Problem with recording 7 string D.I. and reamping...

[UM1]

I tried reamping (with RedEye) the D.I. tracks I made with my 7 string guitar. The bass was too muddy no matter how much the bass was backed off. The guitar was tuned to drop A and I made sure the signal didn't peak above -3.

When playing through the amp while recording the D.I. signal the amp sounds great. Playing the D.I. back thru the amp it sounds a lot different. If I use the same guitar and don't play on the lowest string the D.I. plays back fine. So, I'm thinking there is something wrong with the way I am tracking the D.I. using that guitar. The only thing I can think of to try is adjusting the pickup on the bass side... but like I said, it sounds very good playing through the amp. This is the first 7 string I tried recording and I even bumped up the low B's string gauge because of the lower tuning.

Does anyone have any experience with this and know what the problem could be?

 

[ParsonsMatt]

What DI box and what interface are you using?

 

[UM1]

What DI box and what interface are you using?

RedEye and Firepod.

 

[Robert W]

I had a similar experience using an Agile 828.

I found that I had to do a lot of knob twisting and EQ'ing to get it to sound good. That and changing my strings to a very light gauge Elixir Nanoweb.

Are you using stock pickups still? If so, might want to consider replacing them w/ something else. I have a BKP Warpig in a cheap Schecter 7 string, and it sounds really good.

 

[UM1]

I had a similar experience using an Agile 828.

I found that I had to do a lot of knob twisting and EQ'ing to get it to sound good. That and changing my strings to a very light gauge Elixir Nanoweb.

Are you using stock pickups still? If so, might want to consider replacing them w/ something else. I have a BKP Warpig in a cheap Schecter 7 string, and it sounds really good.

The thing is, I shouldn't have to do a lot of "knob twisting and EQ'ing" playing back a D.I. track.

The pickups are S.D. JB/59 (7 string version) in a Schecter C7. I have other guitars that are 6 strings with these pickups and there is no problem when playing back a D.I. I recorded with them. Even ones recorded in drop or lower tunings. There must be something in the way the low A string is being recorded that is throwing off the D.I. playback. I did a short test only playing on the higher 6 strings of the C7 and it played back fine.

I'm going to have to try recording a test with the guitar tuned to B standard and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Robert W]

Maybe try a lighter gauge B string then.

 

[aortizjr]

RedEye and Firepod.

The RedEye is a passive DI box and you are using passive pickups. So they aren't seeing the right impedance. Sometimes with 6-strings you can't tell as much, but for the low-B's and A's those extra highs from the proper load tighten up the low end.

Now there is something cool with the RedEye where you can cascade them, so if you cascade it to the 1M input on the Firepod, that will get you there. But you will have to read the manual.

Personally I think you are better off with an active DI with 1MOhm impedance or higher. Or try plugging in a Boss pedal bypassed (like an EQ or tuner) since they will have a 1MOhm impedance and then drive the lower impedance that the RedEye will show with a typical mic pre.

 

[UM1]

I tried a few tests and what worked was lowering the input level of the D.I. track when recording it. Now it plays back like it should.