GUITARGRABBAG
SOUNDING GOOD EVERYWHERE?
Part of what makes playing electric guitar so
special is that moment of standing in front of
your amp, playing a chord, and just listening to
all the nuance and color that comes out of the
speakers. That isn’t about technical prowess or
ability; it’s simply about letting the sound wash
over your ears in pleasant undulations. But there
can be such a chasm between that moment of
bliss in your basement or bedroom and playing
that same setup on your church’s platform that
weekend! In this column, I’m going to offer some
place more than one mic on a speaker to help
wanted to be able to use tracks, so we pushed
capture more of the picture of the amp, and given
for in-ear monitoring right out of the gate. Which
First, let’s take a look at the physics when it comes
the channels to work with we can appropriate
was great. Except my normally-awesome-
to amps and how we hear them. This is primary,
the same technique for the platform. It can work
sounding amp sounded terrible. Like, really,
first-level stuff here, but a good reminder all the
with two of the same mics, but two different mics
really bad. Since we didn’t have the resources or
same. When you’re standing in front of your amp,
works especially well. Placing a Shure SM57
space, we couldn’t build isolation cabinets, so I
you are hearing a complete picture of the amp;
and a Sennheiser e609 on the same speaker
decided to try a both/and approach. I knew my
the sum of the speaker, from the center of the
will give you two different characters to mix and
Line 6 HD500 would sound good in the ears, but
cone all the way out to the edge, resonance from
match. Play with the balance between the two
when I had tried using only that, the feedback I
the cabinet, plus reflections from the room you’re
to come up with something you like. If you’re
got from attendees was that they couldn’t hear
in. When you put a mic in front of it, and especially
fortunate enough to be using a digital console
my guitar. (As the guitarist in a 3-piece band, that
when you pipe that into in-ear monitors, that mic
for mixing monitors, you may have the option of
was a pretty big deal!) So I found a way to split
is hearing a very select, fairly isolated 1-inch
putting delay on a channel. In a stereo monitoring
my output from the pedalboard and ran both my
square of the speaker. So, that single mic will
setup, with the main mic panned center and the
amp at a comfortable level and the HD500. In
rarely give you the same sound as standing in
secondary mic panned to one side, delaying the
my monitor mix, I pan each one a little outside of
front of the amp. With that in mind, how can we
second channel can offer a wide stereo image
center, and then mix to taste. The HD500 tones
fill in some of the missing sonic information?
of your guitar tone, which helps approximate
give me a solid, inspiring tone to work with in the
room reflections.
IEM’s and the amp is able to push a little air for the
suggestions for bridging that gap, so let’s dive in!
house mix without being overpowering.
GIVE IT SPACE
One way to re-create that sense of being in front
MODELING
of your amp is to create some space. This works
Because I’ve spent a lot of time in the amp/tone
I hope this helps you in your search for good tone,
especially well when amps are in an isolation
modeling world, I’m a fan of it. I know many
but most importantly, I hope it helps you serve the
cabinet, away from the stage, but it can work
people who are not. However… it’s consistent,
Church and Jesus in the best way you can!
on an amp onstage as well. Instead of placing
it’s recallable, and there’s very little that will change
your mic directly on the grill cloth of your amp,
over time (like tubes). The band is giving you
pull it back a bit. This will let the mic “see” and
compliments on your tone today? You can save
“hear” more of the speaker. Hint: It’s a good idea
it and come back to it! I wouldn’t call it “easy”
to measure this placement if you find something
to get a really great tone, you do have to spend
you like, so that you can repeat it next time.
time dialing things in, but it can pay off well in a
I personally like to put about two fingers worth
lot of environments. Depending on your particular
of space between the grillcloth and the front of
church’s situation, you could end up with a
a Shure SM57.
beautiful, stereo-image amp tone that is blissful!
DOUBLE UP
BOTH, AND…?
If you have the resources, an extra mic can go
Yes, sometimes you have to improvise… When
a long way. It’s a well-known studio practice to
I first started working with my church, I knew we
12
Nov Dec 2016
WorshipMusician.com
JEFFREY B. SCOTT
Lives in Atlanta, GA with his
wife & 3 kids and is deadset
on delivering his best for
God’s glory. Guitarist, vocalist, producer & songwriter.
Check out his EP Highest
Heights on iTunes.
@JeffreyBScott