How does this acoustic guitar sound?

cygnus

cygnus

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SoundClick artist: Allison's Engine - page with MP3 music downloads

I tried a recording approach like this: Two mics for a stereo recording, but I didn't set them up in any of the common stereo micing patterns - XY,AB, etc. I placed one in front of the sound hole, and another directly over the neck around the 3rd fret or so. I was trying to capture the sound as if it would be heard from the perspective of the performer. Sort of the same principle when panning drums -- audience perspective or drummer perspective. Does it sound like this to any of you? Does it sound as if you are sitting there just behind the instrument? :guitar:Was my experiment a success?

Thanks
 
To answer the question of how it sounds, it sounds good. It's a nice performance and good recording but no, listening from the player's perspective wouldn't have the kind of stereo field you've got here. But why would you want to capture a player's perspective sound? The guitar sounds best facing it from the front. If you're auditioning a guitar to buy you have to hear someone else play it to really get an idea of what it sounds like.
 
I really like your idea of capturing both sides of the guitar. To me, it can make an acoustic guitar sound even more intimate. It sounds less like you are hearing it in a coffeehouse, or out of speakers in an audience, and more like you are sitting right next to the person playing. Because of the mic technique, sounds to me like there is a natural tendency to capture more of the lower end of the acoustic guitar, with the highs present, but not as piercing or overbearing. A very good, relaxing, overall sound.

There is no real "proper" way to hear an acoustic guitar as long as the recording comes off as effective for your project, so keep up the experimenting with mic placement. Again, this would seem most beneficial for an intimate sound.
 
I really like this. Very clean sounding acoustic and beautiful touch with the electric. Love the panning. Touching melody and you didn't overplay anything. Great work, bud.
 
brassplyer said:
But why would you want to capture a player's perspective sound? The guitar sounds best facing it from the front.
Click to expand...

I guess you can call it selfishness, or maybe it is a musician type of thing, but to me there is much greater joy in being able to play an instrument and create those sounds as opposed to listening to somebody else do it. I was trying to capture that. Considering you are right handed, I'd assume you would hear more of the body of the guitar in your right ear, and more neck sounds, string scraping, etc in your left. I was trying to place the mics roughly where your ears would be. It's no big deal if I didn't quite acheive that effect as long as it sounds good.
 
Sounds beautiful to me! I like the lead a lot too.

You've actually stumbled on of the known, albeit less common, acoustic micing setups--it's called over-the-shoulder. First mic pointing towards the sound hole from fret 12-14, second mic hanging over your right shoulder (assuming you're right handed) from behind--pointing straight down at the lower bout. Conversely, the front mic can be pointed at the bout, and the over-the-shoulder mic goes over the left shoulder, pointed down at the upper neck.

In any case, it sounds like you've found your own version of this technique that works just right for your guitar. Sounds really good...
 
Thanks for the postive feedback everyone. I'm glad you enjoyed the song. I'll continue using this technique.

As far as the song goes, this was one of those "inspirational moments" as I am sure all of you can relate. The song was concieved, arranged, recorded, mixed, and mastered in a span of only a few hours. Even still, the title was the default name given to it by the multitrack. I didn't put "too" much thought into this, and I usually find this is the best method.
 
cygnus said:
I guess you can call it selfishness, or maybe it is a musician type of thing, but to me there is much greater joy in being able to play an instrument and create those sounds as opposed to listening to somebody else do it. I was trying to capture that. Considering you are right handed, I'd assume you would hear more of the body of the guitar in your right ear, and more neck sounds, string scraping, etc in your left. I was trying to place the mics roughly where your ears would be. It's no big deal if I didn't quite acheive that effect as long as it sounds good.
Click to expand...
I just wanted to chime in here in that I've approached trying to capture my Taki' for the same perspective- I like the tone as I hear it from above. The idea may not even end up the best way to get there, but there is a richness, more wood, more diffuse perhaps.
I've been trying to stay with one mic (out above the neck. Your pair is bigger and wider than what I want but sounds much nicer. ;) Think I'll try a second working out from the right ear as well.
 
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