Bluegrass rules ;-)

  • Thread starter Thread starter ManfredK
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ManfredK

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While trying to mixdown bluegrass stuff.....

Any hints of setting the equalizers 'right' ?

For banjo I found some settings which I like but for all the other instruments, I dont get the sound I have in mind.

Never knew that a dobro had so many bassy tones ....
 
BLUEGRASS?

I don't have any particular suggestions, but it's refreshing to hear that some one out there likes bluegrass besides me!

Try listening to some CD's that you like through your mixer and playback system, then match your levels and EQ as much as possible.

Dom Franco:p
 
Blue grass is cool as hell........Just thought I shout that out....It would be interesting to see how blue grass would sound recorded in the hi-tech quality of today.......Most of the blue grass Cd's I have are all old, old and old......


I just felt like saying that :) guess it's not that relevent to your question ....sorry


-nave
 
It ain't easy. I play all the instruments and do all the vocals when recording my tunes and it's very hard if not impossible to have the 'feel' of a bluegrass song when it's not played at once. In a band there's a lot of 'weaving' going on in the course of a song that gives it that 'on the front of the note feel' and the motion unique to bluegrass.

That said, banjo and mandolin are pretty easy to record and mix with guitar and bass being a little harder and dobro being next to impossible. Recently I've had better luck with the dobro using a Studio Projects C-1 mic facing direct (not off-axis) about 6" from the end of the fretboard. In mixing it I roll off about 4db with a low shelf @ 125hz and push 2db or so at 3800, adding reverb to taste. Dobros can take a lot of reverb, depends on the song.

You'll find bluegrass players (some well known ones too) very accessable and willing to help. Maybe start by going to Sugar Hill Records and doing searches for some of their artists.
 
I have had good results with fiddle (use a ribbin mic!), guitar, mandolin and banjo. Upright bass is always a problem. Any suggestions for this.

Much appreciated.

Pete
 
@philboyd studge
thanks for your input.
i did not quite understand what position for the mike you meant , but the equalizer i`ll try asap.
took a look at philboydstudge.com, which of the guys are you ?

@ nave & Dom
i really love that BG stuff
And there are plenty of new releases all the time

@petimar
you remember any eq settings ?
 
Turns out there is a philboyd studge bluegrass band in the bay area. It ain't me. I don't play much bluegrass anymore in live situations, gotta make money.

Philboyd Studge was the fictictious name of a 1920's hot breakfast cereal from a program on pacifica radio about 20 years ago. It was originally called something like Wheateena but tasted like dung and sales were poor. They changed the name and came out with the slogan; "Eat your Philboyd Studge, it's good for you", and sales soared.

As to the dobro, I'm having the best luck pointing the mic directly at the end of the fretboard where the three little holes are on a model 60, no angles.

Also, on instruments with tailpieces, listen for overtones in the phones coming off the strings behind the bridge, especially on the mandolin when you do the 'chunck' rhythems. You may have to mute them, or it can dirty things up in the mix.

As to eq settings, I record everything flat and make occasional adjustment in the mix. I try to get most of the eq I want by choosing the right mic and getting the right mic placement and that varies a lot.
 
As far as recommended eq settings for recording bluegrass, you just kind of have to do a lot of critical listening and learn to identify things you like, then figure out how to get them into your own tracks.

One thing that someone told me that really helped was to record with the headphones turned as low as possible. The tendency when they're turned up loud is to play more softly, and if you're playing softly, you are not pulling all the tone out that your instrument has on tap. And try lots of mics. My own philosophy is "less is more." Less eq, less reverb, less compression means more natural sound. If you are not getting good sounds down, all the equalization in the world wont help.

That said, I'll share a couple things that work for **my picking style** on **my instruments** playing **my songs** (your mileage may vary...) :
On guitar (my best Martin is rosewood and has scalloped braces), i roll off gently everything below about 200hz and boost a little around 12k right before rolling off everything higher.
On mandolin (I build mandolins... right now my main instrument is Englemann spruce and maple) I do nothing but cut off everything about 10 or 12k depending on the mic and room.
On banjo - the two banjo players I work with, one plays a Gibson Mastertone and the other a very nice Deering. They come properly eq'd from the factory.
Finally, acoustic bass - it depends a whole bunch on the bass. I like to really boost the lows around 50 hz, slightly boosting (2-4db) everything up to around 2k, then leave it flat from 5k on up. From there, I'll tweak a little.

Sorry for being so long-winded. I hope this helps you find your sound.
 
When recording mando I have to weave a shoelace in and out of the strings below the bridge to eliminate the false tones. Other than that, not much depending on the instrument. Easiest to record was a Harmony-Stella...P.O.S. but barked like a doberman.

chazba
 
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