Recording an Acoustic Guitar

A

asimmd

New member
Hi All

I have miked up my acoustic guitar in front of an Audio Technica AT2020 condenser mic
and plugged it into channel 1 on my Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 interface.

My problem is that I cant get a good level into my DAW (Sonar Platinum) I need
to hit the strings really hard and have the input on channel 1 nearly full on to get close.

Question is as good as the pre amps are in the Focusrite would a Mic Pre before the Focusrite
make things better.

Thanks
Alan
 
1) are you sure the front of the mic is facing the guitar?
2) what levels (dB) are you seeing on your meters in your DAW? -18 to -12 dBFS is fine
 
mjbphotos said:
1) are you sure the front of the mic is facing the guitar?
2) what levels (dB) are you seeing on your meters in your DAW? -18 to -12 dBFS is fine
Click to expand...

Hi
Yes the microphone is the correct way.
The meters go about 1/3 way on playback it can be heard but its
very low volume.
 
Mickster said:
Where are you placing the mic in relation to the guitar and how close?
Click to expand...
The mic has been in various positions but in order to get a workable sound
I have to put the mic as close as I can to the guitar then hit the strings hard.

Problem with this is I have no control over it.
I thought the signal needs to be hotter going into the interface that's why
I wanted to use a mic pre.
 
Use two microphones. And record both on seperate tracks!
Place one at hight of the bridge and point it to the wood between the bridge and the sound hole.
Place another one halfway the fingerboard an point it at the fingerboard about at the heel.
Place at maximun 6 inches and never point a mic to the sound hole.

If that doesn't work buy better mics or better gear. Cause this should work. If it doesn't your mic and gear don't fit to each other.
 
asimmd said:
The mic has been in various positions but in order to get a workable sound
I have to put the mic as close as I can to the guitar then hit the strings hard.
Problem with this is I have no control over it.
I thought the signal needs to be hotter going into the interface that's why
I wanted to use a mic pre.
Click to expand...
Alan,

- When you say you have 'no control over it', do you mean adjusting the gain on the interface makes no difference? Just wondering if you actually have the Focusrite selected as the device for recording in your DAW or inadvertently using a mic that's in a laptop or other external mic that might be used for Skype or similar.
- Does the Green Sig LED next the interface gain control flicker when playing. At max gain and the guitar close can you get the Red O/L LED to blink?
- Does the Saffire have any sort of control panel that may have a PAD to reduce the gain enabled or other sort of fader that may affect what gets to the DAW?

Does what you do record sound rather echoey and not clear?

The output of an AT2020 isn't as hot as some mics, but you shouldn't have a problem with getting a decent level into your interface. The Focusrite appears to have plenty of gain available.
 
mjbphotos said:
1) are you sure the front of the mic is facing the guitar?
2) what levels (dB) are you seeing on your meters in your DAW? -18 to -12 dBFS is fine
Click to expand...
Before you go buying new gear, or doubling up on the mics(!), go back the start again, and answer that.
We're interested in the number on your track meter, average level (like on a reasonably strong strum here), fader at 0.
Also Sonar's meters can be set in many scale ranges- 0- -96, 0- -12, 24, etc. So 'a third of the way up' doesn't relate.
 
Thanks for the replies.
I know I am recording in the correct way because I record my guitars in the same input
just not through a mic.

I can get a decent level if I really hit the strings hard but then I have
no control.

I will try again tomorrow and come back with some numbers.
Alan
 
The focusrite pre-amp has a gain of 60db which is more than enough for recording acoustic guitar. Set to max gain and playing loud it should red-line no problem.
You have got the 48V on? and using an XLR to XLR lead?
 
Thanks PSR
So the gain is supposed to be on maximum to get a good signal.
That changes things then.

Alan
 
asimmd said:
Thanks PSR
So the gain is supposed to be on maximum to get a good signal.
That changes things then.

Alan
Click to expand...

From my previous post.....
"- Does the Green Sig LED next the interface gain control flicker when playing. At max gain and the guitar close can you get the Red O/L LED to blink?"
I asked this just ascertain that you have good/plenty of signal from the mic. If you can't get the Green LED to flicker something maybe wrong with the mic or possibly the cable. Is the mic new or used?

Set the gain so you get the Green Sig LED, but not so much so as to get the Red O/L (overload) LED. This should bring the levels on the DAW meters into a range mentioned in the previous posts.

You don't/shouldn't need to set the gain to 'max' to get the mic to have proper levels in the DAW.

I know you answered this before, but the side of the mic that has the Audio Technica logo on it should be facing towards your guitar. The AT2020 is a 'side addressed' mic, where a mic like an SM57 or similar handheld mic is 'end addressed'. I think you probably know this, but just wanting to be sure.
 
Last edited:
Yeah you shouldn't have to max out the gain to get a good signal. We'll see when you get the numbers how low it is though. Keep in mind, what you record won't be as loud as the acoustic on a mixed and mastered track. You probably know though but just thought I'd say it.
 
Are you sure you have not effe'd up something in the attached Mix Control diagram?

Yes, that mic is not the hottest LDC on the block but at -37dB (14mV) it is 2 dB hotter than my AKG P 150's (12mV) and son had no trouble with those into an NI KA6 which in fact has only 55dB of gain. Indeed, the 150s worked fine into a venerable M-A Fast track pro and that has VERY weedy pre amps!

In fact my son preferred the sound of a Shure SM57 for ac guitar and the KA6 needed to be on max for that with guitar about 1/2mtr away. IIRC (been a while) that gave us about -20dBFS but the KA6 was still easily quiet enough.

Dave.
 

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Hi All

Feel a bit stupid now.
The problem is solved I was using a 20 year old 20 foot mic cable.
I changed it for a new 1 metre cable and it all seems fine.
I can red line the meter with the volume on full and the optimum volume
is about 3/4.

So thanks for all the suggestions it just proves the best solutions are often the easiest ones.

Alan
 
asimmd said:
Hi All

Feel a bit stupid now.
The problem is solved I was using a 20 year old 20 foot mic cable.
I changed it for a new 1 metre cable and it all seems fine.
I can red line the meter with the volume on full and the optimum volume
is about 3/4.

So thanks for all the suggestions it just proves the best solutions are often the easiest ones.

Alan
Click to expand...
Makes me wonder- can the mic make a weak signal w/o phantom? (..i.e. one of the two hot' lines open in the old cable?
 
"The problem is solved I was using a 20 year old 20 foot mic cable."

I have mic cables at least that old with the original 'fiddly' Cannon XLRs. It makes no difference HOW old the cable is or, up to several hundred mtrs* how long it is they will still work just as well as a new, short one.
Of course, an old cable could be abused and faulty, most likely a high resistance in the screen circuit giving next to no phantom power.

It stands repeating LOT! Buy a $20 digital multimeter and learn to USE the fekker!

*A VERY long cable might give a noticeable loss of extreme HF but unless you could A/B it with a short one you will never tell.

Dave.
 
I have learned, over the years, that the first place one should look to resolve audio anomalies is with the freakin' cables! Happened with our bass player at a gig last night. The sound guy kept hearing a loud hum from the bass amp DI. Our bass player checked all of his cables in his bass rig, switches, knobs...still a hum. Sound guy replaced the XLR going from DI to stage snake - no more hum.

Always check the cables first! I carry a cable tester with me to every practice and gig.

https://i147.photobucket.com/albums...0-D56C-4C3B-AAE8-4223A196B64D_zpsdgs3ylbi.jpg
 
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