Guitar Recording Guide
Miking Electric Guitar Amps
Dynamic Mics
Great for capturing punch and midrange
- Shure SM57 - Industry standard
- Sennheiser MD 421 - Fuller low end
- Beyerdynamic M 160 - Bright, detailed
Ribbon Mics
Smooth high-end and natural tone
- Royer R-121 - Warm, vintage tone
- Beyerdynamic M 160 - Bright, detailed
Mic Placement
On-Axis (0° to 30° off center)
- Brightest tone
- Most presence
- Best for clean tones
Off-Axis (45° to 90° off center)
- Smoother high end
- Less harshness
- Better for high gain
Distance from Grill
- 0-2" - Most aggressive
- 2-6" - Balanced tone
- 6"+ - More room sound
Direct Recording
DI Box Options
- Radial JDI - Passive, transformer-based
- Countryman Type 85 - Active, ultra-clean
- BSS AR-133 - Active, high headroom
Amp Simulators
- Neural DSP - High-end amp modeling
- AmpliTube - Versatile amp collection
- Guitar Rig - Creative effects