In relation to EQing guitars, does costly analog {hardware} actually offer you one thing a plugin can’t? Or are you able to make primarily the identical strikes fully within the field?
On this excerpt from Dan Malsch’s Recording Heavy Guitars Masterclass, Dan places the SSL Revival 4000 {hardware} channel strip in opposition to an SSL 4000-style plugin, making related EQ strikes on the identical guitar sound and explaining the place the 2 approaches differ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x1fmmXjOCc&t=190s
What makes the comparability helpful is that Dan isn’t attempting to show that one is “higher.” His level is far more sensible: each can get you the place it’s good to go, however they encourage barely totally different workflows.
Begin With the Supply, Not the EQ
Dan begins with a Marshall JCM800 that already sounds good.
That’s essential.
The EQ isn’t getting used to rescue a foul amplifier sound. The amp, guitar and microphone mixture have already carried out many of the work.
Dan’s first intuition, if the guitar wants extra low finish, is definitely to return to the supply. Flip up the bass on the amp, alter the microphone stability or deliver up extra of the Royer ribbon microphone.
Solely after the supply is working does he use EQ to form it additional.
That distinction is extremely essential.
EQ ought to improve the sound you recorded, not turn into an alternative choice to recording the suitable sound within the first place.
Why Dan Likes {Hardware} Whereas Monitoring
For the {hardware} instance, Dan makes use of an SSL Revival 4000 channel strip.
As a result of the amplifier is loud and hitting the microphones exhausting, Dan engages the pad on the preamp. This permits him to maintain a wholesome sign degree whereas nonetheless driving the preamp in a helpful manner.
He additionally factors out that he usually doesn’t compress distorted electrical guitars whereas monitoring.
Why?
The distortion from the amplifier is already compressing the sign.
Including one other compressor merely since you usually compress devices isn’t essentially serving to something.
From there, Dan begins shaping the guitar with the SSL EQ.
First: Get Rid of What You Don’t Want
Dan begins with the high-pass filter.
He intentionally sweeps the filter far too excessive so you possibly can hear precisely what it’s eradicating. At excessive settings, the guitar turns into skinny and nearly transistor-radio-like.
Then he backs the filter down till the guitar feels pure once more.
He lands at roughly 70 Hz.
Why take away these frequencies?
As a result of in a completed manufacturing, the bass guitar and kick drum are going to occupy that space.
Dan already is aware of he doesn’t want that info from the guitar, so quite than carrying pointless low finish into the combination, he removes it whereas recording.
That’s an enormous a part of Dan’s philosophy:
Commit when you realize what you need.
Should you’re assured that these frequencies aren’t going to assist the guitar later, eradicating them now means one much less determination to make throughout mixing.
Including Weight With out Making the Amp Flubby
The JCM800 isn’t an particularly deep, tight low-end amplifier.
You may flip up the bass management, however finally the underside begins changing into unfastened and flubby.
As a substitute, Dan makes use of the SSL EQ so as to add a small quantity of physique round 200-something Hz, in the end utilizing solely a few dB.
It’s a fantastic instance of the distinction between extra bass and the proper of low-mid weight.
Somewhat than asking the amplifier to provide a low finish it doesn’t naturally do significantly nicely, Dan provides some managed thickness with the EQ.
He additionally makes the purpose that you possibly can obtain one thing related acoustically by altering the microphone stability and citing extra of the Royer.
Once more, there are a number of methods to achieve the identical vacation spot.
The 800 Hz Space: The place the Guitar Will get Its Thickness
Considered one of Dan’s favourite areas on a Marshall is round 800 Hz.
Utilizing a broad Q on the SSL, he sweeps the low-mid band till he finds the world that offers the guitar extra density and character.
He repeatedly emphasizes utilizing broad, musical EQ curves.
For broad tonal shaping, Dan doesn’t wish to carve on the guitar with extraordinarily slim notches.
If there’s a genuinely problematic resonance that wants surgical therapy, he’ll cope with that later utilizing one thing like FabFilter.
However whereas monitoring?
He’s considering broadly.
He’s shaping the instrument.
That’s similar to what the controls on the amplifier itself are doing. Guitar amp EQ circuits are likely to make broad tonal modifications quite than extraordinarily slim surgical strikes.
The Harmful 2–3 kHz Space
Then Dan strikes into the higher mids.
On a Marshall, it’s a must to watch out right here as a result of the amp already incorporates quite a lot of upper-mid power.
Dan sweeps by way of the vary and identifies an space round 2.5–3 kHz.
Soloed, including this frequency can sound aggressive, even barely harsh.
However that is the place context turns into extremely essential.
As soon as drums, bass, vocals and a number of guitar layers are taking part in, that very same upper-mid info might be precisely what permits the guitar to stay audible.
A frequency that sounds barely disagreeable in solo could also be important within the combine.
That’s why Dan in the end needs to make these selections whereas listening to the monitor, not endlessly perfecting an remoted guitar tone.
Dan’s Rule: Don’t Look. Pay attention.
Considered one of my favourite moments on this part is Dan’s strategy to analog EQ.
Don’t stare on the numbers.
Flip the knob.
Sweep the frequency.
Pay attention.
When it sounds good, cease.
Then have a look at the place you ended up.
Dan finds himself round 70 Hz for the filter, round 200 Hz for physique and round 800 Hz for thickness as a result of these are the areas his ears lead him to.
The numbers are helpful for understanding what occurred.
They shouldn’t dictate the choice.
So What Occurs When You Do the Identical Factor With a Plugin?
Dan then opens an SSL 4000-style channel strip plugin and makes an attempt primarily the identical EQ strikes.
And that is the place the comparability turns into significantly helpful.
The plugin will get very shut.
Dan applies the same high-pass filter and as soon as once more lands at roughly 70 Hz.
He applies a broad low-mid increase and finally ends up round 900 Hz, in contrast with roughly 800 Hz on the {hardware}.
He provides physique decrease down, this time touchdown round 247 Hz.
And for the higher mids, he finds himself round 2.1 kHz.
They’re not numerically similar settings.
However sonically?
They’re attaining primarily the identical goal.
{Hardware} and Plugins Reply In a different way
Dan does discover one fascinating distinction.
With the plugin, he finds himself utilizing a little bit extra achieve to create the same subjective impact to the {hardware} EQ.
That’s not essentially an issue.
The plugin has loads of achieve accessible.
It merely reinforces the concept that copying numbers between {hardware} and software program isn’t significantly helpful.
If the {hardware} sounds proper with one quantity of increase and the plugin requires barely extra, use barely extra.
Match the consequence, not the quantity.
The Greatest Distinction Is Workflow
This could be crucial takeaway from your complete comparability.
The largest benefit of the plugin isn’t essentially sound.
It’s flexibility.
With {hardware}, Dan likes to make the choice whereas recording and commit the EQ into Professional Instruments.
Meaning the monitor arrives within the session already formed the way in which he needs it.
With the plugin, you can also make very related strikes with out completely committing something.
You may come again tomorrow.
Change the filter.
Transfer the midrange.
Cut back the increase.
Flip your complete EQ off.
That may be enormously helpful, significantly in case you’re nonetheless studying otherwise you’re unsure about how the association goes to develop.
Dan makes use of plugins consistently. SSL channel-strip plugins are throughout his classes.
He merely prefers committing when he’s assured concerning the sound.
{Hardware} Offers You Dedication. Plugins Give You Flexibility.
That’s actually the comparability.
{Hardware} EQ
{Hardware} can encourage you to:
- Pay attention quite than stare at a display screen
- Make broader, extra instinctive selections
- Form the sound whereas recording
- Decide to a tone
- Get tracks nearer to completed earlier than mixing begins
- Work together with the preamp and analog recording chain
Plugin EQ
Plugins offer you:
- Recall
- Automation
- Limitless cases
- The flexibility to vary selections later
- Exact visible suggestions
- Surgical EQ when wanted
- An inexpensive manner to make use of the identical primary methods
And crucially, Dan demonstrates that you don’t want the {hardware} to make use of his strategy.
Should you don’t personal an SSL Revival 4000, make the strikes with a plugin.
The ideas are precisely the identical.
Don’t Purchase {Hardware} As a result of You Suppose You Want It
There’s a a lot bigger lesson right here.
Dan has entry to an unimaginable assortment of kit, however the course repeatedly comes again to the identical level:
The data issues greater than the gear.
Realizing that your guitar doesn’t want all the things under 70 Hz is helpful whether or not you’re utilizing an SSL console, a $30 plugin or the inventory EQ in your DAW.
Understanding what 800–900 Hz does to the density of a Marshall guitar is helpful no matter which EQ creates the increase.
Understanding why 2–3 kHz would possibly sound harsh in isolation however beneficial inside a dense combine is much extra essential than whether or not that increase got here from {hardware} or software program.
The tools modifications.
The choice-making doesn’t.
Be taught Dan Malsch’s Full Guitar Recording Course of
This hardware-versus-plugin comparability is only one part of Dan Malsch’s Recording Heavy Guitars Masterclass.
Throughout the whole 90-minute course, Dan takes you thru your complete strategy of recording big guitars, together with:
- Marshall JCM800, EVH 5150 III and Bogner Uberschall
- Shure SM57 and Royer R-121 microphone methods
- Milab VIP-60 and Tul G12 comparisons
- Pedals and increase combos
- SSL and Chandler preamps
- Selecting the correct quantity of achieve
- Creating complementary left and proper guitar tones
- DI recording
- Reamping
- Actual amps versus amp sims
- Reactive load bins and IRs
- Fractal modeling
- Recording clear guitars
- EQing guitars whereas monitoring
- Constructing the guitars inside an actual music
Dan and guitarist AJ Larson then put the methods into follow by recording precise guitar components, so you possibly can see how these selections work when there’s an actual association round them.
You additionally get the multitracks to work with your self.
And the whole course is simply $27.
Take a look at Dan Malsch’s Recording Heavy Guitars Masterclass right here:
https://promixacademy.com/course/dan-malsch-recording-heavy-guitars-masterclass/
Whether or not you like analog {hardware}, plugins or a mixture of each, the takeaway is easy:
Get the supply proper. Pay attention earlier than you look. Make broad musical selections. And use whichever instrument allows you to get there.
