to use the same number of tracks and amps, or less tracks than amps.
1 take Peavey right, 1 take Mesa left, no problem with that.
in fact, the fewer takes you use at the same time, the more clearly you can hear what´s played

Thanks for your answer! I used to make 4 takes but if I can do 2 takes It will help me a lot at not waisting too many times!

 

[cobhc]

It all depends on how tight you are. Opeth used to record like 8 rhythm tracks that weren't that heavily distorted but when combined sounded thick but clear. If you're not really tight then it will sound like a mess.

 

[egan.]

I'll add that 2 takes and 4 takes will sound different no matter how many amps are used. Nothing wrong with either one but they're not going to have the same effect.