What's the preferred method of recording electric guitars these days?

[Bippo]

Especially in rock music, where guitars play a vital role.
Does bands usually record amps with microphones or go direct to amp sims?
Also, what do you think is an overall better solution for that task?

[vurt]

each guitarist will have their own preference
i know guys who like to feel the air move, 50 watt marshall in a band room.
then others who don't even own an amp any more, use sims either itb or in floor systems like helix.
i prefer the amp (little 15 watt) and mic, but consideration for neighbours as it's a home studio, means i only do that rarely if i need to rock!!!
mostly itb

[Bombadil]

Better overall solution is quality amp sims.
Page did a lot of his stuff on a little bedroom amp. So did I. My best friend had this old 8" tube amp from the 60's, and cranked it gave off a wonderful creamy overdrive. So, you can go a long way with a little in that respect.
Never had the opportunity to record big stax, so can't comment on that. Some people even build boxes to put their amps in to dampen the noise. There's so many ways to do this. Which is one reason why I suggest amp sims.

[donkey tugger]

The horses for the courses - depends on what type of thing you're doing.

Yer purist blues-rocker will advise that amp sims are no good, got to be a tube amp and mic.

If you're an effects monkey going for a more textural approach as I do a lot then I tend to record DI so I'm not tied down to a sound. Sometimes I'll record both my amp and DI so there's more options, and also mic up the electric unplugged as well and mix some of that in!

[Jafo]

Use the best gear you can get, then lust after more gear, which you then use when you can, and lust after even better gear which you can use... there may be a vicious circle in there somewhere.

[BertKoor]

The strategy I use is not listed yet: real tube amp head (Orange OD-120) connected to a Koch LoadBox via the speaker output jack of the amp.

The loadbox in turn has several outputs:
- direct pass-through for a speaker cabinet (as if there's no box inbetween)
- tampered-down speaker cabinet outputs at 40%, 15%, 5%, 2% and 1% so you can crank up the amp to eleven but not bother the neighbours too much and/or play without earplugs
- headphone output for practicing
- XLR DI (mic level) output for recording

The loadbox is totally passive, it can convert 120 watts into heat (power produced by a tube amp must be consumed) so it will work fine without a cabinet as well. The DI output sounds (to me at least) similar (enough for my needs) to a miked cabinet, minus room acoustics.

I also use it at gigs to provide a good signal for FrontOfHouse & monitoring mix without bothering with (bleeding) mikes.

[Unaspected]

Especially in rock music, where guitars play a vital role.
Does bands usually record amps with microphones or go direct to amp sims?
Also, what do you think is an overall better solution for that task?

Most seem to like to play using their amps or rent one for studio recording.

Make sure you also track a DI signal so you can re-amp or run through an emulation later.

[Hermetech Mastering]

For me it's the same as it was since the 80s. Guitar - Valve Amp - Mic - Pre - tape or ADC. Sounds like a rock band.

[CapnLockheed]

That being said, I often split the guitar's output into a DI to record a second squeaky clean track of the same performance which I can then manipulate ITB.

[donkey tugger]

I had a big marshall years ago. It was marvellous, but totally impractical in my house. Plus it took ages to warm up. It's not a f**king 1970s telly for f**ks sake.

[vurt]

I had a big marshall years ago. It was marvellous, but totally impractical in my house. Plus it took ages to warm up. It's not a f**king 1970s telly for f**ks sake.

my orange stack, is still in a rehearsal room in manchester. wouldn't fit in the removal van and haven't been back for it.
couple of mates bands use it, for gigs, so it's in a better place, and i get rental fees

[Hink]

I know tube amps, I got tube amps, I like tube amps

[zerocrossing]

I’m a fan of keeping it simple if I’m recording an actual amp. Close SM57. That’s it. I’ll add room ambiance with a convolution reverb.

That said, the last 15 years of my life I’ve not had access to a studio environment that allowed for that kind of recording, so I turned to a Kemper Amp profiler. I moved to an AxeFX 3 mk2 recently for dual amp capability and more effect options. I really don’t miss my tube amps.

[Hink]

I’m a fan of keeping it simple if I’m recording an actual amp. Close SM57. That’s it. I’ll add room ambiance with a convolution reverb.

That said, the last 15 years of my life I’ve not had access to a studio environment that allowed for that kind of recording, so I turned to a Kemper Amp profiler. I moved to an AxeFX 3 mk2 recently for dual amp capability and more effect options. I really don’t miss my tube amps.

actually I agree but I'll add to it, the SM-57 is of course the go to for miking amps, but the Senn e906 is far better. There is one thing better though, both, but if I had to choose one it would be the 906. I still use the iso cab even though I can mik up a cab anytime of the day or night here at any volume, my mudroom is a kitty room/miking room but it has yet to be used as a miking room (would make a good vocal room and drum room). E906 and an SM57 is an awesome combo for me...I'll stick with my tube amps, they will last me the rest of my life...I haven't even bought tube since I built my rig, as you know I got plenty of options




1/2 the amps not shown, the Egnater Rebel (out of view), The Mesa Boogie SOB (on my 4x12 in the mud room) and my original Frenzel (a friend is borrowing it). That's pretty much my rig now and of course those three work together in a modular way I can use any pre with any power section (all tube), remember the Frenzel to the left is the single ended one and can use any octal based power tube, of which I have a nice stock (plus yellow jackets for el84s) and again still sounds as good as as it did the day I put it together

[Uncle E]

The engineers I know are still miking amps. I can get good direct in tones by combining tube pedals or preamps with amp plugins but a real mic on a cab always sounds great with a lot less effort.