miking of guitar amps

[Ichiro]

Every engineers have different ways and use different mics to record a guitar amp. I started this thread so all engineers can share their views on how they do it.

For myself, the most common mics i used are AKGD112 and Shure SM57 and a ADK A51.

Here are some technique i apply on miking a 4x12

D112 bottom cone slightly off axis
Sm57 bottom cone off axis
Sm57 top cone on axis
ADK A51 as distance miking

This is one of the most common way i mic the amps. And of coz different types guitar amps makes lots of different too.

As far as i am concern, this technique works well for me.

Finally, I am open for comments and wish to here and learn from more experience and professional engineer here.

 

[Liquidribs]

Do you do this for open back combos/cabs as well?

 

[unsane]

hmm well personally i find multi-micing like that counterproductive, i usually go with one tediously adjusted mic on the cab and be done with it. usually ends up being a 57.

im sure your SM7 mention was a typo but i've used a SM7 on guitar cab before with good results..too thick in the low mids for quad tracking but would probably work with more sparse arrangements.

i found D112s to work well with fender combos for some strange reason.

is that ADK A51 of yours the "hamburg" model or whatever it was called?

 

[Ichiro]

Do you do this for open back combos/cabs as well?

mainly close back, i do apply this to open backs but sometimes i might move it slightly more off axis, depending on what amps and i am miking and how it sounds....

 

[gutturalpiss]

For smallers amps, say < 50W with just a speaker, just one SM57 directly on-axis to cone gives you optimal sound as the mic fits just nicely in the surface area where the energy is concentrated. A condenser for the back (on-axis and 1-2" distance from back of cone) whether open or closed, polar-negated or not, can also add fullness especially if you like to have centre layering. Another condenser can be used for ambience if the genre demands it, usually off-axis and at least 2-3' away. The farther you go, the less off-axis it should be.

For bigger ones, the game gets tougher as you need to experiment a lot. A 4x12 may benefit from just 2 SM57s, one off-axis top-right, another on-axis just beside that one. A narrow rectangular wooden room to house that amp helps more than you would assume, but $$ is the issue there.

 

[blueprintstudios]

usually one rode NTK , one audix i5. close mic. on axis

i should start playing with 57 from now on..