Riff Of The Week™ - Season 1: Recording Electric Guitar pt1

[Bigredmk23]

How much did your Iso-box cost? can i have a dollar amount?

[riffoftheweek]

@Bigredmk23 - I don't remember.. maybe $200.

[awesomename28]

How do you lift the cabinet of the ground?

[riffoftheweek]

@awesomename28 - this one has rubber feet that is fine for decoupling.

[KobeeLinkin]

ehi!! you you play with steve vai.... cool!!!

[jujucaster64]

Thanks sir!

I'm about to build my isolation box!!

[Radicz0r]

Well dave, i gotta say

without a hat on you seem like a stranger with a familiar face

[NINJAKITTEN1994]

Is it possible to do the old school method using just a stack, a microphone and a pc?

[mwhite011]

i can just plug a mic straight into the mic port on my laptop and record it using audacity it may not be great, but audacity is free and a mic is like £10

[Fluffie14]

thanks this helped. i was looking all over youtube on what i need. nobody did this cept you everyone just said ok im going to do this and this there you go :P

[DanielDavisMusic]

Yo Dave, hopefully you see this as it's an older video and I'm sure you get comment barrages. I watched this classic vid again after a recording conversation I had today and was hoping for a professional opinion. I've gotten my feet wet with micing a small tube combo but unfortunately I'm moving into an apartment where noise is an issue and iso boxes/treatment is impossible/improbable. Though it isn't your thing, what would you reccommend for someone forced to do the software/hardware route?

[riffoftheweek]

Fractal Audio Axe FX run direct.

[DanielDavisMusic]

Thank you so much. I know what I'm investing in next!

[nathanguitarguru]

Hi Dave, with the isolation box, how much sound is dampened, would you be able to have a conversation about a meter beside the box whilst having a cranked amp? also don't you get any signal loss from having a long head to cab cable?

[riffoftheweek]

1. Yes

2. No - my amp is only about 15 ft from the cab.

[nathanguitarguru]

thanks Dave!!

[FlamingCuntLips]

kool setup... but whats underneath the amp ?

is it spare plywood or am I right to think that just transfer of the unwanted frequencies through just the same ?

[riffoftheweek]

nothing is under the cab except the rubber feet that it sits on... which are fine for decoupling.

[dotslashsatan]

do you have any videos/tutorials for intonation tuning?

[BREAKthe5ILENCEx]

Hey Dave, love your channel. I have a question. I'm a young guitar player and I just bought software. Now I've been looking for an interface as well as mics for recording. I was wondering what kind of mic I should use for recording guitar. I'll be recording acoustic stuff as well as electric with distion. What would you recommend doing? ( I also don't really have a big amount of money. ) Thanks for you help.

[johnaiton]

The shure sm-57 is a great all round mic to record.

Dave also made a long video all about the different types and models of mic's for recording guitar, worth searching for

[LupaShiva]

Hello Dave ty for the video its very helpfull, but i have a problem, i have a Behringer C-1 mic and a small amp, when i record distortion guitars its sound poor and with noises, but only happens with distortion guitars,plz help me =(

Thank you

[DeanMLFlame]

try a dynamic mic...your large diaphram condensor is being over powered and those are mainly used for vocals or overhead/room mics. Try a Behringer XM8000. it should make a big difference

[riffoftheweek]

Try the GLS Audio ES-57 for $29.99. It's basically a Shure SM57 but better.

[Chrisfallen]

Nice jim jams.

[FallenPrey]

I just wanted to say it's good stuff that you're showing us. There's a lot most of us don't know about. Thanks.

[qqryq90]

hi! i don't have much idea of recording, so i'll ask u something. Could you give me some examples of models of mics, preamps and converters i should buy? i wanna record the "oldschool" way

[riffoftheweek]

Start with a Shure SM57 for your mic. As for pres and converters.. so many good choices.  I have Avalon pres and Apogee converters. But read up on gearslutz . com to get an idea for all the other good choices. Or better yet, try some out.

[TriallByFire]

I just put a shure microphone in front of my marshall (and it's a very good micro) and I put the cable of my micro in the pc. I use cool edit pro to record it but I've all the time a lot of bass (also when i turn the bass of) and the sound isn't that good. What program should I use to have a great sound?

[riffoftheweek]

-get a nice mic pre

-get a real daw interface, not your computer's built in sound card.  That will never sound good.

[lemonshank]

what is a daw interface?

[riffoftheweek]

digital audio workstation

[travman102]

just something to throw in as well move the mic around try it out in different places that affects it alot

[Purifiedinfire]

I only see plywood where is the MDF?

[riffoftheweek]

inside layer.

[Purifiedinfire]

That's cool you play in Vai's band and your still on youtube helping people out. Steve Vai played in my instructors band back in his berkely days he's now a musician but teacher a few classes at Art Institute In Vancouver for Audio Engineering :)

His name is David Bernstein although I doubt it will ever come up.

[o0Olivier0o]

and also with the techniques you've shown?

[riffoftheweek]

yep.

[o0Olivier0o]

I have a question..

all the songs that are in your myspace are recorded by you in your studio? they are really nice .

Ty.

[riffoftheweek]

yes

[archangelofguitar]

love the jams

[asrbc1elite]

I have a mixing board, a condenser mic, and a macbook. When I finish recording, I go back to listen to what I played and I always hear my pick hitting the strings. Its annoying. Help me out bro please!

[riffoftheweek]

If you're recording acoustic, you're most likely going to hear the pick attack. Move the mic to the neck and you'll hear it less.

[ollemannen5]

Hi dave!

I have allways thaught about to buy a mic pre

but i haven´t heard any quality sound with a mic pre. i have just heard with no mic pre and i allways want to record my marshall tsl with so good results as possible.

So Please can you make a video when we can hear the difference between no mic pre and with mic pre.??

[riffoftheweek]

You definitely need a mic pre. A good one. Plan on spending around $1000.

[Tylerdrums1092]

Im going to be recording my les paul through a line 6 flextone with a pg57....i really like my guitar tone through this amplifier and no matter what people say i truely feel line 6 hit the nail on the head with the flextone 2's...but neways do you think i can get a good sound with this set up run into a standard alesis mixer then into a computer interface recorded using acid pro?...ive done it before and it sounds good but if you have any suggestions id be grateful

[riffoftheweek]

If it works for you, go with it.

[alexledzepguy]

You never need an EQ, all EQ can really be done by mic placement. Great vid.

[riffoftheweek]

That's the idea.

[sumuglyman]

Dave, I have a Traynor YCV50 all tube and plan on doing this. I have one question, won't the box get kind oh hot due to the tubes?

[riffoftheweek]

It'll get warm, just keep an eye on the heat. Some vents in the iso box would be a good idea if you plan on using a tube combo in it.

[peterpetersbng]

Hey dave i made an isolation box today (after seeing your video ).. Can i record good guitar with this by putting a marshall 15 mg dfx in the box through a vox tone lab which is recorded with shure SM 57( obviously also in the box)...and this is then fed to the E-MU 0202 USB and then recorded to the cubase le .. would this suffice Dave ? i am new to recording and obviously i aint rich like you mate( english humour) be great if you had time to answer thanks john

[riffoftheweek]

Give it a try.

But I'd look into a nice tube amp and a nice mic pre if you want "pro" results.

[peterpetersbng]

the Vox tone lab le is a tube amp effects rack dave.. plus if i put a tube amp in the iso box .. there might be a chance of it over heating and catching fire.... i really appreciate you taking time .. i saw you on Steve Vai at the astoria dvd.. i didnt realise it was you ... what a down to earth guy you are thanks very much and your a great guitar player!

[peterpetersbng]

the isolation box .. brilliant i never thought of that.. very clear video .. cleary explained with  intelligence thanks mate !!!!

[Jinskee]

Thanks man!

[riffoftheweek]

Sure, go for it.

As for buying near you.. try a google search.

[InternetLoveMachine]

Thanks, this helped alot. But where could I but the acoustic foam outside of the internet? and do you think it wouldn't be worth the time/effort to make a box for a half stack?