recording in stereo for two guitars

[slide_blues]

Well, I've read many-a-post about recording in stereo, panning, etc., but I still have a question or two. Of course I'll experiment, but why not get some opinions first from you knowledgeable ones?

Here's the situation: two acoustic guitars (wooden and resonator) and one vocal, with perhaps a lead slide reso guitar (only playing when vocal is not). As far as panning - nothing too crazy - just one guitar on each side and the vocal and lead guitar in the middle.

The question: Would recording each guitar in stereo accomplish anything more than in mono? For example, the wooden guitar recorded in stereo, panned hard left and say, 10 o'clock. The resonator hard right and 2 o'clock?

Or am I overthinking this and should just record each guitar in mono and pan them 9 and 3 o'clock (or to taste)?

In other words, would it be a waste to record these two "rhythm" guitars in stereo?

Thanks for reading.

[tjohnston]

Thats a good question I hope somebody jumps on it...... bump

[TexRoadkill]

You can definately get some cool effects that way. I did an acoustic blues project and we miked both rhythm guitars in stereo. One mic at about the 6th fret and the other above the bridge. During the mix I panned them so both the neck mikes were hard panned to the sides and the bridge mics overlapped in the middle. It really put you inside the guitar sound.

In that case they were essentially identical parts so I'm not sure how well that will work with seperate guitars and parts. Probably worth a try. You can always just hard pan both mics to one side if you don't like the spread.

[slide_blues]

Cool idea, texasroadkill. The one thing I didn't mention was the micing pattern. I was thinking XY, but with a "spread" on the 2 mics, and a corresponding spread in the mix, that may be even better. I guess I want a rich sound, but not at the expense of a "natural" sound.

One thing I tried that sounded a bit odd was to stereo mic a rhythm acoustic, pan it 9 and 3 or even hard L and R, then put a center slide lead in the middle. It sounded like the slide guit was "inside" the other guitar. Not natural and not good, IMO. Once I panned them separately it sounded like it should - two guitars in a room. Basic stuff I guess, but I'm learning as I go.

For one guitar, however, stereo recording panned L and R sounds great.

[Han]

Recording with two mics can not always be qualified as a stereo recording.

Actually a real stereo recording sounds as if you're in the room where the playing was done.

So there are a number of stereo placements, AB, XY, ORTF, NOS, MS, Blumlein, Decca tree and acouple more.

You can find all about it at the DPA site (dpamicrophones.com)
go to 'microphone university'.

Do this: put two decent cardioids in an ORTF placement outside, in the garden for example.
connect the cables to a pre or mixing desk inside and listen to them with a decent headphone.

Close your eyes and listen very carefully. I feels like you're sitting in your garden.

That's stereo.

[imalion]

I have done this both ways. And to this day I continue to do so. 2 guitars recorded in Mono then both panned differently. and 2 guitars recorded in stereo and panned differently.

Experiment with it. I dont have a preference.

[slide_blues]

Interesting Han, I suppose using two mics per guitar and then overdubbing really isn't stereo in the strict sense. That's why I was wondering if it was really an advantage to use two mics per guitar rather than just one.

imalion, the fact that you use both methods interchangably is also interesting. I suppose it's time for some A/B tests to see what works best...

[k1enneth]

Here's a different tack...the song "Mean Old World" is on the Duane Allman Anthology has two guitars...Duane's and Eric Clapton playing a style that sounds like what your performing. I don't really hear the nuances, but after you hear the song, you can't forget it.

[VesuviusJay]

Hey tex, what model mic did you use for your stereo pair in that situation, for the accoustic guitars?

[TexRoadkill]

I used a C1 and an MXL V93. If I remember tonight I'll post the tune up on Nowhere.

I wasn't going for a 'stereo image'. I just wanted a lush sound that surrounds the listener. It's pretty hynotizing if you pull it off.