Recording Tip/Help

[Erockrazor]

Howdy , I am relatively new to home recording and I'm not particularly satisfied with my recordings. I've been recording acoustic guitar mainly. I'm recording with a MXL 991 mic to my Audio Buddy then to my Audiophile 2496. My recordings tend to lack punch (thats the word i would use to describe it at least). I've been trying alot of different mic'ing positions but i cant get a good attack on my recordings. Im curious if you guys might know how to achieve more punch in my recordings. Maybe its accomplished through the computer , maybe its because my mic lacks that aspect , or maybe i have no idea. Please help , thanks.

[Track Rat]

In my experience, these things are often more of a performance issue. Mics only pick up what they hear. Gear can't create what's not already there. BUT, do you have a clip you could post of the problem? You never can tell.

[Erockrazor]

Yea heres a thing i recorded a few days ago.

www.purevolume.com/ericgieg

the only song on there....

just a little thing but i just wanna try and get to the center of this problem.


thanks for helping.

ps , im recording onto cool edit pro if that has any significance.

[Track Rat]

First, just an observation. The guitar itself sounds very "wooly" to me. A new set of strings might help but it sounds like some laminate acoustics I've heard in my life. Thick.
Second observation. I hear quite a bit of the room. If punch is what you want, get the mic closer to the guitar. Try it around the 12th fret as close as you can get it without bumping it (maybe 6-8") angled at the guitar to start and move it to taste. Compression can help a bit too but I'd have to have the guitar/mic thing dialed in first before I could tune a compressor to the source.

[Dogman]

Sounds pretty good, just needs some work on it. You might try some eq, and some reverb. That just sounds like a dry recording, and doing a bit with mixing may help.
Ed

[Erockrazor]

Yea , Thanks for the input. I definitly agree with the strings suggestion. Its not the best acoustic guitar for sure. Even the acoustics of the guitar arent that great cause i got it when i was younger and went for the less wide body. That gives it a little less acoustic sound. The strings are in dire need for changing haha. My goal is to make the original recording replicate what i want at the end as closely as possible. That will save me from fiddling around with it too much.

[Track Rat]

Don't get me wrong. Wooly ain't bad, just wooly. Crank on a set of bright bronze strings. That'll solve half your problems.

[Erockrazor]

Alright ... I took your suggestions. Thanks for giving my lazy .... the incentive to change my strings. I put on some light bronze strings. I re-recorded the same thing. Also this time i recorded it stereo. One over shoulder mxl 991 and one 12th fret mxl 990. Then i did a bit of eq'ing but not too much. I didnt add reverb cause i always get alot of natural reverb from my rooms acoustics. I feel that it sounds a little better , not COMPLETELY satisfied yet but i think progress has been made.

www.purevolume.com/ericgieg

yeha2 is the new one...

[Erockrazor]

Actually... i think i did a bad job during mixdown or something haha. cause yeha 2 sounds like crap now. the version in cool edit sounds much better. maybe i can fix that.

[Track Rat]

I can't get your new file to play.

[giraffe]

one of the punchiest sounds i've gotten out of a acu......

set the mic in front of the sound hole (just like everyone tells you not to) then rotate it down about 40-45 degrees, looking up at the hi (smallest) E string (maybe 4-8" below said E). maybe 1-2 feet away from the guitar, and 1" over towards the bridge.

if i want a "punchy" acu tone that's where i start. (not necessarily where i finish)