Getting a Good Guitar Tone in the Studio, Part 1: Choosing an Amplifier

October 11, 2016 3 Comments

Getting a good guitar tone in the studio can be a different beast than dialing in your tone in a live setting. While some guitarists use the same amp setup for the studio and stage without issue, some prefer to switch it up and record with different gear.

There are many reasons for this. First, when you're tracking guitar in the studio, you don't always need the same output volume that you use live. If the recording process involves all instruments being tracked individually, most engineers will mic up your amp, hit record, and have you record your guitar along to the recorded rhythm section track. Since you’re not competing for space in a live mix like you are onstage, you can record at a much lower volume.

If you are using a tube amp and going for a classic “cranked tube amp” guitar tone in the studio, turning up your 100 watter to stage volume will likely be overkill. A lower wattage combo like the 16-watt Carvin Audio Vintage16 1x12 combo or an amp with switchable wattage like the Carvin Audio V3M, which can be switched from 50 watts to 22 or 7 watts, will be an ideal selection for a studio amp. There are also numerous studio tools and techniques to crank a tube amp and get that tone without the overall volume being blisteringly loud. A device called an output attenuator can be used to absorb some of the amp’s wattage. In addition, the amplifier can be placed in an isolation cabinet, similar to a vocal booth, to remove excess volume.

While reliability and portability are often a crucial factor in which amp you use live, a studio environment allows you to use amps that you wouldn’t gig or tour with. You can bring numerous amplifiers (even if they’re heavy!) and use them to get a wide variety of tones, which is not quite possible or practical live, aside from using an A/B/Y switch with a two-amplifier setup. The sky is the limit in the studio amp-wise, so feel free to really let loose and experiment.

In the next article, we’ll discuss additional ways you can prepare your instruments for the studio.

3 Responses

Paul Sherman

October 12, 2016

I love low wattage amps, let a Carvin 100 watt amp (xb?) modified to el34 tubes go way too cheap way back when because it was too loud in anything but a large venue, impossibly loud in small recording space.
After it was gone yellow jackets became available, and later still reignmaker attenuating speakers, both of which would have tamed the mighty beast.
Attenuators that where available at the time sucked tone too hard.
Wha.

Mike meng

October 12, 2016

Good advise. Thank you for your columns

Steve Fiorito

October 11, 2016

I bought a V3 Micro a few years ago and love it. I have a Carvin 12" speaker in an isolation cabinet and you cannot hear anything from it. My SM57 runs through my Sound Board into my studio speakers. I get great tone at any volume. I just wish I would have had this amp when I was playing clubs in the 70s. My 130 watt Orange was OK in the big clubs, but was way too much in the smaller venues. The V3 is very versatile and can do pretty much anything.

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in Guitar / Bass Amplifier Info & Education

Tone vs. Portability: Is there a Middle Ground?

October 16, 2018

In the quest for perfect tone, many musicians have found all-tube amplifiers to be an ideal fit. After all, nothing compares to the heft, warmth, and richness of a good tube amp. However, there is one glaring drawback - weight. All those tubes and heavy transformers really add up to take a toll on your back. Spend a few months or even a few weeks moving a heavy tube amp up stairs or squeezing it into the back of a packed van and you’ll likely start to wonder if the tone is worth it, or if a similar tone is available in a more portable package.

FDR60 Direct Box Demo Video

October 10, 2018

Why You Need a Good DI Box

October 10, 2018 2 Comments

When the sound tech needs to connect an instrument-level source (such as a bass guitar or keyboard) to the PA system, they will typically reach for a direct injection box (DI box). At first thought, this might seem counter-intuitive, since most mixers have 1/4" inputs and enough gain to match a wide range of signal levels. So, what are DI boxes, and why are they used?