The

Bedroom
Guitarist
Handbook

How to record and mix electric

guitar in your bedroom

By Marcos Mena
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Illustrations by
Angell Restrepo-Estrada

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Table Of Contents

Chapter 1: Modern Tools …………………………5

Chapter 2: DAW Basics……………………………15

Chapter 3: Studio Setup …….…………………19

Chapter 4: Recording Methods ……………22

Chapter 5: Tonal Choices …………..…………28

Chapter 6: Pedals and Amps…………………33

Chapter 7: Tracking…………………………………48

Chapter 8: Processing….…………………………51

Chapter 9: Finishing Touches…………………77

Chapter 10: The Process……………….…………80

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Intro
We live in a golden age of recording, where hits can be recorded
anywhere. As electric guitarists, we can take full benefit of this using the
latest that technology has to offer.
I wanted to make a guide for fellow guitarists to use for recording. For
this guide, I culminated knowledge from many places. This includes my time
creating D.I.Y projects at the California Institute Of The Arts, days spent
working in various studios in Los Angeles and the year it took me to
complete my masters degree in music production at Berklee School Of
Music.
What I realized during my studies is that the way you present yourself
via recording creates a very real impression upon listeners. The more
intentional and professional you come across, the more engaged someone
will be. Now that everybody can record at home, it means that it’s harder to
stand out amongst a sea of enthusiasts. This guide is about elevating your
workflow and creating a strong foundation of recording fundamentals that
will allow your sound to ascend to a higher level.
While I tried to be as thorough as possible, there were certain topics I
couldn’t dive into or explain fully due to the medium of this work. Please
explore any topics here that weren’t explained to the level of satisfaction
that you were expecting on your own. One source of educational material is
never enough to fully understand something when it comes to recording.
With this in mind, make sure to seek out other educational avenues in
conjunction with this work, either in the form of online education or in person
mentoring.
I am not paid by nor represent any company or product mentioned.
Any perceived endorsement is simply one from personal experience and
many mentions are made because there are some products that are
regarded as industry staples that I felt were important to mention. Please
make your own decisions when investing in musical equipment and do your
own research.
Thank you for supporting my work, I wish you much success in all of
your musical endeavors.

-Marcos

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Chapter 1: Modern Tools
What we need to begin

Computers
The easiest way to get started working at home is via computer. While other
recording methods, like iPhone, iPad, cassette recorder or tape machine (to
name a few) might produce some interesting results, the modern answer to
recording electric guitar at home is the computer.

Many computers are suitable for recording, but it can be a taxing process
on old or slow computers. Making sure you can get the best computer for
the job is important.

Windows vs Mac

This is an age-old question when it comes to modern recording. While there

are certainly pros and cons to both for recording, I would argue that your
overarching preference for one should take precedent here. If you are more
comfortable using one operating system over another, then I believe that is
the best system for you to work on. Both systems have full capacity to record
guitar at home and therefore I believe this is more or less a semantic in this
context. However, I have to insist that many music professionals (myself
included) prefer Apple computers for their strong macOS operating system,
stability and user friendly interface.
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Laptop vs Desktop

Laptops are great portable tools for recording and are usually a good
way to get started as we can move the laptop around the house with
ease if needed. Desktops are great as well, usually because they have
better processing power. However, these are not as portable. It’s not
as important to worry about which is better but more importantly which
one you can use in your creative space!

If you’re able to choose a computer to use, make sure to choose one

with the most RAM (Random-access memory) and CPU (Computer
processing power). These are features that will help your guitar
tracking sessions run faster and more efficiently.

Recording project files will also take up a lot of space, so make sure
you have enough space on your computer to store these files. A
common project can span from 50 megabytes all the way up to a
couple of gigabytes depending on the project!

If you don’t have a lot of space on your computer, you can always use
an external hard drive to store projects on so that you don’t use up all
of the space on your computer. This is also a good idea because then
you can back-up your sessions so that you don’t lose them if something
happens to your computer!

At the end of the day, the most important thing to do is to get started,
so don’t stress about this step too much at first as almost anything will
work.

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 Interfaces

An audio interface is our link between the computer and our guitar
sounds in the real world. Using an interface, we can connect
microphones or guitars to our computers and record. Basically, this is a
powerful tool for helping us record at home.

Many interfaces are more accessible than ever, with many competent
starter interfaces available in the $100-$300 price range. Here are
some things to look out for when getting an interface:

1. Connection
How does the interface connect to the computer? One of the most
common ways an interface will connect to a computer is through USB.
This connection type is slowly being phased out as new technologies
like FireWire and USB-C have come along, but with adapters anything
is possible. Check the ports on your computer and make sure the
interface you buy can be hooked up to what you have.

2. Inputs
How many inputs does the interface have? This is to say, how many
things can we plug into the interface? We also have to look at what
kinds of things we can plug in before deciding on an interface. Most
interfaces will prioritize having XLR inputs, which are used for
connecting microphones. However, some will also have line inputs
which are used to plug our guitars directly into the interface without a
microphone. In my experience it is good to have an interface that has
both types of inputs for the most options when recording.

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3. Outputs
Now that we have our inputs covered we need to think about how we
will listen to the music as it’s being made! Most interfaces are
equipped with two speaker outputs and a headphone jack. The two
outputs are meant to be left and right channel signals that go to
monitors (speakers) that you’ll use to listen to your recordings on
playback. This is a bit more of a fancy setup if you’re just getting
started, as you can also use something as basic as your computer
speakers or headphones. Making sure the interface you pick has
accessible outs (try to stay away from anything that isn’t a speaker out)
is important in choosing a good interface, although most will.

4. Size
Since we are working in the confined space of our bedrooms, it’s
important to pick an interface that will work with a setup that we can
reasonably manage. If you have a desk or work surface, measuring the
area of that surface and comparing it to any interface you’re looking to
acquire is important. If you’re working on your bed or on the ground, it
might make less of a difference. As a first purchase, finding an
interface that is more on the compact size is smarter, as you will adapt
in more areas of your bedroom as well as other situation such as travel
or outdoor sessions.

My final recommendation for those starting out recording would be a 2

input interface with a small footprint for the most applications.

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 Playback Devices

We need to think about how we’ll hear our music. If you can, investing
in studio monitors as early as possible will be a very good idea for your
at home recording experience. Studio monitors are designed to give us
lots of detail that regular speakers usually don’t have so that we can
make the absolute best recordings possible. They usually have a flatter
frequency response, which means everything sounds more or less equal
as opposed to commercial-grade speakers which usually favor an
imbalance of frequencies. However, if you can’t get studio monitors
right away then you can try and find a good pair of headphones. These
will not only be useful in editing but also for recording music as we’ll
talk about later. Having both is a big plus and should be prioritized
when gathering things for your guitar bedroom setup.

What to look for in headphones

Headphones can run the gamut from insanely cheap to insanely

expensive. If the budget allows for it, shooting for solid mid-tier
recording headphones will do wonders in terms of monitoring, playback
and mixing. It’s important to look for studio headphones, which differ
from normal consumer brand headphones in that they have a flatter
frequency response to give us a more accurate idea of what things
sound like without bass boosts or other adjustments. You’ll notice that
the sound quality and detail will also be a lot better on studio
headphones and comparing them to consumer headphones will almost
feel as if you’re listening to a song you know well for the first time.

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Brands like Sennheiser, beyerdynamic, Sony, AKG, Audio-Technica and
others make fantastic sub $100 headphones that will elevate your
recording experience. If you cannot afford to source any headphones,
my recommendation would be instead to shoot for a good pair of
studio monitors.

What to look for in monitors

Studio monitors are a game changer when recording at home. They’re

the best way to have good audible judgement when working. If
possible, this would be the best investment you can make, as it’s widely
agreed that monitors excel over headphones at playback, tracking and
mixing.
Studio monitors come in many sizes. The size usually depends on the
size of the speaker, which can range from a measly 3 inches to a
bulking 8 inches. The larger the speaker, the better low-end it is able to
produce. As a start, 5 inch speakers will fall under a cheaper price and
do well for first time monitor owners. However, as someone who has
owned 8 inch monitors for many years, I feel that my investment in a
bigger speaker was better as I don’t feel a lack of presence in the low
end. Ultimately, investigating what monitors work best for what you are
interested in recording is the most important thing and therefore I
leave the rest up to you.
Acclaimed monitor brands include Yamaha, KRK, Adam, JBL and
more. Conduct your own research to find a brand and model that
works best for your work space and setup. Ensure that you purchase a
pair of monitors and not just one, as you’ll need two to get the most out
of your selection.

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 Cables

Continuing our list of essentials we have the veins of our home studio,
cables. There are many types of cables in the recording world, but the
most used kind is the XLR cable. This is a cable that connects
microphones to our interface and will be super important for recording
all sorts of things. I recommend having as many of these as you have
inputs in your interface.
Another important cable is the instrument cable, which will
connect instruments to our interface. While confusing to imagine, this
can be useful for reasons that we’ll talk about later.
Lastly, speaker cables are similar to line cables but they have
different properties that make them appropriate to run into monitors. If
you don’t use these specific kind of cables with your speakers, you can
ruin them. Make sure to do your research and double check what kind
of cables you need before buying your monitors.
My last piece of advice is to never buy cables that are too short
unless you’re confident that the size you’re getting is appropriate.
Shorter cables are cheaper and will result in better recording tone. but
can lead to tripping in your bedroom and awkward recording setups
due to how short the cable is. This is a trade off you must factor into
your cable choice, so try to find the shortest cable to record with that
won’t completely ruin your bedroom recording experience!

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 D.A.W

What is a DAW?

A DAW, or digital audio workstation, is a program that is going to help

us record our guitar at home. There are a lot of DAWs and it can be
hard to choose. A few popular ones are Pro Tools, GarageBand,
Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio. I’m going to list out a few pros
and cons of a couple DAWs to help you decide which one you want to
use to record at home!

A few beginner DAWs

GarageBand

This is a simple and easy to use DAW that comes free with Mac
computers. This is my personal recommendation for a starter DAW, as
it’s easy to navigate and comes with lots of loops and virtual
instruments you can use to make great music at home.

Ableton Live 11 Intro

Ableton has been pushing the envelope for what a DAW is capable of
doing for a long time. Many Ableton users create the most out of this
world music and have lots of capabilities when creating. Their Intro
program is a good starter for guitar/producers who want to focus
more on electronic elements.

Presonus Studio One 5 Artist

Presonus Studio One was one of my first DAWs of choice and is another
good choice for getting started in the realm of home recording and
has all the features that many other DAWs also have. It’s also quite
simple to use when compared to some other DAWs.

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Honorable Mention - Audacity

Audacity is a freeware, open source program that aims to make

recording accessible to everybody. This program isn’t amazing for
recording music, but I used it to start messing around with home
recording because it was free and has tools that you’ll need to learn to
get experienced. This is a program better known for recording
podcasts or interviews, but not the best for recording electric guitar.

A Few Industry Standard DAWs

Pro Tools

Pro Tools is probably the first pick for industry professionals. This is
because the program makes it easy to record big sessions (big as in
lots of tracks) for major artists. The workflow is catered mostly to
professionals who work on big projects in sizable studios, so if this is
your interest you may want to invest in acquiring and learning Pro Tools
at some point in the future.

Logic Pro X

Logic Pro is usually referred to as the professional version of

GarageBand. Being that GarageBand was one of my first DAWs, I
found this to be a seamless transition. Logic has all the bells and
whistles of other DAWs and in my opinion caters more to those who
want a nice hybrid between professional workflow and electronic
elements.

Ableton Live
Ableton is a modern DAW that features a variety of options when it
comes to manipulating sound. For this reason, it is preferred by artists
who excel in digitally based music. This would include genres such as
hip hop, electronic and pop. This DAW is more creative than others and
not typically used to run big sessions, but rather small sessions that

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focus on creativity with regard to creating unique sounds.

At the end of the day, don’t pay too much attention to which DAW is
“better” or more expensive. It’s more important to find anything you can
use and simply start recording.

Interface to D.A.W connection

There are many ways to connect your interface to your computer as I

mentioned. Before you connect your interface, be sure to download
any necessary drivers that you’ll need to run your interface with your
computer. A driver is a type of software that helps the interface run on
the computer. Some interfaces don’t need drivers to work and you can
just plug them in without any extra steps. Once you’ve connected your
interface the audio preferences of your computer should automatically
connect to the interface. If this hasn’t happened, then you’ll need to go
to the audio settings in your DAW and select the interface. If it hasn’t
popped up, try reconnecting the cable and checking if you need to
download any drivers to make the connection work.
You’d be surprised how many times other bedroom guitarists (myself
included) couldn’t connect to their interfaces only to find out that they
didn’t hit the power button or didn’t have the cable fully connected!
Dummy check things before panicking as that’s usually the reason for a
non-responsive interface.

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Chapter 2: D.A.W Basics
Recording your first riff

DAW essentials

Creating a track
When creating a new track, you have to consider what it is you’re
recording. For live guitar, just hit audio.

Arming a track
On the track display, you’ll find many different icons that will help you
through your recording process. One of the most important is a red
icon that looks like a recording button. Hitting this red button will tell
the DAW that the selected track is ready to record. This is called arming
the track and it is how you’ll choose which channels will be recorded.

Mute
This button will mute the audio coming from the track playing audio.
Helpful to isolate tracks or hear your song without a certain track.

Solo
This only plays the tracks with the solo function engaged. This can be
helpful for isolating tracks and listening to certain things alone.

Fader
This controls the loudness of the track. This is done via a gain control on
the slider. However, gain should not be confused with volume. While

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volume is the loudness of the output of a channel, gain is the loudness
of the input. Therefore, raising the gain too high on a track can induce
distortion, which is a byproduct of high gain.

Screenshot of D.A.W (Logic Pro X) layout with a track loaded up

Monitoring
If you want to hear yourself as you record it can be good to enable live
monitoring on a track so that you can make sure you’re giving a good
performance! When monitoring be careful not to incur any latency. This
is when it takes too long for a live signal to reach your ears, making it
really difficult to record. To offset this, make sure that your buffer size
on your DAW is as low as possible when recording. This means going
into your DAW’s settings and setting the sample size to 128 or less, the
lower the better. Typically I record at 64 samples to make sure that I
don’t have a latency problem while recording!

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Panning

This is a dial that controls where are sound is on a scale of left to right
(one ear to another).

Click track
When recording to a consistent tempo, it’s important to recored to a
click (metronome). Inputting a tempo to your DAW will change the
display to show a gridded layout that shows exactly where all of the
beats land. This is important to organizing your song and making sure
there is a universal system in place to organize all of the layers of your
project together. Don’t shy away from using a click as it is the easiest
way to ensure maximum control over a project at a later time. It also
doesn’t hurt that it will make it easy to record a good performance due
to using a perfect reference.

dB (decibel)
A decibel is a unit of measurement that’s used for audio loudness.
Let’s analyze how decibels can be measured in our day to day life for
context:

Airplane at take off

Subway

Busy road

Light traffic

Quiet room

Desert

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Other channel settings

Here are some other important functions you’ll need to understand to

make full use of your D.A.W, shown in Logic Pro X.

Input: Select which input

source on your interface this
channel will record from.

Audio fx: Insert which effects

the audio on this channel will
run through.

Audio send: Choose which

effects channels the audio
track will send through.

Output: Select which

location the channel will go
to.

Group: Choose which group

the audio channel will belong
in.

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Chapter 3: Studio Setup
Making the most out of your recording space

I wanted to make a short chapter about the physical space that

we record guitar in. Working at home can produce professional results
and there are a few things that can help us get there.

Work surface

One of the best things you can get for yourself is a desk or work
surface. This is the best way to not only sit and work at a chair, but to
always be able to visualize all of your tools. Simple desks can be cheap
from retailers such as IKEA and I’ve also used many second hand desks
before. Investing in a work surface is a game changer and I strongly
encourage putting your music equipment on a nice surface for
maximum comfort.

Layout

Where you set up in a room can make a huge impact. Before

setting things up, ask yourself what your primary goal is. Are you simply
writing new music? Or are you trying to film videos for social media
with pro audio.

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What about your lighting preference? These are all worth taking into
consideration.
If your bedroom has a window, this can be crucial depending on
your aims. Curtains can be very liberating to ensure that you have
control over your room’s lighting. Natural light lends itself well to filming
videos, so make it easy to position yourself in a way so that any light
can hit you. It’s important to think of these things before you setup, as it
can be hard to re-arrange everything and start again. Artificial light
can play a huge role in making a workspace that feels comfortable.
Desk lamps can provide lots of light and can feature swapped light
bulbs that add color to your bedroom. This can affect creativity and
make it easier to work! I know that I prefer to work in my environment of
low light and pink and blue lights as it makes me feel more creative.
Find what works for you and create a space that you love working in,
that way you’ll work your best regardless of what equipment you have
access to at home.

Acoustics

This is one of the most challenging aspects of recording at home.

Luckily as electric guitar players, we do have some options to
circumvent acoustics of real world in the form of D.I recording (covered
in the next chapter) and by using headphones. However, for live
recording, acoustics can prove to be a challenge.
One of the first things to note is what the size of your bedroom is.
Many bedrooms in American homes were not built with acoustics in
mind, so lots of them are box shaped, with the same width, height and
sometimes even length. One of the worst places to listen to and record
guitar is in a boxy room, as acoustically speaking there are not enough
differences in the room’s dimensions to have the sound waves bounce
off of the walls. This problem can be alleviated in a variety of ways.
First, if possible introduce other structures in the room, such as a closet
or other tall furniture. The goal is to turn a boxy structure into one that
resembles more of a rectangle.

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 Another issue is that low-end tends to accumulate in the corners of
rooms. If you are ever to invest in sound treatment for your bedroom,
the first place to start would be bass traps in the corners of your room.
This will make the biggest impact for the least amount of money.
Another D.I.Y hack to make your room more acoustically pleasing
would be to cover more areas in soft surfaces as opposed to hard
ones. This includes carpeting, clothing, blankets or other soft materials.
Just be careful to not create a huge fire hazard in your bedroom. The
fewer hard surfaces that sound waves can bounce off of, the better.
Lastly, ensure that your desk and monitors are setup in the best
possible way for audio production.

Place the desk and monitors 8 to 12 inches from the wall. Then make
sure to setup a sort of triangle so that each monitor is facing each ear.
Also make sure the height of the monitors is correct, otherwise you will
not be getting the best sound on playback. If a triangle has been made
and the monitors are at ear level, you will be using your monitors to the
fullest extent and have an adequate setup that is ready for recording.

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Chapter 4: Recording Methods
How to record electric guitar

Guitar Recording Methods

Let’s take a deep dive into the many ways we can record our electric
guitar at home. I want to elaborate on the pros and cons of each
method as well as when I prefer one over another.

D.I
Since we are recording in our bedrooms, I want to first talk about
the easiest and quietest way to record electric guitar. This method is
known as D.I, (direct injection) and is when a guitar is plugged from the
output jack directly into an interface and recorded without any effects
or amplification.
Recording guitar like this is the most flexible way to track guitar, as
the signal can be re-amplified indefinitely until you are happy with your
guitar tone. This can be done via an amp simulator, which can exist in
hardware (physical amp simulators such as the AxeFX or Kemper) or
software form (popular brands such as Neural DSP or Guitar Rig). A D.I
signal can also be run into an amplifier, which can be re-mic’d and
recorded as if you are recording a live performance.
This is why recording D.I is so flexible. With D.I recording, you can
capture a performance and have more control during post-production
to ensure the sound you want will come through in the recording.

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Live Recording

A more traditional way to record guitar is via the amplifier. This is

the way most all electric guitars were recorded prior to the 21st
century, but in the modern day it has been challenged by D.I recording.
The reason is because a live recording is contingent on many more
factors. These include the physical space in which you choose to
record (probably your bedroom if you’re reading this), which has a huge
effect on the sound of your live track.
Recording live also means that you must use a microphone against an
amplifier, which then brings into question the choice of microphone
and microphone placement. These are important factors that are apart
of the art form of live recording. However for some, these
considerations can be tedious and so they are simply bypassed in the
recording stage by recording direct in.

Recording Levels

Before we are fully ready to record we need to make sure we get our
levels going into our DAWs right. The way we measure sound in our DAW
and in the real world is using dB (decibels). Decibels are displayed in
our DAW using the - (minus) and + (plus) symbols. A healthy level to
record at is anywhere from -24dB to -6dB. Everyone has a preference
for how loud they like to record, but it’s important not to go above 0dB
when recording. Anything above this level results in what we call
clipping, which is an unpleasant and unwanted distortion that will ruin
our recording. Make sure your levels aren’t clipping before you hit
record otherwise you’ll have to start again with better levels to
eliminate clipping. Read on various philosophies on how “hot” you
should record, as everyone seems to have a different opinion to get
different results.

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Mic Choices

Let’s discuss the varying types of microphones to understand our

options for recording guitar. Dynamic microphones are passive mics
that can be plugged into an interface without any external power. They
can handle loud volumes very well and are very durable. Therefore,
these mics are good choices for recording electric guitars.
One such microphone would be the SM57, which is the most
popular choice for recording electric guitar. This mid-range
microphone is popular for accurately capturing the mid-range sound of
an electric guitar. This is a good option for getting started with
recording guitars. Another popular mic is the Royer 121, which is usually
paired with the SM57 to create a blended sound that results in a
complimentary and more distinct sound.

Other choices include the AKG C414, which is a condenser

microphone. This is a more fragile microphone that also requires
external power in the form of phantom power (sometimes labeled 48V
on devices). Without phantom power, the microphone will not work and
therefore it’s important to have an interface that can power a dynamic
microphone. This microphone can produce various results and this is
something you can experiment with if you are able to acquire a C414
or any condenser microphone for that matter.
Other dynamic microphones worth exploring include the Sennheiser
MD421 or Sennheiser e609, which produce competent results. The
most important thing is practicing recording with whatever gear you
can afford to use and find how to make it work for you.

24
Mic placement

Some would also argue that mic placement is more important than mic
choice. Mic placement is where the microphone ends up on the
amplifier, therefore it’s important to pay particular attention to where
you microphone is.

When mic’ing a speaker, we need to pay attention to proximity to

the speaker as well as distance. The further we pull back a mic away
from the speaker, the less low-end we will get. Therefore, we have a
low-end control in terms of distance from the speaker. The closer we
are the the middle of the speaker the brighter the sound. Therefore, we
also have a brightness control with relation to the mic’s proximity to the
center.
With these principles, we are able to experiment with how to mic
our amplifiers in a way that accomplishes our goal. Think intuitively on
how to accomplish a sound that flatters your recording goal best and
strive towards that when mic’ing an amplifier. It’s important to not
ignore this, as it can be frustrating and borderline pointless to fix a
recording that you are not satisfied with. Get good results from the
start and be persistent in adjusting your mic until it sounds just right.

25
Other mic’ing methods

In addition to close mic’ing, we can also record an amplifier using

room mics. It can be interesting to experiment with using room
microphones to create a quasi reverb that captures the room the guitar
amplifier is in. If you have mics to spare during recording, I would
recommend trying this and blending it in with your close mic’ed signal.
The distance of the room mic is up to you, just make sure that when
adding additional sources to close mic’d tracks that you avoid phasing,
which is the de-alignment of a source upon playback. To offset this,
ensure that the room microphone does not hinder the sound that you
originally captured. Be prepared to “flip” the phase using a phase
alignment plug-in or button on your interface. To figure out if a track is
out of phase, simply flip the phase and flip it back and ask yourself
which sounded better. Usually, the phase aligned one will have more
depth and low-end presence stemming from the phase alignment of
both tracks.

Recording D.I

Recording direct can be a strange experience if you’re used to

hearing an amp tone because it’s going to sound as if you’re playing
unplugged.
If you aren’t comfortable with this, you can track guitar with an
amp simulator inserted as an audio effect. This way, when you monitor
your live performance you will have an amp tone in your ear. Certain
amp simulators will also be able to track a D.I signal in parallel to an
affected amp sound. This can be helpful later, so don’t shy away from
getting a D.I track just in case.
It’s always challenging figuring out a volume level for the D.I signal.
I’ve found that it’s important to try and increase the gain of the track
just a bit when tracking, but not too much so that it’s clipping. This can
be tricky because of the nature of recording D.I, however I’ve found
that palm muting tends to be the height of guitar volume and is a good
way to test whether a track is “too hot” or not.

26
Troubleshooting

I want to cover some common issues that can arise when tracking.
Recording is fraught with issues and it’s important to diagnose and fix
them as they occur.

Electrical buzzing can sometimes for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it

can be due to fluorescent lighting in a room. This is especially apparent
on singe coil pickups, which suffer the most under fluorescent lights.
Another, more difficult to fix issue is poor grounding in a house. When
electricity isn’t grounded, it can induce a ground loop hum. You can buy
special power adapters to deal with this, but it’s important to ensure its
coming from the electricity and not any other source. Try other cables,
amps and guitars if possible before buying any fixes.

If you are experiencing loss of signal or no signal at all, check every

aspect of your setup. Is the guitar having technical issues? If not, swap
cables. Finally, are all devices turned on and plugged in? Isolate the
source of the problem so you can deal with it. The amount of times that
things were simply not plugged in or turned on is innumerable in the
recording world. Start with the simplest solution and work your way
around your setup.

27
Chapter 5: Tonal Choices
Picking the right tools

Guitars

One of the most obvious things we need to consider when recording is

the type of instrument we will be using. There are so many
considerations made during recording, so let’s breakdown a few things
to look at before plugging in.

What type of sound am I going for?

This might be obvious, but try to pick a guitar that will fit as much as
possible in a certain setting. If you’re recording something metal
sounding, use a guitar that has humbuckers or active pickups and that
can handle low tunings. Country guitar usually calls for single coils with
an expressive tremolo. Consider the right tool for the job and try to get
as close as possible.

Fitting in

Some guitars are known as “studio guitars” because they can fill a
variety of roles. One such guitar is the Fender Stratocaster, which is
known as one of the most versatile electrics on the market.

28
Of course it’s not economically viable to have a slew of guitars sitting
around, but if you’re looking to cover a majority of bases with a
purchase or two it can be good to have a Strat-like guitar (single coils
in SSS position) and a Les Paul type (HH style guitar) in the arsenal to
try and get as many tones as possible.

Pickup selection

Let’s go more in depth on one of the most important factors of guitar

tone, the pickup selection. Pickup selection is crucial in setting up the
right guitar sound while recording. Generally, a pickup that is further
away from the bridge of the guitar is darker while one that is closer is
brighter. When thinking generally about guitar tone this way, we can
start to assign pickup selections to where we want a guitar to sit in a
recording. I like to put a brighter, more mid-range emphasis on lead
guitar sounds as they usually contain melodies that we want to
highlight when listening. This is something that can first be emphasized
with the right pickup selection and later reinforced with other tools
such as amp choice and EQ.

Single Coils

When I think of single coils, I think twangy, crisp and bright. The single
coil has a presence unlike any other pickup, with some downsides.
While the tone can be commanding, single coils suffer from massive
noise issues. This is not the best when it comes to recording in the
studio. There are workarounds to this in the form of a noise suppressor
pedal or a gate plug-in. Other times, a hum will go away once facing
another direction. Yeah, sometimes it’s that simple. Single coils present
more problems than other pickups but are worth it if you crave the tone
they offer.

29
Humbuckers

While solely invented to get rid of the hum of the single coil,
humbuckers are well liked for more reasons than a quieter guitar signal.
Humbuckers are fat and mid-heavy and handle distortion and overdrive
much better than their single-coil counterparts. If you’re looking for a
punchy, fat sound, then the humbucker is the pickup for you.

Active vs Passive

With time have come modern modifications to the idea of a pickup. The
invention of the active pickup is the result of this innovation and now
guitarist’s have a choice between not only choice of pickup but also
active or passive pickups. Active pickups are ones powered by an
external battery, usually in the form of a 9 volt or battery pack. This
creates a boosted, more consistent tone. This sound is usually better for
genres with fewer dynamics, such as rock, funk or metal. However, you
might find that it works for whatever you’re doing, as I did. Passive
pickups do not need a separate battery and retain more dynamics.
Knowing the differences between them, you can now explore how your
choice will affect the sound you are after.

Other types of pickups

There are other types of pickups not yet mentioned, but that are not
nearly as popular as the aforementioned choices. P90s are single coils
with a singular pole piece. They are somewhat of a hybrid between
single coil and humbucker tonally speaking. Popular for edgy genres
like punk and post-rock, P90s are the alternative pickup for the

30
alternative player.
Lipstick pickups are unique magnets that swap pole pieces for a
single bar, hence the name lipstick. Made solely for Danelectro models
and then implemented into other guitars, the lipstick pickup excels at
jangly, retro tones found in 60s pop, surf rock and rockabilly. This
pickup is a bit goofy, but still worth knowing about for the right
situations.
Finally, mini-humbuckers are humbuckers with a smaller footprint. A
rarer find, these pickups are full of humbucker tone but with more
clarity and sparkle. Found in all sorts of genres across many periods of
the electric guitar, the mini-humbucker is an underrated gem worth
exploring.

What settings to use

When figuring out the right pickup setting to track with, try to think
first and foremost about context. Where is the guitar part going? A full
song? A duet? A standalone performance? Secondly, what options do
we have? The further the pickup is to the neck, the darker it will be.
Similarly, the closer to the bridge the brighter. So if we are tracking a
more rhythmic part, it might be better to pick a setting with less
presence, hence selecting the neck pickup. What about a guitar solo?
The bridge pickup is an easy frontrunner due to its brightness and
presence.
Experimenting with different pickup positions and understanding
how your instrument fits into the context of the project is the most
crucial part of setting your guitar up to sound amazing on record.
Become familiar with the various tonal possibilities of your guitar so
that you can succeed in finding the right sound for the part.

31
Guitar Controls

Don’t underestimate onboard controls! There are some surprising uses

for guitar controls that can help when recording!

Volume Knob

Most guitarists use the volume knob to simply kill their guitar volume
completely. However, the volume knob does not only control volume but
can also heavily affect gain structure. Rolling back the volume knob to
7 can change the amount of distortion or overdrive present in a signal
without much loss of actual volume, thereby making an entirely
different sound. This can be experimented with at different positions,
but is a concept that is best tried with your own setup. See how
different volume positions affect your tone so that you can pull out this
handy guitar trick when searching for new sounds in the studio.

Tone Knob

The tone knob is mostly ignored by many in the guitar community, but
it’s not always useless. The tone knob can be confusing because of the
name, but it’s really what’s known as a low-pass filter. This means that
high frequencies are cut the lower the knob is, creating a “warmer”
sound with less high end. This can be super helpful for layering or
taking some shrillness off whenever it’s heard. The tone knob can also
create some very warm cleans and it’s worth trying a backed off tone
knob in conjunction with a nice clean sound. While many jazz guitarists
are familiar with this trick, it can and should be used with any setup!

32
Chapter 6: Pedals and Amps
So many choices

The amplifier is one of the biggest influences on guitar tone. This is

obvious, but many overlook just how many options one amp can provide,
as well as how many options are truly available between physical and
digital form.

Amp Simulators

First, let’s analyze the differences between amp simulators and the
real thing. Amp simulators were largely dismissed for a long time
because the technology behind amp simulators was stagnant for quite a
long time. Recently, many amp simulators such as the Fractal Audio Axe
FX, Kemper Profiler, Line 6 Helix and recently the Neural DSP Quad
Cortex have become true tonal rivals to conventional amplifiers.

These powerful amp simulating computers can come in rack mount or floor models.

33
The reasoning for this lies behind their convenience. Many amp
simulators have hundreds if not thousands of “amp profiles” that creates
a limitless number of options. In addition, these amp models are quite
easy to record, only needing a simple data cable connected to a
computer. Many of these amp simulators mentioned can function as
their own interface and also create handy studio tools. For this reason,
it may be worth exploring using only an amp simulator when recording
in your bedroom due to their ease of use, quality tone and silence.

Amp Plug-ins

Many amp simulators also exist in a fully digital format within any DAW.
Many companies have released popular amp simulator plug-ins that
have found a large audience due to their ease of use and low price.
Plug-ins from companies like Neural DSP, Positive Grid, Brainworx, IK
Multimedia, Softube and so many more have brought amazing tones to
guitarists recording in the comfort of the bedroom studio. These options
should not be overlooked either as this category may be the easiest to
acquire and experiment with.

34
Modeler/solid-state amps

There are also amp simulators that take a more conventional form. A
well-known example of a modeler amplifier would be the Line 6 Spider,
which advertised itself as having many amps as the click of a button.
Using solid-state technology (absence of tubes in favor of transistors),
these amps are similar to other non-tube amps in creating a flatter tone
that is usually less desirable to other options such as tube amplification
and amp simulation. However, some popular solid-state/modeling
options do exist and are occasionally chosen for recording purposes.

Tube Amps

Despite the technological achievements in recent years, many still rely

on tube amplifiers for recording. Many of these tube amplifiers have a
certain warmth to them due to their tube construction that hasn’t yet
been fully replicated by any simulation technology yet. Tube amplifiers
also have a certain audible weight to them, partially due to the physics
of the guitar sound running through the physical circuitry and out
through a physical speaker. Tube amplifiers also have certain tonal
qualities that vary with each unit, as with time aging/various circuitry
will change the sound of a tube amp. Many who also prefer playing
through a physical amp will choose to do this over recording with a
digital simulation of an amp.
35
Popular amplifiers

Amplifiers are a nebulous topic that can feel like they require a lifetime
of learning to understand. To keep this section brief, I created a list of
industry standard amplifiers that are often used in professional
recording situations. However, there are hundreds if not thousands of
amplifier models that exist so simply feel free to use this as a jumping
off point to find an amplifier that really works for your sound.

Also included are codenames an amp will go under when selected on

amp modelers/simulators. For legal reasons, some amp simulators will
not list an amplifier by name, but instead list it as an alias. For instance,
Marshall and Orange amps are synonymous with “British amps” so you
might find an amp under that name that is essentially a Marshall or
Orange amp.

Roland JC-120

Useful for: Solid-state cleans and handling lots of guitar pedals

Excels in: Many genres, possibly one of the most versatile amps on the
planet
Possible codenames/aliases: Jazz, Jazz Chorus

36
Fender Deluxe/Twin Reverb

Useful for: Punchy, fat clean tones that work well with overdrive
Excels in: Most genres focused on cleaner guitar tones, but works best
in rock and blues rooted genres.
Possible codenames/aliases: Double Verb, US Double, 65 Verb

Marshall JCM800

Useful for: Distorted American

amp tones
Excels in: Rock sounds, leaning
towards hard rock and metal
Possible codenames/aliases: Brit,
Brit 800, Lead 800

37
Vox AC30

Useful for: Twinkly, sparkly cleans that can quickly saturate into overdrive
Excels in: Rock and rock sub-genres, especially ones that focus on saturated
clean tones.
Possible codenames/aliases: A-30, Class A, ____ 30

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Useful for: Big, heavy metal tones. Lots of low-mid

Excels in: Metal
Possible codenames/aliases: Cali, Recto, Boogey

38
Peavey 5150/6505

Useful for: Aggressive guitar tones, high-mid emphasis

Excels in: Metal
Possible codenames/aliases: Block, PVH, PV, 6505, 5150

Orange Rockerverb 100

Useful for: Distorted, British sounding tone

Excels in: Rock and metal
Possible codenames/aliases: Mandarin, Citrus, Rockergain, Catapulp

39
Soldano SLO-100

Useful for: Heavy but bright sounds

Excels in: Rock and metal
Possible codenames/aliases: Solo, ____ 100

Dumble Overdrive Special

Useful for: Fender-like sounds with more mids and bite

Excels in: Rock, funk, etc. (clean breakup tone)
Possible codenames/aliases: ODS, Overdrive, Tone Snob

40
Hiwatt Custom 100

Useful for: Loud and tight clean tones

Excels in: Handling pedals and clean tones
Possible codenames/aliases: Hipower, WhoWatt, HiVolt

These amps are just a few coveted models that many modelers are
based off of. If possible, try these amplifiers yourself to get to know the
sound of each and when to use them.

Every amp has varying settings and personal quirks that will make the
experience unique, so make sure to familiarize yourself with any hidden
features or special settings that will make a huge impact on the sound
of your particular amp choice. I personally believe that amplifiers have
one of the biggest roles to play in shaping electric guitar tone, so don’t
skimp on learning about what you’re working with!

41
Amp EQ’s

Let’s quickly go over a standard EQ module on an amplifier.

Amplifier EQ modules vary from unit to unit, however I’ve noticed that
there are a few parameters that are quite common amongst most
amplifiers. These would include bass, mids, treble and presence.
Before we review how to use these to create a tone that works
well for you, we have to acknowledge that all amplifiers have a set
frequency response before EQ knobs come into play. Let’s compare a
few of these charts to understand how an amplifier’s construction
influences its sound.

As you can see, all EQ points at their default controls do not equate to
a flat frequency response. The big takeaway here should be that it’s
important to set the parameters of the EQ on your amp based on what
you hear over what you see.
Don’t worry if you’ve maxed out your mid knob, if you like the sound
that is produced from doing that then that’s all that matters. Going
based on the sound that is coming out of the speaker is always more
important than whatever the settings look like.

By understanding your amp’s inherent EQ curve, you can now try and
use these tools to enhance and correct the sound of your amplifier with
the EQ knobs. Here are some common application of the various EQ
points on an amp:

42
Bass: Better to boost for jazz/darker sounding tones. Cut for more
emphasis on the mids and highs.

Mids: Boost to have the guitar cut through a mix more, lower this knob
for a more classic scooped metal sound.

Treble: Boost on a dark guitar or cut for a darker tone.

Presence: A high end shelf, boost for more snap on your tone but cut if
tone is harsh.

The right kind of EQ setting on an amp can go a long way in achieving

a fantastic sound, so experimenting with your amplifier is a must before
recording as you may find unexpected EQ combinations that better
compliment your sound.

Speakers

As a final add-on to amp choice, we can look at how various

speakers will influence the sound of our amp. First, we should look at
how many speakers we have in our chosen amp. Many guitar amplifiers
feature just one speaker, a 1x12 speaker that exists just below the
control panel. This common configuration is more common in combo
amplifiers, with some exceptions being the Vox AC30 or the Roland
JC-120 which both feature 2 speakers. Combo amps with 1-2 speakers
will produce enough volume to record no doubt, but may not feature as
much headroom (threshold of how loud a setup can go) as bigger
amps with more speakers. This is something you can factor into your
decision, although I wouldn’t stress this detail as many amps with one
speaker will still sound nice and full when recording.

When crossing over into amplifier stack territory, we begin to encounter

amplifier speakers that can go as high as 4 speakers. A typical stack in
an amplifier cabinet will feature four 12 inch speakers that have lots of
headroom. This is a sound that may be desirable to you if you want a

43
very powerful guitar sound, as the size of the cabinet and amount of
speakers will lend power to your guitar sound. Whether recording live or
via digital recreation, you will certainly hear the difference.
Understanding your options with relation to the number of speakers in
your amp will give you more options in shaping your guitar tone. As far
as what is best, I believe that is best left up to you. Personally, I’ve
never felt dissatisfied with a single speaker and even with the option of
recording digitally I’ve never opted to go above 2 speakers.
Another important thing to note is the brand of speakers in your
amps. Replacing stock speakers on your amplifier can make a huge
difference to your tone and should be pursued if the option is available
to you. However, many amps already have quite good speakers and I’d
urge you not to “chase the dragon” and go down a rabbit hole trying to
find the perfect speaker-amp combo instead of actually recording
music or playing guitar. This is something that I could say about all of
steps included in your guitar tone choices, but something I must
mention here as it’s something I see happen quite a lot with fine details
such as speakers. No speaker is a magic bullet for good tone, so don’t
stress if you aren’t able to get new speakers for your amp.
There are many reputable brands that have created amazing
models for guitar amps. These include Jensen, Celestion, G12, Electro-
Voice, Eminence and so many more. As with other sections of this book,
I will leave the fine details in your hands as I feel that the best pick for
your amp will be one that you research and discover yourself.

44
Pedals

Guitar pedals can be a crucial component of a guitarist’s sound. Let’s

discuss some pedals that are nice to have around, as well as some
ways to track with the most post-production flexibility.
Here are a few guitar pedals that I’d recommend to anyone looking to
make their recording life easier. Having these pedals around can be
nice, but aren’t absolutely necessary.

Tuner

I have to say it again: tune, tune and tune again! Tracking a guitar that
is out of tune is a waste of time. Check tuning between takes and
make sure your tuner is set to 440hz (unless you’re recording some
Baroque music or something, haha). This is basically the pitch of A4,
which most people set to 440hz.

Noise Gate/De-Hum

As previously covered, noise can be a big issue when recording. Having

a noise gate can minimize the amount of noise that makes it onto a
recorded track. The pedal works to minimize any signal lower than a
certain threshold. This can take out noise, but also reduce dynamics of
a guitar so finding a good trade-off is essential to working with a noise
gate. This is a pedal I always have around in the event of
uncontrollable noise or hum.

Compressor

While we will break down what a compressor does in more depth

further on, I can simply say for now that a compressor controls
dynamics of a guitar. This can be helpful for tapping passages or
guitar solo parts. Having this pedal around can really help a lot when
tracking sections that would benefit from reduced dynamics and I
always keep one around just in case.

45
Tracking with pedals

While it can be crucial for creativity to play with guitar pedals, it’s also
important to understand that a guitar track doused in reverb with
overdrive is not going to be changed much in post-production.
Therefore, dialing in the right sound from the start is important. Don’t
start tracking without critically analyzing back to how your pedal chain
is affecting your guitar signal. For a safer tracking experience that will
have more post-production options, try tracking without reverb or delay
as these things can be added in post. This can be done via plug-in or
using a guitar pedal as an effects loop in your DAW. However,
sometimes it’s simply best to commit to a sound and stick with it as
opposed to changing your tone in post. Just understand that when
committing to a sound, changing your mind later will usually mean
simply re-recording any parts that do not have the tone you are going
for.

The dangers of re-amping

While it can be good to save a cleaner signal, either one direct from
the amp or from the guitar, there can be drawbacks to committing to
re-amping. First, consider how a guitar tone changes your
performance. Compression, overdrive, reverb, delay and other effects
might change the way you perform. While you can re-amp a tone, you
cannot modify a performance that includes intricate details such as
dynamics, attack, articulation and more. The best call to make is the
one you intuitively feel. When you have a great tone that you feel works
so well there’s no better option than to simply track with it. However,
re-amping can lead to many, newer options so if you feel like crafting
a good guitar tone afterwards then consider this are your option for
getting the right sound.

46
Gear doesn’t matter, ideas do

So far, we’ve discussed music gear, amps and pedals in great

detail. The truth is, gear very much matters. But I wanted to emphasize
again that you should’t let your desires for more pieces of equipment
overshadow your desire to recording yourself. Many amazing guitarists
can play with inexpensive pieces of equipment and still create great
results. While it would be nice to have a $50,000 setup with amazing
guitars, amps, pedals, monitors and more, we do live in an age where
hits are recorded on smartphones. Don’t hold yourself back by
obsessing over expensive equipment that doesn’t make a bit of
difference to someone who is listening to your recordings. Find a sound
that works for you and stick to it, that’s the best way to keep going.
Access what is truly important to acquire and do it when the time is
right. Never miss out on honing your craft when you feel that your tools
aren’t enough.

47
Chapter 7: Tracking
The hard work

Now that your guitar tone has been finalized, it’s time to record.
This is a step that also should receive plenty of your attention, as good
tracks simply make a good song but amazing tracks make an amazing
final product.

Recording settings (bit depth, sample rate, file types)

When tracking, it’s important to pick the right settings. For recording, I
want to emphasize recording with WAV files, which will ensure high
quality. We will cover sample rate and bit depth near the end of the
book, but for now just know that anything higher than 44.1kHz and 24
bit is crucial for tracking! These audio parameters are considered high
quality, so find please these options in the audio settings of your DAW.
Be sure to research how to fine tune these settings on your DAW before
starting!

Buffer size

When recording it’s important to set the right buffer size for optimal
playback. Buffer size sets the speed of the computer processor, so the
lower it is, the faster the audio will come out of your playback device.
The time it takes between playback and the sound hitting your ears is
called latency. The lower the latency, the better you’ll be able to play
in time. Therefore, for tracking I’d recommend a buffer size lower than
128, but no higher than 256. This is due to latency ruining any chance

48
of your recording being in time. However, when tracking is over this
setting can be changed. In post-processing, use whatever buffer size
makes your computer run best (this will likely be 512 or 1024).

Before hitting record

Before you record anything, check your tuning! While I’ve mentioned
this before and it seems obvious, it’s important to check and re-check
frequently while recording because this something that cannot be fixed
later (I’ve had mild success pitch correcting single note guitar leads but
I should stress this is an option you’d want to avoid 99.999% of the
time).

Tracking methodology

When recording guitar, I have a few approaches that have worked

for me in the past. The first is to play my part a few times, then stitch
together the various performances into one solid performance that
features the best parts from each take. This is called comping, or
compiling a track. The second approach is to go bar by bar, not
advancing to the next part until the part being worked on sounds
excellent. In either case, make sure to get multiple takes for each part
so that you not only have options but how edited the performance will
be is up to you.
For particularly intricate parts, bar by bar might be a better
approach than trying to nail the entire thing in one take. For rhythm
work, maybe it is easier to simply play the part a few times and then
correct any shortcomings from the most perfect take. Your decision
with which method to go with should be which one will be the quickest.
Efficiency should be prioritized above all else when tracking so that
you can make sure your projects get done in a timely manner! Studio
fatigue is a real thing and causes projects to stall. Even legendary
musicians suffer from this, so find a workflow that helps you complete
your parts best!

49
Techniques

When recording guitar at home, we have to think of the recording

process as different from performing live. This means that we might
make different choices in the studio than we would when playing the
same song live.
One example would be in the amount of tracks we lay down when
recording. Sometimes when recording, double tracking a single part
will result in a thicker sound that can accentuate the feeling that you’re
striving for in your project. One way to apply double tracking could be
when recording rhythm guitars, which can benefit from double tracked
live performances which are each panned left and right respectively. To
do this, play the same part twice on two separate tracks and then pan
each one as far left and right as you’d like. We can take this same
concept and experiment with how many doubles we want to apply. For
a “wall of guitars” kind of sound, record the same rhythm part four
times, then pan them hard left, soft left, soft right and hard right for a
huge sound.
This concept doesn’t just extend to rhythm guitars, but leads too.
Adding harmonies and doubles for certain parts may work to taste, this
is where your preference should take over in the studio. Be sure to try
double tracking on various things as it may enhance your project.
However, don’t overextend this technique as it can lead to washy
sounding guitars that lose focus and power. Sessions with too many
guitar tracks can also be difficult to mix, so make sure that when you
add another double it is necessary and not just for the sake of being
bold.
When tracking two different guitar parts, try to vary up the tone of
both guitarists to make them stand apart from one another. This can
include more mids on a lead guitarist while dialing them back on a
rhythm guitarist. Using different guitars and amps can also help
separate the two tones. If two guitar tones are too similar it can make
the song sound somewhat unclear, so paying careful attention to these
choices is important.

50
Chapter 8: Processing
Editing and putting it all together

After tracking guitar, it is time to put the finishing touches on your

tracks. Whether they are fitting in the context of a full song or standing
alone, it is important to put lots of thought into how you want the end
result to sound.
This section will be about mixing your guitar track, with some other
ideas that should be mentioned before considering your recording
finished.

There are some things we should cover that will be helpful in

processing our final guitar sound. These include:

EQ: Short for equalization, adjusting the volume of various frequencies

of a recording.

Compression: Adjustment of the dynamic range of a track

Saturation: a mix of compression and distortion in which pleasurable

harmonics are added to a signal.

Ambience (Reverb): Sound after sound in a natural form

While there are many, many tools that we can use in the studio, I want
to focus on these as they are undeniably the most important and will
be used the most in your recording career.

51
EQ

The process of EQing an electric guitar is to highlight or diminish

certain elements of the recorded guitar that represent themselves via
frequencies. To understand how EQ can affect the electric guitar, let’s
look at a graph of all available frequencies from lowest to highest and
point out regions that are crucial for our understanding.

sub-bass low-end low-mid/mids high-mids high-end

When dealing with EQ, we use Hz (hertz) to measure the frequency of a

note. EQing is the process of balancing these frequencies. The human
ear can process sounds from 20Hz - 20,000Hz, so let’s analyze how the
electric guitar is usually heard across this spectrum.

Sub-bass (20 - 80 hz) - Very boomy on electric guitar, usually worth

getting rid of in favor of other frequencies.

Low-end (80 - 350 hz) - Fullness of electric guitar, muddy if boosted

too much.

Low-mids/mids (350 - 2k hz) - Presence. Add if guitar is thin, but

subtract if it sounds unclear.

High-mids (2k - 6k hz) - Brightness and snap. Unwanted, “icepick”

sound can from here.

High-end/air (7khz+) - Subtle air on guitar, usually not a lot here. Boost
on very dark guitars for more brightness, but usually best to adjust
subtly.

52
Subtractive vs Additive EQ

EQ is a versatile tool that can highlight or delete frequencies.

Therefore, it’s important to understand when to do one or the other and
when to reach for an EQ.

Subtractive EQ is when frequency ranges are reduced so that they’re

not overly present anymore. This can be useful to rid a track of
frequencies that are unwanted, such as a build up of boomy lows,
muddy low-mids, annoying mids or harsh highs. Sometimes the answer
to fixing an issue with a recording is simply removing an area that is
overshadowing the rest. We will cover listening to these problem areas
on the next page.

Additive EQ

This is a more popular usage of EQ, in which we are boosting

frequencies to highlight some over others. This can lead to boosting
too much however, so it’s important to pick which areas you will boost
carefully.

53
EQ parameters (dB, Q)

Let’s review some specific EQ parameters that we’ll need to work

with our EQ plug-ins. Q is the width of an EQ point or how much of a
frequency range we’ll be grabbing. Here is what an EQ boost of +6 db
at 1000 hz with a Q of 2 looks like (a medium sized Q).

Adjusting the Q will encapsulate surrounding frequencies in a boost or

cut. Therefore, it’s important to adjust the Q properly when making an
action. My general advice for setting an EQ is to cut small and boost
big. While this may not always be the case, cutting frequencies is
usually necessary to remove problem frequencies or areas in a guitar.
Cutting out large sections of guitar leaves little left or creates an
unbalanced EQ spread. Boosting on the other hand is more noticeable
in big chunks and should be used to highlight areas of the guitar you
deem pleasurable to listen to.

A thin cut of - 5.0 dB at 350 hz with a Q of 7. The higher the Q, the smaller the band as
you can see here.
54
EQ types

Let’s review the ways in which to apply EQ to a track.

Bell EQ - The EQ moves around the target frequencies in the shape of

a bell.
Uses: Boosting or cutting, either boldly or surgically

Shelf EQ - A shelf filter boosts or cuts beginning at the targeted

frequency.
Uses: Removing or boosting an entire section of EQ for mass effect.
One example is to add a lot of high-end to a track all at once.

High pass/Low pass EQ - To high pass or low pass is to gently remove

any frequencies above or below a targeted frequency.
Uses: Subtly remove sub-bass or high-end air.

55
Listening for EQ

A good strategy for finding problem frequencies in a guitar is to

boost an EQ band with minimal Q and then sweep until you find bad
sounding resonances. These can present themselves in a multitude of
ways, from boxy sounding low-mids to harsh sounding highs. Practice
this technique on your own and cross reference it with other resources
available online. When working with EQ you need to train your ears in
addition to learning with your eyes.
Identifying EQ by ear is kind of like being able to blind taste herbs
or spices in food. With time and practice, a novice cook can taste what
a dish needs to be the best it can be. Likewise, it can be worth it to
train your ear to recognize different frequencies. Proactive ways to
train your ear include online resource and apps such as Quiztones or
hearEQ will train you to identify specific frequencies ranges, allowing
you to better adjust the EQ of your guitar. This is helpful not only for
post-production on an EQ, but also just to have this skill in general for
your musical career.

Basic EQ pointers

While you are training your ears to listen for EQ, here are some
pointers to get started with using EQ plug-ins:

- Lose the sub bass: Most guitar tracks will benefit from erasing the
sub bass (below 80 kHz). Most tracks will benefit from this,
specifically lead guitars which can benefit from a higher cut
(sometimes up to 250 kHz).
- Cut small, boost wide: As mentioned before, make sure to justify big
cuts or small boosts as these will likely be detrimental to your sound.
- EQ to fix a problem: A beginner mistake with EQing is to use it too
much and too recklessly. Only apply an EQ to fix a problem or to
add more “character”. Not all tracks need a big boost at 12kHz and
a low-mid cut. Focus on reacting instead of needlessly adjusting.

56
Hardware EQ vs Digital EQ models

Not all EQs are built the same and depending on your goal it might be
more advantageous to reach for an EQ plug-in modeled after a
hardware EQ rather than a digital one. Hardware EQs have a long
lasting legacy that has kept many models in use beyond their years. The
reasons that many hardware EQs have endured to the digital era lies
within the specific qualities of the hardware, which usually impart
analog color into their sound. Let’s review a few EQ models worth
knowing about that you may be able to apply to your guitar tracks.

Pultec EQP-1

The “magic” EQ. The Pultec is a widely beloved tube EQ that boosts
and cuts frequencies in a unique way. This EQ is used to
add warmth, brightness and low-end depth to tracks. Try
out one of many emulations of the Pultecs to find out why
this EQ has endured the test of time.

API 550

API is synonymous with American style EQ, which has been

described sonically as fat and round. The 550 is a console
style EQ which, like many other EQs in this section, has
fixed EQ points. However, with a variable Q selection also
the 550 is surprisingly good at not only wide boosts but
narrow, surgical cuts making this EQ decently flexible.

57
 Neve 1073

While API is aligned with the sound of American EQ, Neve

serves as the poster child for British style EQ. No unit better
encapsulates this than the Neve 1073. With only a few fixed
EQ bands, the 1073 is sonically more limited than some other
units but makes up for it with lots of analog character. Many
rock styled guitar tracks feature the 1073 heavily as it imparts
gritty, mid-range saturation that shapes a track without any
EQ at all. The 1073 is still widely used for good reason, as it
has a lot of “in-your-face” character that cannot be ignored!

SSL EQ

Another British style EQ comes from SSL in the form of the

611. This EQ module is adapted from the SSL 4000 series
consoles, which feature smooth, more transparent EQ
than other companies such as Neve and API. This smooth
sound has found its way into many tracks and serves as a
benchmark for good analog EQ. This SSL EQ also
features many more Q and EQ point options, making it
the most flexible EQ discussed so far. If you are
interested in venturing into the realm of analog EQ, look
no further than an SSL style EQ to get started.

Many, many options

While there are many classic pieces of hardware for EQing, I felt that
these selections were a good intro to the world of analog EQ. Other
amazing units worth checking out are the MAAG EQ4M, Manley
Massive Passive and the GML 8200. Many plug-ins that emulate these
models exist and are worth exploring if you are a fan of the idea of
analog EQ. However, don’t feel that you need to purchase anything
that you don’t feel you need, any stock EQ in your DAW will do just fine
in balancing your guitar sound!

58
Compression

Along with EQ, compression is one of the most useful tools when mixing
guitar. However, understanding exactly what compression is can be
tricky. As a simple analogy, compression is an extremely fast volume
control. Compression works to reduce the dynamics of a signal when it
crosses a certain threshold of volume, controlling the peaks of a
recorded track and making it sound more consistent. This makes
compression a very versatile and widely applicable tool. How
applicable it is depends on what you are mixing.

gin s
p r e s sor be
Com engage
to

e
Volum
a s es
incre

To understand how to work a compressor, we need to understand the

various controls of a compressor. Most compressors will have these
parameters:

-threshold: At what level (dB) the compressor starts working

-make-up gain: Gain knob after the circuit to
-attack: How soon the compressor engages after being activated
-release: How long the compressor stays activated
-ratio: How hard the compressor engages

59
Since most electric guitars lack the wide range of dynamics other
instruments may have, lots of compression is usually not necessary
when using compression in a post-processing setting.

Let’s explore some ways to use compression on the electric guitar so it

can benefit a recorded track. We can do this by also learning about
various types of compressors and how they affect the sound of an
electric guitar.

Types of Compressors

Optical Compressors

One of the first types of compressor units built for the studio was
the optical compressor. This type of compressor operates by
processing incoming audio into light, which allows the compressor to
act depending on how much light is registered by the unit. This
configuration makes this type of compressor good for smooth
compression. These units have a slow attack and slow release, making
them perfect for smoothing out dynamic peaks. These magical
compressors are very useful for controlling peaks, but do not shine in
controlling busy or fast guitar parts.
Common optical compressors include the LA-2A.

60
FET Compressors

FET (field electricity transistor) compressors are fast, aggressive

compressors that prioritize speed over smoothness. These compressors
have been industry staples since their introduction and are usually a
safe pick for electric guitars. These compressors can be used more
aggressively to control dynamics or simply to shave off peaks of a
guitar performance. The most popular FET compressor model is the 1176,
which sports many unit variations that all have their own unique take on
the unit. These include the 1176 Rev A, D and F which all have their own
sound on the electric guitar.

As far as which revision is best for your guitar sound, I believe it’s better
to explore and find out what sounds best to your ear. The most
commonly used 1176 for guitar is the Rev D, or Blackface compressor.
However, I’ve found the Rev A to have a nice bright quality on my tracks
that I enjoy very much.

61
VCA Compressors

VCA (voltage-controlled amplifier) compressors are some of the best

compressors to use for taming transients due to their fast. While some
VCA’s would be a back pick for electric guitar due to being better
suited for mixing entire songs, the dbx 160 remains a solid choice for
mixing aggressive or heavily compressed funk guitar where lots of
compression is required.

The dbx 160 can impart fast, heavy compression on electric guitars, although it may be
fast better known for application on other instruments.

Vari-MU Compressors

The highly coveted Vari-MU is a compressor that changes parameters

based on the gain of the incoming signal. Known for warmth and
thickness, this is a great compressor for groups of instruments (also
known as buses) or for a more vintage tone.

62
Setting up a compressor

To get the basic feel of a compressor, start with these settings on a

track of your choosing:

Attack - fastest
Release - fastest
Ratio: 4:1

From there, start to lower the threshold of the compressor until you
start to “hear” the compressor work and see the dB meter start to
move. The amount of compression is up to you, but I recommend 2-4
dB of gain reduction to start. Of course, the amount is best decided by
you. From there, start to turn the attack knob back until you can hear
the compressor stop crushing the transients (the initial attack of a
note). This will sound like less of a squash and more like a smoothening.
Then, do the same with the release knob until you can notice the
compressor “closing down” quickly enough. When a release is too slow,
you’ll notice a pumping effect from the compressor not being able to
close quickly enough.

63
However, if the release is too fast there may not be enough time for the
guitar to breathe. These are sounds you will familiarize yourself in
practice using a compressor and are important to notice when setting
a compressor. Lastly, adjust the ratio to taste. I like to align the ratio
with the severity of the compression that I’m going for. a ratio of 1.5:1 -
2:1 is mild compression, used only to tame the peaks of a track.
compression from 3:1 to 5:1 is more noticeable compression that can be
used to control a guitar. A ratio of 6:1 or higher is when aggressive
compression starts to become noticeable and above 10:1 is when
compression begins acting more like a limiter, which is a tool we will
discuss later.

An 1176 on the “Dr.Pepper” setting. Attack at 10 o’ clock, release knob at 1 o’ clock and a ratio
of 4:1.

A typical setting I’ll also begin with if I’m clueless on how to start
harkens back to a fabled mixing template known as the Dr. Pepper
setting. This name comes from an old promotional campaign for the
Dr. Pepper soft drink, which advocated for drinking a Dr. Pepper at
the times of 10 o’ clock, 1 o’ clock and 4 o’ clock. This will be important
later, so remember those times!
To dial in the Dr. Pepper setting, start by using an 1176 style
compressor. Set the attack knob to 10 o’ clock on a clock face, the
release knob at 1 o’ clock and then set the ratio to 4:1 for 4 o’clock.
This setting is widely used as it is a “safe” setting that has wide variety
due to its slow attack, fast release and medium ratio. From here, you
can adjust the attack and release times to better suit your taste.

64
Other compression tricks

Parallel Compression (New York compression)

Compression is a useful tool for controlling dynamics and this can

come in many forms. One way to solidify the dynamics of a track is to
use parallel compression, which can bring out the subtle nuances of a
performance without completely squashing it. To setup parallel
compression, start by creating an aux send that has a compressor on
the track. Then, mix in this compression with the original track to create
a blended parallel compression sound. Some plug-ins also come with a
mix knob, which will accomplish the same goal more or less.
There are a few ways to set the compressor for a parallel
compression sound. One way is to impart dynamic control onto the
track by bringing out the subtle nuances. A good way to try this is
setting the compressor with a fast attack (less than 10 ms) and a fast
release (less than 40 ms) with a moderate ratio (2:1, 3:1, 4:1) and a hard
knee. When this compressor setting is mixed in on a track, it will impart
more dynamic control and solidity. For parallel compression, at least
-10 dB of gain reduction is recommended. Try adjusting the attack and
release times to varying effects, noting how it adjusts the track you are
using it on. I also like to vary up the ratio, going as high as 20:1 for a
big, squashed sound on some guitar tracks. Let your ears guide you
decision and play around with various parallel compression settings
during your post-processing practice.

British Mode (All buttons in)

This is an extreme compression setting that can be done on the 1176.

This is accomplished by selecting all of the ratio buttons on the 1176
compressor at the same time. Most plug-in versions will have a way to
achieve this setting, which is an extreme compression sound that will
shake up the track. This can be used to great effect for overly
compressed guitar sounds.

65
Saturation

Saturation is a somewhat confusing concept because it is used

interchangeably along other words that guitarists may be familiar with
such as overdrive and distortion. However, all of these terms are not
ubiquitous and understanding the key differences between them can
help to add some special sauce to your recorded tracks once
compression and EQ have been applied.
When a sound saturated or overdriven, there are additional
harmonics induced. Without getting too technical, these are simply
pitches that are added in higher frequencies. We can visualize this
when running a sine wave (single tone at 100 hz) through an equalizer,
then again with a saturation plug-in.

A sine tone at 100Hz sans saturator.

The same sine tone, but with a saturator plug-in engaged. Notice the addition of new
tones, also known as harmonics, which appear softer and softer the higher the pitch of
the harmonic. This is a good visual representation of what saturation does to a signal.

66
Types of saturation

Saturation comes in a few different forms and it can be good to

understand these differences so that you’re familiar with the right
saturator for the job!

Tape saturation

Tape saturation emulates the sound of tape, which is

usually characterized as having a high-end roll off and
slight low-end bump. This is usually a saturator to reach
for when you want to round out transients (the initial hits
of a note) or when trying to get some vintage tone into
your tracks.

Tube saturation

Tube saturation is similar to tape in that it adds a low-end

boost in the form of second-order harmonics (an octave
above the lowest tone) but does not have a high-end roll
off. Therefore, it’s much more subtle and
can be characterized by having a warm, but thick tone. This is a great
choice when looking to thicken up a track subtly.

Transistor saturation

The most common form of saturation in the audio world

is transistor. This is because it is the most common part
of many saturation devices, therefore you can expect to
encounter this type of saturation frequently. Transistor
saturation is a more upfront sound, closer to distortion
than light saturation. It can be quite “in-your-face” and
maybe has the closest association with Neve-style saturation. This is a
good saturation to use for an overdriven effect or to add some
character to a boring sounding guitar.

67
How do I know which type of saturation I’m using?

As stated above, most of the time you’ll be encountering transistor

saturation. When using any sort of tape plug-in, you can expect tape
saturation from it (unless you somehow can find and use a real tape
machine!). For tube saturation, specific hardware or their plug-in
counterparts would need to be sourced such as the Thermionic Culture
Vulture (which sounds amazing by the way) or the Soundtoys Radiator
to name a few. The Izotope Exciter (amongst other exciter plug-ins)
features all of these types of saturation plus more if you’re looking to
find an all-in-one way to try various sounds on your guitar tracks.

Applying saturation

I tend to think of saturation like sugar. It’s important to add to

make a cake sweet, but too much and it can be a disaster. On the
other hand, too little and you have a bland sounding recording (and a
horrible cake). Start small when working with any type of saturation
because the tendency to overdo it is real. Pushing saturation over the
edge is a cool intended effect, but assess your goals before adding a
saturation plug-in to your chain. Are you trying to spice up a flat
sounding guitar? Or just inserting a plug-in just to do it. Always create
a motive before applying an effect.
Note that parallel saturation is also a thing to try. Heavily distorting
a signal with saturation and then blending it in can create dirty and
unique tones for guitar. Just as sugar is used for many things, saturation
is also very versatile and is worth exploring for use when post-
processing your guitar tracks.

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Reverb

Reverb can be described as sound after sound that mimics real world
environments. This can mean a long aftereffect or a short ambience.
There are some basic parameters of reverb that we should go over.
The most basic one would be the length, which is simply how long the
reverb will tail for. This is usually measured in seconds, with milliseconds
(1/1000th of a second) being used to program shorter reverbs.
Pre-delay is a feature of a reverb that delays the start of the reverb tail
until a certain time after the initial signal.

All sounds in the world are affected by some sort of reverb, so

understanding how to apply it to your guitar in post-processing can
make the difference between a natural sounding guitar and an
awkward one.

These days, the capacity of modern day digital reverbs is quite

astounding. With the use of modern plug-ins, it’s possible to emulate
any room or reverb effect all on your computer. Let’s explore the
various types of reverbs, their various applications and how to use
each.

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Room reverb: The simplest reverb to understand and apply. A room
reverb simulates the sound of a room and will allow you to change
parameters of the “room” such as height, width, etc. With this much
versatility in reverb parameters, this reverb is a no-brainer for adding
natural sounding reverb to your guitar track. This is my personal
recommendation for a guitar enhancing reverb.

Plate reverb: This type of reverb emulates a plate analog reverb

machine. This was a more old school contraption that created reverb
from metal plates, used in a time before digital reverbs were widely
available. A plate reverb works well as a more effected reverb sound,
as it is not emulating a real environment but instead mimics one.

Hall reverb: Similar to a room in that it emulates a physical

environment, but focuses more on a distant, hall-like sound rather than
a closer ambient one. Good for faraway sounding effects or creating
some depth in a guitar track.

Spring reverb: Another old school reverb that is most recognizable with
vintage guitar sounds, the spring reverb is the sound of many Fender
tube amp reverbs. Created with a literal spring, this reverb will harken
back to the days of surf rock guitar verb

When finding a good room reverb, using a DAW stock verb is a good
way to start. Many of these come with presets that can be helpful to
start with, as you can adjust these as you go.

A good way to introduce a reverb is to use it as an effect send. This is

when a channel is dedicated to being a 100% wet reverb channel that
tracks can be sent through. The amount sent determines how much of
the effect is heard, and this can help with stereo widening (covered
more on the next page) as well as applying the same effect to multiple
tracks. This is usually the better way to setup a reverb for use as it
makes it very easy to control a reverb across many tracks, as well as
seeing how much reverb is being used on a single channel.

70
Stereo widening

Mixing introduces the concept of a stereo out, in which a signal is fed

to a left and right channel. For solo guitar performances, it can be
useful to understand how to widen a guitar during post-processing to
give the guitar larger than life qualities.
There are many ways to introduce a wider stereo field. One way is
to bus the guitar to a stereo reverb. A mono guitar will sound wider
when there is an effects send on a stereo reverb because the reverb is
hitting both left and right channels.
Another way is to use a stereo imager. A stereo imager plug-in
serves to spread certain frequencies to encapsulate a wider field.
However, overdoing this will cause a guitar to lose its center and can
reduce the overall impact of a recording so be cautious.

Lastly, we can use the Haas effect to widen our guitar. The Haas effect
dictates that any double sound that is delayed less than 40 ms will be
perceived as a singular event. This means that if we add a delay to our
electric guitar track, reducing that delay to under 40 ms will simply give
the guitar some ambiance that will give it a thicker sound. As great as
it this is, it’s certainly not a silver bullet to a better guitar sound. Over-
application of the Hass effect can mess with the phase of our guitar,
which essentially means a reduction in overall impact due to the
scattered perception of one sound source. When using these tricks,
keep it mind that you do not want to destroy the guitar sound you have
carefully crafted up to this point so apply any effect lightly.

71
Other effects

There are many effects that I didn’t cover as there are so many ways to
affect a recorded track between modern plug-ins and analog
hardware. The truth is that the bulk of processing will come from EQ,
compression and reverb. However I felt it necessary to briefly go over
some other effects in light detail to round out your processing
knowledge.

Delay

Delay is similar to reverb in that it is sound after sound. However, delay

repeats an exact sound instead of creating a reflection and does so at
a repeated interval. Digital delays do this to an exact science, usually
repeating at timed intervals in the form of eighth notes for instance.
Analog delays are similar but might have a looser repeated structure,
more analog character and vintage saturation in the repeats. This is an
effect well known to guitarists but can take on a whole new context
when mixing with delay. There are also various modes that a delay can
repeat in. Stereo is when a delay repeats on both left and right
channels. Another common delay mode is “ping-pong”, which
alternates the repeats between left and right channels. This can be
used as a creative effect or simply to have more movement in a guitar
track. Another mode, wide will spread the delays wider than center.
This can make guitars sound a lot bigger and wider in a mix. There are
many types of delays to experiment with, but most DAWs come with
adequate stock delays that features various modes and sound great!

72
Modulation

Electric guitar has a rich history of being intertwined with modulation

effects. These are effects that introduce some sort of alteration in the
sound, rather than an enhancement. For instance, introducing a chorus
sound to a guitar serves as more of a creative effect rather than one
that is enhancing a pre-existing tone. Let’s briefly explore some
modulation effects with the goal of fully understanding what these
effects actually do rather than what they sound like.

Chorus/Vibrato

A vibrato is an effect that subtly bends the pitch of a guitar signal. Old
amplifiers sometimes mislabel vibrato as a tremolo effect, in which the
signal of an amp is dropped in a regular fashion. Chorus is simply when
this pitch bending vibrato signal is mixed in with the dry guitar signal,
creating chorusing.

Phasing

Phasers work by sweeping them up and down the EQ spectrum,

creating filtered peaks along the way. This is a very 80s style sound and
still finds a way into modern guitar tones.

Flanging

Flanging is when two identical signals are mixed with one signal having
a slight delay that gradually changes. This ends up sounding like a big
whoosh!

73
Limiting/Loudness

In our previously covered topic about compression, we covered the

concept of ratio which is how hard the compression hits a signal.

Threshold

Limiting is very similar to compression, the only difference being

that we use a ratio of ∞:1 (infinity to one) which prevents a signal from
surpassing a certain level.
Limiting is useful for preventing an instrument from exceeding a
certain level, at the cost of reduced dynamics. The lower the threshold
on a limiter, the fewer dynamics get through. On the other hand, the
loudness of the track goes up which can help bring the track to a
normal loudness. This is a trade off that is worth knowing about and
should inform your decisions on using a limiter on your guitar.
In this way, limiters can be useful for bringing a guitar track to a volume
that is competitive with commercial standards. What does this mean?

74
A dynamic track

A heavily limited track

Volume can be measured with the metric LUFS, which stands for
loudness units relative to full scale. LUFS readings can give you an idea
on how your track stands when played alongside other songs or social
media videos. For instance, if your goal is to show off a recorded riff on
YouTube, you’ll want to match the average loudness of audio on
YouTube, which is currently -14 LUFS. This is a metric shared by Spotify
in an effort to combat the Loudness Wars, which was an era in
recorded music that saw engineers fighting to create the loudest
recordings. This came at the expense of dynamics and low-end detail,
so the music from this era suffered greatly. Issues such as variability of
volume when listening to music arose, so many measures were taken to
combat this. In response, many platforms simply conform to an average
of -14 LUFS. This is important to know if you plan on sharing your guitar
riffs with the world, especially on platforms that conform to this
measurement. Tracks that exceed this reading may be punished by
being turned down, which means both dynamic and volume were
sacrificed for nothing.

How to interpret LUFS

Many DAWs come with metering plug-ins, which serve to measure the
LUFS of a given track. This plug-in would be placed on the stereo out
or the master bus, which is the final place a track goes before it goes
to the monitors.

75
 Dynamic range from quietest
to loudest will be displayed
here.

LUFS integrated reading will

be displayed here

Click here to start and stop

the LUFS reading

Use a loudness meter on your master bus to export your riffs at the right
volume. Here are some common LUFS readings for platforms at this
time. However, don’t stress if your track doesn’t exactly match -14. The
most important thing to remember is to avoid distortion (will occur
when there is too much gain) and to find the right volume for the most
enjoyable listen. Usually, this will peak out around -11 LUFS, however the
most important thing is to do what’s right for the track.

Platform LUFS
Spotify -14
Apple Music -16
Tidal -14
Youtube -14
CD -9

76
Chapter 9: Finishing Touches
The final coat of paint

File distribution

The further we get into audio engineering, the farther we stray

from guitar and the closer we get to audio specifics. However, knowing
which file to export my riffs or songs at has made it very easy for me to
navigate sharing my music and guitar riffs around.
First, let’s discuss some file types you should be familiar with. There
are two main categories we can put audio files in, lossless and lossy.
Lossless files include file types such as FLAC, WAV, AAC and more.
These are files without any audio quality drop, which means they
feature no audio compression or downsizing. However, this means that
these files are usually quite big in size and therefore harder to
distribute. Lossy files on the other hand are very easy to distribute due
to their low data footprint, at the cost of audio quality. File types such
as the Mp3 and M4a feature audio compression, which helps lower file
size while retaining as much quality as possible.

What file to use

While there may be some obviousness to this, using lossless files when
uploading tracks to streaming services is a must. Most platforms will

77
usually not allow lossy formats such as Mp3 or M4a to be used in an
upload. I prefer using WAV files for a high quality export as it’s more
widely accepted than FLAC or another file type. However, WAV files are
not the easiest for sharing. If you are simply showing a track to
someone, I’d recommend Mp3. Similar to WAV, Mp3’s are much more
accepted across platforms and operating systems. I’ve found that WAV
and Mp3 are the easiest to access and share, making those my choice
for lossless and lossy files respectively.

Sample rate and bit depth (explained)

Simply bouncing a file as a WAV is not specific enough to conform

to the right parameters. As previously discussed, the correct audio
fidelity is very important. So, we need to export our WAV with the
correct sample rate and bit depth as it can make a huge difference
across streaming and social media platforms.
First, let’s fully understand what bit depth and sample rate are,
starting with sample rate. The way computers translate analog signal is
via sample rate, which grabs samples of audio for playback. The
amount of samples determines the fidelity of the audio. The most
common sample rate is 44.1kHz, meaning that 44,100 samples are
being taken every second. 48kHz is also a common sample rate size
and is most commonly seen in video production. Higher sample rates
like 96kHz and 192kHz are also used at top levels of audio production
for the most fidelity possible.

78
So which size is the best? The answer depends on your goals and
operating system. I think at the very least make sure you are tracking at
44.1kHz, 24 bit as mentioned earlier. This ensures you are meeting the
qualifications for high definition audio with the option to down-res to
16 bit for CD masters. The higher the sample rate, the more space a
project will take up. If you’re strapped for space on your hard drive or
computer, I’d recommend shooting for under 48kHz. However, if you
have the space and want to experiment with higher sample rates then
96kHz is worth trying. During one session, an engineer I was working
with was tracking our files at 192kHz, 32 bit. These files were a pain to
get from the studio and the quality was only minimally better from my
perspective. We were recording at a professional level, so I understood
why the files were recorded at these parameters. However, I do believe
that above all else, well-recorded tracks will beat out tracks recorded
at high fidelities. In some cases, overdoing sample rate and bit depth
may be more of a hinderance than a help. Find what works best for
your setup and stick to it.
When bouncing a master file, 48kHz/44.1kHz sample rate and 24 bit
depth will be accepted by most streaming services and may be
preferable. CD preferences are 44.1kHz, 16 bit so make sure to have
two versions of a track if you plan on putting something on CD and on
streaming services. It can also be handy to have an Mp3 bounce
around for sharing to friends or places with limited space.

Storage

When finished with a project, it can be tempting to get rid of it to save

space. However, I will highly recommend again that you invest in a hard
drive not only for tracking but for storage as well. This is important for
keeping projects safe as well as saving them in the event you’ll need
them again. Keeping all projects in one place will make it easy to keep
track of your progress and easy to find projects again!

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Chapter 10: The Process
Continuing on

I want to conclude this work by talking about one of my musical

inspirations, Elliott Smith. One of my favorite Elliott Smith records is
Figure 8, an album made slightly before his untimely passing. When
discussing the inspiration for the title of the record, Smith said “I liked
the idea of a self-contained, endless pursuit of perfection…there's
something I liked about the image of a skater going in this endless
twisted circle that doesn't have any real endpoint. So the object is not
to stop or arrive anywhere; it's just to make this thing as beautiful as
they can.”
This explanation really resonated with me because I feel that when it
comes to creating music, the goal should be to improve as much as
possible when compared to the last attempt. In this way, see your
recording projects as goal posts that you can compare. Be diligent in
trying new things and shooting to improve more and more. While you
can never reach perfection (nobody ever will), you can bow to the art
form of recording and try to achieve more than you did before and be
content with that.
I wanted to make the graphics of this work monochromatic to try and
illustrate how simple some of these concepts can be. It can really be as
simple as black and white to set up a microphone, but the reality is that
these things can go so much deeper than their simplistic beginnings.
Do not get discouraged in your musical journey by setbacks and
disappointments. Take them in stride and see every experience as
education and opportunity. With these principles, you will be pleased to
become that figure skater described by Elliott Smith, the one that
continues to skate a figure eight making it more and more beautiful
every time.

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Additional resources

There are tons of great, free online courses for mixing. Here are a few I
can personally attest to helping me with my audio engineering journey.

Pensado's Place

Dave Pensado is a grammy-winning mix engineer who hosts Pensado’s

Place, a weekly show that features a variety of audio educational
content from interviews to mix walkthroughs with Pensado. These
videos are especially helpful as Dave works “in-the-box”, which just
means that he doesn’t use expensive outboard gear and instead uses
cheap and accessible audio plug-ins. This makes it easier to replicate
what you see and hammers home the point that good technique, not
gear, is what matters most.

Mix with the Masters

Learning from the best is important when learning how engineer your
guitar sound. Mix with the Masters gets up close and personal with the
best engineers in the business, focusing on engineers that worked on
popular tracks or artists. This is especially helpful for learning how
particular engineers work and is full of amazing bits of knowledge for
you to apply at home.

Produce Like A Pro

This YouTube channel run by Warren Huart is a cut above the rest in
terms of delivering quality content for aspiring audio engineers. Unlike
some other YouTube channels that solely focus on mixing, this channel
covers a variety of topics from producing to recording and more. Huart
takes extra care in creating amazing, free videos that will teach you
something every time you watch.

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URM Academy

Similar to Mix with the Masters, URM Academy follows heavy mixing
engineers as they work through mixes they finished for prominent metal
bands. While their series do cost to watch, free clips are available that
showcase the great thought processes behind some of the best
engineers in the business.

GetGood Drums

While GetGood Drums is primarily focused on selling their VST plug-ins

and products, their YouTube channel also has great guitar focused
content presented by Adam “Nolly” Getgood. Proclaimed as a mad
scientist of audio engineering, Nolly is one of the most detail attentive
producers in modern metal and rock music. Many great mix
breakdowns and guitar tone explorations are available to watch free
on the GetGood Drums channel and are most certainly worth a watch
for any at-home guitar player.

These are just a few channels to watch on YouTube in your spare time
that will elevate your at-home workflow. Feel free to find more
educational channels, but be careful as to not listen too deeply to one
source or to one person online. Anyone can put out an opinion about
audio engineering on the internet but that doesn’t make any of what
you may read the absolute truth. Confer with multiple sources on the
veracity of information you learn about. Most importantly, try it yourself
and see how it suits you. If Chris Lord-Alge compresses -10dB on his
guitar tracks, that might not be a style that suits your sound. Always
consider your sound above all else!

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Mentoring

To take your audio engineering skills to another level, consider

spending any available free time in local studios in your area. Many
studio engineers will take interns or may even take on another
employee who is looking to get started. In addition, sometimes
recording a project at a studio will teach you a lot about your own
recording processes at home and this can be crucial to learning more.
Formal education also exists in many forms, from paid online
courses to undergraduate and graduate programs at many music
schools. However, something to keep in mind is that when it comes to a
skill such as audio engineering there are not always right and wrong
decisions to be made. This is a difficult kind of skill that isn’t always
easy to teach as it requires good judgement on behalf of the student.
Therefore, investing heavily in education isn’t always going to produce
the best audio engineer.
The most practiced and experienced student of the craft will be
the best, regardless of what schools they attended or gear they might
own. Invest in the process over anything else and continue to create
and work, even if it’s just from the comfort of your own bedroom.

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Special thanks to

Angell Restrepo-Estrada

Jennifer Delson

Corey Baustista

Stuff Stover

Jose Izquierdo

Kevin Jareczek

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