RECORDING CLEAN GUITAR SOUNDS, or, "why do I hear clipping/distortion?" Tone Secrets #7

[@bofuscrapshaw]

So generous of you to share your knowledge with all of us!!!

[@ArtDonna84]

Pete, you are always a "plethora" of great information. Thanks for the time and energy and passion you put into the videos.

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks!

[@williamjohnson2598]

Literally, I've been chasing this issue for the past couple of days. Ironically I chose to continue my pursuit even after having noticed you had posted a new video. Still new to using load boxes (two notes in my case) and was initially worried that I had done something wrong and fried a tube or worse. So +1 on Pete Thorn for president. Thanks

[@nizzamp]

Peter - THANK YOU. I just bought an SRL and was getting this "clipping" on my Mesa, Friedman and EVH amps even though my interface was only at -12dBFS and the amp was "CLEAN". I never heard this on dirty tones of course. Just two nights ago I finally figured out what was going on and this video just proved I am not insane. =) PT FOR PREZ. Thanks, home sauce.

[@PeteThorn]

+Nathaniel Andrews 🙏👍

[@jatin7361]

The knowledge you give freely to the World is remarkable. I can't get enough of your channel, thank you!

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks so much!

[@TrevorrNourse]

Pete - you are not only an incredible guitarist but an teacher as well. Thank you

[@seanandben]

Really enjoy your videos Pete - always very thorough and informative. It's refreshing when you demo gear that you play simple lines, unlike a lot of guys who demo their playing, and don't demo the gear thoroughly. Keep up the good work and best regards.

[@johnmcantrell]

I would love a video with you running through your MixIR settings and how you blend mics and EQ settings for your sound. I'm always so impressed with how your IR recordings sound and disappointed with mine in comparison. Great video as always!

[@PeteThorn]

Yes I may do that!

[@jfrockon]

I'd have to say there is no one out there that communicate the facts about guitar gear as good as you Pete... Thanks man

[@naskifife]

Thanks so much for speaking to this issue as there's surprisingly very little out there on this subject. Your demonstration makes complete sense, and I'm hearing a difference immediately. Many thanks, Pete!!

[@northof50now]

That was great Pete. It explains a lot. Of course, now I have to get a mic set up and give it a try. FYI, I like the sound of it deep in the room. Thanks

[@jonluick]

I've always been a fan of room mics for guitar amps. It really lets you hear what your amp how you normally hear it. No one ever plays their guitar with their head an inch away from the speakers. But I still like to blend those close mic tones in with the room mics.

[@FreefallRescue]

Amazing demo, so glad I discovered this video. Thank you!

[@jackleyton5504]

Great show as always Pete. I have so many amps that I've lost count from fenders to Bogner to Jim Kelly, Vox, Dr. Z, Marshall and Boogies. My favourite clean tone path is my Stratocaster, into my Vox-30 into my Two Notes Torpedo, into a Distressor. It sparkles like crazy. In order from that is my Dr.Z Galaxie and surprisingly enough my Bogner 101-B. Keep on recording, and thanks for all your great knowledge that you share.

[@musicgearnetwork]

Keep it coming Pete! Lots of good videos as of late!

[@chaisehombre7723]

HI Eric

[@wolfreyet]

Excellent, makes so much sense. Great clean sound at the end there with the UA compressor, can't ask for a better tone than that.

[@orlfane1622]

The off axis sound is very apparent when you have an amp on a tilted stand . When I play standing up and walking around the room it's amazing how the sound of the amp changes depending on your position . There is a sweet spot when you're sitting down on a stool in front of it versus standing up and walking around . The sitting position on the stool mimics a well-placed microphone. This is the best representation of how the amp sounds but when you stand up and start moving around you will hear a variety of different sounds from the amp depending on where you're standing in the room . I recently demoed a wireless system at my local music store . I was playing through a Fender Pro Junior and I walked probably about 30 feet away from the amp just to see how well the wireless system worked and I was amazed at how good the app sounded from that position compared to standing right in front of it . Your position in relation to the amplifier is critical on what you're hearing .

[@djlowtek]

Thanks for the info. Appreciate you sharing your experience with this

[@johngregsonguitar]

Really useful analysis & advice Pete, as ever. Cheers!

[@rocamp56]

Great Video Pete Explains a lot Thanks for showing your tips.I have gotten The Celestion ir download for my Kemper they do make a lot of difference.All your videos are fantastic and full of knowledge Thanks again Have a great day!

[@scottmclennan692]

Very informative. . thanks pete ! Keep on rockin! 😃

[@PeteThorn]

+Scott McLennan thanks!

[@300jet]

Great timing; been experimenting with clean-to-break up tones recently. 🤘(irony noted)

[@nathanielhicks1473]

Excellent demonstration Pete!

[@pellelindbergh7483]

Great job, Pete. "Clinical" is an excellent word to describe the sound you get when trying to record by way of a mic'd guitar amp. The first time I tried it, I was appalled at my sound. LOL

[@andrewt248]

Proves what I've preached for a long time: the speaker is 50% or more of an amp's sound.

[@PeteThorn]

andrewt248 yes I agree!

[@PeteThorn]

Yes I agree!

[@RemoteAbductionArm]

Definitely! Listening to Chapman/Captain comparing the greenback vs the blueback versions of the AC30 was quite an ear opener for me.

[@jimamsden]

Pete, another important concept this video points out is the importance of using EQ and compression after cabinet and IRs to roll of some of the high end brittle tone that results from close micing of a cabinet. What the mic hears is very different than that amp in the room sound. Putting that sound through headphones or a FRFR with a horn that provides wider dispersion will always sound much brighter than the amp in the room.

[@tubo628]

This was blowing my mind about my Orange th30 and I swear I was blaming it all in my shiny new Rockcrusher recording! Thanks a million Pete!

[@tonesofhome69]

OMG.. this is exactly what i was looking for.. i am having this same issue on my Randall RD50.. replaced all the tubes and its still gritty on cleans.. i have good celestion speakers & have used another cab.. still have the grits on cleans.. thanks a lot pete for this awesome unselfish tip.. now tume to get my compressor in front of my amp..

[@middle_pickup]

You're doing the Lord's work, Pete. Thank you!

[@pacificresonance]

Totally true advice Pete, and also very common with people who think their amp sounds "warm" or "smooth" but they're hearing it from a standing position. Of course it sounds warm when you're that far off axis. As engineers, we know "the source in the room is king," but there's a part 2 to that : "the source in the room is king....just make sure you're REALLY listening to what's actually happening." haha

[@PeteThorn]

yes!

[@PedalScience]

I just performed a similar test with my Suhr Reactive Load and DRRI. I was convinced the clipping was coming from the SRL after investigating each part of the chain. The last test I did was recording the line out of the SRL whilst monitoring from the actual amp by using the SRL 'thru' jack to connect back to the DRRI speaker. The weird clipping isn't audible from the amp's speaker, but without an IR, it is present in the DI recording, despite the load not being connected. So unless some part of the SRL signal chain that drops the speaker level signal from the amp to the DI out level is clipping (seems unlikely) then it really is the amp. Great video and thank you.

[@TheDoobiesnatcher]

thanks Pete that explained why when I record guitar it sounds bad. I also googled impulse response didn't know that was a thing until now! Cheers still learning

[@andrus108]

Ever since I bought isolating headphones (Beyerdynamic DT770, in my example), I practice at home by miking the cab, and listening to the sound of my guitar through mic/preamp/whatever else. This way I solve few things:I hear a good representation of what would go on tape anyway, set my gear according to that mic'ed sound instead of the typical off-axis room sound, and if you like to move while playing, you keep your tone constant for your ears. Thanks for your videos!

[@JJ3136]

AWESOME VIDEO LIKE ALWAYS PETE, FULL OF VALUABLE INFORMATION !!!

[@ITheFight]

wow what a great video! Thanks Pete!

[@Erdnase23]

Many thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[@playintheblueswithnatmartin]

Massively late to the party but his is an ace video! Thanks Pete

[@monovision566]

THANKS, PETE! You're the man!

[@racpa5]

Kind of a Mythbusters approach: make a hypothesis and follow the data. But with less explosions.

[@PeteThorn]

Ha! I like that

[@YourWifesBoyfriend]

So Mythbusters invented the scientific method?

[@KaoswareMetal]

nice experiment Pete, that's a very interesting topic

[@dapperdanman1956]

great info Pete thorn.

[@Melvin7727]

This was absolutely brilliant and gave me an insight that I really needed into recording clean guitar. Helped me a lot. Thank you!

[@javiceres]

I think our hearing naturally compresses loud sounds such as those produced by a full band. When recording, compressors reinject that kind of vibe, make things "come alive" in a sense. Of course there´s the possibility of overdoing it... Since most of the time in home studios you can´t afford recording at way high volumes and since the music is going to be heard in a wide variety of systems (including phone speakers) mastering (no pun int.) a compressor is important.

[@CornSw]

Love your videos, man. Really good this one!

[@iambedlam]

SUPER helpful. Many thanks!

[@gordrock]

that's awesome Pete, thanks so much.

[@loutielli]

Great tip on using a compressor. I'm not sure if you've reviewed the Origin Cali76, but it's a good one. I keep mine "always on". Keep these coming Pete...great stuff!

[@Juniormaru]

Fantastic !!! You is the best !!!

[@JTroskaTV]

That Suhr Load Box may be better than the Palmer load box I'm using. The Palmer is a load box with a filtered speaker sim out for recording. The recording results from the speaker sim output are definitely different depending on whether the load box or real speaker is taking the amp's load. Edge-of-breakup sounds are affected most. But that Suhr load box seems to do it perfectly.

[@PeteThorn]

+JTroskaTV the load is a really big factor. Indeed

[@Cheaperthanego]

I bought the Reactive load and AB'd with micing my cabinet. Lots. Couldn't really tell the difference, perhaps a hair less low end from the Suhr, missing the room response? nothing you couldn't EQ in a moment though.

[@andrewt248]

This also proves to me the fact that tubes (especially when pushed) make a signal brighter, not warmer. Transformers (think Neve mic pre) are what make a signal warmer.

[@theoldeuropeguitars]

Interesting video there Pete! I stumbled across it running repeatedly into clipping issues when using the Ox Box live (with the IRs, no cab on stage) and listening to the whole thing through monitors, and especially in-ear monitors. The sound is just raspy and fizzy and it seems way more distorted than just what I hear from the amp + cab - both when playing clean and especially when distortion comes into play. Horrible - but what you say in the video might be a part to solve this. Backing down the gain on all gain stages might do the trick and that's what I am trying next.

[@artysanmobile]

I feel the 1176 setting you used was quite subtle. Even more aggressive limiting often goes very well with clean guitar parts. Typically 5-10 db of gain reduction, and corresponding makeup gain, with medium slow attack and fast release seems to suit clean guitar parts well. This applies for real 1176s or plugins.

[@andrewbettis4247]

very cool thanks

[@yantaran4757]

Dude, you're awesome!

[@lpjbird]

Thanks brother.

[@MrAletube]

speaker also starts distorting way before the nominal power handling, it adds to the final sound.

[@PeteThorn]

+MrAletube that is a factor that cannot be replicated with IR's, it's worthy to note. But if you're playing rather clean anyway, you're probably not pushing the speaker that hard.

[@erickacosta3351]

Thanks man I had this problem on studio last friday!

[@edgararias6601]

Thanks for Video. I don't use IR but, happens to me all the time when miking the amp, sounds clean to my ear in the room, but the mic picks up more drive than I thought there was; reason why it's good to have a room mic to blend in if you can.

[@bigg4454]

I guess it really depends on the "type" of clean one is after. I'd have to use a Fender type sound for the clean I'm accustomed to. Clean isn't necessarily the same with everybody, but in that case, that (pre-amp adjust & compression) would be the path I'd follow too.

[@onitvideoproductioncharles9102]

I love Pete's videos but to me there is nothing clean about this guitar tone.

[@krispatel1]

That clip without the IR reminds me of the jhs desk console pedal

[@danielroberts9579]

Awesome!!

[@hachewie]

The room mic sounds great in the first take.

[@crazkurtz]

I know this is older video but how do you get rid of the terrible clipping drive in behind the overdrive. It’s almost like digital artifacts at the end of a sound. It’s not smooth. I have a Traynor ycv50b and I hear that noise on my “hotter” guitars.

[@MiguelMorenoGP]

You could have shown how a breaking up amp sounds clean in a mix, but I'm picky :) Great video!

[@Funkfreed]

I am using an ampless rig I have my JOYO american sound with cab emulation go into my presonus eris 3.5. When I heard him say 5k I immediately checked the specs of my speakers and realize they go up to 20khz is it possible that that's what I'm hearing? I hear that nasty clipping sound when I change my settings.

[@TheDaithiBan]

Very helpful video Pete, thanks. Slightly off subject here but I would like to know what you make of the BadCat Unleash v2 attenuator/re-amplifier, and how it might be used in a similar situation.Ive just got one for live use but interested to know how you might go about using it in the studio? Cheers Dave

[@Rolf_D]

Great Video, can you do a test of the GFI CADZeus Speaker Simulator!?

[@bgrierofficial]

I liked the sound from 7 feet away. Why are more recordings not done this way, vs. having the mic right up against the speaker?

[@ihatehume1]

I've been looking for guidance about this for over a year! Asked IR speaker makers, forums... never confirmed or discussed but I knew I heard the slight fizz of an amp through a loadbox and IRs! Thanks for clarifying and giving a tips on how to help cleaner sounds work. Any thoughts about smoothing out some medium gain tones? Or is that also a potential compressor thing?

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks, glad I could help- smoothing out mid-gain, can come down to the IR you choose (maybe try darker ones?) or eq, or possibly some compression... also, using a compressor in front of amp and lowering the preamp gain on the amp so you get less drive but just as much sustain- it's a balancing act!

[@some_g333]

Hey Pete, you should do a tutorial video on how to record clean guitar tones. There seems to be a ton of vids on distorted tones but not many talking about clean. I'm never sure if you treat them differently to crunch tones when considering mids and mic placement.

[@hamadxjm]

So the answer is basically reduce the preamp gain on the amp. The question is, how to boost the drive signal while using a lpadbox without adding any distortion especially for playing solo?

[@rjmcmooseknuckle]

Love your vids man \m/

[@tim9house]

Hey Pete- what plugin are you using here for the IR... If it's the wall of sound plugin, are you just using a single instance of G12 speaker or are you "linking" it or blending with another one? Would love to know which plugin you prefer. I'm loving the Celestion v30 IRs

[@hailepeep]

Pete is this part of the problem many have with modelers like Axe-FX, etc not having the "amp in the room" feeling? Because most IR's are shot with mics really close to the speaker? I wonder if far field IR's would help in this regard, or mixing in some far field IR into standard close mic'ed IR's.....

[@PeteThorn]

+Brad Ridinger Hi Brad, yes I think you are correct- many folks just love that "amp in a room" sound, and it's not really possible to replicate any other way! It's just physics- the way an amp and cab interact in an acoustic space as opposed to hearing a more "direct" close mic'd version of that sound. It's more clinical and drier! Once you get used to it- it's ok :)

[@MRxr400]

I was thinking similar to you. Mainly, room sound of an amp is often easier to listen to. However, sometimes your amp sounds bad too, due to room it's in. I used to rehearse in a room covered in carpet and I struggled to hear the amp and it sounded bad. There's so much going on with the overall listening experience

[@TheJabernet]

I plug my Strat into my shoebox amp and it sounds like shit. But you gave me some hope for the little guy. Going to run compression on it see what happens. Thanks man,

[@lefty5221]

When recording, do you prefer the typical cabinet room & close mic setup or the load box & IR? I ask because I have a large closet that I am thinking of soundproofing and storing all cabs and heads in another room. Thank!

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

If asked to describe the sound at 3:55, I'd call it "pushed" or "light crunch". Still excellent illustration of what's going on here.

[@ArnoldSchmidt]

Hi Pete, I appreciate the video even though the results are obvious. To me all close mic'ed Guitars sound fizzy. Regardless of clean, crunch or distortion, there is always fizz. I would be curious to know what processing you do after the IR. E.G. what EQ etc. to make the closed mic Guitar tracks sound pleasant like one would hear in room without the fizz. Thanks!

[@Finnvbot]

Also, let's not forget that what matters the most is how it sounds in the mix. Most of the time, the "dirt" in the clean tone disappears when combined with other instruments. Same goes for bass tones: you'd be surprised how filthy some of the famous bass tracks actually are. ;)

[@PeteThorn]

+Finn V. Arthur absolutely true, and yes on bass specifically- many people assume it's guitar when they hear it, but the way that distorted bass guitar blends with guitar, is so cool

[@andrewwong6158]

The load box seems to have a lower frequency distortion that is not present in the second sample.

[@PeteThorn]

+Andrew Wong I don't think so, really. Remember you're hearing a different sound, because it's an impulse response and it's not the exact same sound tonally eq-wise as the microphone on the speaker, so maybe there's more low-end in the signal and less top overall.

[@northof50now]

Pete, off topic, but... John Suhr did an episode of GuitarWank with Scott Henderson in May. Any chance he would do a Tim and Pete show? I know it's been brought up on your channel and FB page. Thanks.

[@PeteThorn]

+northof50now I don't think he really wants to do it. I've asked him so many times, and we've even had it scheduled and then he always cancels on me :( ha. Butt hurt I am...

[@bishlap]

Thanks, "Teach".

[@nicolasrivera5310]

Pete, nice video. But i wanted to say this, i recently did this test, on track had a Badger 18 to a Suhr RL into a Torpedo CAB with a Mesa 2X12 celestion V30 sm57 closed mic IR and another track had a real Mesa 2X12 with same speakers and a real SM57 closed mic´d. The clean sounds sounded almost identical to the point that you could easily lost track witch one was the real speaker. But things didn't go that well when adding a distortion and OD drive pedals, the real speaker reacted more musical and natural to a OD sound but the IR and the SRL didn't sounded as good or felt as good. I haven't contacted John about this, but it was a revealing test for me, could this be an issue with the reactive curve of the RL being of a 4X12?

[@PeteThorn]

+Nicolas Rivera in my experience it's the impulse response you should be looking at. They very like crazy. If you make an impulse response of your exact microphone set up - and I have done this multiple times - you will be shocked at how close it actually sounds. Watch my video on load boxes and impulse responses - I actually do this in the video and you can hear the direct comparison between the real thing and the impulse response I just made. Moral- try a different impulse, from Ownhammer or Celestion

[@PeteThorn]

+Nicolas Rivera or - if you like the sound of your mic'd cabinet- make your own impulse of that set up! Like I say I have done this multiple times and I've actually used mine on the road etc. I have since mainly started using ones from Celestion though

[@nicolasrivera5310]

Thanks, yes that will be my next step on that test. Thanks Pete.

[@JasonSFrank]

Do you have a treble bleed curcuit in any of your guitars if I may ask?

[@warrencantero]

eye opening or should i say ear opening... thanks Pete

[@meadish]

Really interesting. I'm very much a beginner at these things. Does this mean it would be a good idea to use a room mic at ear level (sitting or standing) whenever attempting to record clean or semi-clean guitar sounds - even in a studio setting?

[@PeteThorn]

+Mea Dish you can blend a room mic with close mics, the majority of the tones on records are close mics primarily

[@AudioReplica2023]

type of mic is very important also. Some mics tend to clip the signal easier than others. Make a real good friendship with your guitar center sales guy. LOL

[@Thomonade]

I get the exact same sound at 4:48 when using every type of distortion Plugin or Software. I'm currently using a Lexicon Alpha audio interface and I seriously don't know what is happening to the sound. I have the suspicions that it's a matter of equalization, because the sound is no longer an issue when I use clean plugins. Any idea what could it be? Really useful video btw!

[@whereta3097]

have you figured anything out? my cleans sounds good , but any sort of distortion will make it sound exactly like what youre experiencing at 4:48.

[@diegotobar6839]

RIP Headphone users ;-(

[@EricssonB]

Just started the video, figured I'd read comments while he's rambling through the intro -- thanks for the tip! ::turns volume down prior to explosions::

[@imacmadman22]

Thanks for the info, Pete. Learn something new every time I watch one of your videos. That's a very nice Stratocaster, by the way, is it a '63 or '64 or maybe a 65?

[@PeteThorn]

imacmadman22 thanks- it's a late 64

[@PeteThorn]

Thanks- it's a late 64

[@imacmadman22]

The year I was born, thanks!

[@voxpathfinder15r]

The big take away from this video is the realization that there doesn't exist a room mic that "hears" as well as the human ear does, if there were - nobody would use mics up close to the speaker cone. And that would solve most issues from the get go.

[@Joebd44]

completely agree. doesn't make sense to shove a mic so close to the speaker rather than get a blend of the amp and the room the way you hear it. it will never be as good as our ears but the approach of putting a mic so close the speaker seems doomed from the start. (in context of playing in a room vs a concert setting...that is different).

[@maximiliangutmann]

Hey everybody, I have just bought the Suhr Reactive Load but I am puzzled about the fan and the noise that the device emits. This goes out to other Suhr Reactive Load owner that might to tell me if this crackling noise is normal. Since it is so difficult to explain the phenomenon, I have made a short video. ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqamqGNsZZaWi5I )This is just a guitar into the amp and into the Reactive Load. No sound is coming through any speakers. Just watch the video and turn it up loud and you will hear that rattle that I am talking of. Thanks!

[@PeteThorn]

+Maximilian Gutmann send an email to [e-mail] Which is their customer service, maybe share the video link with them they will help.

[@maximiliangutmann]

Thanks Pete! I could have come up with the idea of contacting Suhr´s customers support myself but I didn`t. Sometimes it just needs Pete Thorn to tell me the simple things. =)

[@peterosipov400]

The amp didn't sound clean in the first clip of a first example. But that's not a problem, I love that kind of cleanish sound and use it extensively :)

[@PeteThorn]

+Peter Osipov well, it's not, it's the exact same settings as when the microphone is up close, and with the IR. But my point is - I was trying to demonstrate that it sort of harder to hear that little bit of drive that is in the sound, when you're standing back from an amplifier and not sticking your ear right up in a speaker. You don't really notice it.

[@peterosipov400]

Pete Thorn and you've perfectly shown your point. I, well, just mentioned that somehow I could hear if a clean sound had a little hair in the room and also on your record. Maybe because I just got used to play on the edge of breakup and used it as my basic sound for a while, so my ears got trained with time. On the other side I experience difficulties with the amounts of gain in high gain situations. And this is funny, because 16-17 years ago I've played in a thrash-death band and had a lot of fun and I still listen to some really heavy stuff sometimes among all the rest. I just don't play it anymore :)

[@robertkortus]

New studio, Pete?

[@manuelvelazquez236]

No disrespect , new to this channel , love your videos! You're a genius! But may I ask what happens to your eye?

[@PeteThorn]

It's just a lazy pos... always has been

[@PeteThorn]

And welcome!

[@javiceres]

Yeah. There's a world of a difference depending on where you are listening to the amp/speaker, so recordings are no different.

[@KevinSolagnier]

I have an Orange CR60 solid state. When I plug my guitar directly into the amp, I can’t raise my guitar volume past 4/5 because it starts to make a clipping noise in the amp? I have no idea what to do. Any ideas? Thank you

[@SYguitar]

我是来听音乐的 ：）

[@ZDALI14]

Who plays clean anyway