Need help for recording acoustic guitar !

Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 2:34 pm

I am recording the acoustic steel tring guitar and nylon guitar through guitars' pickup. I hooked my guitars to the preamp --> compressor --> computer's sound card. Is there anyone please show me the compressor setting for these acoustic guitar? Thank you so much in advance.

Should I record the uncompressed signal, then do the compress by plug-ins software? Which is the better way?

Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 3:37 pm

the best way to achieve a good acoustic sound is by micing the guitar. even if your mic is very cheap, the result is better because you get a good feel of the sound coming from the wood. You should mic it directly in front of the hole. you can then compress it later. The eq is pretty simple, cut off low frequencies and cut off somewhere in the high mids but just a bit. you should be able to get a good sound like that.

Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:57 pm

Thansk for replying. I know micing will be much better, but I dont have the separate room so I play in the control room. If I record it by mic so it will be alot of noise, especially computer fan. Any suggestion on compression's setting?

Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:17 pm

Record the guitar sans comp if you are using plug ins. Unless you have a really good outboard compressor like a Manley , LA2 or an 1176.. something like that, just add compression at mix.

Quote:

Originally posted by radioliver:
the best way to achieve a good acoustic sound is by micing the guitar. even if your mic is very cheap, the result is better because you get a good feel of the sound coming from the wood. You should mic it directly in front of the hole. you can then compress it later. The eq is pretty simple, cut off low frequencies and cut off somewhere in the high mids but just a bit. you should be able to get a good sound like that.

I don't want to step on anyones toes but it is pretty much not a good thing to mic a guitar at the soundhole. The soundhole of a guitar is a bass port. Would you mic a bass cab at the port?

Point the mic at the soundboard below the bridge or at the point where the neck meets the body, slightly angled towards the soundhole but not directly at it or in front of it.

Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 9:10 pm

Quote:

You should mic it directly in front of the hole. you can then compress it later

I dont think that miking in front of the hole is a good idea...avoid the hole! you can direct the mic to the 12 fret or to the bridge, even in the back of the guitar...but never to the hole, you are gonna get a boomy sound with a lot of feedback problems in the low freqs... Wink

Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 9:17 pm

Quote:

I know micing will be much better, but I dont have the separate room so I play in the control room

I have made really good acoustic guitar recordings with mics in my control room, wich was (before) my own room... Very Happy

Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2003 12:37 am

Quote:

Originally posted by Xo Xinh:
Thanks for replying. I know micing will be much better, but I dont have the separate room so I play in the control room. If I record it by mic so it will be alot of noise, especially computer fan. Any suggestion on compression's setting?

I have a case for my computer that attenuates the noise. check this out Silence Cases and this Silence Cases Review

If you have any low level background noise that gets recorded to a track, compressing the track will only bring out the noise more. This is what compression is... narrowing the dynamic range of a signal. Since the loudest a track can get is defined by 0dB digital, it is the softer sounds that are made louder, rather than the louder sounds being made softer. Once you get a grasp on that, you will better understand compression.

Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 12:57 pm

Ever tried to mike the guitar 'from over the shoulder'?

Yes..... a SDC next to your left ear, can sound great.

Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2003 7:55 pm

As far as the fan noise on the computer is concerned, you can sometimes set up the mic/mic's in a different room of the house. Start the computer recording, then walk into the other room and start playing. This can take a few trys to get the mic's set right but will get around the computer noise issue. It just taks a little more time.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:32 pm

I've gotten good results placing one small condenser mic 8-12 inches from the 12th fret angled in toward the soundhole at a 45 degree angle, and a second mic above the player's right shoulder angled down toward the saddle. Always follow the 3 - 1 rule. Also, you can fine tune the placement with headphones to try to find the instruments sweet spot.

rob

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:38 pm

I would also add that it is not typically best to use an internal pick-up on an acoustic instrument as far as recording goes. You lose the "real" sound of the instrument, and I think you get better results when you let the sound "develop" a bit. You don't get any interaction with "air" when you use an internal pick-up. Also, there are only a select few acoustic pick-ups that sound true to me. One of which is the McIntyre feather, which is not well known due to limited marketing. Anybody think I'm off base on my experience here? Just a few thoughts.

Rob

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:35 am

So what is the best way the record the guitar with a mic then? Is it in front of the hole or just below or above the hole? I have done some recordings with acoustic guitars and I have always recorded directly in front of the hole. I had to do a lot of EQing I must admit. Especially in the low rang. I agree that internal pickups don't give an accurate picture of the instrument.

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:48 pm

I posted this earlier in this thread ...

Quote:

Originally posted by Kurt Foster:

I don't want to step on anyones toes but it is pretty much not a good thing to mic a guitar at the soundhole. The soundhole of a guitar is a bass port. Would you mic a bass cab at the port?

Point the mic at the soundboard below the bridge or at the point where the neck meets the body, slightly angled towards the soundhole but not directly at it or in front of it.

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 1:32 pm

Yes I know, but it looked to me like this was still an open discussion. I think maybe for some people recording on the soundhole works better ...

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 1:54 pm

Sure the topic is still open for disscussion.. sorry, anybody mic the soundhole? Ports on a bass or guitar cabinet? Rolling Eyes

It's the same thing...

Why would you want to do that? :confused: The sound from an acoustic guitar eminates off the soundboard, not from the hole. The hole is a port, or vent..

Have someone play and acoustic guitar and while you wear a set of nice headphones, move a mic around and listen.. I think you will see what I mean. When you get in front of the hole, the sound becomes woofy ... what is called "wolf frequencies" ... People used to mic soundholes years ago but it is not generally an accepted practice any longer. If you want to do that and it works well for you, that is great.. go for it I say!

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