HARD TRUTH: Why your live guitar tone shrinks in the studio @JustinOstrander
HARD TRUTH: Why your live guitar tone shrinks in the studio  @JustinOstrander
Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The difference between live "in the room" tone and mic'd "coming out of the monitors" tone can be WILDLY different. Let's discuss why and how to fix your tone in the studio.

My new course THE SIDEMAN'S HANDBOOK: brettpapa.com/the-sidemans-handbook-justin-ostrander
For beginner, intermediate, and advanced musicians alike.

Pair it with my first course "Tools For The Creative Guitarist" HERE: brettpapa.com/tools-for-the-creative-guitarist-justin-ostrander

FREE tone coaching course by yours truly: 5-sounds-free-course.grwebsite.com

FREE practice tracks: practice-with-the-pros-jam-track.gr-site.com

MERCH: the-jo-store-2.creator-spring.com

GUITAR AND HOME RECORDING GEAR:
**I will make a small amount of money if you order through the links below, at no extra cost to you**

Nashville High Strung string set: sweetwater.sjv.io/OezgWZ

My main home recording amp, the Marshall JTM Studio: sweetwater.sjv.io/Z6qaoz

Favorite acoustic mic: Chandler TG Type L sweetwater.sjv.io/kO4XJV

Throbak Overdrive Boost:
shop.throbak.com/ODBJO

Throbak 55/56 SB MXV P90s:
shop.throbak.com/5556JO

GREAT mics for speaker cabs:
Heil PR30: amzn.to/3R3u0Mm
Shure SM57: sweetwater.sjv.io/AW5D4N
Sennheiser e609 Silver: sweetwater.sjv.io/oqJWrE

Acoustic mics small diaphragm condenser, matched. Miktek C5: sweetwater.sjv.io/NkEVZb

Mic cables (mic to pre, pre to interface OR mic to interface):
15 ft: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXEG9o
20 ft: sweetwater.sjv.io/9gq3Kj
50 ft: sweetwater.sjv.io/k0AXx3

Audio interface:
Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo: sweetwater.sjv.io/xkoP7R

Monitor cables TRS-XLR male
-5ft - sweetwater.sjv.io/KjEAQe
-10ft - sweetwater.sjv.io/q4oqPg

Monitors:
Yamaha Powered 5" Monitors HS5: sweetwater.sjv.io/k0AXm3
Yamaha Powered 8" Monitors HS8: sweetwater.sjv.io/AW5DbN
HS8 bundle with stands and a sub: sweetwater.sjv.io/m51BAa

If you do want to go ALL OUT, here's my mic pre:
Chandler TG2 Abbey Road edition: sweetwater.sjv.io/QyEgox
requisite PSU-1 power supply: sweetwater.sjv.io/eKjG9X

Revv D20 sweetwater.sjv.io/6eAaLQ
UA OX Amp Top Box sweetwater.sjv.io/vNyLk3

PolyTune headstock tuner sweetwater.sjv.io/k0znKV

D’Addario NYXL 10-46 sweetwater.sjv.io/daLXW2
D’Addario NYXL 11-49 sweetwater.sjv.io/Nkzdx1
D’Addario 10.5-48 (VERY COOL) sweetwater.sjv.io/y2yDKG
D’Addiaro Baritone 13-62 sweetwater.sjv.io

Dunlop Large glass slide 213 sweetwater.sjv.io/k0zndV

Revv Shawn Tubbs Tilt Overdrive sweetwater.sjv.io/0ZmraE
Nobels ODR-1 Natural Overdrive sweetwater.sjv.io/oqz2ME
Jackson Audio Hourglass Dual Compressor sweetwater.sjv.io/R5YY1y

Line6 HX Effects sweetwater.sjv.io/g1DznX
Eventide H9 MAX sweetwater.sjv.io/EK9n6D
Strymon Mobius Modulation sweetwater.sjv.io/75yAg5
Strymon Timeline delay sweetwater.sjv.io/LXnvk0
Meris Mercury7 Reverb sweetwater.sjv.io/q4ARdg
Meris Polymoon Delay sweetwater.sjv.io/rQGvdD

Revv D20 sweetwater.sjv.io/6eAaLQ
UA OX Amp Top Box sweetwater.sjv.io/vNyLk3
Blackstar HT Stage 100 Mk III sweetwater.sjv.io/k0JbJd

Support the channel:
Paypal tip jar: ostrandermusic@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar: @justinostrander

My guitar setup guy:
macmillanguitars.com

My favorite studio headphones:
gk-music.com

0:00 Welcome! Why do you hate your mic’d tone out of studio monitors?
0:37 Comment with a VERY common question inspired this video
1:32 The main problem
2:49 Here is how mine sounds
5:01 No magic tricks here
5:57 Here’s my mic and speaker with a flashlight
9:08 Amp in a room = singing in the shower
12:15 Room mics on guitar cabs?
Thanks for hanging out. Please SUBSCRIBE
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Justin Ostrander |

HARD TRUTH: Why your live guitar tone "shrinks" in the studio

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