Reamping Guitars: An Introduction

In response to a question I was asked about re-amping on Twitter, I have decided to cover a short introduction to this recording technique here. Honestly, the whole concept is relatively simple in design but highly effective in a recording situation especially when you are unsure of which guitar amp tone you will end up using. Re-amping is a way to help alleviate some of the stress of possibly needing to re-record an entire track due to sound issues. By definition, re-amping is the process of running a recorded track through an external amp (outside your DAW) and recording the result.

Your first step will be to open your DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, Ardour, etc), and create two tracks. You will assign 2 inputs from your interface to those two tracks. One track will be used for your actual guitar amp tone which should already be mic'd up. The second track will be used for your completely dry, unadulterated signal.

The next step will be the outboard portion to actually get your guitar into the computer. You will need a reamping box such as the Little Labs Redeye, pictured in Fig. 1:

Fig. 1

I recently used one of these for a track and the results are awesome. When used for re-amping, these re-amping boxes are designed to reverse the impedance of the signal so the amp will respond as though a guitar were actually plugged in. 

Before recording you will want to plug your guitar directly into your re-amping device. At this point you have a couple of options: A. you can send your signal out of the 'mic level' output on the rear of the unit, or B. you can send it out both the 'mic level' output and the 'instrument thru' output input. The 'mic level' output will go into your interface for recording, and the 'instrument thru' output will go into your guitar rig. Just as a quick note, the input/output labeling may vary from unit to unit so be sure to check your documentation for clarification. Once you have chosen which inputs and outputs to use, you are ready to route the signal into your computer. 

Remember the two tracks we set up at the beginning of this post? You will need to plug your 'mic level' output on your re-amp device into your interface and route it within your DAW to one of those tracks if you haven't already done so. The other track will be used for a guitar amp (if you are recording both dry and effected in the same take). Once you have everything set up and you have checked for signal, you are ready to record your tracks. 

Once you have a dry track recorded, you will need to route the output of your dry track (within your DAW) to an output on your interface. You should then route the signal to the 'mic line input' on the re-amping device and then out to your amp. Once your amp sounds as you wish, you are ready to mic it up and re-amp to your heart's content! 

In addition to the RedEye (the model I mentioned in this post has been replaced by a newer one and you can check it out HERE), you can also check out these other re-amping devices: 

-Radial Reamp JCR

-Radial X-Amp

-ReAmp (John Cuniberti Designed)

NOTE: If you need a diagram illustrating the signal chain for re-amping, message me with your email address. 

What do you use to re-amp? Do you have a different process? Post your comments below! 

Stay posted for next time when we discuss guitar modeling with plugins! 

Session Prep: Getting your guitars ready for the studio

Recently, a close friend of mine gave me the idea to write about session prep for guitarists. This may seem slightly out of place for this little GTRMix blog but keeping up with the GIGO concept (or garbage in, garbage out), I feel that it is definitely worthy of a run-thru and will certainly help with tracking cleanliness and furthering your mixes in the long run.

After working in several music stores growing up and then much later, working with some incredible tech people, I have come to realize that absolutely nothing beats a freshly cleaned and set-up guitar. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't always clean my guitars like I do now. Once the comparison was displayed for me and I realized the vast difference in playability, intonation, and feel, it was absolutely impossible to not clean my guitars. The tie to recording/session prep is a very easy one: better intonation and playability = a better performance and a better recording. I cannot emphasize this enough . . . it does pay off and you WILL notice a difference.

Session prep for the studio starts long before any sort of recording is even conceived. It starts during your every day practice where your fingers become accustomed to a certain pattern on the guitar, or the response of a pickup, a new set of strings, and yes, a clean guitar. We should always practice how we are going to perform whether on the stage or in the studio. Practice with a clean and set-up guitar, perform with the same. Here are a few tips to work into your normal string changing/guitar cleaning sessions:

-Cleaning your fretboard-

This is usually one of the dirtiest parts of a guitar and contains the most build up. On your next string change (and maybe every other time, if not every time), use a little bit of #0000 steel wool on the entire fretboard to include both the wood and the frets. Be sure to put some muscle into the frets and shine them up a bit. They will look great and will regain their contribution to helping you produce a clean, crisp sound. Put a bit of muscle into the wood too, but be aware that it is wood and if you push too hard for too long, it will start taking off some of the wood. To reduce the amount of cleanup post-scrubbing, drape a paper towel over the pickups to keep the steel wool off of them. Steel wool tends to fly everywhere when used and since your pickups are magnetized, they will pick it up like glue if you don't cover them.

The next step in cleaning your fret board is slathering it with wood wax. I use SC Johnson's Paste Wax pictured below. You can find it at Home Depot.

Coat the entire fretboard with this stuff (both frets and wood), but don't let it sit on there. As soon as you coat it, be sure to wipe it back off. Use a paper towel or clean rag (I use blue industrial shop towels). Be sure to get every little bit, especially right along the frets.

Now you are ready to throw some strings on your guitar, check intonation, and then do some playing! Try to work this into your normal routine for guitar maintenance. You will get used to the feel and your guitar will sound ten times better and be much more consistent. This is one very important link in the session prep chain. 

-New Strings-

Even with a clean fretboard, older strings can cause a lot of issues within a recording context. Try bending overly stressed strings and see if it actually stays in tune. This a very simple one, but necessary nonetheless. Get yourself some new strings and throw them on your guitar a day or two before recording. If you are not in your own studio with all of your backup goodies, be sure to have some extra sets with you in the event of a string travesty.

-Checking you Gear-

It is really, really important for session prep to check your gear for crackles, pops, and unintentional noise prior to recording. Run through your signal chain starting with the following:

-Guitar - Knobs, switch, input jack
-Cables
-Pedals - Inputs, outputs, knobs, switches, small patch cables
-More cables
-Amp - Input jack, all knobs, effects loop send and return, reverb can (if applicable)

It is essential to have good working gear when doing a session for someone else, or even laying down a few tracks in your own studio. In either case, you will save time and hassle if you check things first.

-Stuff to have on hand-

These may seem like no-brainers, but I've seen stranger things:

-Tuner
-Extra cables
-Batteries (if applicable)
-Backup guitar (Clean, freshly setup w/new strings)
*Note: I understand that not everyone will have a backup axe, but if it's feasible to bring one, do it.
-Extra favorite pedal
*Note: You know the distortion pedal that is just perfect for that new song you wrote? Guess what, it just crapped itself and you don't have an extra one. Sorry, I am a stickler for backups.

These are just a few things to do to get ready for the studio and there are plenty more, but following even a couple of them will definitely assist you in your recording efforts, make your life easier, and in the end, produce a much better product. Set yourself up for success!

What studio session prep routines/pointers do you have? Please share in the comments below!