demagnitizing

[antispatula]

So I finally got a fresh tape of 457, and was playing around with the r8. I tried recording accoustic guitar with an sm57, and I can't really make it sound very great. On the mixer, I've left EQ alone, and boosted the pre quite a bit. I placed the sm57 near the 12th fret, and I still can't get any good sound. It sounds distant, muffled, and weak. Someone brought up that it may be that my recorder needs to be demagnitized. Do you think this a big possibility? If so, where could I get it, Radioshack perhaps? Thanks!

 

[Beck]

Demagnetizing is as important as keeping the tape path clean. Magnetized heads, guides, rollers, etc will erase some of your signal on each pass. The highest frequencies go first, but each time the tape is played more signal is erased.

The kind of demagnetizer (degausser) you should get is either the TEAC E-3 or the Han-D-Mag. You’ll probably have to get the TEAC E-3 on ebay because I think they recently stopped making them.

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--TASE3

http://blevinsaudioexchange.com/handmag.html

Try testing your R8 by recording music from a CD player, two tracks at a time. That will help you narrow down the weak link in your chain. Right now it could any number of things – mic, cables, mixer, technique, etc.

 

[Dr ZEE]

sm57 is pretty good for close-mic recording of laud guitar amp, drums ..some other situations (like screaming vocals ), but to get satisfying recording of an acoustic guitar ...hmmm, with sm57? - I's say, hardly possible.
If you can - get some condenser instrument mic - you'll be glad you did, if recording of the acoustic guitar is important to you.
If you ask me: which exactly mic to get? - I would not have the answer for you really. I personally have and use Shure KSM109 for recording ac. guitar and kind of happy, but acoustic guitar is not very important instrument for what I was recording...so ...you know. If you go to microphones forum and ask for advice there, you most likely end up with one of Octava mics ... heh heh ...(ah! oKtava - that is )
The problem is, that acoustic guitar is very sensitive instrument , full of nuances and gentle details and at the same time it is very weak (not loud) instrument. So, when trying to record it, the microphone's Capabilities and quality together with micing technique become very important and you hardly can ignore it.
There was ton of blah blah written about acoustic guitar recording.
here are some if you need:
http://www.humbuckermusic.com/acguitrectec.html
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug01/articles/recacgtr0801.asp
http://www.audio-recording-center.com/article-acoustic-guitar.html

 

[arjoll]

sm57 is pretty good for close-mic recording of laud guitar amp, drums ..some other situations (like screaming vocals ), but to get satisfying recording of an acoustic guitar ...hmmm, with sm57? - I's say, hardly possible.

I've been staying out of mic discussions because its not an area I have a lot of current knowledge in - I haven't actively recorded much for a while, other than classical stuff with overhead 414's (borrowed!).

In other words, please ignore my opinion - but I have got some quite pleasing acoustic guitar tracks recorded with a 57, some over a decade ago through a Soundcraft of some description onto an MSR16, and some other stuff about 7 years ago through an A&M Mixwizard onto a 32. That's just with the built in pre's, nothing special.

Now don't ask me what I did, it was a while ago now! There's certainly scope to potentially get a more pleasing recording from an Oktava MC012 (I think that's the number), SP B3 or a 414, but there's no reason you shouldn't get something usable from a 57.

Reminder - my opinion is probably wrong

 

[A Reel Person]

Anti-baby, don't get me wrong, but...

from your description of the sound, I'd be concerned that the tape was threaded correctly. FYI, if the tape is threaded wrong (or twisted), you would get the type of sound you've described. The back of the tape is not as good at recording as the front.

 

[snipeguy]

Check everything that has already been mentioned. Demag, clean and point the 57 at the D string right at the top (towards the headstock) of the sound hole. If it has a pickup try a blend of the two.

Note: I agree that a 57 is not my first choice for an acoustic. Any decent condenser would be my first choice.

 

[Dr ZEE]

I have got some quite pleasing acoustic guitar tracks recorded with a 57,

me too . I've got some pleasing acoustic guitar recordings also with akg D770 and peavey PVM80 mics .... the result was "pleasing" for what I was recording the guitar for.... but it was so much OFF from what I actually was hearing as I was playing the guitar. See where am I going with this?
Well, I stay out of mic discussions too... I see "mics discussion" as cotton balls snowstorm, especially when snowball fights emerge... (sort of)

/respects