I often record guitars with an SM57 in front of the speaker, and an AKG C414 ULS a little further. I use a Mindprint Dual Tube Channel, and I like to EQ when recording (cut around 500 Hz, boost around 4 khz...depends on what I want to get). The bands want a powerful, big and large distorted guitar sound.

I tried to get the DTC's optical compression working on the SM57, I had good results but the sound was a little too agressive.

Do you guys, use compression when recording that kind of guitar sound ? If yes, on which mics do you apply it (condenser, dynamic, ribbons...) ?

I really get a great round, crunchy and warm guitar sound by using the DTC on that kind of guitars, but I was just wondering if any of you use compression. I'll soon post an exemple of the guitar sound I can achieve.

I like to use the joe meek twin q compression...but a little bit goes a long way

Little bit of160 is cool sometimes.
Pretty rare though.
Even though it's distorted guitar, you still have some control over the attack and sustain of the sound.

Never. Get the tone dialed while tracking. Add comp later if needed.
m

Even if it is tube compression ? (the DTC has tube comp)

Dirt guitars I always record flat without eq or compression. In the mix, hardly ever any compression on the guitars and not much to no eq. With a lot of close miced instruments, some eq is necessary in my world, but with dirt guitars I find it that with the tone controls at the amp and mic placement, I can get exactly the sound I need.
I find that compression on dirt guitars hardly ever makes them bigger...

Good luck,
Dirk

Slipperman, where are ye?

I track flat also, then add whatever is needed. I generally don't comp dirty gtr's except on solos through the Distressor. EQ on mixdown to carve room for the bass.

Yeah forgot that, some high-passing between 50-90hz with a 12db/octave filter is something I often do, just to let the bass and lowend of the guitars gell into one another.

Greetings,
Dirk

Aren't dirt guitars by definition already smashed ?

Best

Vari-Mu

That's the reason it makes little sense to add more compression during tracking.
later,
m

95 % No tracking comp here..
maybe a taste off 1176 on quiet/loud stuff for peaks and flavor.

Neve 2264... simply one of the best compressors for anything in my world fullstop.period and guitars are no exception.

Distressors but i hear them on SO many things now a days it makes me bored. but they do make great comps for the 'chimey' clean gtr sound.

1176... like a good ex GF that you keep going back to here and there. She allways comes up with a bit of the 'good stuff' when you need it.

DBX 160X .. its a bit of a sleeper but they fuken rule on so many things. Sure they have that DBX sound but they ROCK and for Solo's they really make stuff 'poke' thru a dense mix.

Cheers
Wiggy

One of the biggest problems with compression is dynamics inversion where the parts a musician intends to get bigger become smaller instead.

I rarely track guitars with compression. I usually mix with a guitar parallel, usually the Joe Meek SC2.2. The parallel helps to add beef, but avoids the "dynamics inversion" that Bob mentioned.

Oh and its been at least two years since I've used an SM57 on a record. And that was the first time in probably two years.

I think compression on distortion rhythm guitar is a bad idea. It's already heavily compressed, and compression will only serve to choke the sound IME. I've heard some metal bands use compression though, but it's more of a specialized sound. Clean guitar is a different story too, it usually could require a bit of compression depending on the player.

I agree with Nathan 100%.

I often use compression on distorted guitars, but definitely not during tracking. I like the LA2A on guitars, and occasionally a Pendulum ES-8 if I can find one(man do I want one). I will eq during tracking, but nothing too serious. Usually just a hipass, but sometimes other stuff too.