Acoustic Guitar Techniques...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sampler
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Sampler

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Hi,

I need some advice on how to record my acoustic...mic positioning, EQ settings, etc. I'm going for a bright, rich tone...as heard on Dashboard Confessional's The Swiss Army Romance album. Please share any tips for getting that sound.

If it helps, here's what I'm using to record:

Ovation Celebrity SACC057 Acoustic/Electric guitar
Samson Q7 Dynamic Mic
Tascam US-122 Audio Interface

Thanks in advance!
 
Are you trying to mic your Ovation Celebrity SACC057. :eek:
You will not get a good tone out of it.
Also, I dont think you will get a bright tone out of a dynamic mic.
 
Ovations typically don't record well when mic'd up. I had one for a while, and the best sound we got was to record through the internal preamp and reamp it through my Fender Acoustisonic amp and record that. Sounds a little strange, but it worked. If you have access to another guitar amp, give that a try. If you have access to another guitar, I would record that.

PEte
 
battleminnow said:
Ovations typically don't record well when mic'd up. I had one for a while, and the best sound we got was to record through the internal preamp and reamp it through my Fender Acoustisonic amp and record that. Sounds a little strange, but it worked. If you have access to another guitar amp, give that a try. If you have access to another guitar, I would record that.

PEte
Click to expand...

I played it through a really nice amp at the store and I was blown away by the sound! Any particular acoustic amps that you recommend?

I remember the guy at the store said the Ovations are typically played plugged-in...so I guess you all have justified that :D ! Any important tips for getting a great sound when recording it direct?

Thanks for all the help...much appreciated :) !
 
Sampler said:
Hi,

I need some advice on how to record my acoustic...mic positioning, EQ settings, etc. I'm going for a bright, rich tone...as heard on Dashboard Confessional's The Swiss Army Romance album. Please share any tips for getting that sound.

If it helps, here's what I'm using to record:

Ovation Celebrity SACC057 Acoustic/Electric guitar
Samson Q7 Dynamic Mic
Tascam US-122 Audio Interface

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I would venture to guess that Dashboard Confessional used absolutely none of the gear you are using, so recreating that sound will be a challenge. I don't really recall what their acoustic guitar sounds like, but here are the basics:

1. Good sounding guitar - Personally, I've never been a fan of the Ovation sound, either amplified or acoustic. If yours sounds good in the room you're playing in, it may be usable. Otherwise, sell it and buy a real guitar.

2. Good sounding room - Acoustic guitar is a complex instrument with a lot of resonance. The properties of your recording space will come into play. You can take some room out by close miking, but not all of it.

3. Good mic - Condensers are generally preferred over dynamics for acoustic instruments, and small condensers are generally preferred over large condensers (though rules are meant to be broken). You can get a decent small condenser for under $100. Look into the MXL 604, or similar. Dynamic mics tend to require more gain from the preamp and closer miking. They don't tend to give much sparkle on acoustic recordings due to their slower transient response.

4. Good preamp - The US-122 is fine. Nothing spectacular, but it will certainly do what you need.

As for mic placement - start with the mic aimed at the 12-14th fret (around the junction of the neck & body). start with the mic ~12" away and experiment with slightly different locations and distances until you get a sound to your liking.
 
I don't think you'll be able to get a very "bright" sound using that mic. You can pick up a cheap small diaphram condenser for under $100 bucks that would do a much better job. Look at MXL603 or MXL991 (actually they're identical mics).
 
ovation blows. If you want to record a bright guitar sound then get a guitar with the bright sound you are after. The rest is easier after that.


hugs to you,
sweetnubs
 
On the "Tonight I'll Take What I Can Get... Acoustic" cut. The guitar sounds to me like it is recorded with a mic... not through a pickup. And the sound is not "boomy" nor do I hear much bass or "proximity" sound. So, my guess is that the microphone was probably positioned more than 10inches from the guitar and the mic was not pointed toward the sound hole, or holes. I also don't hear a lot of pick noise, but I do detect some fingers moving on strings. I therefore conclude that the mic was pointed toward the top bout, or perhaps even more toward the neck. So, if you want that sound, start with that setup. Experiment with the mic maybe 12 to 24 inches away, pointed toward maybe the 12th to 14th fret.

The guitar does not have a very unique sound. No overtones that tell me what the make or model might be. Quite ordinary sounding. Could be from many different makers.

With your guitar, mic, and interface, as listed, you should be able to produce a somewhat similar recording. Some experimenting with mic placement and room dynamcis should get you pretty close. If you are recording just one, or two tracks at the same time, the interface should handle the job.

With the "whole band" cuts, the sound of the guitar is even less unique. Should be easy to produce similar sound with many different setups and types of equipment.
 
Ovations, and only good ones at that, are only useful when performing live and such. In recording situations, they are pretty useless. If you really wanted to use it, a decent acoustic amp would probably do the job...along with 1 or 2 decent Condensers. Since you don't have an acoustic amp, I'd recommend saving the money you would spend on an amp for a good acoustic guitar. For a nicer, brighter acoustic, the guitar itself will make a world of difference. Larger bodies tend to produce more bass; be more boomy. Smaller bodies seem to lack low and some mid range. Don't worry about electronics though, worry about a good mic or to to capture it.
 
As much as I agree that ovations aren't the perfect recording guitars, I don't think that's his biggest problem. The dynamic mic he's got right now just won't give him a "bright" sound, so it's a moot point to jump all over him for not owning a Taylor or a Martin because even if he did, it still wouldn't sound good recorded.
 
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