Surely this question has been risen before but, what is in your opinion the best way to mic up a guitar amp, for a live situation...?
Best mic position?
Best mic position?
How to mic amp for live performance
- Thread starter DeviusMetal
- Start date
arv_foh
Brian K
Well, there are a lot of variables involved..
The mic used, the cab used, the speakers in the cab. The amount of treble the guitarist has dialed into the tone (most have too much, just generally speaking from experience).
Generally speaking (with a 57 or similar), start at the edge of the dustcap, 1" from the grill, and if that is too harsh move out towards the edge of the cab til the harshness goes away.
The mic used, the cab used, the speakers in the cab. The amount of treble the guitarist has dialed into the tone (most have too much, just generally speaking from experience).
Generally speaking (with a 57 or similar), start at the edge of the dustcap, 1" from the grill, and if that is too harsh move out towards the edge of the cab til the harshness goes away.
Trevoire520
Member
I normally go for where the cap meets the cone, if things are too bright I'll just pull back the high shelf and maybe 3-4k on the eq. If it's stupidly bright I'll tell the guitarist to dial back his treble/presence on the amp.
amarshism
Member
I mic my own cab and adjust it in coordination with our foh guy. 57 always. I hate guitarists that dime the presence and treble live. My mic position is not too different to how I'd mic it in le studio, perhaps a touch further from the centre.
jENK
Producer. Engineer. Mixer
You have to EQ your amp differently in every venue you play. Most guys have too much treble and presence forgetting that a live venue is always brighter and more reflective than a rehearsal room. An SM57 is always a safe option miked just off centre of the speaker. I'm a big fan of cab sims for live (i.e. red box) as it eliminates spill, artist bumping the mic, sub under the stage causing unwanted low-end, wind blowing on mic in festival situations, etc. Tone is also more consistent from gig to gig. Very practical for touring, especially if you're hiring/borrowing and using a different cab every night.
Sloan
Sounds like shit!
turn guitarist's amp down because he is a retard, put a 57 almost anywhere on speaker, lock down the stand, leave.
Uros
Sonic Incision
I've seen on numerous gigs mics hanging over the amp head (facing the ground), what's up with that? Is that shit useable at all, and how, since most of the time the mics used were 57s, and they are cardioid, not omnis?
Sloan
Sounds like shit!
i've seen that too, it can work, but your probably going to get more bleed/feedback issues. with a side address mic like the e609 or e906 it works great. i actually love the e609 for live use.
AceFireForce117
Member
ahah man i can't believe people do that, one sound "engineer" did that at my band's gig.
Took off the mic on my amp = Sounded "better" at least than the other guitarist.
Uros
Sonic Incision
I can't imagine that it could yield good results with 57s. Maybe they were just using it to feed stage monitors, dunno.
the same numbers, just depends from what side you address them...funny
Depends. If your in a smaller venue, a lot of the sound will come come from the stage, so a 57 on the cone just to rise the level a bit. In bigger venues i often use a combination of a 57 and a 421. Use the 57 to give the guitar some bite, and smoothen it up with the 421.
AceFireForce117
Member
for me a 57 works just fine
Then again i'm not lucky enough to do a lot of big venues with my band, can't wait to take it up a notch !!
Then again i'm not lucky enough to do a lot of big venues with my band, can't wait to take it up a notch !!
arv_foh
Brian K
Trevoire520
Member
Melb_shredder
Orpheus: Melodic Death
I use an e906 live always. I also take my own mics/ stands and have the exact same micing, night in night out and have never had an issue. However, in general, you're dealing with idiots with bass 10 mids 0 treble 10... the sad reality of it!
But usually a 57 between the cone and dust cap and then move out from there if it's too harsh seems the safest option
But usually a 57 between the cone and dust cap and then move out from there if it's too harsh seems the safest option
Firaxis
Member
I've had the whole bashed up 58 hanging over the cab done before. Infact one time the 'soundguy' put the diaphragm of the mic in the middle of the 4x12..... One guy didn't even KNOW what a compressor was
I've heard success in small venues with a mic at almost any useable position. Bigger venues seems to be quite close to what I'd use to record. Also gain seems to ruin most peoples guitar tones live. Fizzy guitar tones because the dude has to have the gain maxed since it's metorl.
I've heard success in small venues with a mic at almost any useable position. Bigger venues seems to be quite close to what I'd use to record. Also gain seems to ruin most peoples guitar tones live. Fizzy guitar tones because the dude has to have the gain maxed since it's metorl.
Uros
Sonic Incision
I've seen that on some rather well known bands and that's where my surprise comes from (can't remember now, maybe it was Behemoth or some others, in any case well known bands).
arv_foh
Brian K
I'd have to say in that case it might have been used maybe as a quick setup for self contained drummer in ears.. in that case the placement would not be important, it would just be a quick/easy set up for the drummer to have the guitar for his ears mix.. it's really hard to say without being there but I doubt that mic was used in the PA mix
I had behemoth at my venue a few months ago so I know they don't do it this way
