General eq for guitars.

[megametal7]

Its probably stupid question but Ill ask anyway….

I recored guitars, in room tone sounds good but once I record them using sm57 on 4x12 ifs sounds crap….

I tried eq plug ins ( I use Rwamper and its own built in plug ins.

I can post pic of how its set at the monent.

I know it varies gear to gear to adjust tone but what is the general rule of EQ for guirars?

I tracked 4 tracks using 2 different head and cabs. Dsl100HR into Jcm 4x12 with G12 speakers

And jcm2000 using 1960A 4x12 with T75.

Guitars sounds so muddy….

Any tips?

 

[fretworn]

What are your low cut and high cuts?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

before resorting to EQ, try and adjust the mic position and amp settings until the recorded tone is closer to what you want.

Mic position is very sensitive, so you’ll want to experiment there. Takes a lot of patience and experience to get used to what to expect and how to adjust closer to what you want.

Do not EQ until the mic sounds correct.

Once the mic’d tone is good, you might want to fine tune with EQ, but only to slightly tweak the tone you’ve captured. Maybe it’ll need some small tweaks to work with other instruments.

If you are reliant on EQ to build your tone, it’s never going to sound good. The source is everything

 

[megametal7]

I should have tested tone before tracking how it was recording.

I cant be arsed now to re track guitars.

I usually put it same spot and angle as I have done since I started recording with mic.

The. i went cab sim route and it was much easier but…. I went back to mic recording as I dont have load box to use for amps.

Im going to get one some point.

I know mic’ing cab is an art in it self… some day I get good at it.

 

[megametal7]

What are your low cut and high cuts?

I usually select pre sets from plug in drop down box.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I usually select pre sets from plug in drop down box.

That's not going to get you anywhere with a mic-recorded tone.

Why don't you just post a little snipplet so we could listen what the problem is?

 

[megametal7]

That's not going to get you anywhere with a mic-recorded tone.

Why don't you just post a little snipplet so we could listen what the problem is?

Im doing for YT cover. triple tracked jcm2000 hard R + L and DSL 100HR in C.

I think its not so bad as I think it is.

 

[PLX]

High pass @ 60Hz, Low pass @9kHz, notch out some 700Hz.

Your mileage may vary

 

[Sascha Franck]

Im doing for YT cover. triple tracked jcm2000 hard R + L and DSL 100HR in C.

I think its not so bad as I think it is.

Hm, sorry to say so, but that sounds like quite a big wash. Well, maybe not sorry, maybe that's your intention, but still, there's very little definition in those guitars. Which might as well have to do with the spatial FX used - but then, as said, perhaps it's your intention...

 

[megametal7]

Hm, sorry to say so, but that sounds like quite a big wash. Well, maybe not sorry, maybe that's your intention, but still, there's very little definition in those guitars. Which might as well have to do with the spatial FX used - but then, as said, perhaps it's your intention...

my intention to sound wash ??hmmm....

it is what it is i cant be arsed to re record.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Also check for phase correlation between the mics.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Did your record a DI track of the guitar?

 

[DrewJD82]

Im doing for YT cover. triple tracked jcm2000 hard R + L and DSL 100HR in C.

I think its not so bad as I think it is.

It’s not bad but I’d be willing to bet you can get closer to what you’re going for using less distortion. Once distortion hits a certain point it’s just blanket, doubling tracking it just adds more distortion on top of distortion and you start losing clarity, especially when you’re scooping the mids.

Overall, if you have to EQ guitars, it’s to get them sitting in the mix with everything else better, which usually means cutting off some low end and fidgeting with the top end. It’s one big relationship with the other instruments which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer and why millions of videos about it exist on Youtube and a few thousand books were written about it before YouTube was a thing. The good general rule is cutting off anything below 80Hz on guitars, but depending on how much bass is in the recorded tone, you might need to cut off a lot more.

The more you record the more you’ll start thinking before you even press record, “Is this amp dialed in for this song the best I can get it”, because it’s not so much about how YOU want the amp to sound or how it sounds when you’re playing through it by yourself, but how it’s going to sound with everything else being recorded, but it takes some time to get to that point and you’re never done learning!

 

[megametal7]

It’s not bad but I’d be willing to bet you can get closer to what you’re going for using less distortion. Once distortion hits a certain point it’s just blanket, doubling tracking it just adds more distortion on top of distortion and you start losing clarity, especially when you’re scooping the mids.

Overall, if you have to EQ guitars, it’s to get them sitting in the mix with everything else better, which usually means cutting off some low end and fidgeting with the top end. It’s one big relationship with the other instruments which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer and why millions of videos about it exist on Youtube and a few thousand books were written about it before YouTube was a thing. The good general rule is cutting off anything below 80Hz on guitars, but depending on how much bass is in the recorded tone, you might need to cut off a lot more.

The more you record the more you’ll start thinking before you even press record, “Is this amp dialed in for this song the best I can get it”, because it’s not so much about how YOU want the amp to sound or how it sounds when you’re playing through it by yourself, but how it’s going to sound with everything else being recorded, but it takes some time to get to that point and you’re never done learning!

Cheers bro :)

 

[megametal7]

Did your record a DI track of the guitar?

No, to be honest i done everything quick and thats why it sounds way it dose.

 

[fretworn]

No, to be honest i done everything quick and thats why it sounds way it dose.

So you already have your answer…

 

[Desertdweller]

I recored guitars, in room tone sounds good but once I record them using sm57 on 4x12 ifs sounds crap….

YEP!!! That’s an SM57. They’re super difficult to get just right. Moving even a half inch in one direction or another yields a very different sound. SM57s IMO sound the best very close to the front baffle of the amp and aimed directly where the cap of the speaker meets the cone. Blending a bright SM57 with a darker / fuller ribbon mic really compliments it well.

Then in the mix, you should roll off highs and lows to taste, I personally high pass at about 90 Hz and low pass at 9-11KHz (depending on how it’s fitting in the mix. Some guys low pass as low at 7KHz.

If you’re going to go further into EQ in post, here are some frequencies I’ve found good success working with. Boosting 250 Hz, cutting or compressing at 100 Hz for palm mutes in metal are also good starts. I find controlling the mids at 700Hz - 1 KHz, treble at about 4k and presence at 6-8KHz to be very important. You may also find some ringing at 3-3.2 KHz that you may want to cut. If you want a modern djent sound, giving it a spike at 1.6KHz can be beneficial, but can quickly be too much.

That’s my $.02 anyway.

 

[megametal7]

YEP!!! That’s an SM57. They’re super difficult to get just right. Moving even a half inch in one direction or another yields a very different sound. SM57s IMO sound the best very close to the front baffle of the amp and aimed directly where the cap of the speaker meets the cone. Blending a bright SM57 with a darker / fuller ribbon mic really compliments it well.

Then in the mix, you should roll off highs and lows to taste, I personally high pass at about 90 Hz and low pass at 9-11KHz (depending on how it’s fitting in the mix. Some guys low pass as low at 7KHz.

If you’re going to go further into EQ in post, here are some frequencies I’ve found good success working with. Boosting 250 Hz, cutting or compressing at 100 Hz for palm mutes in metal are also good starts. I find controlling the mids at 700Hz - 1 KHz, treble at about 4k and presence at 6-8KHz to be very important. You may also find some ringing at 3-3.2 KHz that you may want to cut. If you want a modern djent sound, giving it a spike at 1.6KHz can be beneficial, but can quickly be too much.

That’s my $.02 anyway.

Thanks for that. Ill keep that in mind next time im recording…

 

[fretworn]

Man, I just Dynacab’ed for bass across three cabs…

Two ribbons and a condenser.

 

[Bruce]

Recording guitars (the REAL way, using mics and amps) is not for the faint of heart or the impatient! It can take hours if not days to select the right components for a great sound. Speaking of which, do you have the “right” components? That being:
A great sounding amp in the room?
A great sounding guitar that HOLDS TUNING and is WELL INTONATED?
Good sounding mic pres
Good mics, a few choices like dynamics (Beyer 201TG), ribbon (beyer M160, Royer 121), or a good condenser (too many to list)?
A good sounding room not too dry but controlled?
Someone to help move mics while you listen?
A good amount of time for inevitable trial and error?

If you dont have the above, you’d be lucky to get lucky recording anything that isnt at best mildly disappointing. Luckily, there are many solutions today that sidesteps a lot of the grunt work such as IR loaders, load boxes, modelers etc that will get you a much better than mildly disappointing result. I really only mic guitars now for gear demos, usually demos of actual mics. It just isnt worth taking the long way around for me.