My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
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- Ostinato Rubato
- Crystal Lettucer
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- Location: Fruitville, TX
My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
I'll put clips up of what I mean soon. I don't know enough about recording to get a good recorded sound.
I have a fairly newer model 4 (or maybe 6) track Mackie. I have the M-Audio Audiophile USB which is the external version of their 2419 or whatever that soundcard was. I use an SM57, and I record everything in Reaper. I do virtually nothing in the way of production at the moment. Just straight ahead and dry. Still despite the dryness I would anticipate being able to capture something more lively. I have flat, thin, and sometimes harsh in the high end, recorded tone.. particularly on rhythm riffs. For whatever reason my leads with a little delay coming by way of my DL4 sound pretty good.
Bothers me though. Oh, and cleans sound good. It's my heavy rhythm tone that just plain sucks.
I have a fairly newer model 4 (or maybe 6) track Mackie. I have the M-Audio Audiophile USB which is the external version of their 2419 or whatever that soundcard was. I use an SM57, and I record everything in Reaper. I do virtually nothing in the way of production at the moment. Just straight ahead and dry. Still despite the dryness I would anticipate being able to capture something more lively. I have flat, thin, and sometimes harsh in the high end, recorded tone.. particularly on rhythm riffs. For whatever reason my leads with a little delay coming by way of my DL4 sound pretty good.
Bothers me though. Oh, and cleans sound good. It's my heavy rhythm tone that just plain sucks.
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Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
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- GuitarBilly
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Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
It's all about mic positioning and dialing the amp for recording. One of the most common issues is too much gain , most of the heaviness on recordings is achieved by layering several guitar tracks not by cranking up the gain. I record my heavy rhythms with the gain just a notch or 2 above AC/DC level of gain and quad track the fucking part.
I think we went over some of this stuff last time you were at my home studio, but if you want to, stop by again one of these weekends and bring your gear and I will show you some tricks... these things are a lot easier to show than to write about
I think we went over some of this stuff last time you were at my home studio, but if you want to, stop by again one of these weekends and bring your gear and I will show you some tricks... these things are a lot easier to show than to write about

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'78 Les Paul Pro / '89 SG Special/ '04 Gibson Les Paul Classic 3 pickup / Jackson Star/ Endres Tele / Fernandes Rhoads/ ''74 Hohner MIJ strat/ 2 Partscasters
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'78 Les Paul Pro / '89 SG Special/ '04 Gibson Les Paul Classic 3 pickup / Jackson Star/ Endres Tele / Fernandes Rhoads/ ''74 Hohner MIJ strat/ 2 Partscasters
Amps:
Depends on when you ask. I got tired of constantly updating this section lol
Cabs
Marshall 1960A w V30s/ Seismic 2x12 w Redback and V30.
Questions about the forum: please PM here. Can't access the forum? Need a password reset? Please access our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GuitarGearForumOfficial and message me through it.
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
I would like to add that my recorded guitar tone sucks too...
That's all I have to say about that.
That's all I have to say about that.
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- Ostinato Rubato
- Crystal Lettucer
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Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
Here's a sample of some decent melodic recorded tones and some relatively weak recorded heavy rhythm tones.
http://www.tonefinder.com/index.php?section=user&value=yam%20doodle
And Billy, I'm probably going to need to stop by and get some tips in semi-near future. Recording is on the horizon.
http://www.tonefinder.com/index.php?section=user&value=yam%20doodle
And Billy, I'm probably going to need to stop by and get some tips in semi-near future. Recording is on the horizon.

EBMM Stingray Tobacco and Tort
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
- Ostinato Rubato
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Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
I just tried that quad tracking with the dialed back gain, and things are sounding a lot better now. I was already doing that lowest frequency band cut and highest frequency band cut even though it's not part of a mix. It still helps. On to mic placement. For whatever reason I've had easier time finding spots on other speakers than with this BL80. Interesting cause I love the way it sounds in the room.
EBMM Stingray Tobacco and Tort
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
- Ostinato Rubato
- Crystal Lettucer
- Posts: 35812
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:14 pm
- Location: Fruitville, TX
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
bump, to see if anyone listens and has additional advice. I'll put up another clip after recording per Billy's advice, which after a quick test sounded heads and shoulders above what I was doing.
EBMM Stingray Tobacco and Tort
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
IMO one of the most important parts of great recorded guitar tone is having great recorded bass tone.
Whatnow2012 wrote:try humberck piskup is bettor for metal than singlecpoil for blues
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- GuitarBilly
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Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
The recorded tone is not too bad, I was expecting worse based on your description of it, but yeah lowering the gain and using layers is the way to go. You don't need to quad track if you don't want to, sometimes double tracking is enough. Looking forward to hearing the new clips.
Guitars:
'78 Les Paul Pro / '89 SG Special/ '04 Gibson Les Paul Classic 3 pickup / Jackson Star/ Endres Tele / Fernandes Rhoads/ ''74 Hohner MIJ strat/ 2 Partscasters
Amps:
Depends on when you ask. I got tired of constantly updating this section lol
Cabs
Marshall 1960A w V30s/ Seismic 2x12 w Redback and V30.
Questions about the forum: please PM here. Can't access the forum? Need a password reset? Please access our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GuitarGearForumOfficial and message me through it.
'78 Les Paul Pro / '89 SG Special/ '04 Gibson Les Paul Classic 3 pickup / Jackson Star/ Endres Tele / Fernandes Rhoads/ ''74 Hohner MIJ strat/ 2 Partscasters
Amps:
Depends on when you ask. I got tired of constantly updating this section lol
Cabs
Marshall 1960A w V30s/ Seismic 2x12 w Redback and V30.
Questions about the forum: please PM here. Can't access the forum? Need a password reset? Please access our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GuitarGearForumOfficial and message me through it.
- Ostinato Rubato
- Crystal Lettucer
- Posts: 35812
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:14 pm
- Location: Fruitville, TX
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
thanks Billy.
EBMM Stingray Tobacco and Tort
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
The "491369696879-guitarequeing.mp3" sounds pretty good to me 
As good as just about any other solo'd guitar track I've heard. It's once you start putting that in to the context of a full mix that things start getting difficult.
That tone sounds right, though.

As good as just about any other solo'd guitar track I've heard. It's once you start putting that in to the context of a full mix that things start getting difficult.
That tone sounds right, though.
Whatnow2012 wrote:try humberck piskup is bettor for metal than singlecpoil for blues
Unstrung wrote:ya it am bast
Rampage wrote:When life hands you distortion, fuck everything else.
_________________
Rigs:
Bauer-Burny-Dark Matter-Hamer-Ibanez-Starfield-Warwick
Fryette PowerStation, Peavey 5150 2x12, Peavey VTM60, Starfield VPA-1, Sound City Master Lead 50, VVT Simo-Plex, Taurus THD450
- Ostinato Rubato
- Crystal Lettucer
- Posts: 35812
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:14 pm
- Location: Fruitville, TX
Re: My recorded guitar tone sucks for the most part
thanks Devin. I just expect being able to capture the sound of the amp more as it translates in the room, and it's not happening yet.
EBMM Stingray Tobacco and Tort
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)
Marshall 2555X Jubilee
Marshall 2536 2x12
CS Deja Vibe mkii > SupaTrem Jr. > Xotic Wah > OCD v2.0 > Fulldrive 2 mkii > TB Jailed Pitchblack > (Alter Ego x4)