Sir Bob Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Is there a method of getting an acoustic guitar recorded properly so it will sit in the mix along with other tracks? It seems like it should be easy but I would like some input. First, it seems like light strings and a thin pick are a help. Second, the type of guitar. The choice of bodies is usually between rosewood bodies (bright for finger picking) and mahogany (warmer). I would think a small to medium size mahogany guitar wins here. Third, use a small condenser mic aimed at the end of the fretboard but no need to throw a large condenser on the body. Can I get some more ideas? Use of recording eamples (i.e. the Eagles) might help too. Also guitar types; I test drove a number of guitars recently and found many of the new high-end ones (Taylor for example) to have more sound than necessary, if that is possible. I did like a Gibson J-45. This message has been edited by Sir Bob on 02-05-2001 at 01:17 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punchmo Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Sir Bob, Don't usually have a choice of acoustic guitars for recording but, I agree that if the track is to be mixed with rock guitars, light strings seem to cut better. I use a small condensor aimed at the middle of the end of the fret board. Might not be the most wholesome sounding thang soloed but can work well in the mix. If the acoustic is the main track, I will use a large condensor about 6 to 10" from the sound hole and a small condensor aimed up from slightly under the end of the fret board. Usually mess around with the mic positioning for awhile. Never recorded the Eagles so can't comment http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/frown.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Yup about the thin pick. What GP magazine once called "The 25 cent EQ"...a lot of regular thin picks get shredded by someone who's a moderate to agressive strummer. I use those Dunlop nylon medium to light gray colored ones. They're just about right for me and they don't break. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbrock1san.rr.com Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 I've never found compression very neccessary when recording steel-string guitar but many swear by it. I think it can kill the dynamics that make the acoustic so expressive. If I end up with a recorded part that has too much of a range of dynamics, I prefer to re-record the part using a different mic position. Having a knowledge of EQ is essential for getting the instrument to sit well in a mix. I have books and magazine articles that helped me figure that out but I don't own a good parametric EQ yet. Many say that you shouldn't have to EQ if you are using the right micing techniques but I have never been able to do that. EQ is my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Accoustics hmmm... I usualy go for a medium to heavy pick, I tend to play accoustic pretty hard and those light picks annoy the hell outta me. That said on a mic front i'll use a 414 about 6" from the sound hole pointing towards the neck and a 452 about 4-6" pointing from the neck towards the sound hole. With a bit of time spent fine tuning the positioning I have had really good results and no eq needed for most things. I'm not a fan of huge compression because of the dynamic loss and I like to get it brushing with the hats. Best guitar for this for me Yamaha APC10cx with 9's.... Fab Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jef5f Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 I don't know much about recording, but the best acoustic recording I've ever done was with my Alvarez 5072 Jumbo A/E. It is all black with a cutaway. I played with med/light strings, a light Dunlop Tortex pick with two mics (Electro Voice ST-90) at a 90 degree angle with the right pointing toward the end of the fingerboard. I ran them into a mixer/amp, mixed the sound to my liking and ran straight into the board. The clarity was incredible to me. Don't know if it helps, but good luck. Psalm 33:3 The best instrument you have, is your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Bob Posted February 7, 2001 Author Share Posted February 7, 2001 I dropped in at the Guitar Center this evening and liked the following guitars with mahogany sides and backs: Martin D15m (mahogany top too), Larivee D05E and the Taylor 510. These have a fullness from strumming. The rosewoods are much brighter when picking individual strings. The salesman who actually seems to know something about acoustic guitars said the Larivee brand is the hot ticket in Nashville these days. Any truth to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 7, 2001 Share Posted February 7, 2001 Last week I bought a Larrivee, the D02, and am quite pleased with it. It seems to have a lighter, sweeter sound to it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph Posted February 7, 2001 Share Posted February 7, 2001 In addition to the two-mic technique, if the acoustic is in danger of being overtaken by the rest of the band and it has a built-in pickup, you can add a touch of the direct signal. It tends to show off the attack a little, cutting it through the mix. If the guitar is ever by itself, you may want to cut it off --- it can sound a little too edgy. I've had some good luck with this. Bill Murphy www.murphonics.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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