Guitar Amp mic technique

Having worked with bands like INXS, AC/DC, Cold Chisel and the Divinyls,
Mark Opitz, suffice it to say, knows a thing or two about recording guitar amps.
Andy Stewart caught up with Mark at Studios 301 in Sydney where he revealed
one of his prized techniques for capturing perfect amplified guitar sounds.

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1. The critical aspect of this setup is to ensure the mics are placed at right
angles (90) to one another. From above, the two mics form the tip of an
invisible triangle, and this apex must correspond with the centre of the
speaker cone.
2. The distance from the speaker determines the room component in
the overall sound. Closer in achieves a tighter recording, further away
increases the room component heard by the mics.
3. Facing the amp from directly behind the two mics you should be able
to see the centre of the speaker cone through the crack between them. To
accurately see the speaker behind the mesh grille, use a small torch.

hen I interviewed Mark Opitz and Tony Wall last year

about their recently released INXS DVD, Im Only
Looking, I casually asked Mark afterwards if hed be
interested in divulging some of the mic techniques hes used
over the years to record the many famous albums that appear
on his impressive CV. Of course I can, no worries, Id be happy
to, responded Mark, much to my surprise. So for my own edification, and that of the AT readership, I took Mark up on his
generous offer.
Rather than be cagey and secretive about the way he works,
Mark is refreshingly open about sharing his engineering experience. What follows here is the first of several short tutorials that
will appear in AT over the course of the next several issues. The
first of these offerings cuts straight to the heart of good guitar
amp recording technique, and is based on a day-long discussion I
had with Mark at Studios 301 in Sydney, which was kind enough
to allow us the use of the recording space for the day.

Miking Guitar Amps

Mark Opitz: Okay. The first thing I want to show you is my
reliable and, dare I say it, infallible mic technique for capturing
the sound of a guitar amp. After I hit on this technique quite by
accident years ago, my days of placing mics all over the amp
and the room in the blind hope of capturing a magical guitar
amp sound were over. Although I dont expect people to drop
everything theyve been doing for this approach, for those of you
who are less than convinced by your own guitar amp recording
technique, this may be the solution to your dilemma.
I should start by saying that this technique in principle works
regardless of the amp in question, whether it is small or large,
loud or quiet, a Marshall or Fender. Were only using a small,
single-speaker amp for the purposes of this demonstration here
(because thats all we could find kicking around 301!), but this
system is applicable to any amp, whether it be a Marshall quad
box or a Fender Deluxe. The only difference is that if our demonstration amp contained more than one speaker, wed firstly have
to ascertain which of these was the best speaker in the box. But
in this case theres only one so we can skip that process.
Now youll notice weve put a Shure SM57 dynamic in front
of the amp, as well as an AKG C414 large diaphragm condenser
two quite different sounding mics. Our setup involves these
two mics placed at 90 degrees to one another (the 90 degree
angle helps maintain the integrity of the phase relationship).
Unlike most single or multiple mic setups I see people constructing in the studio, youll notice that the two mics are placed on
the imaginary line that marks the centre of the speaker cone. I
do this so were capturing the top end from the centre of the
speaker, but without facing the mic directly at it. Both mics are
effectively at 45 degrees to the top end source whilst directly
facing the body of the speaker cone. That way were capturing
the top end in both microphones but without a sharp, unnaturally
bright edge to the sound that can be produced by pointing the
mic directly at the speaker. Were also facing directly at the
bottom end emanating from the speaker. In an X/Y configuration where the two capsules are exactly the same distance from
the speaker, and inside the radius of the speaker (i.e., closer to
the speaker than the distance from the centre of the speaker to
its outer edge), the mics will effectively be facing the two sides of

the inwardly projecting paper cone. See image 1.

The reason were using two microphones here is one of those
happy accidents I came across in the 80s when I was testing
different microphones. At the time I was using a Sennheiser 421
and an AKG C414. But in the end I found the Shure SM57 worked
better in this setup. Being a dynamic microphone, its mid-range
is very, very good. The AKG C414 condenser complements
the 57 by capturing top end and bottom end that the 57 cant
hear. So the effect youre getting is like a dovetailing of the two
microphone tones. If you want, you can use a Neumann U87 or
a U47 Fet (or any large diaphragm condenser, provided it can
cope with high SPL), but the reason I use the AKG is because
its probably one of the toughest condensers ever made, and as
you know, amps get loud! The AKG also has a 10dB pad on the
microphone, so Ill always pad it down and always at the mic,
never at the desk. If youre dealing with a blisteringly loud amp
like a quad box turned up to 11 you need something thats going
to be able to handle that sort of power. We know the SM57 can
handle it, we see them on stage on amps and drums all the time.
Once the mics are placed in their visually correct position
(never assume that because a mics placement looks right its
going to sound right), make sure theyre working by bringing
them up in the control room monitors panned to the centre
(mono). Once the two mics are at similar volumes in the monitoring, flip one out of phase and fine tune their positioning until
they start to substantially cancel each other out (the out of
phase character should sound thin and horrible compared to the
in-phase tone). Then flip them back in phase and bang, theres
your guitar sound. Ive always found that this particular miking
technique is instantly effective. One thing I cant stand in the
studio is arsing about getting a guitar sound, putting mics here,
there and everywhere, trying different rooms and different mics.
With this setup the sound you get out of the amp is exactly the
same as the one youll get in the control room. And thats always
the hardest part in getting a good amp sound simply capturing
a sound thats true to the amp.
Andy Stewart: Can you describe in plain English why the two
mics are placed at 90 degrees to one another?
Mark Opitz: Its because basically you want the signal hitting
the diaphragm of each microphone at exactly the same time,
i.e., phase coherently. Difference in phase, as most people would
realise, is brought about by a discrepancy in distance between
two or more microphones, a source and its capture different
lengths create different times.
AS: Do these two mics usually act as one in terms of the mix,
i.e., were these mics sub-mixed down to one track on tape in the
past?
MO: Well, thats what I used to do but not so much these days
because youve got lots and lots of tracks in the digital domain
usually but if youre going to analogue tape Id nearly always
send the two mics to one track instead of keeping them separate.
In digital multitracking, where theres typically a plethora of
tracks to work with, there are two things that I often do. One
is, I put them on separate tracks because that enables us even
further manipulation of the phase, by blowing up the wave form
and tightening the in-phase characteristics. Although with this
technique, nine times out of 10 when we blow it up its okay
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anyway. Another thing I always do now digitally is record a

DI of the sound, but not for re-amping purposes. I do that for
editing purposes. Of course its good for re-amping but more
importantly, if youre editing a guitar track in a digital situation,
to pick up the front and end of the note its much easier to hear it
off a clean DI sound than it is from a heavy distorted sound, and
the waveform is far better represented as well. So, for instance, if
youre editing you can listen to the DI and drag the mic channels
around with it.
AS: When youre miking an amp with several speakers, does this
technique always disregard the other speakers in the cabinet?
MO: Always. Here were using an amp that only has one
speaker. On a quad box, however, its a little different. Youre still

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only miking the one speaker but the trick with the quad box is to
find the right speaker. Its amazing how many guitar players dont
realise that some of their speakers are not sounding as good as
the others. And that can be determined, once youre experienced
with the technique, before a notes played by examining the hiss
thats coming out of them. Years ago, for example, with AC/DC,
I used to go through their whole rig, trying every Marshall head
and every speaker box. I think every guitarist in the band had
about four Marshall heads and eight boxes and on that particular album, Powerage, I went through and matched every head
against every speaker until I found the right combination. And
thats not every speaker box but every speaker. It took nearly two
weeks to do!
AS: Is this with them in the room waiting for you to hit record?
MO: [laughs] No, no. I had two weeks preparation beforehand,
and thats the whole secret to everything, the only magic trick
preparation. But actually in that particular situation I didnt use
this technique then, I just used a good old Fet 47. That record
predates this technique.
The thing about this X/Y technique is that you can play with
it too as long as you adhere to the principle and play within it.
You can go right up against the centre of the cone or back the
mics away just so long as they remain in an X/Y setup and
centred on the speaker. One of the crucial factors is that the mics
must remain set up in front of the centre of the speaker cone.
Otherwise the technique wont work. Its got to be dead centre,
thats the whole thing. Whats coming out of the centre of the
cone and the edges of the cone has to reach the diaphragm of
each mic at the same time. Thats how you get perfect phase.
And when you look at the setup its actually incredibly simple
and quick, which instils confidence in what the players are doing
and confidence in the engineer.
But sometimes a close-miked amp sound is simply not the
order of the day, and in that situation Ill often add a Neumann
U47 Fet placed at distance to back up this approach, rather than
abandon it altogether. The only reason to add this mic is if youre
trying to get extra room ambience into the sound.
AS: Wouldnt it perhaps be easier just to move the 57 and the
414 back a bit than have that third mic messing up the phase
relationship?
MO: Exactly, but not too far back because youve got to
remember once you start moving back, the focal length of the
speakers going to change. Were relying here on the physical
aspects of the speaker. You can only work in the confines of the
speaker setup, and theres really only a 10 to 20 percent leeway
to work with. You cant drop them back as far as the placement
of the U47. Get a torch, look at the grille, set the mics up so the
centre of the X/Y configuration is right on the imaginary centre
line, turn on the amp, start playing, end of story. Its very simple.

1. The combination of condenser and dynamic mics placed phase

coherently (the same distance from the sound source) in an X/Y
configuration provides a reliable and versatile recording quickly
and easily.
2. An AKG C414 in combination with a Shure SM57 are often used
in this setup, however by interchanging these mics with others a
different tonal character can be achieved. Hi SPL-capable mics are
a must close to the amp!