live sound: Which is the best mic position? (with only one guitar)

[hellraiser85]

Hi! I would like to know which is the best mic position when I play live. I have a 5150 with a mesa oversized 4x12. I am the only guitarist of my band, so we want a full sound with only one guitar. I think that a near of the edge of speaker will be better, but a need your advice:

Center, middle or edge position?
On axis/ Off axis?
Any trick with 2 mics?

We will use SM57 mics.

Thanks!

 

[LSD-Studio]

use two mics in a different position/on different speakers, pan one hard left and one hard right.

 

[hellraiser85]

use two mics in a different position/on different speakers, pan one hard left and one hard right.

I thought of doing it, but there will no be phase problems?

 

[-Noodles-]

there shouldn't be if it's gonna be loud, and the mesa cabs are pretty big - so a little bit of playing while moving the mics maybe required to get the sound you're after.. but i think with live - it's not massively important to get in there and be anal about things.

 

[benversluis]

How big is the venue? If its for just a few hundred people, you may consider not micing your cab as I bet it gets plenty loud without the aide of some microphones.

That being said, put one 57 on axis and one 57 off axis on your cab. Pan hard left and hard right and you're done.

If it sounds like it's phasing, it is. If you can't tell or it doesn't sound like it's phasing, it's not. Don't think too hard about it.

 

[hellraiser85]

Ok, thanks! I´ll try with 2 mics, each one in different speaker and with different position as you said.

 

[beyond dead]

at the opera house in toronto, they use a 57 and e609 ( uke: ) and it sounds rippin. they either mic2 different speakers, or two cabs

 

[Metaltastic]

I was under the impression most live sound was pretty much mono (if not entirely), since it's hard to get a good stereo image for the people at the extreme ends...

 

[-Noodles-]

Yeah, most gigs are mono - there maybe stereo efx (such as vocal delays) but they won't be in the same intensity as in the studio.

I would combine them to make a sound, but try not to make it a "Stereo" sound as it won't transfer into all venues.

 

[egan.]

use two mics in a different position/on different speakers, pan one hard left and one hard right.

Yeah, this technique is rad. Doing a "Fredman" style with 2 57s can be cool and both sides sound good on their own so it doesn't matter if folks are on one side.
I don't know where all of these mono PA's are because I don't seem to run into them very often.

 

[Kazrog]

 

[Fredrik-Ablaze]

I also go with the 57 / 609 combo, one mic on each speaker. Placing the mic's head on where the speaker meets the dustcap

 

[ahjteam]

if you have the luxury called "time", take that stack, mixer and the SM57 to your rehearsal space and put it in front of the cab and listen what sounds the best with only 80/100hz highcut engaged. Then mark the place with gaffer tape / marker pen / spraypaint to the cab grill-cloth.

If I am in a hurry, I usually place it in the middle of the dustcap, put but it to an angle so that it points where the center and the cardboard meets. kinda like this (gotta love the ascii-art!)

 __________
|    '-'x  |    <--- Element, x = pointing target
============    <--- Grill-Mesh
      //        <--- SM57
     //