ABSTRACT
Guitars and keyboards are musically less important in many rock, pop, and jazz styles unless the instrument is taking a solo, in which case it replaces the lead vocal in terms of focus and importance. They are, to a certain extent, “fillers,” often multi-layered, providing harmonic information and adding textural interest to the groove and foundation provided by the drums and bass. Some guitar and bass amps have “direct outs” or “line outs” built in. These should be checked for noise and quality before use, a good studio DI might sound better. Recording an acoustic guitar in stereo gives a single rhythm guitar track (or a solo track) width, depth, and space. Acoustic guitar pick-ups tend to produce a flat, veiled, artificial “stringy” sound, which has no depth or transparency. Most acoustic instrument simulations, as well as generic synth pads and special effects are best recorded direct rather than through a miked keyboard amp.
