Bass Guitar Intonation Problems
March 29th, 2008 | 
Author: 
Recording question concerning amplified guitar…?
Well, in my recordings, everything sounds fine. Harmonica, drums, bass and keyboards all sound great.
But guitar, always sounds a bit off, especially when it comes to adding a little bit of distortion. I’m not exactly sure what to do, because it always sounds fine when just listening to the amp but when we play the track back it sounds a bit off… As if it is slightly out of tune. or as if it has intonation problems.
I’ve tried several different combinations of the following.
American strat and mexican strat and all 5 different pickup selections
Solid state and all tube amp
Dynamic microphone and condenser microphone
And yet the outcome is the same dissonant, slightly off texture of it.
any suggestions?
Hi Bman
You didnt specify your recording software so let me give you other tips. I use Digidesign’s Pro Tools and Reason. As the top poster pointed out Shure Sm57 are very good but you should look into Sennheiser E609 which is very popular at home and in my studios and fantastic for drums. I recommend the AKG 3000B, or go with the Rode NT1 or the AKG C2000B. These work more than just good for any guitar amps. Sm Shure series does not offer anything close to the ones I jsut recommended.
As for mike placement, if you want a louder, more treble-filled sound, place your mike towards the center cone, otherwise, move out towards the center for a warm tone.
What I do often, is use 2 mikes – one close up and one farther back, on different tracks and blend them together. One important factor to remember, when running your amp in a recording situation, record it at the highest volume possible while still achieving your desired “tone”. That is the usual practice recommended.
Get a friend or helper to move the mike as you play. Don’t kid yourself, moving the mike an inch or two can really make a big difference in the sound. Keep moving it until you find the position that yields the best sound.
If you use compression on your guitar tracks, start with a 3:1 ratio at a threshold of -10 dB, and use more compression when you feel the part needs it. Watch the midrange and high-frequency boosts as this gives a harsh, brittle messy sound. LOL
One option, is to cut the bass frequencies to improve the articulation, instead of cranking the midrange and high-end. If you want somewhat warmer tones, try boosting bass frequencies within the 120 Hz to 720 Hz range. If you insist your sound still lacks attack, you might try a boost in the 3.5 kHz to 7.5 kHz range.
One thing to remember. When initially recording your tracks, always print the hottest (loudest) signal possible to the track, but avoid distorting the signal. This will allow you to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal. And, don’t fool around with the EQ too much. You will have a change to play with it once the original tracks are laid.
These pointers, if not already tried, will help you immensely to achieving the tone you are looking for.
Studio Erdo: Part 5 – Tracking guitars, whining about intonation problems and HAND SWEAT [HD 720p]
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