Lo Fi Tone tricks: Studio & Live

[crankyrayhanky]

Cool trick I thought I'd share, you hear it everywhere in modern music
So I recorded a tune with an intro that is lo fi guitars going into super heavy guitars, and I wanted a big impact during this transition.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9899869

In the studio, I already had my main guitars mic'ed using a ribbon close up on a 4x12

For the intro, I took the mic and brought it out of the room, down the hall and into the laundry room- leaving the doors open. Pointed the mic at the wall, cranked up the mic preamp- and wha-la, success on my first attempt. (A studio friend of mine used to do this with drums to get that JBonham sound- compress with a UA all buttons for that one)

How to pull this off live? I've tried pedals- I think Korn had some lo fi pedal, but that thing sounded awful when I tried it in the store a few years ago...

So I took my PeteJTM and put it in the clean slot (replacing my beloved PeteBlackface)
For cleans, the gain is down around 9 oclock. But for this application, I put the gain up to about 2 oclock, and lowered the bass from 1 oclock down to ZERO. Not only did this nail the tone I needed, it also kept the volume levels even as the lack of bass offset the increase in gain.

Here's a mic that will do all of this for you- something I will have to own one day
http://www.placidaudio.com/the-copperphone/

Use this studio technique on Vocals, Drums, Electrics, Acoustics- when the "real tone kicks in, it sounds like $$$

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I started my first blog using this post

http://crankyrayhanky.blogspot.com/

 

[m0jo]

Good studio technique!
Always be aware of your surroundings and use them!
Anything can be part of your instrument/rig.
I really like that experimental vibe in the studio, the "what if I try this" idea.

But for live: isn't is way handyer to have a switchable EQ? (and maybe some misuse of some other effects)
Then you don't have to sacrifice an amp slot..

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Thanks mojo! I like to try keep the tones as organic as possible, as opposed to layering tons of digital effects. This "go down the hallway and throw a mic up" technique is one of my favorites.

But for live: isn't is way handyer to have a switchable EQ? (and maybe some misuse of some other effects)
Then you don't have to sacrifice an amp slot

I guess that would be an option- at one point I had a Boss GE7 eq, but dumped it, I didn't like how it cluttered up the tone and signal chain on or off. I'm not really losing a slot, I adjust the settings on JTM and get a usable clean, I may also find a spot to use the dirty sound too- but alas, most of the set is Hi Gain

Is there another EQ pedal I should check out?

 

[m0jo]

Thanks mojo! I like to try keep the tones as organic as possible, as opposed to layering tons of digital effects. This "go down the hallway and throw a mic up" technique is one of my favorites.

But for live: isn't is way handyer to have a switchable EQ? (and maybe some misuse of some other effects)
Then you don't have to sacrifice an amp slot

I guess that would be an option- at one point I had a Boss GE7 eq, but dumped it, I didn't like how it cluttered up the tone and signal chain on or off. I'm not really losing a slot, I adjust the settings on JTM and get a usable clean, I may also find a spot to use the dirty sound too- but alas, most of the set is Hi Gain

Is there another EQ pedal I should check out?

It depends.. I was thinking of a 30 band rack EQ.
That would give you way more control and better quality than a GE7.

What is your effects setup actually? Because if you have something like a G-Major, that could do the trick too.
And then maybe add some 10% mixed unmoving phaser or something, I dunno Just throwing out idea's.

What I really want myself is an Alesis DEQ830.. But that's more because my dad had one and I saw the amount of pretty lights :lol:
It is an 8 channel midi controllable EQ. So in terms of flexibility it doesn't get much better.

You could set one channel up before the amp, allowing you to tweak the guitar's volume/boost and for instance run an EQ per guitar.
And have one in the loop for real tone shaping.

This is all hypothetical though, complete overkill for 99% of applications

 

[Daryl]

That's fucking sick Ray!!!
It fills up so much space in the mix and when the more hi-fi stuff kicks in: BLAMM!!! It just smokes.... I really like it a lot. I am going to try something similar as soon as I can. Too much fun...Thanks for the inspiration, bro...

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Thanks D^

Previously, I was using my EVH phaser for the intro.

I suppose I could have put a mic there for the drums too, but didn't think of it until guitar tracking- so the drums are normal. Next time maybe I'll throw that mic up for all tracks and use it right before a chorus...

That swirly swirl sound is an overdub of me attempting a cymbal swell. I couldn't find my cool cotton puff looking sticks (last seen being destroyed by puppy #2) Thus, the swell was eh.....so I threw a wild guitar based effect from Soundblender. I don't even remember which patch, there's hundreds, I kept scrolling till I heard one I liked...like it so much I repeated that swirly swirly a few more times in the tune.....far out!

 

[Mattfig]

Hey Ray....Very nice....That technique is a lost art form...I know Elvis got his reverb from a mic placed down the hall and it's still exquisite sounding to my ears...Interestingly enough, Fats Domino also utilized this technique when recording his piano and some of his recordings sound as good as today's...

Good on you...

That intro might sound cool with a "telephone" filter too...Just a thought...

 

[wakeguitar]

try adding chicken finger picking hehe

 

[crankyrayhanky]

That intro might sound cool with a "telephone" filter too...Just a thought...

I usually use the am radio or bullhorn patch, I'm sure there's a tele in there too.....but how about I get an old telephone- like steal the one my Mom has kept all these years with the rotary dial- and gut that baby and turn it into a mic of some sort? That's the "effects" I love!

 

[crankyrayhanky]

try adding chicken finger picking hehe

I can appreciate when others do it, but for me I would have no idea where to begin- besides, I'm still working on my tapping skillz