Recording guitars are a crucial part of how the sound of the album will come together in the studio recording. As guitars are natural sound elements they need to be recorded correctly. Many of the sounds on modern music and pop music are more driven by electronic synthesized sounds and tones which are recorded directly to the recording equipment.
With guitars and other natural instruments, the recording process can be difficult in getting a great tone and sound onto the recording.
Firstly, to get a great recording sound from a guitar, a Cardioid Dynamic Microphone needs to be used. Using many effects on an electric guitar makes it easier to record directly into the recording equipment in DI style.
Using a Dynamic microphone can help in getting a good clear tone on the guitar. The microphone can be put in place in front of the guitar amplifier or if it is an acoustic guitar, it could also be positioned in front of the instrument.
Dynamic microphones are less sensitive to high frequencies. With an electric guitar you do not need to be able to capture high frequencies.
Getting the right tone for each song, riff or solo is a crucial part of having an album that sounds stable and consistent in tone. To start this off, record a guitar tone that doesn’t need much equalization in the mix phase later on. The bass on the equalizer can be set down a notch as guitars do not need a lot of low ends.
The great thing about recording guitar in a studio is that the amp size and wattage do not matter. Even Jimmy Page, one of the most famous guitarists of all time, used a very small amplifier in the studio. Get your tone and microphone position right and you should get a good quality recording sound.
