How to mic up a guitar amp

Getting the right tone out of your guitar amp recordings can be a bit of a headache sometimes. Probably the most common microphone used to record guitar amps is the Shure SM 57. Most engineers also like to use more than one mic on guitar amps so they have the ability to blend or choose a different tone. Let me share a few tips I’ve learned over the years to help you get the most out of your amp recordings.

Which ever mic you decide to use for your recording, the biggest impact on your tone is going to be where you decide to place the microphone. If your amp only has one cone, you don’t have to worry too much about choosing which cone sounds the best. If your amp has more than one cone, you have some options. First option is to put a mic on each cone. This can give you choices to blend or single out a particular cone. The second option is to pair some mics together on the same cone and get a blended tone from just one cone. Try out a few combinations until you get the sound you’re after. Please leave any comments if you’d like to discuss further.