Have any of you mic'd a small, practice amp for recording? I was thinking along the lines of a Peavey Microbass or similar? It seems like I've read somewhere that some have had good results micing these little guys in the studio. Right now I do DI only. I was thinking of adding something like this to blend with the DI signal. Yes? No? Dumb idea?
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How do small amps work for recording?
- Thread starter harlon
- Start date
I generally record direct but have used my Polytone MBIII, SWR LA8 and a tiny Yamaha guitar studio/practice amp from time to time for freaky color. I use either a CAD KBM 412 or the usual SM57 and a condenser for ambient and usually some odd space like a bathtub or shower. I have also recorded feedback outside, which really annoyed the neighbors and dogs.
Yes, good idea!
Many of the most famous recorded guitar tones you're familiar with were tracked through smaller combo amps, though not necessarily really small practice amps.
If you're really happy with your sound through the microbass by all means throw a mic on it and see how it sounds recorded. It's definitely a good idea to track the DI separately to either mix with the amp or at least have as a backup if you aren't happy with the other track.
Many of the most famous recorded guitar tones you're familiar with were tracked through smaller combo amps, though not necessarily really small practice amps.
If you're really happy with your sound through the microbass by all means throw a mic on it and see how it sounds recorded. It's definitely a good idea to track the DI separately to either mix with the amp or at least have as a backup if you aren't happy with the other track.
Best recoded sound I ever got was from a mic'd Ampeg tweed amp I had for practice. The combo was brown with a leather strap on top, weighed about six pounds, and had a 12" speaker. Low wattage. I picked it up at a garage sale for $5.00. It sounded OK for practice but no big deal. But on a whim I bought it to a studio, and the proximity of the mic gave the bass a lot more authority. I wound up with the best recorded bass sound I ever had.
nothing beats the sound of moving air through a mic! Some of the best bass sounds I've ever got were through my Epi Valve Jr head ($99) and an old 112 crap gtr cab. . .
