Acoustic

[tdukex]

One of the first lessons I learned about tracking accoustic came about 10 years ago when I first moved to Chicago. I've always kind of dabbled in music, but I'm a far more accomplished bassist than I am an accoustic guitar player. The guitarist in my band (at the time) used to record a lot with my guitar, and it always used to piss me off how much better-sounding his tracks were ... even though we were using the same guitar - same mic, same equipment.

His tracks sounded lush and thick, while mine sounded thin and grating. After going through about 5 different kinds of microphones, I asked him what I was doing wrong, and without hesitation he flat-out told me I was picking way too hard and strumming too aggressively. Somehow, I had it in my head that if you strum harder, it should sound louder and fuller, but it doesn't work that way at all. It's about strumming deliberately ... keeping your wrist loose and fluid ... allowing the body of the note / tone to resonate, rather than simply emphasizing the percussive attack of the pick on the string, which sounds amateurish and nasty. Like a bassist trying to play guitar (poorly).
.

chessrock, you are suggesting, OMG, that playing technique plays a MAJOR role in the recorded sound. We guit players don't want to hear that. We want a piece of gear to perform that magic for us.

 

[chessrock]

chessrock, you are suggesting, OMG, that playing technique plays a MAJOR role in the recorded sound. We guit players don't want to hear that. We want a piece of gear to perform that magic for us.

And it's fitting that it would take a guitar player to explain that to a bassist, wouldn't it?

 

[Nick98338]

I listened to the clip. I thought it sounded exactly like most all of the Tacoma guitars I've heard. And, I've heard a lot of them. I think the recording captured the delicate nuances of the well aged plywood and the fine, minimum wage craftsmanship.

 

[chestwick91]

must be something else wrong, Micing technique or even the room, i use two 603s on on the 12th fret and another on the bridge...(both off axis) and i get really good sound, sometimes not that powerful but compressed a little they are the best acoustic mic i have
and they kick ass for overheads two

 

[JerryD]

I listened to the clip. I thought it sounded exactly like most all of the Tacoma guitars I've heard. And, I've heard a lot of them. I think the recording captured the delicate nuances of the well aged plywood and the fine, minimum wage craftsmanship.

I don't think it's the plywood making it sound thin....I pulled my Taylor out and it's a lot wider than the RM6. I think the narrowness is what makes it sound so thin. From now on I think I'll just practice with the RM6 and reocord with the Taylor.

I'm getting ready to purchase a Audio Technica 4050 for vocals.

You guys okay with this mic?

 

[The Axis]

By "good" some people mean "pleasant".
Some people mean "accurate".

If you are happy with the sound of your guitar, and just want to "capture" it, you need to try some small diaphragm omnidirectional mikes. This combination makes the sound relatively insentitive to placement. The earthworks line is among the best on this, but there are lots of others in the same general category.

If you just want to change the tone to something you consider more "pleasant", then mike placement is the easiest trick. But you just have to be willing to experiment, because with most cardioid mikes the tone changes dramaticaly with position, distance, and angle.

 

[Robert D]

I'm getting ready to purchase a Audio Technica 4050 for vocals.

You guys okay with this mic?

The 4050 is a great mic. You might want to try it out on that Tacoma too, in concert with the SDC. SDCs have that little bit of extra detail on things like acoustic guitars, but you already have plenty of detail, and could use a little smoother/warmer sound. Adding an LDC and mixing the two mics in psuedo-stereo fashion may give you what you're after.

 

[JerryD]

The 4050 is a great mic. You might want to try it out on that Tacoma too, in concert with the SDC. SDCs have that little bit of extra detail on things like acoustic guitars, but you already have plenty of detail, and could use a little smoother/warmer sound. Adding an LDC and mixing the two mics in psuedo-stereo fashion may give you what you're after.

Thank you. I'll try that.

 

[chrisharris]

I listened to the clip. I thought it sounded exactly like most all of the Tacoma guitars I've heard. And, I've heard a lot of them. I think the recording captured the delicate nuances of the well aged plywood and the fine, minimum wage craftsmanship.

I don't care if this thread is 6 months old, that was one funny fucking burn.

 

[guitar junkie]

Heh anybody ever tell him to take off those Elixer strings? Phosper has a much more gutsy sound, to me at least....

Might also have tried just hitting the bass harder than the treble/mids....