Recording Overdrive / Distortion

[JayKeeley]

Some trivial questions....

Trying to lay down tracks here on the Zoom, and from a beginners standpoint recording a clean guitar seems a lot less awkward than recording teh metal overdrive!!

Maybe the human ear picks things up differently to a recording device, because I've got some nice distortion effects and they sound great when I'm just playing through my headphones or Marshall stack, but if I record anything it comes out too 'fuzzy' sounding where I'd prefer something more 'rounded'.

The level settings on the recorder/studio seem ok. What am I doing wrong? How do I get to record something so I sound like Michael Akerfelch? (Seriously, I wouldn't mind getting the sounds of Opeth and then perhaps later some Drudkh). Got any tips?

I have a Fender Strat with stacked humbuckers going through a Line 6 Pod and then into my Zoom PS-04 to record the tracks.

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope. These aren't the droids I'm looking for.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

Try Turning Everything To 11 Because Our Amps Go To 11

 

[NAD]

JayK, you should visit Cali to hear my BOSS BASS OVERDRIVE because it's the greatest distortion in all the land. Aside from full blown tube amps cracked to 11 that is.

Seriously.

 

[NAD]

Oh yeah, BOSS BASS O/D + SWR SUBBASS OCTAVER makes for some iLLLLLLLLL shitz.

Send me riffs, mufucker.

 

[NAD]

I have no help for teh o/d recording, try cranking the bass OR treble, remember that distortion sounds best at maximum volume so headphones will not help.

Or the old Weezer trick of minimizing volume to whisper level + INSANE volume overload & gain. I don't expect anyone here to listen to Weezer BUT their first album has some of the greatest recorded distortion ever.

3 posts in a row? I'm a my pals. No, I'm a jewnigger. No no, I'm a cuntspittingchristfuckingmarmotrapingnigger. Jesus.

 

[Erik]

Are you sure you've got cabinet simulation turned on QUESTION MARK!

 

[JayKeeley]

Or the old Weezer trick of minimizing volume to whisper level + INSANE volume overload & gain. I don't expect anyone here to listen to Weezer BUT their first album has some of the greatest recorded distortion ever.

Yeah that makes it a bit tinny though. I have that Weezer album (is it the one with the Buddy Holly song? best. video. ever).

I think playing style really dictates good overdrive recording, although it's an art unto itself. For example, a band like Opeth or whatever will only play the top 2 to 3 strings during the 'metal' parts....and then just look at what fucking Primordial do. Just amazing that they can keep that stuff so 'clear' sounding with max distortion but still 'tremelo-strumming' all six strings.

Re: Line 6 Pod - very overrated in my opinion when it comes to Overdrive. I have the Boss "Metal Distortion" pedal and it's so much better than anything the Pod has. The best distortion I've ever had though is in my Marshall switcher pedal. It wasn't even a pedal -- more like a button.

I'm going to try and record overdrive at a lower level, just because I'm playing against clean/acoustic.

 

[MFJ]

Fender DSP Stage Pro 160 = some of the best amp distortion EVER

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

A lot of recorders will do that. I recomend micing your amp and recording it through that if possible.

 

[JayKeeley]

A lot of recorders will do that. I recomend micing your amp and recording it through that if possible.

Excuse the n00b like question, but does that imply placing a microphone in front of my amp cabinet? If so, how does one prevent from background noise interference?

Do any of you guys soundproof the room with foam etc?

 

[JayKeeley]

Yeah thanks - let me tweak the POD a little. I'm using the default factory settings, and in addition, I'm playing against an acoustic (acting as a foundation song structure if you will). One setting against another might be causing some unwanted variance that just doesn't sound good to my ear. The tones are not comparable yet in other words.

There is also the question of playing style. Let's say I want to tremelo pick across two strings. Do I (a) simply attack the two-string chord and strum furiously? Or, (b) only pick at one string at a time (one for main note, the other for harmony) and then overdub them across two tracks?

I will experiment. Experimentation is the key, and boy does it add time to this process. This difference in playing style will also no doubt dictate the 'cleanliness' of the distorted guitar. For example, (a) is probably a more 'black metal' style, and inherently sounds rather 'fuzzy', and (b) is more of an Opeth/Maiden style, and much 'cleaner' with an emulated dual guitar attack.

For the record, I have been doing (a) just to save on the number of tracks since I only have a 4-track, but I'm going to switch to (b) and give up an entire track.

All in a days work to unleash the fookin' fury!