Electric guitar gives you two great options at home: mic up a real amp, or record direct and use an amp simulator. Both can sound professional – here’s how to do each well.
Option 1: Mic the amp
Point a dynamic microphone (a classic choice handles high volume well) at the speaker grille, a few centimetres away. Aim at the centre of the cone for a brighter, more aggressive tone; move toward the edge for a warmer, darker sound. Small position changes make big tonal differences – experiment and listen back.
Option 2: Go direct (DI + amp sim)
Plug the guitar into your interface’s instrument (Hi-Z) input and use an amp-simulator plugin in your DAW. It’s quiet, repeatable, neighbour-friendly, and you can change the ‘amp’ after recording. Modern sims sound excellent. See setting up your interface for the Hi-Z input.
Get your levels and tone right
- Set healthy levels with headroom – guitars have sharp transients.
- Record the DI signal even when micing an amp, so you can re-amp later.
- Tame a boomy room with a little treatment when micing.
Once tracked, shape it in the mix with EQ and compression.
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