feather soft acoustic guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter awoodfellow
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awoodfellow

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Folks,

I'm not even sure how to ask this question so I've included a link to a portion of a song. Copyright Gods forgive me ....... I'm only trying to learn.

sample recording: Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line
(45 sec clip/721KB - this link will download to your machine or open your default mp3 player)



In the sample cut there is a "drone" acoustic guitar in the background.

How is that low volume, yet crystal clear, very smooth, yet diminished acoustic guitar sound made?

Best to you.

brose
Clan Rickenbacker
Clan Motto - "If it ain't got that swing it ain't got the ring"
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First I would experiment with strumming the strings with different picks, using something like a matchpad or like a paper football (like you used to pluck around the lunch table in middle school) or something else cool and handy, like maybe the flesh of your THUMB! Get the sound down, then try to record it.
 
James,

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. I don't think that's what I'm looking for.

Here's a 15 sec clip of REM doing 'Talk About The Passion'. Again, here the acoustic in the back ground is crystal clear, however, as in layers, it is on or toward the bottom. It's distinctly quite, yet at the same time powerful.

In this clip it's obvious the percussion, the bass and the Rickenbacker. But the acoustic in the background escapes me.

sample clip:


I really apologize for not know the recording vocabulary.

brose
 
your the acoustic guitar? what...oh well it sounds good. good level keep it up
 
That second clip sounds like a 12-string guitar.

Getting a good "strummy" sound is no different than getting any other sound. It takes the right equipment and the right technique.

You'll need: Well intonated acoustic guitar, sometimes a smaller body guitar helps -- less boomy. Light or (sometimes) medium strings. Flexible pick. Decent sounding room. Decent mic positioned properly (start around the 12th fret and experiment). The rest of the signal chain (mic pres, compressors, reverbs, etc.) are all going to be top notch on those recordings, but you can get a fair approximation with basic gear.
 
Sometimes, transposing the chords up and using a capo also helps with clarity of strummed parts as well.

Go lightly on the picking and maybe even try the side of the pick.
 
scrubs,

very cool. experimentation coupled with experiments. righteous. I'll get after it.

thanks!

brose
 
Might I recommend an small diaphram condenser for this?
 
When I want the "string cheese" type of acoustic, I use the studios Takamine EAN45c. I mic it with a Audio Technica 4033, or maybe the 4050 if I want something a tad more "wholesome", into a Focusrite Red 8. This is a STUNNING sound!




I think that is pretty close to the sound you are looking for?

By the way, IF I compressed these at mix (truthfully, I don't remember...I did on some songs on this CD, but I don't remember which...), they would have ran through a Behringer AutoCom
 
Ford,

that exactly what i'm talking about. thanks for the information.

brose
 
Another thing to try is the nashville tuning, or high strung guitar. The first two strings are normal, then 3, 4, 5 , and 6 are the light strings of a 12 string set for those strings, and tuned accordingly (an octave up).

-RD
 
awoodfellow said:
Ford,

that exactly what i'm talking about. thanks for the information.

brose
Click to expand...

There was a thread at another BBS that a lot of big time engineers used to hang out at, and it was pleasing to see how many of them had used the AT 4033 for acoustic guitar.

The Focusrite is a good choice on things where you need a sweet top end, and maybe don't care too much about the balance between lows and highs. I wouldn't call it the "warmest" preamp I have ever heard! LOL

One thing about using this combo and getting that sound, you will have to watch the proximity of the mic to the guitar. 12-18" away! Usually, I will put the mic about even with the sound hole, but angled towards the 12th fret.
 
Ford-mon,

Hmm. Your point about distance is interesting. The DIS, as it were, is on the agenda for this week end.

I'll report back.
Good deal.

Thanks,

'brose
 
scrubs said:
That second clip sounds like a 12-string guitar.
Click to expand...

An old trick is to put the octave strings from a 12 string set on a 6 string guitar. I keep one dedicated for just such a purpose. It is more common in country music but that's what the second clip sounds like to me. jmho, Dave.
 
Robert D said:
Another thing to try is the nashville tuning, or high strung guitar. The first two strings are normal, then 3, 4, 5 , and 6 are the light strings of a 12 string set for those strings, and tuned accordingly (an octave up).

-RD
Click to expand...
Sorry, I should have read all the way down first, Dave.
 
Ford Van said:
When I want the "string cheese" type of acoustic, I use the studios Takamine EAN45c. I mic it with a Audio Technica 4033, or maybe the 4050 if I want something a tad more "wholesome", into a Focusrite Red 8. This is a STUNNING sound!




I think that is pretty close to the sound you are looking for?

By the way, IF I compressed these at mix (truthfully, I don't remember...I did on some songs on this CD, but I don't remember which...), they would have ran through a Behringer AutoCom
Click to expand...

Is it just my headphones, or does the first track, Another Day, pop a few times at the beginning as, and after the first vocal comes in?
 
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