AT4033SM for Acoustic Guitars

G

gcounselman

New member
I purchased an Audio Technica 4033SM microphone. I have heard a lot of good things about this mic. I am using a Behringer MX802A mixer for mixing and preamp. I have 2 Breedlove acoustic guitars and am getting close to producing their natural sound but still at certain parts am getting a boxy sound. I EQed using the mixer and have gotten a pretty good sound. Are there any hints or tricks on getting a great acoustic sound? I am using Cool Edit Pro 1.2 So far the AT4033 is an awesome microphone. It sounds great on vocals too.

-gman
 
I get the feeling you know more about this than me, but how exactly are you miking the Breedloves? I'm interested for myself as well, since I'm doing something similar, but with a cheaper mic.
 
BREEDLOVE FANS !

I love Breedloves.....but can't afford one.
My own guitar is a home-built copy of the Ed Gerhard Model. A freind of mine wanted to get into guitar building as a hobby, so I financed this project as about his third guitar. He did a GREAT job, and it sounds fabulous, but of course doesn't have the finish detail of a genuine article.
On Mikes: I like my AT4033, but I think my favorite so far is the AT 4041 in the "overhead looking down at the neck/body joint" position.
Ed Gerhard also describes some of his mikes and techniques at his website !
Peace,
Rick
PS: I change my mind and completely rearrange my mikes about once a week...it is easier to to that than to develop some talent !
 
I love Breedlove guitars. I played several guitars ranging from Taylors, Martins, Lowdens (handmade in North Ireland). I took one strum on a Breedlove and that was all she wrote. I have two, a SJ20 walnut jumbo and an SC20 walnut concert. I have Fishman Natural 1 pickups in them. When miking, I have been taking 2 signals which makes for an interesting mix.

1. I have been miking either directly in front of the sound hole or miking on the 12th fret. Miking on the 12th fret makes for a better reproduction of the tone (in my little experience)

2. At the same time I run from my Fishman pickup into a Boss GE-7 Eq pedal. There I mix my sound how I play live.


On my mixer I mix the mic to be louder. But I definitely like the sound with the mic on the 12th fret better than in front of the sound hole. Another thing I am wondering is should I just set my mixer EQ's at 0 and record. And then EQ using Cool Edit Pro or should I EQ first. Either way, I still get a "boxy" type sound. :(

-gman
 
I've been miking my acoustic about three inches off the twelfth fret for a sound I like more often than any other. The sound has less bottom the more I move the mic away from the soundhole, so maybe you could try the 11th or 10th frets. I hadn't thought of that 'miking from above' technique - I'll try that too. Miking straight onto the sound hole produces a sound that's way too boomy. The books and experience say so.

As for EQ, I've heard, and it's the way I'm doing it as well, that if you mic an acoustic instrument right, in the right room, you'll need little or no EQ in the mix. You've got a great guitar and mic - what kind of room are you recording in? Also, I think most people tend to record acoustic instruments dry, no EQ, and apply it later if it's needed.

Finally, thanks for the 'it was love at first strum' about the Breedlove. I'm not sure yet if I like the shape of the head, but it's the sound and feel that counts.
 
Yeah, I hear you.

I have thought the same thing. I am recording in a room that is fairly "tight and close". However, I do have a bay window in this room. Maybe I should try running my mic into a smaller room that only has one window and see if that works. But my friends Seagull guitar sounds awesome in the same room!!! AArrrrGGHHH hehe. I noticed the same thing about the boominess of miking in front of the sound hole. It was always way too boomy. Especially on my Breedlove Jumbo. Bass was way too much. I am wondering about the overhead mic placement. I had a problem before of picking up what I call "nose whistle" on my friend when we recorded his Seagull. It was a kind of wheeeee wheeee (kind of like the little piggy who went home) I'll go get a surgical mask and record with it on! :) I bet that would be a sight. I think I'll try that overhead deal also.

-gman
 
For everyone's info, I found my main problem. If anyone knows anything about or has played a Breedlove guitar, you know that their sound is unbelievably rich, full, and just all together powerful. My problem in recording it, was that I was putting the mic too close. I had the mic maybe 1-2 inches away from the 12th fret. That was way too close for a Breedlove. To get an excellent sound I had to put 6-8 inches between the mic and the guitar (I did this on my jumbo, I do not think concert model will be as much a problem.). There was no problem with external noise that far away to my surprise. I guess that is because of the volume richness of the guitar. The overhead micing worked well too.

-gman
 
I record acoustic guitar with a single AT4033 through a PreSonus Bluetube pre-amp. I put the mic at least 12 inches from the soundhole. If it's too close you will get the proximity effect with makes it 'boomy'. There is a bass roll-off switch on the 4033, however the lack of an owner's manual on this mic makes it tough to figure out which way to push the switch. It does decrease the boom factor and allows you to get close to whatever you're recording. On another note: if you use this mic for vocals do you need a windscreen ?
 
Yeah, thanks for the info. I was wondering about that bass roll off switch. I wasn't even sure what it was!? hehe. I figured it out by fooling with it. That's good to know about the 12 inches. I got a good recording at 6-8 inches but I think I could definitely move back even more. Even at 6-8 there was a little bit of subtle overtones that were heard. Everytime I do vocals, I use a pop filter just to be sure. However, playing live I was forced to learn how to sing without puffing into the microphone because I never had an "afro" (that's what I call those windscreens) :)

-gman
 
Wide Awake,


There is a cryptic-looking symbol on each side of the switch. The symbol represents the response curve for that switch setting.

The side with the flat line indicates the side that will give a flat response, IOW the bass rolloff is off (I don't remember if it's the left or right side of the switch). The sloped side indicates the side that turns the bass rolloff on.
 
I also started by close-miking at 6-8 inches, because I had heard a lot of recommendations for that, but I experimented and gradually moved the mikes further away to lower the proximity effect and associated "boominess". It also seemed all-around more "natural". I also give a -12 dB Q=10 f=160(approx) parametric EQ to knock down the room resonance mode there. (try it ! standard 8 ft ceilings))
My mikes are now all at about 18" to 24" from guitar surface
1. At 12 fret, distance= 18 Panned R
looking back slightly to neck/body joint
2. At Bridge, distance=18 looking back slightly, to 3" behind bridge Panned L
3. Above and 6" in front, Distance = 24 " Over soundhole but looking down at halfway between soundhole top and neck/body joint. Panned Center

No claims...this is just the way I have it.
Peace,
Rick
PS: I usually frequent "discount music stores", so a friend of mine took me to a small shop that handles Taylor, Larrivee, Breedlove, Martin, Santa Cruz....etc.
I deliberately told the guys not to divulge any prices until a found what I liked the sound of best. I then spent about 2 hrs, just playing all the "top" candidates.
My Pick: Breedlove Ed Gerhard Signature Model (can't remember any other details except the sticker price: $3500; the most expensive guitar in the shop !)
Champagne taste and a beer budget !


[Edited by The Axis on 08-24-2000 at 16:50]
 
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