Reamping Guitar: Complete Guide and Techniques

Reamping separates guitar performance from amplifier tone capture. A direct recording feeds back through amplifiers, allowing unlimited experimentation with sound after the fact. This technique provides flexibility impossible with traditional recording while preserving performance authenticity.

Understanding Reamping

The reamping process plays recorded direct guitar through physical amplifiers. The amplifier receives the signal as if a guitar were playing through it. Microphones capture the amplifier as in standard recording.

This separation offers significant advantages. Performance happens without concern for tone—focus remains on playing. Amplifier selection, microphone choice, and room acoustics can be evaluated separately. Changes require no additional performance.

The concept extends beyond physical amplifiers. Reamping through amp simulation plugins achieves similar flexibility digitally. The direct signal serves as raw material for any processing approach.

Recording for Reamping

Direct signal quality determines reamping potential. Clean, full-bandwidth capture provides optimal source material. Proper gain staging and impedance matching preserve the guitar’s complete character.

High-impedance inputs maintain proper pickup loading. DI boxes or interface instrument inputs ensure the guitar sees appropriate impedance. Standard line inputs may compromise tone.

Recording levels require headroom. Peaks around -12 to -6 dBFS accommodate dynamic playing without clipping. The full dynamic range of the performance needs clean capture.

Simultaneous recording of direct and processed signals provides options. The amp sim or amplifier monitoring can also record to a separate track. This captures the intended tone while preserving the direct signal.

Reamping Equipment

Reamp boxes convert line-level signals to instrument level. Dedicated reamp boxes from Radial, Little Labs, and others provide proper conversion. Direct interface outputs typically cannot drive amplifiers correctly.

The Radial ProRMP represents a quality passive option. Transformer-based conversion provides clean signal transfer. No power required simplifies operation.

The Little Labs Redeye adds features beyond basic reamping. Transformer isolation, polarity switching, and direct pass-through expand flexibility. Active circuitry provides gain options.

Some interfaces include reamp outputs. The Universal Audio Apollo x series and others feature dedicated instrument-level outputs. This integration eliminates need for external boxes.

Signal Flow for Reamping

The direct signal routes from DAW output to reamp box. The interface output sends line-level signal. The reamp box converts to instrument level and impedance.

Instrument cable connects reamp box to amplifier input. Standard guitar cable maintains proper impedance. Cable length affects high-frequency content as with normal guitar connection.

The amplifier processes the signal as if receiving guitar input. Volume, gain, and tone controls shape the sound. The amplifier responds dynamically to the recorded performance.

Microphones capture the amplifier output normally. All standard miking techniques apply. The difference is that the source material is fixed, allowing unlimited experimentation.

Level and Gain Matching

Output level from the interface affects drive staging. Higher levels push the amp harder; lower levels clean up the tone. This control provides gain adjustment beyond amplifier settings.

Matching the reamped level to normal guitar output ensures authentic response. Playing guitar into the amplifier while monitoring level establishes reference. Adjusting reamp output to match this level maintains expected behavior.

The reamp box output control provides fine adjustment. Attenuating the signal gives precise control over amplifier input level. This becomes another creative parameter.

Some performances benefit from level automation. Boosting output for solos or reducing for clean sections automates dynamics beyond the original performance. This technique should be used deliberately.

Workflow Integration

Session organization facilitates reamping. Dedicated tracks for direct signals, labeled clearly, speed location during reamping. Consistent naming conventions across projects maintain efficiency.

DAW routing for reamping requires output assignment. The direct track routes to an output feeding the reamp box. Low-latency monitoring allows hearing the reamped signal in context.

Recording the reamped signal to a new track captures results. Standard audio tracking records the microphone signal. Multiple passes can capture different amplifier settings.

Playlist or take management organizes multiple reamped versions. The same performance through different amplifiers or settings creates comparison options. Labels identify each version.

Creative Applications

Amplifier comparison uses a single performance through multiple amps. The identical performance reveals pure amplifier character differences. This controlled comparison informs amplifier selection.

Microphone experimentation benefits from fixed source. Unlimited time exists for adjusting position and trying different microphones. No performance fatigue affects the process.

Effect experimentation applies to reamped signals. Different pedal orders, settings, and combinations can be evaluated. Creative ideas that might waste performer time can be explored freely.

Hybrid tones blend reamped and direct-processed signals. The physicality of real amplifiers combines with amp simulation flexibility. Phase alignment between sources requires attention.

Reamping Through Amp Simulation

Virtual reamping processes direct signals through plugins. The workflow mirrors physical reamping without hardware. Amp simulation plugins receive the direct signal for processing.

Advantages include speed and convenience. No physical setup, cable routing, or microphone placement is required. Instant recall of settings enables efficient comparison.

Disadvantages include the simulation limitations. Plugin character differs from physical amplifiers. Some tones only exist in the physical domain.

Combining approaches maximizes flexibility. Initial production uses amp simulation for speed. Final tones may involve physical reamping for specific character. The direct signal supports either approach.

Troubleshooting

Ground loops cause hum in reamp chains. Isolation transformers in quality reamp boxes address this. Ground lift switches on various equipment may help.

Impedance mismatch creates dull or harsh tone. Proper reamp boxes ensure correct impedance presentation. Direct interface outputs lack this matching.

Phase issues arise when combining reamped and direct signals. Time alignment addresses delay from physical signal path. Polarity may need inverting depending on configuration.

Noise accumulation through the chain requires attention. Each connection point can introduce noise. Quality cables, proper gain staging, and ground management minimize problems.