Fostex MR-8 questions

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mannish boy

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I recently bought the MR-8 hoping to get some decent acoustic recording. First off I am a blues musician not a gadget person at all. So far I have plugged straight in with a Martin 00-16DBM acoustic with Rare Earth soundhole pickup. I was not at all pleased with the sound, then I mic'd it (SM 58 ) and blended the two. Still sounded muddy to me. I haven't liked any tone I have got from this thing.

So my questions are: Will I be able to get a decent acoustic tone. I also play a 1932
National duolian I haven't even attempted to record it yet. The lack of any EQ on the Fostex in limiting...?

I have a Gibson Nick Lucas acoustic that I wlll try next to see if decent tone can be had.

Am I going to have to buy a bunch of gadgets in order to get decent tone.

Will a PC program like Pro Tools help me get good ful tone.

i admit I haven't listened to the recorded music through anything but headphones at this point.

So any tips or pointers for a non gadget musician how usually records in the studio and lets the enigneer do the work.

I am ready to return this unit unless I can get a good warm full acoustic tone.

Thanks
 
I do not play guitar, but when it comes to vocals I have used a SM58 and beta 58. If you are not using an external pre amp you have to turn the trim all the way up to get a good sound. I also found out last night that using a dynamic mic (SM58 or beta 58)with the "tube" setting makes vocals sound "muddy". I'm sure some of the guitar guys on here can help you out more.
 
Mannish boy - even before i opened up this thread i knew you were a blues musician - caus'e im a maannishhh boayyyy as well!

Some advice - the MR8 will have almost nothing to do with that muddy result your getting (the recording medium/recorder itself rarely influences the sound in that way).

To a certain extent, you will most likely need more 'gadgets' to get that tone you desire - but probably not in the way that you might think. Think of it like this - you just bought a camera (the mr8) - but your missing the camera lense to give you that specific result your looking for. You need to get the lens (i.e. a decent mic - which may require a preamp with phantom power - so thats two new gadgets!). If you take that picture without the lense, rest assured, nothing you do to that photo afterwards with processing will subsitute for that wide angle fish bowl lense (i.e. so don't worry about the eq/protools processing stuff yet - it's good to get into later but for different reasons). So, let's say you got yer camera, got yer lense - BUT - you just can't aim it everywhere and expect to get the picture you wan't, right? So you got to focus, and move it around. That's what you got to do with your mic's - so it's not just getting new gadgets, but you got to aim them (i.e. mic posisitioning) so they pick up the picture you desire.

For sure, i know your SM58 can get a better, non-muddy result on your guitar - just by microphone placement. I play acoustic blues as well - and i've gotten some decent tone from using an SM57 (just like your mic, but without the big ball at the end). Do a search on mic placement, see what pops up and try it out ...and considere getting that lense!

Hope that helps,
T
 
I have a 57 of course but just grabbed the 58 for the vocals hoping I could use the Rare Earth PU straight in. The PU sounds wonderful straight to a PA so I was hoping....

I am impatient to say the least. I do know about mic placement of course and will use the 57, I always mic my National with the 57 when giggin.

I just wanted reassurance that the MR-8 is capable of producing good acoustic tone without the use of external processing equipment.

I have used a Mackie board, nanoverb into a Sony MD recorder with excellent results. I was hoping the MR-8 would let me do it quicker, easier. I have limited room space

I may not have the patience to mess with home recording. I may be better suited using an appropiate mic straight into the MD recorder.

So I assume it is a 'YES' the MR-8 is capable of decent acoustic guitar tone.

I'll try having a little patience and seeing what I can do. Thanks a bunch
 
Bud.....I will tell you that its possible to get an amazing acoustic sound. I have a martin d-28 with no electronics but my experience is sound hole pickups suck.(i do have a chet atkins SST acoustic/elec that i run through a fishman pre amp but ive yet to try it with the mr8). It will cost you a little though....but its very much worth it. Get a marshall electronics condenser mic...i belive mine is the 990..$69 bucks. Then you will need a pre amp and i got an ART tube preamp for $59 (all of this from musicians friend). Im literaly blown away by the sound. Works great for vocals as well Depending on what angles and distances my guitar is in relationship to the mic, it is possible to get quite an array of sounds. It is well worth it if you are willing to spend the money. If not, I would suggest getting a fishman preamp for your pick up.....

When i get a chance ill post some acoustic tracks

b
 
Mannish Boy-- I'm new at this and trying for the same thing with an acoustic guitar. I tried the piezo pickup once-sounds pretty bad. I have two Audio-Technica condenser mics, one a large diaphragm 3035 and one a smaller one (MB-4000). Those were the good e-bay purchases. Don't get me started on the Oktava I just got! Anyway, an M-audio buddy for preamp and phantom power, which is only about 6" by 6" by 2", is all that I use besides the MR8 before downloading the files to a PC. It sounds good with one mic at the 12th fret or so (the big one sounds good here), one off the lower bout around the bridge (the little one has less bass, so doesn't get boomy here), and both pretty close. I've tried a buddy's 58 alone without a preamp-boomy no matter where I put it and not loud enough. I have an mp3 I made tonight playing with mic placement on a Taylor 414 that I can post somewhere if you're interested. It's pretty clean-sounding, if you can get past the bad playing!
 
I tried with the 57 worked on placement
and such got a better tone. I also used the Gibson Nick Lucas instead of the Martin which was an improvement.

I am still only mildly impressed with the MR-8 not sure if I will keep it or return it
 
SM57's are NOT known for having a warm sound. That could be you problem. The MR-8 is a very honest machine and very unforgiving as well. Just keep experimenting. I'm sure that you won't get a better tone on your MD recorder or be able to punch in/out edit add effects more tracks etc...never never give up.


clif
 
A $59 tube pre from Musician's Friend and a cheap condenser mic like a Studio Projects B1 (good all-purpose mic) would be an amazing improvement. No matter what recorder you have you still need a pre and a good mic.
 
clifchamb said:
SM57's are NOT known for having a warm sound. That could be you problem. The MR-8 is a very honest machine and very unforgiving as well. Just keep experimenting. I'm sure that you won't get a better tone on your MD recorder or be able to punch in/out edit add effects more tracks etc...never never give up.


clif
Click to expand...
Even the VF-160 is unforgiving in this area. I tried several different Dynamic Mics with my Yamaha the other day and they all blow snot. I see a B1 or something like that in the near future. Not much of an Acoustic Bluesman but I sho would like to record some. :)

CR ><>
 
much better results last night. Played the NIck Lucas got a good tone, added some washboard, backup vocals. I then let my wife who is severely critical (that helps)
and she was really impressed with the sound.

I get confused on which input A/B foes with what track. It seems like A-B does not work with each track. I had to swap the mics to get the one I wanted...etc

I mic'd the National and it was OK I cna get it better than that.

Guess I need to read the manual
 
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