Recording setup tips

[Maddnotez]

Starting from scratch, what would you recommend for some must have in a home recording situation?

I have previously tried recording. I have done direct, amp sims, miked guitar and while I do actually have good ears I just cannot for the life of me get a good sound.

I have watched countless videos of guys saying hey, here is my mix direct into my $200 scarlett interface with zero post production and it sounds incredible yet mine sounds like shit.

What am I missing?

[Devin]

At least for me personally if I record guitar DI I often won't really like the guitar sound by itself; it's not until all the elements of the full mix are there that I can actually judge it for real. YMMV


Especially don't underestimate how important an awesome bass tone is to have an awesome guitar tone

[Marc G]

What's your scope for the recording set up?? Do you just want to record your guitar/bass and vocals or do you want to be able to record an entire live band?

[Steinmetzify]

Decent interface, good sims and IRs, if you're going to use an amp get a loadbox. I use the Suhr RLIR, but anything would work, ask in the main forum and you'll get a bunch of responses; pick and choose for your needs.

The IRs are a big part of the tones you're going to want.....lately York Audio is doing really good shit. They have a Mesa 2x12 cab pack that costs a buck, and it's great. I didn't really think IRs were a continuing tech, but these are next level shit.

Like Dev said above, bass tones are a huge part of a great guitar sound in recordings.

[Maddnotez]

Well, for mandatory purposes I only need a DI and an interface.

I will be recording tracks and sending to a drummer friend and a singer friend. Then with DI I can pay someone to splooge all over it/reamp and make it sound good.

Ultimately I'd like to be able to do it myself but personally I will only be doing strings. If I did have my own drum tracks they would be digital.

[Maddnotez]

I've done quite a bit of research and I know the basic HPF/LPF, drum bussing and things like that.

But like I said, I watch videos on YT, people claim NO Processing and get good results.

I plug in to the same shit and do the same thing and sound lame. I just dont know what I'm doing wrong.

[Maddnotez]

Here is a couple of examples of the last thing I recorded on my own. Even used ozone presets on one. It's been years and I had since given up but with a project in the works I am interested.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/ASLeR

https://soundcloud.com/maddnotez/master116-eqdip

[Marc G]

if you just want to record guitar then all you really need is a decent interface with an instrument input (which most have these days, so no real need for a DI unless you want to reamp) and some Amp Modelling software... if these are just for song writing and demo purposes those tones would more than do the job.... if you don't want to use software then a good loadbox and some IRs can go a long way.

Next I'd recommend a really decent set of Monitors, if you're room is small and you don't have the space to get the back of your desk at least a couple feet from a wall I'd say go for a pair of monitors that are front ported. I have a set of JBLs and they are great but rear ported so I had to rearrange my desk, the Kali LP6 are in the same price range and front ported, those are what I wanted but were sold out at the time when I was ready to buy.

[Maddnotez]

if you just want to record guitar then all you really need is a decent interface with an instrument input (which most have these days, so no real need for a DI unless you want to reamp) and some Amp Modelling software... if these are just for song writing and demo purposes those tones would more than do the job.... if you don't want to use software then a good loadbox and some IRs can go a long way.

Next I'd recommend a really decent set of Monitors, if you're room is small and you don't have the space to get the back of your desk at least a couple feet from a wall I'd say go for a pair of monitors that are front ported. I have a set of JBLs and they are great but rear ported so I had to rearrange my desk, the Kali LP6 are in the same price range and front ported, those are what I wanted but were sold out at the time when I was ready to buy.

Well I plan to get the DI for reamps as we will want to release the music and I know I cant get the sound I want.

But yes I do have super cheap and crappy monitors. I guess I'd need to go all out with room treatment and all that as well if I want to do it right.

[Marc G]

if you just want to record guitar then all you really need is a decent interface with an instrument input (which most have these days, so no real need for a DI unless you want to reamp) and some Amp Modelling software... if these are just for song writing and demo purposes those tones would more than do the job.... if you don't want to use software then a good loadbox and some IRs can go a long way.

Next I'd recommend a really decent set of Monitors, if you're room is small and you don't have the space to get the back of your desk at least a couple feet from a wall I'd say go for a pair of monitors that are front ported. I have a set of JBLs and they are great but rear ported so I had to rearrange my desk, the Kali LP6 are in the same price range and front ported, those are what I wanted but were sold out at the time when I was ready to buy.

Well I plan to get the DI for reamps as we will want to release the music and I know I cant get the sound I want.

But yes I do have super cheap and crappy monitors. I guess I'd need to go all out with room treatment and all that as well if I want to do it right.

If you're going to reamp look in to interfaces that have at minimum a second pair of outputs besides the typical Stereo Left and Right, and there are reamp boxes out there that would will handle all the impedance adjustments for you to make sure the amp thinks it's seeing a guitar signal went sent from one of those line level outputs.


as for sound treating, it can't hurt but unless you plan on mixing and mastering the music yourself I wouldn't say it's necessary to go overboard with it... if yo do plan on doing the mixing and mastering yourself it will be more than worth it....

[Maddnotez]

Ok thanks for the tips.

[PatF]

The IK Multimedia AXE I/O is pretty nice. It has a built in reamp. The DI is pretty cool with variable impedance. They have a sale going on right now with Amplitube Max included for like 350. They also just released a new amp capturing system a few days ago.