Help me get good guitar tone!!

[Thedeloshimself]

Hey, I'm recording a couple metalcore/deathmetal songs and I'm having a lot of trouble getting good guitar tone. i'm using an orange Rockerverb 50 watt head with a 4x12 Mesa cab and it sounds sick as hell, but I can't get it to sound good through the mic's. I'm using a 57 and a 421, but usually i'll use 2 57's, however my friend is borrowing it right now. Anyways, everytime I record the guitar, the tone is really thin and it sounds processed.

Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

 

[AStacy2]

If it sounds "sick as hell" in the room then it should sound "sick as hell" recorded too. Maybe try all the old tricks if you haven't. Double tracking or quad tracking, panned 100% L & R and 80% L & R, maybe try using another amp that sounds "sick as hell" too. Boost up the mids/bass on the amp too, maybe you don't have as much as you think because of problems within the room you are recording in. If you're using 2 mics, make sure you fix any phase issues between the mics too!

 

[KeithRT99]

perhaps a room mic?

 

[Nebulous]

If it sounds "sick as hell" in the room then it should sound "sick as hell" recorded too. Maybe try all the old tricks if you haven't. Double tracking or quad tracking, panned 100% L & R and 80% L & R, maybe try using another amp that sounds "sick as hell" too. Boost up the mids/bass on the amp too, maybe you don't have as much as you think because of problems within the room you are recording in. If you're using 2 mics, make sure you fix any phase issues between the mics too!

+1 on the phase, unless you mean that each mic on it's own sounds thin. A clip usually helps solve problems alot faster, but when i record guitars it's usually about getting the mic as close to the dust cap, without the high end/ fizz being unbarable. The dust cap has all the body, so get as close to it as your taste will alow you to, and then adjust presence/ highs on the amp if need be. Also, try not to move the mics too far back, one or two inches from the cloth is generally enough.
Like I said, without a clip its hard to give the right direction/ advice.

Daniel

 

[Thedeloshimself]

For sure, i'll take that advice, and post a clip up for tomorrow. thanks.

 

[Thedeloshimself]

Ok so I recorded the Orange Head through 2 Mesa Cabs, the SM57 at the top left speaker, and the 421 at the bottom right, both directly at the dust caps. I panned 2 tracks 100% and the other two 80%. The tracks are Raw, no FX or EQ, however after recording I found out my guy's BBE maximizer was on. sorry for the lack of accuracy of the actual playing it was just a quick test.

Here's the clip, I don't if the quality will lack because its streaming.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=603662

 

[Nebulous]

Hm, thats a tricky one. If that's the sound on the dust cap, then I have no idea what you could do, sicne you say it sounds good in the room. There's definately a lack of body in the tone. Id say to keep fidling with the mic placement, maybee try going in closer to the speaker than this clip (if you can) and if at all possible, try to get some of the muddy lows out of the amp.
What pre/converters have you been using?

 

[Thedeloshimself]

They're basically touching the cloth of the cab. I've got a Behringer board, and Roland A to D's. Personally I think it has something to do with either the board or the converters, thats creating that weird digital sound. The recording just doesnt sound natural it always sounds like I processed it. I'm trying to basically copy cat the Animosity Sound on their newest album Empires. It's a death metal band with a really natural sounding mix

 

[anoubu5]

Honestly , Try multitracking . . . . and if that doesn't work then i have no clue but . . . . It might be in the tones of your fingers i noticed that the simpler riffs sounded bigger than the other riffs . I think ideally you would need to muti track and maybe bring up the mid highs a bit and even the mid lows and bring the highs then down and the lows down a bit too . . . after that you should have something more compeditive at least . . . But i really like the clairity that really works . . . so keeep that in there and just tweak it i am sure you will get it . . . good riff by the way man anyways take it easy:zombie:

 

[006]

I really think you are having plain jane phase problems dude. Try one mic at a time. And let's not rule out your other equipment in the chain (Behringer and Roland).

~e.a

 

[Thedeloshimself]

Honestly , Try multitracking . . . . and if that doesn't work then i have no clue but . . . . It might be in the tones of your fingers i noticed that the simpler riffs sounded bigger than the other riffs . I think ideally you would need to muti track and maybe bring up the mid highs a bit and even the mid lows and bring the highs then down and the lows down a bit too . . . after that you should have something more compeditive at least . . . But i really like the clairity that really works . . . so keeep that in there and just tweak it i am sure you will get it . . . good riff by the way man anyways take it easy:zombie:

I only did two takes, but 4 tracks total because I used 2 mic's. I guess i could do 3 or 4 takes? how would I ideally pan them then? I also have alot of other mics because I have a home studio goin on, so like maybe a 58 would help? Ill try your suggestion, and thanks a lot for the comment on the riff, my guitarist wrote it, its in the song we're tryin to start recording.

Also I phase reversed one of the mic's and it dramatically changed the sound, it made the sound tighter. (they are phase reversed on the clip)

What do you guys do to get good guit tone?

 

[Nebulous]

I would recomend simplifying it down to one mic, tracked as many times as you like, probably the 57. I think you're having a gear problem like what I use to with my old/crap Behringer Eurorack desk that i use to try pass as a recording pre.
It all changed when I spent a very small amount on a PreSonus TubePre \m/ It's no million dollar studio pre, but sounds great for its price!

 

[xmarcelx]

I think you should just use a different head!

 

[stringy_]

Get rid of the 421 and just use one SM57.

 

[Razorjack]

Are you 100% sure the 57 is real? The amount of fake chinese 57's that I've seen being used is really quite worrying.

 

[stringy_]

Are you 100% sure the 57 is real? The amount of fake chinese 57's that I've seen being used is really quite worrying.

Fake Chinese 57?!

What has this world come to... haha.

 

[gumplunger]

Crappy preamps = thin, ugly guitar sound, end of story.

 

[nwright]

I'll go along with others and say it could be the pre's and all that, but an Orange for this style of music? I guess I just don't see it being a good choice?

 

[Thedeloshimself]

yeah you guys are probably right, I have the Behringer Eurorack too and thats what we use as a pre. I also have a Triple Rectifier that I could use, but the orange has better tone honestly, it's more natural sounding. the 421 sounds better because the 57 sounds way too sharp, its a real 57, both of them are from guitar center, but the main problem Is probably the eurorack.

 

[xmarcelx]

I would try two tracks rectifier two tracks orange .. the rectifier should blend fine with its scooped sound and you maybe get some of the "natural" character of the orange with the "edge" of the recto...just an idea