General Music Chat

Back to the volume thing, when I record my Mesa or even play live. There is a switch that routes the signal thru the effects loop which allows me to control the overall volume with the effects loop. I run the master around 5 and the gain around 5 to 8, which without the loop engaged will run termites out of the walls. My Triple Rec has a half power switch and I always run it at half. For rythym tracks I dont use any effects just straight amp.

Using the effects loop to control the output I keep my volume down.

I still have an old Sunn Model T amp and its like the old Marshalls it has to be cranked to sound good. I live out in the country with no neighbors so one day I set a cab outside and miced it up. I played for an hour or so, no recording just playing. A few days later a neighbor said he was driving by and heard me playing. I live 1500 ft off the road, and he had the windows up and stereo going and still heard me. And I wonder why I hear crickets all the time.

Good Luck

Again cranking the amp has to do with the particular valves in the amp. Some valves will not break up or get the best tone until they are cranked. The valves that were put in my Marshall were rated at 4 meaning that they reach saturation at a volume of 4. I know this to be true because once the master volume is turned to 4 the amp only gets louder, the tone or gain doesn't change. The amp past 8 doesn't get any louder or anything. I can't turn the amp up past two at practice because it's just to freaking loud. There is alot to this stuff, it is a science all it's own and it has to do with the physics of how valves work. This is why valve amps are better, and worse then solid state amps.

I read a great book called Practical Recording Techniques by Bruce Bartlett:

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Recordi ... 0240804732

and he covers recording electric guitar. His suggestion like JW's is to use smaller amps, not noisy stage amps for recording. Another thing in the studio you don't "usually" want bleed over so having a cranked wall of 100 watt amps is probably not the way to go unless your recording the first 3 Van Halen albums over or they have an amp closet.

If you watch Rush's DVD chronicles they show Rush in the studio and Alex Lifeson is using a little combo amp to record Tom Sawyer and Limelight.

Again this is all subjective and depends on what the artist is going for and how they get there so there is no right or wrong answer.

JS,

I listened to your song at home on some good speakers and it sounds a lot better than it did on my laptop at work. Its still alittle highendy sounding but my home setup brought out the bass and kick a lot better. It sounds good cranked up, I guess thats the way music like this is meant to be heard.

John Wilder

John and Wegman; Thank you for both of your responses and help.
I value them alot. I will use your suggestions and see what I find.
I have been spending some time taking engineering classes at a local studio trying to enhance my final product what I write. The instructor there gave me alot of information I was missing. He played bass for the Michael Morales group in the 80's here in San Antonio. They had a couple of hits.

http://www.audio-eng.com/index.html

I hope you both keep in touch because we can share alot of ideas, and you both seem to share the same path. Send me an email if I can help you in any way.


Joe

Joe,

Thanks for the thread. Its good to get back to recording basics sometimes. Another good discusion would be micing drums. I never was good at this so it might be good to talk about it.

John Wilder

PS Got to Jimmy Dangers player and listen to No Matter What, its got a real good guitar sound. Hes got a great wah tone on that song. Check it out.

John and Wegman; Thank you for both of your responses and help.
I value them alot. I will use your suggestions and see what I find.
I have been spending some time taking engineering classes at a local studio trying to enhance my final product what I write. The instructor there gave me alot of information I was missing. He played bass for the Michael Morales group in the 80's here in San Antonio. They had a couple of hits.

http://www.audio-eng.com/index.html

I hope you both keep in touch because we can share alot of ideas, and you both seem to share the same path. Send me an email if I can help you in any way.


Joe

Thanks Joe. That is nice of you to offer. Same goes for you as well. I am always open to discussing this stuff since there is always something to learn or try. I am a novice at best so I have a lot to learn. It sounds like from the course you are taking you will be an expert in short order.

Joe,

Thanks for the thread. Its good to get back to recording basics sometimes. Another good discusion would be micing drums. I never was good at this so it might be good to talk about it.

John Wilder

PS Got to Jimmy Dangers player and listen to No Matter What, its got a real good guitar sound. Hes got a great wah tone on that song. Check it out.

That's funny JW because I have had pretty good luck with live drums. Tell me how your going about it, the mics your using, what troubles your having etc. and depending on the troubles I may be able to help or not.

Hmm... Fascinating sounding piece, it reminds me of something Poison would write, or one of the glam/hair bands of that time. I like how it sounds, I am not sure though how it would go over in my generation's music, that is, if you are planning on trying to get it out there.

Then again if you ask me my generation's music is crap. Lack of solos and/or true guitar playing.

The only thing I was not too fond of in the end man was the bass with the drums, the bass sounds too plain. Maybe a bit of light distortion, or even a light wah would help. It needs something to thicken it up.

All and all, it flows well, the solo at the end is cool, and the drum beats rock. I could never write anything that intricate sounding, so the more credit to you.

Good luck man.

Hi Guitaranatomy. Thank you very much for your comments. A comment before suggested Poison. Though one of the many favorite hair bands of my first days of learning guitar and trying to write, it didn't occur to me that it had that effect until I put this post up. Actually I still would like to see something happen with this song but the times have changed somewhat and maybe or maybe not that would happen. This tune I wished I had pushed harder back then and maybe it would be different. I still enjoy the melody of the harmony guitars, I always enjoyed that in a guitar player. I guess my most favorite which I forgot to put in my profile was Yngvie Malmsteen. I am though still working at home on newer material at home NOW that I can do it at home instead of spending all my money in 16 track tape studio I did at that time for $80 /hr, working for $120 a week.

I agree it always comes up in conversations with fellow musician friends here I talk to that you do not see that much anymore the fantastic lead guitar solos you used to see. Not all of this generations music is crap really though. We had our share also; I guess it will always be that way.
I like the Subfrequency chords you hear now like in Janes Addiction's song True Nature.

Yes, my thoughts are confirmed now on the Bass and Drums break in the middle. I just don't know yet what to do with this part. You are not the first to say this but that is why I wanted other musicians opinion on this forum. I always thought that is was very empty and almost too basic sounding. I am going to try some of your suggestions you all have given me.

As for you not being able to write something that intricate....your profile says you have been playing for 2 years. Don't let that be a negative impact on your learning. If you really want to do this you will. It just takes time and patience and more time!! I remember watching Alex Lifeson playing 2112 here in town and going home and playing the song just with my E and A string. I felt the same as you do now.

Anyway, I appreciate your response and opinions. As I do everybody that has.

I posted another song for you I recorded back in 1984. This song was the first I did in a real studio. This was my first to actually get airplay on a local rock station when I was younger. At the time I thought it rocked but now I do not care too much for it anymore,,,,,and I can not sing that high anymore..lol. I play all instruments and sing all vocals excluding the drums as the previous you heard. I recorded the guitar with a Rockman. that was that Boston sound that came out about that time. I hope you enjoy it.



Good Luck!

Yeah, I try not to let it discourage me. I have come to realize that two years is a short time to be playing and I should not expect of myself to be able to tear up to turf so to speak. But I want to be able to play solos that are fast and be able to play them very smooth, a little legato. Right now I am working on Peter Frampton's "Do you feel like we do" solo, as well as Kirk Hammett's "Orion" solos. Not the hardest solos I have ever seen, but it will take time to memorize them.

In regards to the new piece you just uploaded, it sounds like a hair metal band piece, like a Motley Crew almost, even the solo work. You are a good musician man, keep it up.

My problem is that in my generation the music seems so... Stiff. I want to see songs longer than 4 minutes and I want to see guitarist show their stuff by soloing. By the way, if you can play Yngwie Malmsteen's guitar pieces, you are a master! Lol. Those psychotic sweeps up and down the neck are capable of breaking your hands, along with his blazing speed. Talk about a guitar shredder, between him and Michael Angelo Batio it is scary. They are the perfect example of a true shredder. On the contrary, I do not think speed makes a solo, I think feel does. So if I hear Hammett blast average tempo wah stuff, I do not mind. Just give some feel to your music is all I ask.

On the other topic, your recordings sound pretty good, real recording studios are expensive I imagine. That is money most of us guitarist do not have. I rather just by a Line 6 POD and record into it for now, but I am not looking to go pro so it is different. If you are looking to become another John Petrucci, you need the proper equipment.

Keep writing music man, you got a talent there. Keep writing, I will keep listening. Good luck dude.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

JS,

Sounds like we share a lot of roots. I guess I was part of the metal scene in the early 80s in Memphis. It seemed like ever band I was in had a song with the word rock in it. Anyway that song sounds good to me. Maybe a little dated but I lived thru that era. I wish I still had my old Rockman, those things sounded great at the time. You could plug one in the front end of any amp and get a consistent sound at any volume level. Plus when I was in college in the dorm, I could play thru the headphones. I guess those were the first real preamps that were halfway affordable.

Keep Rockin and Postin

John Wilder