AES San Francisco 2008
Acoustics Event T14
Saturday, October 4, 5:00 pm — 6:45 pmT14 - Electric Guitar-The Science Behind the Ritual
Presenter:
Alex U. Case, University of Massachusetts - Lowell, MA, USA
Abstract:
It is an unwritten law that recording engineers’ approach the electric guitar amplifier with a Shure SM57, in close against the grille cloth, a bit off-center of the driver, and angled a little. These recording decisions serve us well, but do they really matter? What changes when you back the microphone away from the amp, move it off center of the driver, and change the angle? Alex Case, Sound Recording Technology professor to graduates and undergraduates at UMass Lowell breaks it down, with measurements and discussion of the variables that lead to punch, crunch, and other desirables in electric guitar tone.