ABSTRACT
The best guitar sound always starts at the source. The guitar (including bass guitar) must be in good condition, properly aligned and intonated, with all knobs, switches, and cables checked and in working order. Most important, it must be in tune. Lighter strings are not as meaty as thicker strings. Thick strings result in a heavier sound, but can be more difficult to play. Placing a guitar amplifier in a reverberant room, such as a bathroom or kitchen, is great for tight natural reverb, but a better result might come from placing the amplifier outside the space, and aiming it in toward the live space. ‘Virtual amplifiers’ are plug-ins or stand-alone units that have completely changeable parameters and settings to simulate every major guitar amplifier on the market. A dynamic microphone is sturdy enough to take a lot of level without folding, and has a presence peak that can bring out some of the grit on a guitar sound.
