ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on optimizing a heavy rhythm guitar sound for a close mic perspective, then adapting the placements themselves to capture this sound most effectively. The diads, triads, and full chords usually involved with rhythm guitar performances make it easier to judge whether certain strings are tuned and played at the correct pitch, especially the thickest/often most problematic string. Along with too much gain, overemphasizing the lows is perhaps the most frequent of all novice errors when trying to gain a heavy guitar sound. As a safety net against misjudging any aspect of the signal chain and/or recording approach, it is essential to simultaneously record direct injection signals for each rhythm guitar performance. Guitar speakers color the amplified sound in a highly nonlinear way. A “dry” rhythm guitar signal is one where the natural ambience of the recording environment has had minimal audible impact on the captured sound.
