Recording with Pod XT

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 23 Aug 2006 11:22 am

I've been using the POD XT live for about a year now and will soon be going into the studio to record a demo.

I have virtually zero studio experience and was wondering if anyone out there has tried recording direct with the POD XT.

Is running direct to the board something I should consider or would I be better off going through an amp and miking it ?

All comments welcome and appreciated.

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Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll, POD XT

Ron Sodos · Post by **Ron Sodos** » 23 Aug 2006 2:36 pm

I personally always use an amp in the studio. I think the tone out of speakers is much better than anything direct. Of course it might depend on who is in the booth. But I have done quite a few sessions and I would never go direct. I also have a POD XT that I use at gigs as well as an Evans Preamp with a Stewart power amp. My Black Widow speakers
have great tone and thats the way I would work in a studio session. Good Luck.....

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 23 Aug 2006 6:33 pm

Have the engineer do it both ways. He can take a direct output into one channel and mic it through another. That way you have a choice.

Regards,

Mark T>

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 24 Aug 2006 5:47 am

Bob
I record with a PODxt, I use and
RV-3 and no reverb on the PODxt.

RIck
www.rickjohnsoncabs.com

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 24 Aug 2006 2:31 pm

I have recorded a ton of sessions in Chicago and Little Rock using my POD xtPRO (rack mount).

I agree that speakers make a difference but try a POD in the studio... it will fool many ears...

It is versitile and a wonderful studio resource.

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Tim Harr
Carter D-10 8p/9k, Webb 6-14E Amplifier, BOSS RV-3, Nash 112, Fender BF Twin Reverb

John Cook · Post by **John Cook** » 24 Aug 2006 6:52 pm

Hi Bob,
I have a podxt and have used it for recording pedal as well as a bunch of electric and acoustic guitars and it works just fine in all of those situations. The only real drawback is you really limit yourself when it comes to mastering time.
There is very little headroom left to change anything you would likely notice. On the other hand I have also used two mikes to record. Use one up on the amp that can handle a high pressure situation like a Shure 57 or 58. Then put a good condenser mike like a Rode NT1000 about 3 feet away and record on two channels. This gives you lots of room to play around later. The best thing to do is discuss it with the engineer and come up with whats going to work best. In the end trust your own ears because a lot of engineers don't have experience with a pedal steel. You know how it should sound, so don't be afraid to tell him. Anyway don't woory to much about it either way, they both work great. Hope this helps. jc

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 25 Aug 2006 4:22 am

Thanks for the great feedback everyone.. I'll let you know how it went.

----------------
Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll, POD XT

[This message was edited by BobG on 25 August 2006 at 07:15 AM.]

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 25 Aug 2006 6:17 am

An interesting thing to try is record through
the PODxt direct & through a miced speaker cabinet at the same time. Then use both tracks!

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 25 Aug 2006 9:02 am

It sounds better if you use TRS cables (3 conductor tip-ring-sleeve).

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 25 Aug 2006 9:10 am

I did some tests, recording direct with the POD XT and with my rack system preamp/effects unit (Rocktron preamp and T.C. Electronics G-Major). After listening to them several times the rack system preamp/effects unit won out. The Rocktron has "recording" outputs that are separate from the Line Outs that are used to drive a power amp. The Rocktron also has a (line level) stereo effects loop for a line level effects unit, such as the G-Major.

I also did some recording using the XLR output on my Peavey Nashville 112 and the XLR out on my Nashville 1000, and using the POD XT as an effects only unit. The Peavey amps direct were even better than the POD XT direct or the Rocktron direct.

Tore Blestrud · Post by **Tore Blestrud** » 26 Aug 2006 5:17 am

The steel solos on my myspace-site is done directly from a XT. www.myspace.com/tblestrud

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 31 Aug 2006 6:13 pm

I guess it depends on how you have your PODxt set. It is not a "ready out of the box" unit ... you have to know what you are doing to set it.

I think that it is a good unit that has made me a lot of money....

TH[This message was edited by Tim Harr on 31 August 2006 at 07:14 PM.]

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 1 Sep 2006 7:03 am

Tore,
Those clips sounded good to me , especially since they were straight out of the Pod XT!!.....Jim

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 8 Sep 2006 3:07 am

Well.. I had my first crack at recording in a studio last night. As far as recording with the POD XT goes "forget about it". The recording engineer refused to use any digital effects. He had me "mike" my amp,which was isolated in the bathroom, and play "dry as a bone". It was definately tough getting used to but the final mix (with a touch of reverb added later) sounded great in my opinion. You should have heard us. We were like a bunch of kids "whinning" because the teacher wouldn't let us play with our toys.. lol
In the end the final mix sounded great .He obviously had a better idea what he was doing then we had.
After hearing the results, i'm considering hanging up the "digital effects all together and going back to the way I used to play. Keeping it simple with just a touch of amp reverb...

------------------
Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll, POD XT

[This message was edited by BobG on 08 September 2006 at 05:27 AM.]

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 8 Sep 2006 4:48 am

Hey Bob,

It goes to show you never know. Some engineers do have a musical background and with the technical knowledge required to put together a song does require some "Rob Peter to pay Paul" type of approach.

The amp in the bathroom has my curiousity peaked however. Was it a normal tiled bathroom or was it modified to be a dead room?

Just curious.

Mark T.[This message was edited by mtulbert on 08 September 2006 at 05:51 AM.]

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 8 Sep 2006 6:25 am

It was a normal tiled bathroom.. I played through my Peavey 1000 (no reverb)..

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Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll, POD XT

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 8 Sep 2006 6:59 am

That's a nice sound Tore!

I use a Pod XT a lot, but sometimes I use an amp instead. It all kinda depends on my mood and how lazy I am feeling! I also use a Roland GP-100 to go direct someimes as well.

FWIW, the first four clips (and quite a few of the other ones) on this page were recorded thru a Pod XT.

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Tommy Detamore

www.cherryridgestudio.com

[This message was edited by Tommy Detamore on 08 September 2006 at 08:55 AM.]

John Poston · Post by **John Poston** » 8 Sep 2006 7:12 am

It doesn't hurt to ask, many studios can add reverb in the headphones without printing it to tape so you can perform with the sound you're used to.

Dean Parks · Post by **Dean Parks** » 8 Sep 2006 7:39 am

Tommy, you sound great. Would you mind saying what amp, speaker, and mic model you were using on those recordings?

-dean-

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 8 Sep 2006 7:54 am

Hey BobG, I can't believe the engineer didn't offer you some reverb or delay in your monitor mix so that you could enjoy the mix while you were playing. I'm not sure his reasoning for making you play completely dry but it would have been very easy for him to let you have all the effects you wanted to hear on your guitar without it being recorded to the tracks. No doubt he had some reason

Bob

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 8 Sep 2006 8:01 am

Thanks Dean! It's the Twin model, with the 2-12 Blackface cab model. I think the mic model is the Neumann, but I'm not totally sure actually. When I go to the studio later I'll check the settings....

I agree with these guys about the reverb thing. In this day and age you should be able get as much reverb in the cans as you need to hear without it being printed. BTW, that's the way I usually record. Totally dry to the machine, while monitoring wet. I can't play without a least some 'verb or delay or something. That's my crutch I guess...

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Tommy Detamore

www.cherryridgestudio.com

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 8 Sep 2006 8:48 am

Tommy, are you talking about using a Pod XT on "Too Late" etc? You really nail the sound and feel of the old Ray Price shuffles, and I would have thought you have to use the same gear that my favorite steel player used 40 years ago.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 10 Sep 2006 5:20 pm

Thanks E! Yes, that's an XT on those cuts, along with a Carter with XR-16's....

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Tommy Detamore

www.cherryridgestudio.com

Tore Blestrud · Post by **Tore Blestrud** » 11 Sep 2006 2:14 am

Thank's Tommy, I admire your playing A LOT! Did you use the POD on the Sunny Sweeney record? Sounds great.
I played with Sunny in Norway and a couple of gigs in Austin in March (I used to play with Lars before he moved from Norway).

The sound quality in Myspace is quite bad, I think, but it gives an idea of what the POD sounds like. I also use the Twin preset and a Matchless for the overdrive stuff.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 11 Sep 2006 5:58 am

Thanks Tore! Yes, I used the same rig as above on Sunny's record....I was wondering if maybe you knew Lars. Nice guy. And ain't Sunny great? Great talent and a great gal....!

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Tommy Detamore

www.cherryridgestudio.com