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How to Get a Full Guitar Sound Recording

Recording and mixing is more of an art than a science, as getting the sound you desire is not always a simple formula. If you are recording your guitar and find that it sounds a bit thin, there are a few steps you can try to give the recording a fuller sound. Sometimes, only one technique is needed, while other situations may require multiple techniques to achieve the right sound. Experiment with different methods until you achieve the sound you want.

Things You'll Need

  • Guitar
  • Amplifier
  • Microphones
  • Recording software or hardware
  • Compression hardware or software effect
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Instructions

    • 1

      Connect the amplifier directly to the recorder by using the “Line Out” or “Direct Out” jack when recording. In some cases, this can create a cleaner, fuller sound than recording with a microphone in front of the amplifier.

    • 2

      Place two microphones in front of the amplifier and connect them to the recorder. Place one mic facing the center of the speaker and the other at the edge of the speaker cone. The two mics can sometimes pick up different frequencies and make the guitar sound fuller.

    • 3

      Place one microphone right in front of the amplifier and the other further back so that it captures some of the room sound. Adjust the levels between the two mics and listen to the differences in the sound until you find a sound you like.

    • 4

      Record a guitar track, then create a new track in your hardware or software recorder. Record the same guitar part again, doubling the original. Pan the first track all the way to the left and the second track all the way to the right. Doubling tracks can sometimes create a fuller sound.

    • 5

      Connect the guitar to a hardware compression effect module or add a software compression effect. Set the “Ratio” to “3:1” and the “Threshold” to “-10 dB.” Adjust the settings higher if necessary until you get the sound you want. Compression makes an instrument sound more forward in the mix and can make it seem fuller.

Recording Music

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