Modern day recording; do we need to mic up guitar amps anymore?

drew_drummer

drew_drummer

Dancefap
Sep 7, 2008
6,474
3
38
London, UK
With amp and cab modelling coming so far in the past few years, do you really need to mic up a guitar cab nowadays?

I just got the sickest tone (my opinion of course!) by running my pedal board into a solid-state Yamaha B100-II bass amp. Then I ran the direct output from the amp, into Reaper. I put RevalverMKIII on the signal - running a ACM900 power-amp, into the default 4x12 cab impulse. I was blown away, if anything, it sounds in your face and aggressive - without double tracking!

Check it out, I don't think many people will think it sounds shit, although invariably, there is an element of personal taste in this.

http://stashbox.org/448359/randomriffage.wav

So do we really need to bother micing up cabs nowadays, finding the sweet spot, putting noise through the amp so we can phase align multiple microphones, etc.... ???

I'm starting to think not. I'm also starting to wonder whether my huge tube-amp beast is necessary during the recording process!

Opyneyions??
 
lol. I knew when I posted this, in the back of my mind, that it was a completely pointless question - as re-amping around here is basically the done thing, and Revalver is very popular. However, I've never used Revalver in a serious production, only for bedroom practice late at night.
 
this will either die on the first page or get past 10.

To quote Jbroll

"you've opened up a giant can of shit with a can opener made of fucked"

but seriously, i think real amps are still the way to go, modelling still has a way to go, for my tastes at least.

I always find modelling can sound very good on open (i.e. not palm muted) parts, but always sound brittle and harsh on mutes, they never seem to have that chugtastic factor
 
Yeah, modelling is very advanced right now, but they still are missing that little extra compared to the real thing (provided you have access to a proper recording place). Mostly depth and life. But I'm sure in another 2-3 years things will look different.
 
Yeah, I wasn't seeking approval, just curious on people's stance. Although one thing that's come out of these experiments I've done today; my Les Paul needs new pickups and probably new pots. It's probably going to cost a fair bob to get it all done, might have to go back to using my Ibanez until I can get the LP upgraded. Bah!
 
Well personally, I dislike the pain in the ass of micing up a cab and getting a decent sound. I think for our album, I'm going to use Revalver - for my parts at least. I'll use the Line out function of my Laney VH100r into Revalver's cab sim.
 
It could just be I don't like the sound of my cab. It's a Marshall JCM900 2x12 1936. It never sounds as good as I what I can get from decent impulses.
 
Even my harley benton with vintage 30's has sounded better than any impulses for me. I have a VH100R as well and cab pwns computer.

You are amberience aren't you? (I guess because of your location and equipment)

Joe
 
Well either way, the tone sounds very muffled/cloudy/woofy, but has a decent crunchy character otherwise, I'm guessing a lot of the problems come from the impulse being made with the mic too far from the dustcap
 
Nah. To be honest I think the muffliness comes from the fact I'm running through a bass amp, rather than a guitar amp. It sounds good in a mix, with a little EQ.

I do go for quite a muddy sound though, as I like a congealed guitar tone. Not too into this thing called "tightness" as it were.

ps; good memory Joe. I've been trying to keep a lowish profile, but you outted me.
 
to be honest.... i think that the very very vast majority of people that listen to and buy music, cant tell whether something was recorded through an amp or through an amp sim, so as long as it sounds good who really gives a shit

and im not talking about stand alone tone here, im talking about mixes, and i think even in its current state of techology, the sound is already there....i mean yes "pro's" listening to record made with an amp sim will no doubt be able to tell.....however i do think it will equate to something like 1 person out of a thousand....and if people like the sound and cant tell the difference then you know thats good enough in my eyes

this is ofcourse is in no way saying there is no need for micing real amps, all im saying is do whatever you enjoy and get great results with you know?

i mean i doubt joeymusicguy will be recording with miced amps soon, same way i doubt andy will be recording using revalver .....but at the end of the day both can get phenomenal sounding products, which are enjoyed by many


sash
 
For me, because my studio is small, I like to have a POD X3 because of all the different amp modeling features. Since I can't afford to have all the amps and cabinets I would love to have. Plus I really like the ability to save a client's settings, so lets say they return a month or a week later, you can still very easily dial in the same tone. When Mic'ing a cab, it's really hard to do that because just the smallest amount of moving a mic will make a difference in the sound.

On the other hand, I love the sound of a truely mic'ed cabinet over the POD. Although the POD has some nice sounds, I think I still like the sound of a properly mic'ed settup.
 
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