guitar amp volume when recording

[vvv]

And don't forget, as implied above, that it can be the feel that you need from high volume, sometimes more than the sound.

[Fletcher]

Whatever it takes to get the right sound for the song is what is done in my world... I really hate walking into a session with anykind of preconceptions about what is "right" or not "right"... all I care about is what serves the music or interferes with the musical statement.

[wiggins]

Depends, also.

Depends on the amp, context, but more importantly the cabinet and speakers.

For example, I've never been able to make a Mesa Rectifier sound anywhere close to good when it's near gig volume. Same with the 5150, which just sounds like shit at any volume. Just for kicks I plugged the Rec into my 400-watt Weber Equipped 4x12, and it just opened up, like it finally had room to breathe. Normal Marshall JCM900 cabs, if you ask me, are the cause of shitty tone far and wide among guitarists - I wish I had known earlier!

Since I record live bands that hardly have the time/patience/money for overdubbing, I almost always have to record at "gig" volume, regardless of shit tone. Most of them don't care. I figure most guitarists are used to their setup and the way it reacts, and I know I would be kinda put off if someone suggested I play through something totally alien to me, so I usually keep out of it unless they ask.

[drumsound]

DO:

Make good tone at the source, choose the "right" tools to capture said tone. Listen to tone in context of song.

DON'T:

Look at the numbers on the amp.

[snuffinthepunk]

in school I did overdubs in a vocal booth...with a marshall half stack. turned up way too loud. the noise we picked up from the amp was disgusting. that was an easy lesson learned. small amps can be good!

[Brett Siler]

Supposedly with a loud amp (50 watts or more) if you turn it up to the approximate volume of a trupet blast you can get a good mix of the power tubes and speaker roundness.

Wiggins, I think I would dissagree with you on the 5150. On more aggressive must (metal, hardcore) I have gotten some good sounds with a 5150.
As for the Marshall cab, I would agree. I use to have one and I though it sounded ok. I ended get a new cab by a company called Avatar, and the difference was night and day. I didn't realize how murky and muddy that Marshall cab was untill switched to the Avatar.

[Silverjet89]

I've found that lower wattage amps cranked tend to sound bigger than high watt amps cranked.
Ted Nugent used a Fender Deluxe on those early records and the first Montrose record was a small Tweed Gibson. Small amps, big sound.

I usually use a Trainwreck Airbrake attenuator on most amps over 30 watts. that way you can crank the amp for the sound but keep the volume reasonable. My AC30 sounds best with the volume dimed but it records better (more punch and dynamics)when I knock about 9 db off with the attenuator than at full volume. It's still fairly loud, though.

I'm guessing that it may have something to do with the amount of travel of the mic diapragm being limited by the higher SPL of a loud amp. Of course, I could be high.

[Devlarz]

I have to say depends as well because there are, as many have already taken the piss out of, so many variables that context is highly important. I find that even choice of strings have an effect! I recently restrung my Fender Highway 1 Telecaster with Fender silver plated XLS light gauge strings and they had a lot more "growl" to them than what I normally use (light gauge bullet tip nickel).

[wiggins]

Wiggins, I think I would dissagree with you on the 5150. On more aggressive must (metal, hardcore) I have gotten some good sounds with a 5150.

Yeah, I think I just hate the 5150 just because EVERYONE in a metal band records with one, and the sound gets really old and boring after the millionth record you hear one on. Its the same with a Rec, and to a very slightly lesser extent, jcm800's.

I'll agree they're great for that mushy modern tone that I can't stand, but I just wish people would explore other, less-crap options.

Can't stand the lack of clean tone, either, but, again, there's no place for that in metal.

The stoner metal thing is nice right now, all the oranges and sunns and matamps and soldanos, but it'll probably be old really soon too.

[Sleepy_poet]

My biggest problem is my room acoustics.
I know you're supposed to monitor at low volumes with poor acoustics, but does the same go for guitar recording?
My situation right now is that I can't really use ambient mics, I get this really "shell" like sound. It doesn't sound very good. I was thinking LOUDER could make it go away, but then I was like...maybe not. Maybe softer would be better?
I'm using a Mesa Boogie F50 (Widebody), which is 50W and has a 12" speaker in it.

[sonic dogg]

Someones loud may be someone elses starting point.

Room acoustics and the effect that really poor acoustics has on guitar sound can be quite dramatic. Too much is always too much no matter what the source or the quality of the chain.

I agree totally about the later Marshal cabs. This is NOT the case however with the older ones.

I'm lucky in the fact that all my guitar players in my various groups are all ToneSluts and willingly spend the dinero for amps that are not only stylish but sound great at any volume.

I have a Gibson Super-GoldTone, 60 watts,2-12, really, this amp is the best recording amp I have ever heard in 30+ years. Doesnt matter what style or amount of gain it is dead quiet at full tilt and louder that a runnaway train. Its also whisper quiet and deadly as a low-volume intimate setting jazz or bluesy kinda thing. Its especially good for that new fashionable Nashvillage setting of the amp on 8 and the Tele/Strat set about half up with the Carl Martin comp engaged.

The real key to quality guitar noise is a quality amp and guitar. So when the wankers come in, its either bring something I dont mind subjecting MY gear to or use something thats here and works great. These would include Bogner Metropolitan, Carr Hammerhead, 67 Vox Cambridge, The Gibson, Fender Blues Jr, 70 Princeton, 65 Bassman through 66 Dallas Arbitter cab, JCM800, Marshall Super Lead 100, a couple of boutique hand builts a 5 watt and a 7 watt, Fender Blues Deville w/yellow jackets installed.....

If they cant get a great noise outta this list they need to go back and start again.

So yeah....it depends.

[lg]

not strictly on topic, as i think everyone here is talking about relative volume in a recording space, but insofar as it may affect tone, what about the notion of diming the amp but adjusting volume on your guitar? i've heard of many players that prefer this technique. i have to say with the amps i own (twin, bandmaster, AC15), this sounds better than a cranked guitar and amp at lower volume. curious what tradeoff there might be in tube longevity...

[lg]

Its especially good for that new fashionable Nashvillage setting of the amp on 8 and the Tele/Strat set about half up with the Carl Martin comp engaged.

i guess that's what you're talking about here, more or less...

[cjogo]

We always split the guitar with a direct and a dual mic setup from their cab + a line out from the pre. So 4 tracks to mix. Our "neighborhood" would hang me from a tree (which one cannot cut in this city) if we even raised the amp to 6. We do have a iso room > where we can mic the cab and then the artist sits in the control room.

Generally all cabs are barely above conversation level. The client usually brings their own "setup" but, the studio standard is a small Crate w/ a Manley pre for the direct. If you require it loud = turn up your headphones.

[bocmaxima]

I alkeep turning it up until ithe sound turns into shit, and then I back it off, so its right at that precipice.