About to hit record on some acoustic guitars...checking in first for some advice?

[chadsxe]

Well I finally am about to record my first acoustic part. It is a seg-way transition between to songs. You know the typical acoustic part ends, cue reverse cymbal and then bam, the heavy stuff knocks you out of your seat. Well in theory that’s how it is suppose to work.

Anyways, I am looking for some advice on how to go about this. I am going to be using a Shure KSM44 (as I hear LDC mics are better suited for the job then SDC mics). I am a little torn between what pre I should use. I have narrowed it down to a Great River MP-2NV or a Grace Design Model 101. I am leaning a little bit towards the Model 101 because it is a little bit more of a "line gain" pre, less color. What do you think?

The guitar is a really nice Larrivee so I am anticipating no problems there. It has a half way between a round tone and a high bite tone.

So what about mic placement?

I am guessing a minimal approach should yield something nice. I am thinking the KSM44 at the 12th fret dead on about a foot back. Is this in the ball park of something normal? Like I said the song is nothing but acoustic. It will have double rhythm 90 L/R, one or two parts that strengthen the fundamental notes, and maybe one or two small lead parts. I also have a pair of Shure KSM141's (SDC) to work with.

Any advice would be great...

Thanks

Chad

[soundchaser59]

Use two condensors on the guitar if you have two.

The 12th fret thing is good, then hang the other one next to your right ear, to try an dcapture that "what you hear is what you get" sound. Blend and stir to taste.

Your KSM44 is bidirectional (figure 8). Perfect opportunity to try the "mid-side" technique. Use the KSM141 in cardioid mode on the 12th fret. Put the KSM44 just above (or below) it (over under shotgun style) but face the 44 90 degrees perpendicular to the 141. Like the 141 points at the guitar, but the 44 points to the left and right instead of pointing at the guitar.

Hit record.

Then dup/copy/clone the 44 track to a third track and reverse the phase on the copy. Pan the 141 center, then each 44 track hard left + hard right.

Either technique should give you fine sound.

[Massive Master]

Vertical X-Y with the SDC's...

No one ever thinks in 3D anymore...

And maybe the LDC added for flava'.

[chadsxe]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

Vertical X-Y with the SDC's...

No one ever thinks in 3D anymore...

And maybe the LDC added for flava'.

Care to explain....

[Massive Master]

Just an X-Y, but vertical instead of horizontal. One up, one down. Basically mono-compatible, and gives an absolutely wonderful left-to-right image.

[soundchaser59]

Vertical X-Y......

Definitely worth a try.....

[sikter]

I was doing experiments with my acc. guitar a couple of last days and I tried to combine it with electric guitar.
I think I got som 3D efect without wanting it.

There is also a sound at the end that came up from nowhere.
I don't know what is it but I think I'll keep it.

Please take a 37 seconds of your time and listen my experiment!
I named mp3 Acc-EL-Ending
Go to Music folder on this address:
http://the-sikter.magix.net/

thanks

[reshp1]

With one LDC and one SDC, I'd put the SDC near the 12th fret and the LDC over the right shoulder pointing straight down at the bridge area. You can try M-S too, but with strumming guitar, I find that I get a lot more "boom" than I want from the side facing the sound hole, depends on the guitar and how close your M-S array is to the guitar.

[soundchaser59]

I cant tell if you are panning deliberately? Or if you are hearing phasing issues...... kinda cool though.

[sikter]

Originally Posted by soundchaser59

I cant tell if you are panning deliberately? Or if you are hearing phasing issues...... kinda cool though.

I was playing with delay and pan envelope.
I don't know if it's going to stay this way.