Recording a Dobro

[babajack]

Hi

Total newbies here! We, babajack the band that is, are in the process of recording some of our stuff and learning by our mistakes...

We play blues, roots acoustic kinda stuff and the current thing that is giving me the biggest headache at the moment is recording the dobro. We have DI'd it on 1 track and used condenser mic into another track. This seems to get us a really good warm clean sound but then the snag... When it comes to mixing it is really difficult to get it to sit in the track. Either I have to push the vocals up to the point where the balance is too vocal heavy, or if they are lower in the mix they are swamped by the slide sounds...

Is this an eq'ing thing, or compression?

Thanks for your help

B

 

[Track Rat]

Try miking with a dynamic and losing the DI. Use the mic like an EQ to carve a space that the dobro can live in the mix.

 

[mikeyhasnobones]

keep in mind that this is just one option but it could just be an eq thing. if i were you i would just play around with the eq of the vocals and slide to see if i could get them to sit at different frequencies. it sounds to me like they are fighting each other in the mix and playing with the eq could solve that. good luck!

 

[mikeyhasnobones]

Try miking with a dynamic and losing the DI. Use the mic like an EQ to carve a space that the dobro can live in the mix.

i like that expression "carve a space" i've never heard that!

 

[89gtsleeper]

My buddy Blaze has a dobro and just directly mics it with a condensor, no DI for sure though. If the fret slides are still a problem you might try using a de-esser on it if available.