How to Record & Re-Amp Electric Guitars with Matt McQueen
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- Опубліковано 1 лют 2021
- ➡️➡️Check out Matt's UA-cam Channel here: / capsuletocone
➡️➡️Learn more about how Matt McQueen records and re-amps guitars here: producelikeapro.com/blog/how-...
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➡️Avalon U5 DI: imp.i114863.net/2nWYM
➡️Radial X AMP: imp.i114863.net/RJ6a2
➡️Antelope Audio Orion 32 HD: en.antelopeaudio.com/products...
Today, we have the wonderful Matt McQueen with us, and he is going to share with your how he records, edits, and re-amps electric guitars!
So what we’re going to do today is we are going to go through that process and I am going to show you how I set it up, how I connect it all together and how I use it inside of Pro Tools. What I do is once I am in Pro Tools, I actually send the DI channel out of its own separate output on the interface, and that output then comes out line level and hits a re-amping box. This then converts the line level signal into an instrument level signal that the guitar amplifier sees and reacts to the same way it would if a guitar was plugged straight into it.
There are a few benefits to recording guitars this way. The first one is that on your DAW screen you can clearly see the transient information of what the guitar is playing, which is really difficult when you have a guitar part that is either overdriven, or heavily distorted. That information is basically flatlined and it is difficult to edit those kinds of guitars.
The second benefit is that once your edits are done, you can simply unarm the DI track and re-record the guitar with your edits in place, so by the time you get to the end of the song, all of your editing is done for all of your guitar tracks.
A third benefit is your guitar performance is now really tight and with your edits in place, you can go ahead and re-record the guitar, through the amplifier that you were using while the guitarist was making the performance and by the time you get finished tracking the song, all of the editing for all of the guitars is done. That’s really cool because you don’t have to think, did I go back and do that? Do I still need to do that?
The fourth benefit of recording guitars this way is that once your edits are done, you could also stick a pedal in the chain, between the re-amping box and the guitar amplifier. This workflow really helps you to make sure that as you are going, every step of the way through the song, you’re not thinking about fixing something later and it helps you to pay attention better to the details of what is being played by the artist.
So we’re going to jump into Pro Tools, and I’ve got a four-bar chorus riff, and along with the drums and the bass line, and main guitar riff, and I am going to double it with my guitar, to show you how I would go through and edit this and re-amp it if the guitar player were actually here in the studio! This is a really handy way to work really fast and make sure all your editing is done, and all of the guitars are played really tight together.
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Produce Like A Pro is a website which features great tips to help the beginning recordist make incredible sounding home recordings on a budget.
What are your favorite tricks for recording electric guitars?
I use an EH Switch blade and then record my guitar with two amps so i can mix the sound more exact.
Love recording my Takamine electric acoustic, Orange amp with a Line6 DL4 pedal yields fun results.
MY NOT SO SECRET TIP: For recording clean single coil/noisy/vintage guitars: I always keep around some copper cable with a 2 washers soldered on the tips. 1 go's around the jack output of the guitar, and the other one you can stuck between your skin and your belt. That, and clean electricity! If you're gonna track a DI, make sure it sounds healthy!
Because I record electric guitar using my Helix, I always record a di track so I can run it through Helix Native to change the sound if need be. In the box version of this. But this is great stuff to know as well. Who know when I'll have to do it this way because I'm doing this for someone else?
I love splitting them with a active splitter into 2 complete different amps and 4 mic's
One amp will have all the guitar pedals and FX and the other one either a bit crunchy or super clean.
Than Bussing the guitar parts left and right, one channel each - doubling the parts - bam full, rich sound & a lot of fun for the guitar player :)
Really glad you featured, Matt. Really enjoy his channel and glad he’s getting some love here too. Great/helpful vid as well. :)
Thanks for watching Jacob! Glad to see you over here supporting me on Warren's channel too!
Thanks ever so much Jacob!
@@Matt_McQueen thanks ever so much Matt!
Great video Matt! Thanks Warren
Thank you! I really appreciate all the kind words on the video!
Glad you liked it! Thanks ever so much!
@@Matt_McQueen thanks ever so much!
All great tips. The purist in me cries when you time align guitar performances but that’s the world we live in.
I cry when I time-align them too! haha! But as you said, that is the world we live in! Thanks for watching!
Likewise.
JUST PLAY IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME! 🤣
Great information Matt!!
Th was so much! Glad you liked it!
Thanks Six String! You Rock!
@@Matt_McQueen marvellous!
Awesome info Matt !!!! Thank you !!!!!
Thanks for the comment Donnie! How’s the studio life treating ya my friend? Hope you’re well!
Hi Donnie! Glad it was helpful! Thanks ever so much!
Amazing tips!!! Reamping properly is such a important skill, thanks for sharing your tips!
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked the video!
You Rock Ady!!
@@Matt_McQueen marvellous
Thank you for showing one way to record guitar sounds. Definitely appreciate it and very useful info under the right circumstances. Great video!
Thanks for watching! You are right that a video like this has a certain end-user in mind. There is definitely nothing wrong with using a plugin and there are some really great sounding virtual amps out there. I have turned in several projects that I didn't have time to reamp and used a sim.
Thanks ever so much Guitar Knack Shack!
@@Matt_McQueen thanks Matt!
Super useful techniques. Great content as always - thanks.
Thanks so much! I am glad everyone is liking the video.
Thanks ever so much!
@@Matt_McQueen Yes! Wonderful!
Just in time for the theme. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks Serge!
@@Matt_McQueen thanks Matt!
Learning something like this always proves invaluable! Cheers man!
Thanks for watching! Glad you found it helpful!
@@Matt_McQueen You are certainly welcome!
@@RC32Smiths01 You Rock!
@@Matt_McQueen you rock Matt!
@@Producelikeapro You rock man!
Awesome info
Thanks for watching Blake!
Matt, how did you manage the delay (latency) going out and back into Pro Tools?
I have a bit of an unfair advantage in that I am using a Pro Tools HDX rig. First, my sample buffer is set low, 64 samples. My round trip latency is less than 1ms. I also am tracking with no plugins or if I used a plugin I use an AAX DSP version so the processing is handled by the card. This makes it possible to do this setup without ever having to think about latency. You can however do this with Native rigs too. I have had great success with thunderbolt rigs like the apollo. USB-based Native rigs you do have to be aware of the system latency and to be honest, it might not be possible on USB. That said, I have not tested it with a USB interface.
@@Matt_McQueen Yes, I have PT Ultimate/Native (no HDX) and an Apollo rig.
Yes, HD or HDX does help tremendously! Also UAD's latency is VERY low!
Thanks Matt great tips there. I've been recording guitars for quite some time and just haven't got around to re-amping but watching the ease of editing has convinced me! Thanks again..
Yes! It’s well worth it once you see how fast it can make you edit! Glad you like the video!
Thanks ever so much David! You rock!!
Thanks Matt!!
Hi Matt and Warren. Thanks for a great video. I'm an old school guitar player now mixer / producer and still manually do the editing and dragging etc. I've a good few amp heads to use live and I also re-amp DI's, but this routing method hadn't occured to me before so I'll be trying this on my next mix! Keep the great content coming!
Very good information. I am very interested in getting setup like this. I have Studio One, Focusrite 8 Pre USB, a Spider V 120, a MDB-1A Active Direct Box, Sterling Electric guitar. How would I incorporate a compressor into this setup? Would I buy a compressor or use a built in compressor that's in the software, what's your recommendation? And how would I reamp my DI recording?
I just got a radial passive reamp box for guitar reamping, but not sure how to set the volume level correct from the interface through it into my amp. Can I hurt my amp if its too loud?
Do I just go by how it sounds compared to the guitar plugged in? Also do you recommend using any Eqs, or limiters before reamping?
Let's say that you don't have the best amp and rely on an amp simulator - however, you like the sound of actual effects pedals. Could you use a re-amp box to audition your favorite pedals running into your interface and then add the virtual amp sim?
Interesting idea! Matt? Haha
Yes you could, and I’ve done that with success before! Definitely recommend trying it!
@@Matt_McQueen fantastic!!
Fantastic video Matt and Warren
Thanks ever so much! Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you Darlene!
If you’ve been given quite a weak DI track, is there a certain level it needs to be gained up to in order to drive the amp properly? Thanks
Well of course your amp will respond differently if the level of your DI track is lower, just like an amp reacts differently when you turn your guitar volume down
@@allmetaliswelcome Thanks, but that wasn’t the question. I asked if there was an optimum level to increase DI’s gain to so it matches that of a guitar and drives the amp properly.
@@Cod245 With the reamping box I don't have to do that. The signal is being sent out of pro tools line level, and then the transformer in the reamp box changes it to be the same level as it would have been when it was coming out of the guitar. So I do not have to gain up or gain down the guitars to go to the amp. However, I will adjust the level of my DI when I am tracking so that I have a healthy signal. I want to get my peaks at or around -10db just to make sure that I am well above the noise floor of the DI.
@@Matt_McQueen thanks, man! That’s some good info 🎉😎
@@Cod245 I have a reamp box that has a level pot built into it and I use that. What you can do is plug a guitar in and get the idea of the volume that should be coming out and then match that with the adjustment on the reamp box.
Sick Pro-Tools skillz Matt, thanks for sharing the knowledge!
Thanks ever so much William!
Thanks for watching!
Hey Matt. Great technique. I have been using something similar .. which is using a mic preamp with DI to my half-normalled patch bay and multing the preamp output into a re-amp box to the guitar amp. I record both signals like you are doing. With this method I get the extra benefit of a powerful guitar signal to the amp, plus I can put an EQ in there too. In my method I have no latency to the guitar amp at all as the signal has not gone through my DAW. With your method, is there any noticeable latency?
That's a great idea! With my method, there is no latency, or at least not enough to worry about because I am using Pro Tools HDX, and the roundtrip latency at 48khz and 64samples on my buffer is less than 1ms.
How do you deal with the latency of the clean signal going out of protoolls, through the amp and back into the DAW?
I am using a Pro Tools HDX card, which is extremely low, basically negligible. A USB interface probably can't do this unless it's USB 3 or 4, you could do this with a thunderbolt interface, and having your sample buffer set as low as you can in your DAW.
Question: I have an Avalon 737sp, and wondered if it's worth using that as my 'preamp' (for electric guitar) before plugging into my Presonus 1810c audio interface, or just plug electric guitar direct into input 1 or 2 into Presonus interface?
It could be great! I would say try it and compare and if you like the Avalon better, use it! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I'm curious if you ever use this technique to simulate reverb or ensemble space with drums or the 2-buss. Great video!
I have tried that with drums. I made a buss, sent just the shells of the drums to it, and then used a small powered PA mixer and 2 speakers to play the drums in my live room. I then set up some stereo room mics and played the drums through the PA into the mic.
Marvellous idea Travis!
@@Matt_McQueen very cool!
@@Matt_McQueen I can testify that this works great! Have done this with drums recorded in a pretty small room, then re-recorded the shells with a tiny amount of OH piped through a PA in a better room and blended them in the session as room mics.👍🏻
@@Matt_McQueen I ask because apparently this technique was used on SRV's Texas Flood (in tandem with an EMT plate reverb) to give the ensemble a controllable "reverb" of the room they performed in on a fader. Bob Clearmountain also used a similar technique with Roxy Music when mixing, but with the guitar being my main instrument, of course I am curious about how guitar players utilize this technique to add depth.
Superman just in the knick of time. I needed this bub!
Fantastic Andrew!
Thanks for watching, Drew! How are you getting along with that new antelope synergy rig?
@@Matt_McQueen love it bub! Great call
I'm unfamiliar with your interface, but doesn't it have a DI? If so, what's the benefit of using a dedicated DI box? Great video!
No, it doesn't. All of the I/O on the Antelope Orion are line level via d-sub connections. So there are no DI's or preamps. just 64x64 ins and outs.
Matt, thanks for the clear, concise tutorial. Gonna get this going for myself in Logic & see what I can do. And nice Trini Lopez! 👍
Thanks for watching! Glad you dug the Trini! I might have to stop filming with it, recently had a guy try to buy it from me after seeing it in a video! haha!
Hey Matt, thanks for the video ! Good stuff. Question for you, how do you control noise generated by the amp when idle ? When turning on distortion, pedal or with the high gain channel of the amp, sometimes, it is a heck of noise. I use a gate on the recorded track to scoop out the noise, but is it any better way to do this ?
Yes, sometimes that can be bear. For higher gain sounds where it gets noise, I will put the MXR Smart gate as the first pedal in my chain, AFTER the Reamping box.
@@Matt_McQueen Thanks ! I was thinking about using the same approach. The only thing missing with that, is the fact if you are using the distortion channel on the amp, the noise gate pedal is not going to be effective. I was thinking about sending the signal to a track with a gate plugin on it, sending this one to a bus, using a second track for recording with this bus as input. In that way, I can control and only record the "noise free signal", but question is, is there any better method ?
@@johanarens9798Another option is to put the Noise Gate in the FX Loop, it will kill 99 percent of the noise from your guitar AND preamp stage of your amp.
@@Matt_McQueen I never though about that option, this is great and I will use that ! Thank you very much !
@@johanarens9798 Gates like the Fortin Zuul are a good option because they allow you to put the gate in the FX Loop but still key the gate itself off of the DI Guitar Signal. You just need something like a tuner to split the signal.
Can this work with a Marshall JMP1 Rack or a guitar effects rack?
Yes, just going into the JMP1 like you would the amp! Thanks for watching!
Cool video!
Thanks ever so much Danny!
Thanks so much for watching it! Glad you dug it!
I wince a little at Beat Detective being used on guitars. But if Joe Jonas ever comes into the studio to lay down a solo at least I know I'll be able to make it sound good.
Haha! That’s funny! Thanks for watching!
I had sort of set up a way of recording like this a few years back, but didn't really ever grid or quantize with it before. I only ever layered extra things, live. I didn't know what all my digital tools could do and I wasn't using Pro Tools. So, the Re-amping box is the part that is also a new addition in the chain to me. 😊
Fantastic, thanks for watching and commenting!
That,s quite interesting. I’m just wondering if doing it this way you‘d have a bit of d/a delay wouldn’t you?
No, should have explained that in the video. I am using an Avid HDX card in my rig, and the latency is near 0, less that 1ms. So it's neglible.
This is really good for me because I can record DI at night with headphones and not disturb the neighbours, then re-amp with my VOX and guitar effects later. I was not aware of the other benefits Matt shows in this video.
Use it! I love doing this! Hope it works well for you!
💖
Thanks ever so much!
Thank you for the heart my friend!
Hey Warren sorry I missed your messages on slack. I dm”d you back earlier
Ok great! Thanks ever so much for getting back to me!
I liked the video, but I was hoping you’d really get into the weeds on the connections and such. I have a radial DI box and I’m always unhappy with the results.
Whenever I go back out to the amp, it’s never hitting the amp quite right. It’s almost like the volume and tone are rolled off on the guitar. I’ve recorded the guitar DI with a country man, a Daking, ISA one, RNP, and a Sebatron. Always the same result.
But if I increase the output on the radial, or the signal leaving my computer it sounds more distorted, but it a BAD way. The only way I’ve gotten this to kind of work is to use a JHS buffer in line after the Radial Reamp box.
I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong :(
There must be something connected wrong, I am happy to help you troubleshoot. For me it sounds exactly the same going into the amp as it does going through the reamping setup. Let me know how I can assist.
OMG... I've been using pro tools for a while, and I've never used the beat detective... The conform to grid blows my mind
A very good technique, especially for capturing spontaneous performances while double tracking. Once you’ve got two great takes, you don’t have to worry about not having found the desired sound. It leaves room for experimenting with double tracking as in having a rather dry, distorted sound seamlessly intertwined with a chorused, low-gain sound, with tight takes and great stereo balance. Highly recommended.
Great recommendation! Thanks for watching!
I so get this.
But first, why do people want to focus on him quantising the performance a bit? That’s always going to happen, get over it. It’s why he’s sat in that chair and we aren’t.
My main point.
I love how he gets across the relationship between a guitarist and the tone he’s playing through. As long as it’s happening you can capture what you want. Being able to work with an unaffected signal after the recording is done has got to give you so many more options. All the feel and nuance of the performance will be in that clean signal just waiting to be rereleased by some powerful signal chain 😂
I’d love to see an experiment done where some serious controlled feedback is happening and then the clean signal of that taken and played around with. I bet that would sound awesome!
i learned this trick from seth henderson at always be genius studios. good to see the technique is getting out there!
Yes, I learned to do this with Bryan Carlstrom and Dave Jerden around '97-'98, they used it to great affect on Offspring's 'Americana'. It's very common in Rock to be able to get parts tight then re-amp them without hearing the edit point. I don't know who Seth is? Was he making records in the '90s as well then?
No, he actually just started professionally over the past 10-15 years and has become popular in the pop punk scene in the Midwest. His workflow, speed, and results are very incredible!
@@griffinguge1080 great! Makes sense, he's using techniques pioneered in the mid 90's with Pop Punk bands like The Offspring! Thanks for the reply!
Thanks for watching! I need to check out some of Seth's work!
It would be better, in my opinion, to focus these short featured tip videos on the topic itself.
Like, see him record stuff, skip to to after he did his editing voodoo, and go over the reamping stuff.
He didn't actually show any re-amping, he just quickly went over it at the end of the video and showed his gear at the start.
More than half of the play time was watching him edit his 4 bar guitar part.
Now many related questions are asked in the comments, which you have to answer individually.
I don't have a problem if some guys time align everything because they can't be bothered to play it properly.
Just don't present it as a desired way to record, maybe put that into it's own tip video?
Thanks for the otherwise tons of guidance you provide for free!
I enjoy my Lewitt 240 Pro, which I got after you and Glenn Fricker did actual reviews of them.
maybe im the only one who thinks everything being totally on beat sounds tense. i dont mean this like those vintage-loving folks who just want it like the old days. i just i find it really stressful hearing music like this and i'm usually ahead of the beat with my guitars and then sit closer on it with the bass, sometimes a little late and lazy. i'll edit the odd thing that doesn't hang of course, but not every single hit. incidentally i get the same tension when everything is toooo in tune. but obv you like it this way and it's no shade. anyway i came here for reamp help so thanks for that peace x
where is the microphone??? you record with a microphone right ?? re-amping does require a microphone at the end no ? I'm so lost
there's an easier way to do this, without having to buy a reamp interface ... it was just you recording two signals from the amp and d.i. and then when it’s time to edit, group the two together and do the editing based on the d.i transients. this removes the need for the reamp box and will also have less signal loss, as you won't have to route the signal again from daw to the amp.
This is true, but I think what Matt likes is the fact that the performance going into the (re)amp in his way is edited, and could give the impression of a more authentic performance. Since electric guitars are non-linear with mad high gain, if you heard a fade on that track post-amp, you'd subconsciously believe the performance less. That's my two cents anyway!
Also reamping gives you the ability to have the daw play the guitar part while you tweak amp settings.
@@jamiepond "impression of a more authentic performance" jesus christ just play the fucking part and dont edit the shit out of it. you already have an authentic performance. the most you should do is comp. If you lead in your comps, even with high gain, you barely even need a crossfade.
That would be easier, but I like that the edits are done before the signal hits the amp. I also don't have any signal loss or degradation. The signal of the reamp hitting the amp sound identical to the guitar being plugged straight in. Thank you for watching!
@@JayYarbroughMusic Yes, that is one of my favorite benefits of reamping. Thanks for watching!
Why not just get the guitarist to play in time?
I understand the re-amp method...But the whole beat detective thing?? why not just do everything through midi if your looking for perfect guitar tracks on the grid...I feel like this is what is taking the life out of music because you are changing the performance. I could be wrong here but as being somewhat new to recording (in this digital world) I really struggle with this practice. I do love all the tips though!!
Learned more about Beat Detective than re-amping. Not enough detail here.
Oh come on it lasted about 1 minute on the editing lol I know everyone wants to hate. No one is telling you that have to edit, it's merely a demo of what can be done.
Just a little comment. I just don’t get editing to the grid without even thinking. He went straight to the quantizing without even trying to think about the intention of the riff. (Ok, he’d though about it before but the impression that came across was one of automatic quantizing.)
There’s some valuable information here but beginners will focus in on the editing instead of the great performance and sound. I think the lesson fell flat this time.
He's showing you how he uses the DI as an editing tool, how tight you edit is up to you! It's all genre dependant!
@Frank Lee That’s true but my comment was that he presented the automatic quantisation as a go to method. I’m sure that he’d thought it through but in a short video, it was a bit sudden. Not entirely the teacher’s fault!
The reality is that lots of people DO quantize things WITHOUT considering the consequences. And guitar is one of the instruments that is often played in music that shouldn’t be quantised.
Maybe not the teacher’s fault but many people do actually do that kind of thing.
@@LouisLinggandtheBombs yes, indeed. This is just a simple demonstration of how a di can be used for editing purposes, as to how you use it that’s entirely up to the user! Please feel free to check out any of our other videos you’ll see there’s over 1,200 and many of them have live performances and multitracks included. Many thanks, Warren
This all just goes to once again prove that one cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for Piltdown Man.
Ohhh here s the perfect example of why the rock music died.... All these "smoothings" and "edits" just kill the wibe of rock!
Ew quantization
Putting Beat Detective on a guitar track? Doing it to the drums is wrong enough. Ugh smh.
I had high hopes for this video. Good grief.
I just responded to your comment on Roger Manning’s video about how music can be shaped in all kinds of ways! Now, I read this! Haha I have done over 1,200 videos and I showcase all kinds of ways of recording! Wishing you all the best in your musical endeavours!
@@Producelikeapro the missing ingredient...evidently...is you in this case. Apologies for my negative reaction to this video.
@@nolarocks Haha it's ok! Have a marvellous musical time!
@@Producelikeapro I just commented on your "Dopeshow" video which is relevant to the discussion here. Good stuff. Hope it generates discussion with you and/or your audience.
Ugh, just learn to play it properly instead of endlessly editing it.
As a guitarist of over 30 years this frustrates me immensely!!! Go and practice if you want the timing that tight or leave it as the artistic performance it is. Editing to the grid is killing music. As you sampled the drums, you might as well go ahead and use sampled guitar too.
Pointless.
I'm waiting for the software that replaces this guys job and just spits out music...how long till humans are completely eliminated from music altogether?
What has that got to do with this video? LOL