Microphone Placement Techniques
In this video, Producer/Engineer Ross Hogarth demonstrates his dual microphone positioning techniques using a Royer ribbon mic and an SM57 on a guitar cabinet. He uses an open speaker to clearly show where to put mics and how to avoid phasing issues. He also explains why he likes these positions.
Guitarist Shawn Tubbs compares the Royer R-10 ribbon microphone, retailing for $495, to Royer’s flagship R-121 ribbon microphone.
Tim Pierce has been one of LA’s most prolific and in-demand session guitarists for decades. In this video Tim walks us through his basic home recording techniques (including gear used), builds guitar layers on a track, and demonstrates how he mixes a Royer R-122V and a Shure SM57 to shape and record his guitar tones.
In this video (#2 of 3) Tim digs into some great Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan electric guitar tones, demonstrating how he blends an R-122V and an SM57 to capture all the tone and power his 4×12 cabinet is kicking out.
Tim Pierce – Recording Heavy Rock Electric Guitar with an R-122V and SM57, #3 of 3 video series
In the final video of this 3-video series, Tim plays HEAVY detuned electric guitar and also does some screaming solos. Have some fun and turn this one up loud! Tim shows how he blends an R-122V and an SM57 to capture all the crunch and power of these styles.
Heavy Electric Guitar – R-122V
Producer/Engineer: Johathan Merkel
Guitarist/Producer/Engineer Jonathan Merkel shows how he records heavy electric guitar using an R-122V to capture his Mesa Boogie Uberschall amplifier. This song was recorded in Jonathan’s home studio, so the 1×12 Mesa cabinet was placed in a closet for isolation.
Jonathan shows complete signal paths for all phases of electric guitar recording and walks us through blending R-122V, SM-57 and DI tracks for his final guitar sound.
“Fuel the Fire” (Jonathan Merkel)
Johathan’s company Beat Chamber is a Contemporary Song Catalog and Production company which produces and licenses music for film, TV and multimedia projects. https://www.beatchamber.com
Grammy winning Engineer/Producer Ross Hogarth and session guitarist extraordinare Tim Pierce joined us to create an 8-part video series featuring an in-depth look at Hogarth’s electric guitar miking techniques. These videos are an excellent opportunity for recording engineers at all levels to learn new methods or brush up on some great guitar miking techniques.
Recording Electric Guitar, with Ross Hogarth and Tim Pierce. Session 1 of 8.
Divided by 13 amplifier into a Marshall 4-12 cabinet.
Introduction to blending a Royer Labs R-121 ribbon microphone with a Shure SM57 dynamic mic on electric guitar.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 2.
Marshall JCM 800 amplifier into a Marshall 4-12 cabinet.
R-121 and SM57 blend vs R-101 & SM57 blend
Two microphone blends are compared; a Royer Labs R-101 ribbon microphone and Shure SM57 dynamic mic, and a Royer R-121 ribbon microphone and Shure SM57 dynamic mic.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 3.
65 Blackface Fender Deluxe
Blending a Royer Labs R-121 ribbon microphone with a Shure SM57 dynamic mic on a combo amp.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth. Session 4.
Microphone Placement Techniques
In this video, Ross demonstrates his dual microphone positioning techniques on a guitar cabinet, then uses an open speaker to clearly show where to put mics and why he likes these positions.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 5.
Supro combo with 15-inch speaker.
Another example of blending a Royer Labs R-121 ribbon microphone and a Shure SM57 dynamic mic, this time on a beautiful Supro combo amp with a 15-inch speaker. Very nice, warm vibrato on this amp.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 6.
Diezel head into a Marshall 4-12 cabinet.
In this video with Tim playing drop-tuned guitar, we compare an R-121 & 57 blend and an R-101 & 57 blend on a cranked up Diezel head through a 4-12 Marshall cabinet.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 7.
Magnatone Stereo Combo Amp
Ross uses the R-121 & 57 blend on a great old Magnatone stereo combo amp, with an SF-24 stereo ribbon microphone centered 1-ft back from the amp to capture excellent stereo guitar tones.
Recording Electric Guitar with Ross Hogarth & Tim Pierce. Session 8.
Supro combo with 6-inch speaker.
This video of an R-121 ribbon microphone on a Supro combo amp shows the amazing tone and size you can get from properly miking a small amplifier.
B-3 – SF-24
Drums – R-121, SF-12
Drum Room – SF-12, R-121
Bongos – SF-24
Shakers – SF-24
Electric Guitar, Heavy Rock – R-121
Engineer/Producer Ross Hogarth was one of the first engineers to ever use a Royer ribbon microphone. He has a large collection of Royers, including early serial numbers of all of our models due to his beta testing everything we’ve ever made. Over the years his contributions have been numerous and invaluable and we count him among our closest of friends.
Ross gave us the following isolated tracks to help teach engineers what Royer ribbons are capable of doing in the studio.
1) Isolated B-3 from the Damon Castillo Band, recorded on an SF-24 stereo ribbon microphone.
B-3: SF-24 on top of the Leslie with a Heil PR-30 on the bottom.
Recording chain: SF-24 into a Great River MP-2NV preamp, PR-30 into a Chandler preamp.
Recorded by Ross Hogarth at Sunset Sound Factory, Hollywood, CA in 2007.
2) Kenny Aronoff playing drums. One compressed R-121, 3 feet high and 6 feet back from kit.
Recorded by Ross Hogarth at Rumbo Recorders – Canoga Park, CA, B-room.
3) John Molo – Various Drum Tracks
This is a drum session broken down into isolated tracks cut on various Royers, with a final mix of all the Royer mics that were used on the session. This mix does not include the other mics that were used on the kit for the final drum mix.
Recorded by Ross Hogarth
3 a) SF-12 in front of the kit
3 b) R-121 left and right, front of the kit
3 c) One R-121 in front of the kit
3 d) All Royer mics from 3a, 3b & 3c blended
4) Bongos and Shakers from the Ryanhood song “All Right” recorded on an SF-24 stereo ribbon microphone. SF-24 12-inches above bongos and 8 inches from shakers.
Recording chain: SF-24 thru Great River MP-2NV pre, to Crane Song HEDD converter.
Recorded by Ross Hogarth at Track Records, North Hollywood, CA in 2008.
Play Audio
5) Stereo rhythm distortion guitar bed. R-121’s on two Marshall 4-12 cabinets.
Recorded by Ross Hogarth in Pro Tools at Rumbo Recorders – Canoga Park, CA.
Electric Guitar – Heavy Rock – R-121
Drum Room Mics – R-121
Engineered by Joe Barresi, Allen Sides and Johnny K. Produced by Joe Barresi and John Sullivan.
Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA / Bay 7, Valley Village, CA /
Groovemaster Studios – Chicago, IL.
From the Hollywood Records release “Loudmouth”.
R-121’s on electric guitars.
Two R-121’s as drum room mics.
1) “Rats In The Maze” (John Sullivan)
2) “Maybe” (Tony McQuaid)
3) “End Of The Century” (John Sullivan)
4) “No Heroes” (John Sullivan)
Electric Guitar – R-121
Drums Overheads – SF-12
Produced, engineered & mixed by Michel Wagener.
Recorded at Wireworld Studio, Nashville, TN.
Recording chain: All R-121s into Chandler TG2, TG Channel, and Germanium preamps. All preamps mixed to one bus, to Crane Song HEDD, to Euphonix AM713 A/D converter. Recorded to Steinberg Nuendo.
1) “Free” (Kings X)
a) Full Mix
b) Electric Guitar: two R-121’s on a Randall 4-12 stereo guitar cabinet. (See photos)
c) Electric Guitar: two R-121’s on a Randall 4-12 stereo guitar cabinet and an R-121 three inches from a Randall RM-20 small combo amp. (See photos)
2) “I Don’t Know” (Kings X)
Two R-121’s on a Randall 4-12 stereo guitar cabinet. (See photos)
3) “Move” (Kings X)
Two R-121’s on a Randall 4-12 stereo guitar cabinet and an 121 three inches from a Randall RM-20 small combo amp. (See photos)
Electric Guitar – R-121
Drum Rooms – R-121
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ross Hogarth.
Recorded at Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA.
All tracks recorded to ProTools at 48K.
1) “Rowboat” (Casey, Daniels, French)
a) Full Mix
b) Electric Guitars: R-121, SM-57 and 421 clustered on one 4X12 cabinet speaker.
Recording chain: R-121 to V72 Telefunken tube pre, SM-57 and 421 to Trident console preamps.
c) Drum rooms: R-121 & Coles 4038 blended. Coles 2 ft back from kit, 121 five ft back from kit.
Recording chain: R-121 and 4038 to Trident console preamps, to Chandler EMI compressor. Recorded to ProTools at 48K.