The Easiest Way to Record Your Electric Guitar (And Other Beginner Recording Tips) | Reverb

Reverb's 2021 Holiday Gift Guide: bit.ly/3ojmKNW
Treat yourself or find the perfect gift for your favorite music maker. How do you record your electric guitar? We run through audio interfaces, tips on mic'ing your amplifier, direct injection, and finding the right tools for the job. Joe walks you through the basics so you can feel confident when you're recording and get your music seamlessly into the world for us to enjoy.
Read more on Reverb: goo.gl/6cRrLN
Tips on Recording Bass: goo.gl/mLERGp
Tips on Recording Synth: goo.gl/sGFqAp
Tips on Recording Acoustic Guitar: goo.gl/1r81xK
Tips on Recording Podcasts: goo.gl/Rbb23u
Tips on Setting up a PA System: goo.gl/cb4ZwP

[@paniccleo]

"If you think it sounds cool then it does." - The most important thing to remember about sound.

[@allancrow134]

If it sounds good...it sounds good. :)

[@alienvolt7741]

that's always my biggest concern becuase whenIi record demos like this im always worrying if it only sounds good to me or something then idgaf and go on

[@cooliofoolio]

Unless you're in Metallica

[@Ignore14]

@@cooliofoolio good point lol

[@Kahoneki]

666th like

[@fabinhoMANO1]

You should totally create more videos related to these recording topics, it's pretty useful

[@SuperBakersk8er]

Fábio Ricciardi agreed

[@davidholmer6099]

I know more about recording now than I did 8 minutes ago. Thank you!

[@Sergeant_Blain]

2:34 3:03 3:53 here, now you can quickly listen to the different mics ;)

[@shamicentertainment1262]

would have been a bit more helpful if he played the same thing each time

[@LHoriginal]

@@shamicentertainment1262 yeah, definitely

[@briandonaldson612stringgui8]

@@shamicentertainment1262 Agree, the key to comparison is hearing the same thing over and over again.

[@roaddog7542]

Nicely done tutorial that some would turn into a half hour blab fest.

[@xbmpr]

And if you dont have any of this, get a garbage mic and a cassette recorder and make black metal

[@koffieverslaafde627]

xBMPR just use your laptop mic

[@Cheeseboiga]

Now if you want to add vocals, ideally you want to get lost in a forest and scream into a helicopter headset

[@swankdaddy4600]

i read this in frank reynolds voice

[@mikala2088]

lmaoooo

[@18_xiimipa6m.ridwanwirasas2]

*_blast beats intensifies_*

[@IAmKillEveryone]

I highly recommend investing in an ABY pedal. They're about $20, and you can record a DI take and an amp take simultaneously (provided your interface has 2 inputs). The DI take is always good to have for insurance purposes. Sometimes an amp take doesn't sit well in the mix. With a DI track, it can be reamped with different settings as opposed to re-recording the part.

[@PatoGallini]

hi, the signal is the same after it pass over the ABY pedal? the tone is the same? thank you

[@IAmKillEveryone]

@@PatoGalliniThe tone isn't changed by the ABY pedal. It doesn't cut down the volume or quality of the sound. Just make sure the ABY has true bypass!

[@PatoGallini]

@@IAmKillEveryone thank you

[@99deadwolves72]

@Kill Everyone Kinda curious, don't DI boxes have a Thru output for you to send to an amp so you can send a dry and mic'ed signal to the interface?

[@IAmKillEveryone]

@@99deadwolves72 Some DI boxes do, not all of them. If the DI you have already has a thru output, then you're golden.

[@colemadden5147]

This was incredibly helpful. I don't think I've ever seen a video teaching these concepts that was more simple and direct, or had such clarity

[@ThePandaGuitar]

This is amazing man! You really know how to keep it simple and practical. Thank you!

[@GeorgeFrantzis]

This video is amazing. It gives you everything you need to know if you are about to start home studio recording with an electric guitar!

[@amypears9740]

Thank you for making a genuinely ‘beginner’ video. I’ve watched so many videos claiming to discuss ‘recording for beginners’ which were full of jargon and technical details a true beginner wouldn’t have a clue about! I just wanted to know what I’d need to get my bass sounds into a Mac! I’ll worry about how to perfect the sounds later once I can actually get sounds into my Mac! Cheers for the video

[@Mellow_Mike_Sup]

Great video. Explains the basics clearly and to the point. Well done! Looking forward to future videos on recording.

[@xaldyvaldez1026]

The most practical and direct to the point instructional vid. Thanks Reverb ;)

[@walkawaysmike]

Really helpful tutorial. Thank you so much!

[@edadpops1709]

👏 good one Joe. You have a knack for teaching

[@ejcizzer7999]

Thanks to you and reverb for making this, quite helpful. Maybe for the next one, if you would play the same riff at the same settings throughout the various setups, it would allow for a better comparison of approaches. I get the feeling that you tailored each riff to the strengths of each set-up (mic, placement) which is optimal for recording but not so much to get a feel for the sound that each setup can produce. Look forward to the next one.

[@witchfindergeneralelectric8758]

Another option (if you have an aversion to computers) is digital 4, 8 and 16 track recorders. I grew up recording on a cassette 4 track and wanted to recapture how easy that was. Zoom, Fostex and Tascam all make great multi track recorders that work the same way the old cassette ones did. I love my Zoom R8.

[@Ben-nx7yy]

This is probably one of the most important videos regarding music production i have ever watched. Thank you

[@BradyGalloway]

And yet, another great video hosted by Joe! Thanks Joe!

[@tedcannie1877]

What a great video. Simple, clear, has all the basic info I need. Many thanks!

[@zubrismusic]

Beautifully simple video, brother. Thank you for giving me a little more confidence when it comes to exploring recording at home ✌️

[@mustyguitar]

i love this guy, whenever he teaches stuff, i learn.

[@Dylan-nm6vf]

This video cleared up confusion. Been playing a few years and finally want to record. Now I know exactly what I need to record my riffs.

[@davebertoletti]

Your videos are amazing. Great playing as ever!

[@peterpetruzzi]

I love your amp choice here! I’m using an old 60s vibrochamp and been loving the tones! I never thought 5 watts through an 8 inch speaker would get the job done!

[@Igorcoruja85]

Dude thanks for this video, amazing tips!

[@laschfan]

Thank you for this video. It was very helpful.

[@SN-ol5rj]

This guide was great! More like this!

[@darioxricci]

Great video...simple,complete and understandable

[@RivuSouravBanerjeeVideoEditor]

Perfect on point demonstrating...best video on this topic. Very helpful

[@JCREAZ1986]

Straight and to the point. Thank you!

[@gonzaburdiatmonticelli8703]

Very usefull and didactic educational. Focusrite is always a good option for record with quality

[@colour_bloo]

Whoa, the riff played with the mic pointed away from the speaker sounds like an older U2 record! Gives a lot of insight to how some of these older songs might have been recorded. 🤔

[@avjake]

The Edge is a mad scientist of recording techniques.

[@al-mosheytidal6579]

thank you for this! learned alot and straightforward information! thanks alot!

[@VonBluesman]

Appreciate your show. Thank you.

[@Deeeth]

Extremely helpful. Thank you.

[@jeffcarleton1210]

Always a wealth of knowledge, thanks Joe

[@joegeorge1002]

you got it.. thanks for watching

[@firdaus125]

It's amazing how few videos on youtube actually give this kind of information.

[@Stewie_1701]

Man I loved how that ribbon mic sounded.

[@thisjustin77]

very informative. loved this approach

[@dans9456]

I'm curious about how a lot of analog tube-ampers record out there. For you personal favorite amp, what volume do you usually record at to get that best mix of compression and break-up? Do you use an overdrive pedal? Any tips in that area? In your post-processing, do you apply reverb discreetly to your guitar, or to the whole mix? Learning as I go. Thx

[@patricklawrence9784]

Holy smokes.. it's this simple? Thank you so much my good sir Joe!

[@cameronfuller8998]

Fantastic video. Very helpful!!

[@quantEcon24]

Thanks Joe!

[@marcusmegastar]

Very good and clear video. Very much appreciated

[@austinheimark5482]

this is great, thanks so much! would be curious to hear your thoughts on how hearing a recorded guitar (either through a mic or direct input) differs from what the player/audience is hearing? for example, why not mic it at your ear level?

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

This was very helpful. Since I need a mike for voice over work, vocal recordings and amp miking it appears the condenser type mike is the way to go. Ideally, would love to ditch the amps and go hardware solution like Fractal or Kemper but these are expensive. Maybe in the future instead of more expensive amps.

[@forester057]

Thank you! Very helpful!

[@jaguarsunburst1570]

Really Great Video Man.!!🎸

[@lawndart188s]

So informative ! Thanks so much

[@brenlouissurio2404]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@gbigbo_zjebeezjeboo]

Great, clear explanation.

[@AceSaiyanman]

Thanks! Just what I needed!

[@mihir1425]

Very helpful video thanks ❤️

[@arlingtonhynes]

The amp and pedal models that come free with GarageBand ain’t half bad, too. You can get started with an iRig, your iPhone, and a pair of headphones. I’d rather have that old Champ though.

[@colour_bloo]

I actually learned how to use guitar effects with GarageBand on iOS before I even had a peddle! Just plugged my electric into my iPad, and bam - I could play electric guitar!! 😄 Granted some of the really distorted amps sounded like crap, but you could get some really decent clean, delay/reverb-soaked tones out of it.

[@zaviercadorin6244]

What about latency issues?

[@johnfowlertrailrunning]

Really informative! Thanks!

[@kevinhegeman6679]

Love the "Napoleon Dynamite " background music!!

[@3star2nr]

Di is by far the best method for low budget recording. If you want even nicer sound you can get a DI box or a tube mic pre with a hiz. It makes a huge difference. When I bought my pre i never touched my amp again. It's amazing eliminating room effects completely

[@TheGuitarMan71]

Thanks it helped me a lot

[@KASUN_M]

Great video on sound options. If you played the same song through all the changes it would make a bigger impact on sound difference

[@danielbross3448]

As someone who is using a focusrite 2i2 and garageband to record, this video is awesome! lol

[@TylerJMacDonald]

More of these please!

[@YuutaShinjou113]

2i4 upgraded to 4i4. Focusrite is happy to see their audio interface grow up.

[@TheNomios]

Great video, thanks! :)

[@DamianS1893]

Nice tones via Les Paul into the little Fender Amp

[@antwannn111]

Great video! thanks

[@erdenizm.4202]

i have to confess i got surprised when i heard how the last mic position sounds way better than i expect lol:D nice tutorial

[@Grub370]

Cool video thanks!

[@hanten10]

This is the simple video and easy to understand by beginners like me. All the content seems to be perfect but just miss one more thing that I still find and not found yet. Every video that I watched and many forums that I read people never talk bout the amp volume in recording session. This is the very important issue that many people missed to tell. I say because I get stucks in there. I do recording at my home and cant turn the volume too loud and the result is what I get is my sound sucks. I didnt get what I hear from my amp. What I hear from my amp is different with what I get. Some people say that when we do recording we need to set our amp as loud as can. Im sure my problem is with the amp volume not by the microphone angle or distance or audio interface gain problem. Whats your thought?

[@WelcomeToOzzy]

love it, you do you!

[@user-vc5rp7nf8f]

very clear, well made video

[@brunoromiti7708]

reverb, loved the video! even though it's something i've got to learn through searching, it would have been great to see a vid like this a year ago! hahahaha please make more of these beginner techniques and tips, i'm really stuck on the di box and mic preamp thing, should i get them if i have a focusrite interface and how would you do it step by step like u showed here? thanks joe and crew 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@kevinlogan927]

I be had apple and interface. smashed them both

[@CargoShorts7]

It would be awesome to see a video on how to create a synthetic drum track in logic or garage band

[@chrismsantos]

great video man ...

[@donaldblankenship5163]

Very well done sir

[@IronShredder]

FUCCCCCCKKKKK It's so nice to see one of these guides that isn't just clickbait bullshit. Thanks for the good content.

[@mihir1425]

You play guitars very well 💯💯💯💯💯💯🔥

[@gustavoabreu87]

Great video!

[@markdavid6647]

Great Video!

[@AntonioLarosa]

Thanks!

[@TomPark1986]

The ribbon mic sounded really good.

[@Barkeroni]

Never forget...a great guitar player will always sound better on cheap gear, versus a mediocre guitar player on the highest end gear. Im a mediocre guitar player and know this is 100% true

[@avjake]

Fender Champ. What Joe Walsh used to record 'Walk Away'.

[@9beersdeep902]

Very helpful

[@truthfinder4973]

nice and a tip for any if you like to give it more meat in the studio its a di box and a mic pre amp with a tube and. i have also use this with a sm57 to i can get a strong signal with out have to turn up more with the interface and takes out the air hiss noise.. ok its "Art Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp" i just say this case it does 2 things and cheap. have fun rich big sound. ")

[@tarajane5127]

this is great

[@yrdbyrd_bjj]

I'd love to see one recording to a 4 track tape recorder and then transferring to DAW to master.

[@Achase4u]

Joe is the best ever.

[@joegeorge1002]

I'm blushing now :)

[@manu9629]

Very useful

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Very useful thank you. Just got myself reaper.

[@siccens6168]

Thanks for the video. A few questions I have is where in the chain would the pedals be? Before they hit the amp or after, and if you use a DI box where would that be placed in the signal chain? Thanks.

[@dustinheffner3000]

I enjoy your playing style bro😂😍

[@JackFou]

It would really help for comparing the differences in sound character between different microphones and different placements if you wouldn't play a different riff and different style every time...

[@lwpweb]

great demonstration, ... yes i made the same excellent experience recording guitar, bass with my Marshall 5, this beats every computer amp or plugin, and in consequence i do now use a selection of well sorted pedals chain as sends and returns with the daw. The sound is unbeatable, crisp and and and. The sound recorded out of the real amp is living and breathes.

[@420scene]

Do you record through an amp with a mic or do you just go straight into a DI box?

[@lwpweb]

@@420scene Marshall Amp and Mic.

[@kennethochoa7550]

fantastic tut just what the doctor ordered i think i'll sub subscribe b/c i'm sure you have more tips how to use logic

[@Alanb3226]

As a newbie to all this, with direct interface via Focusrite and Guitar Rig which speakers is the sound coming from? This is, where is the output we hear coming from please?

[@timothyreheht6485]

It would be cool if you made a video recording with all mics at the same time in roughly the same position relative to the amp to compare them better.

[@danieloday9279]

I was unusually frightened by the title of this video, as I was expecting what you detailed to counter what I'd already taken up through experimentation. I purchased an M-Audio M-Track 2x2, a Shure SM58, and simply placed the microphone in front of whichever amplifier I was playing out of. It also doubled as the mic I sang into. Once I figured out what levels I liked, I was good to go for dry presentations, although it's taken me ages to figure out the mixing portions. I just can't seem to make my compositions sound complete.

[@fawazazim1571]

Great video. Is there any way to connect the interface to the amp and record that way?