How to make your guitar solo louder (with a TC Electronics MojoMojo) - Gain stage and volume between pedalboard and amp

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Un post condiviso da Ru Catania (@ru_catania) in data: 24 Ago 2017 alle ore 00:26 PDT

Even on the same amplifier, every channel will react in its own personal way to the sound coming out from your stompboxes.
This is particularly true for the LEVEL coming OUT from your pedal rig, which will influence the way you may DRIVE and BOOST the INPUT stage of your amp.
Unlike you could think, the cleaner the channel, the more it will react in terms of VOLUME.
The clean channel of a Fender Twin will increase the volume A LOT as you increase the OUTPUT VOLUME on your overdrive pedal*. And what's more, it will preserve your transients.
While the lead channel of the same amp (let alone a Marshall) will result in a more saturated and compressed sound but the VOLUME will nearly stay the same.
The more you push your input stage, the most muffled and confused your sound will come out from the amp, due to the circuitry of your amp, like tube load and stuff like that.
Which is pretty cool in terms of SOUND, but it is totally useless in term of "song arrangement" such as PUMP UP your volume during a solo.
So it really depends on your needs. You just have to look around a little bit with your settings and try different pedal order in your rig to find what works for your personal needs. Both with your own amp, and every time you're going to play with a backline amp.
Sometimes I end with using the crunch cannel for the clean parts, and switching to the clean channel + overdrive* for the solo section.
You may think it is a paradox and yes it is, but it works.

Check it out, your sound engineer will be happier than ever!

It happened to me during a gig to use my regular fuzz setting I was used to use on the crunch cannel of my VHT Pitbull amp on the clean channel of a Fender amp.
Don't do it, unless you want to transform your reggae party in a Manowar show.


* or no matter what other kind of distortion / boost unit.

Recording new album with Romano Nervoso: guitar rig, miking and preamp

After many attempts, we decided for the VHT Pittbull combo.
The sound is thinner than the Hiwatt head. But most of the time you will cut a lot of low frequencies during the mix, so why don't do it from the beginning?

The option to record both amps was nice, but we don't want to have 6 recorded tracks for every guitar lane, 'cause it will results in more than 20 tracks just for guitars in each session, and it doesn't correspond to our idea of punk-rock production.

About miking, nothing too sexy: a dynamic Shure SM57, best workhorse ever, and a condenser Audio-Technica AT4040.

A DI will assure a clean line track recorded,  just in case we need to reamp for some reason with another amp.
Look at the cables: The guitar is going straight to the DI without any pedal or effect.
The balanced output goes straight to the Control Room, the unbalanced output is connected to the amp, and the link is used to send the guitar sound to the tuner without add a step to the signal chain.

Both line and mics go in Drawmer 160 tube preamp and compressor units.
No EQ at all while tracking. It's all about find the sweet spot with the mic position.
But again, nothing fancy: straight to the very middle of the speaker.
Don't overthink before trying the easy way!
From here, a patch bay brings the sound into a Pro Tools system.

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Recording new album with Romano Nervoso: my guitars and amps

We've spent the evening placing our instruments in the room.

My main guitar for that album will be the black Fender Telecaster USA, 1988 with original pickups,
That guitar gives me all the edge and attack I need for nervous rock'n'roll riffs, but since the pickups are old and "tired" they never sound too harsh or too heavy.
The Gibson Firebird is ready too, just in case I need a fat sound.

The stack in the background is not mine and I don't think I'm gonna use it.

For one or two songs I'm pretty sure I'll go for the Fender Stratocaster since I need a whamy bar to play some vibrato in a surf / western style.
On the back, a Danelectro Baritone. I'm not sure I'll need that one, but "on sais jamais". Intervals and tuning are the same of a standard guitar, but starting from lower B instead of E. It is fat and hot as hell.
About the organ, I wish I could play it...

Amp 1: Combo Pittbull 100 VHT
Amp 2: Hiwatt head Hi Gain 50 and 4 x 12 VHT cabinet

Both set for a crunch suond for the 90% of the songs.

Talk soon about rig, mics and settings.
Stay tuned!