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Electric Guitar Recording Techniques
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand]Victor Epand

A guitar is a type of musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It usually has six strings, but four, seven, eight, ten and twelve string guitars also exist. An electric guitar is the kind of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel cored string into electrical current, which is then amplified.

There are various ways to record an electric guitar. The traditional method is to connect to a really good amplifier. The latest option is to plug the guitar directly into the computer and use a software plug-in to handle the amp and the speaker modeling.

When recording an electric guitar, the amp is the important factor as far as the mic is concerned, and thus its position is important. The dynamic mic produces a solid sound with a smooth high end. However its position has just as much bearing on the tone as the mic itself.

One way to capture the sound of a large stack is to set up the stack in a large room, play it loud and put the microphone several feet away so that the combination of all the speakers can be recorded. Using this method, the mic captures the guitar sound as much as the audience would.

One of the microphones can be inverted though that does not produce the best result. Here using a capacitor microphone as the distant one often produces a sense of space, but the ultimate bottom line is that anything that sounds good goes with the guitar.

The biggest problem that many amateur guitarists face is poor tone. In order to solve this problem the recorder should check the amp and guitar combination on microphone level and then should decide where they would be placed. Tone should be adjusted but one thing should be kept in mind. The low end will increase if the microphone is placed close to the source. This is known as proximity effect.

The mic that is used for electric guitar recording is preferably a dynamic microphone because of its capability to endure high volumes. These are the technical things that one should keep in mind. But there are some simple points that will help while recording.

As a first and very basic rule, one should make sure that the guitar is in very good condition, that is, its strings are properly fitted. Tuning must be checked before every take as it is inclined to flow in warm studio.

Equipments containing transformers will tend to cause hum interference on electric guitar especially those of single coil pickups. Computer monitors in particular also cause serious interference problems with guitar pickups, so it is advisable to keep them as far away as possible.

While using different electric guitar types or sounds for recording, two or more overdrive guitar parts should be kept to keep the sounds separate in the mix. For example, using a single coil setting for one part and a humbucker for another.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for music gear, speakers, and microphones. You can find the best marketplace for music gear, speakers, and microphones at these 3 sites: [http://www.sellusedmusicgear.com]music gear, amplifier, [http://www.sellusedspeakers.com]speakers.

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Music Video Production For Musicians - 7 Steps to Making Your Own Video Part 2
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=John_Essiam]John Essiam

If hiring a professional music video production company is not an option, you obviously want to do it on your own.

In the second part of this series we take a look at what we need to do on the actual shoot.

4) Location! Location! Location!

Where you choose to shoot the video amounts to more than 50% of how your video is going to look. Some of the factors to consider are:

* are you getting it for free?

* how long the will location be available to you?

* whether or not you will need lights

* the overall appearance of the location - it doesn't have to be "nice" in the traditional sense of the word but it has to be interesting.

Location is so important that on professional shoots a location scout is paid just to find the right places for filming.

5) Getting the shots

It is always best to plan your shots ahead of time or even make a storyboard. A storyboard is simple a group of drawings that represent what shots and camera angles you will be using.

They can be simple stick drawings, just to guide the director and the lights/camera crew.

One of the best ways you can shoot is;

* get a "wide shot" of the whole scene, first;

* and then move in closer and closer with your camera for the other shots.

Afterwards you can also get little details such as the drummer's hands with the sticks or the guitar pick against the strings.

6) Working together

Shooting a music video can be really intensive. Often conflicts may arise.

It is important that everybody knows what their job is on the set. It is always best not to interfere with others' work. Even if you think they are not doing things the way you believe they should.

When everybody is having fun and enjoying themselves it will show in the final product. And your fans will enjoy it even more.

7) Editing your video

Many people advocate using free software like Windows Movie Maker. Personally, I think you would find it a very painful process.

I use Edius or Final Cut Pro in my music video production. However if you want free software for your editing needs, a lot of people recommend a program called  Wax. You can download it from [http://www.debugmode.com/wax/]http://www.debugmode.com/wax/.

John Essiam is a music video director and an industry professional based in the UK.

You can get a free download of his eBook "How To Get A Record Deal From The Comfort Of Your Bedroom" at [http://guaranteedvideos.com]GuaranteedVideos.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Essiam http://EzineArticles.com/?Music-Video-Production-For-Musicians---7-Steps-to-Making-Your-Own-Video-Part-2&id=1512599