Cleaning up string "scratching" sounds in acoustic recordings

[Anjou]

I've recorded some acoustic tracks using a Olympus D-30 stereo dictation recorder, in my home. I'm recording straight into the unit, without amping the guitar or voice. Since all I'm looking for is a rough sample track, the sound quality is actually pretty good, but there's very noticeable string "scratch" or "squeal", as my fingers are going up and down the neck on the wound strings. [ yes... I've changed the way I do some of the chords, but there's no way to eliminate them all, due to the song needing to be played with a sliding style. ]

Is there any way to edit those things out after? Any suggestions on how to minimize them during the recording?

Thanks much.
Anjou

[blueroommusic]

your probably out of luck on eq'ing the noise out...use string-eaze on the strings when you record, and it should help minimize the noise.

[RightOnMusic]

even though i know this isnt the answer you're looking for, i'd leave them there. they add a sort of "honesty" to the recording. if they're much too loud and taking away from the music being played, then i think what needs to happen is you need to pay attention to the way you're playing and the way you're micing the guitar. but honestly, if they're not a major distraction, i'd leave them there. i think sometimes as engineers, (both the professionals and ameteurs alike) we forget that what we're doing is faithfully reproducing a musical event....

[Anjou]

I hear what you're saying, and I agree to an extent. There are a few places in the track when it's too intrusive and, for me, it spoils the overall experience.

I think string noise usually sounds good if it's not too much.

You can get surgical with volume automation/envelopes and sometimes be able to lower them in volume a lot while still making it sound natural, but it won't work in all places.

Simple answer is, get rid of them at the source, which is while tracking...use string-ease, (some people even use baby powder), work on technique (which sometimes is impossible to get rid of the noise completely), or try some (yuck) coated strings.

[kludge]

The best way to remove string squeak is with mic technique... just use cardioids angled away from the neck, toward the body. But with that little handheld recorder, you probably don't have that option.

[Paj]

. . .and maybe switching to Elixir strings helps some

Paj
8^)

[DrewPeterson7]

The easiest way to get rid of this is while tracking, and not after. I've never tried String Ease so I can't speak for that, but I've heard (and what little testing I've done backs this up) that soaking your hands in water for a minuite or two to soften your calluses can make a big difference. Obviously, this isn't appropriate for bluesy bends on an acoustic, but for tracking chords it really helps.

I'm also a die-hard Elixir user - I use their nanowebs (generally Phosphor Bronze, I know they're mostly known as "bluesgrass" strings but I just love how they sound. Think Days of the New) so the reduction in squeak isn't as much as you might want, but they're way better than normal strings, and sound great, to boot.

In the mix, trying to EQ it out is going to be tough, without taking a LOT of high frequency energy out of the track. This may or may not be an option, depending on the instrumentation.

Your best bet may actually be a de-esser, actually. I've never tried this really, so I can't give you specific frequencies to shoot for, but if you think about it string noise is almost exactly the same sort of problem on an acoustic as sibilance is on a vocal - weird high pitch garbage that you want to reduce without substantially coloring the track itself.

That said...

Originally Posted by RightOnMusic

even though i know this isnt the answer you're looking for, i'd leave them there. they add a sort of "honesty" to the recording. if they're much too loud and taking away from the music being played, then i think what needs to happen is you need to pay attention to the way you're playing and the way you're micing the guitar. but honestly, if they're not a major distraction, i'd leave them there. i think sometimes as engineers, (both the professionals and ameteurs alike) we forget that what we're doing is faithfully reproducing a musical event....

...I couldn't agree more. I'll say by way of disclaimer that I'm a HUGE Tom Waits fan and I also love how Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, but he's done a lot of work with Opeth too) uses "noise" in a mix, maybe not specifically string noise but things that most people would try to pull out. I love that stuff.

Hell, I play bluesy instrumental prog rock, the last thing you'd normally want anything that smacked of technical imperfection, but it's kind of unusual for me to record anything without actually overdubbing some noise into the mix. I just get off on the little things that make a performance sound human - two notes ringing together, a string snapping a little too hard against the fretboard, the occasional string noise, etc - or creatively used guitar noise to add ambience.

Try looking at it as less of a problem than an opportunity...

[hairylarry]

Hi,

I almost never record my acoustic anymore without a gobo. Sometimes behind the mic or against a wall to one side. Lately I've had a mic peeking out over the top.

Two gobos are good too. I use one inch rigid fiberglass wrapped in burlap which I glue to the aluminum backing with tacky glue. They really help.

The other side of mic placement is how you hold your guitar when you're recording. Try holding the guitar so your mic picks up mostly wood, mostly fretboard, you can even try turning so the side of the guitar gets miked or face away from the mic. Then listen to these takes and see which has the most and least fret noise. Also listen for the way the guitar sounds different besides the fret noise.

Does the recording unit have a headphone out? Put on the phones and practice listening for the string noise. If you become conscious of it while you practice you will learn to control it.

A combination of techniques like this will not eliminate string noise but they can make it sound natural and appropriate where it does not distract from the song.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

[XLR]

Quick and dirty: try a de-esser

Best solution: retrack with less left hand noise

[Ironklad Audio]

i've always done the de-essing/multiband comp thing, but i recently read a tip on gearslutz that i've been meaning to try out...

1st thing you want to do is to make a new track below the guitar track...then select each bit of string squeal that you want to eliminate, and copy it onto the new track. flip the phase on the new track, render it together with the original, and voila, string noise gone.

[jeffree]

Anjou,

I ran into the same problem a year ago. I agree with those who like the natural sound of the squeaks, but I had a few that were jolting. I've never used de-essing (I don't use vocals), but that sounds worth a try. I did do two things, though, that have helped me. I was able to eliminate the worst noise by erasing the sound, using a waveform display. Since the noise was actually between notes, the erasures didn't stand out. I also bought some Finger Ease (spelling?) for the next project, and surprisingly, that's helped a lot. I found it online for $4-5. There's still noise, but it's easier to control. A great guitarist can adapt the playing to solve the problem, but that leaves me out.

Good luck,
J.

[antispatula]

I love fret noise. It really adds to a piece. I wouldn't try and actively take it out if I were you.

If you were trying to remove fret noise, it would have to do more with how you played guitar than the equipment used to record it. A mic isn't going to make any real difference.