the best way to record DI tracks

[AaronDylan]

hey!

1.

I´m going to record a demo of my band next week! I will be tracking the DI´s!

I did this several times with out any problems trough a di box.

Some engineer buddy told me to compress the incoming Di signals this time!

What do you think? If i should do it can i use a plugin like waves rcomp in the insert track??

Does it make sense to do this??

2

Any other suggestions besides putting on new strings to get the best out of a guitar?

 

[Plankis]

1. No. Do NOT do that. You can't undo stuff like that.
2. Make sure the intonation is perfect and make sure it's always in tune.

 

[FIXXXER]

1. no

2. get good strings, get a proper tension, setup the guitar correctly,
mute "unused" strings (if you track rythm tones, mute the high strings, use a cloth, a tempotaschentuch or a piece of foam)
check the tuning after every take. try to track everything in one session and as fast as possible, this gives you a consistent sound.

cheers
S.

 

[Zozobra]

1. Again, absolutely not

2. What the other guys said, plus make sure you adjust the pre so that the DIs peak no higher than -12 to -14 (or rather -14 to -12) db in your DAW track. This is maintian proper gain staging to prevent the pre adding any additional distortion.

Change strings every 8 hours of playing.

 

[AaronDylan]

aha ok! so i´ll be doing it like i´m allready used to it!

you mean that the peaks should be -12db isn´t that to low??

i usually level them to -5 db and they turned out fine! i always figuerd to quietly recorded Di don´t sound as full as they have to be when hooking a ampsim after recording?? so i don´t get it why - 12db

 

[PaoloJM]

1. No f*cking way. You want the transient information fully intact on the DI for a couple of reasons. A compressor alters this, do not do it.
Compression can be applied to the track later if you really want to.
2. What the other guys said, intonation, new strings and tuning being key.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I honestly don't see the point in ever compressing ANYTHING on the way in. Why, when you can easily just compress it afterwards and not have to worry about screwing the track up right off the bat?

 

[jipchen]

I honestly don't see the point in ever compressing ANYTHING on the way in. Why, when you can easily just compress it afterwards and not have to worry about screwing the track up right off the bat?

Basically +1, but I could see why some people want to track with a compressor on the way in: If the signal is really dynamic and you lower the gain until it doesn't clip, the parts with a very low volume could be a little too quiet.. With a compressor, you can drive the signal harder because the peaks get cut. You could make the signal louder with the makeup gain in the mix, but tracking it louder will probably sound less noisy than adding +24 db of make-up gain.

Still, I never was in such a situation and can't really imagine one.

And on topic: No compressing of guitar DIs on the way in. Why would you do that anyway? Compressing a remaped guitar is one thing but compressing before makes no sense at all, fucks up the signal and you have no possibility of undoing it.