how do you record "finger" pick'n guitar?

[wjgypsy]

ok. so i have been recording ascousic guitar latly and i'm have good sounds but i'm playing the guitar with a pick. (so the sound will be loud and will cut trough in the mix) but when i tryed recording the guitar solo (finger picking) i can't seem to get the sound to be loud enough. (to hear) when i turn up the gain i get alot of hiss. what the best way to capture the "finger pick'n" guitar and be able the hear it?


oh! one more thing. are the marshall mxl603s any good on guitar?


thanks

zeke

 

[Wide Awake]

You need a sensitive mic to record fingerstyle guitar. I usually use an Audio Technica 4033 for that. I would try to get the mic within 12" of the guitar, but not directly in front of the soundhole. I usually put mine directly in a line from the 11th or 12th fret.

What preamp and mic are you using Zeke ?

 

[tdukex]

Yes, indeed, what preamp are you using? Even with my little Behringer mixer I can get a very strong signal (even from 2' - 3' feet away) fingerpicking using a variety of condensers.

And the MXL 603 is sweet on acoustic guitar IMO. The Behringer ECM 8000 ain't bad either for an over the shoulder omni or sound hole/bout mic. It picks up the bass without being boomy. Together, they make a nice stereo combo for a total cost < $120.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Use finger picks and get the best of both worlds.

 

[Treeline]

If you're not using fingerpicks (and there's a certain sound you cannot get without using your bare fingers - calluses on both hands!) use a really fresh set of strings - before the initial shimmer wears off. Experiment with different brands because they are not all the same. I've gotten pretty good results with DR rare bronze, an uncoated string. I use medium gauge in a jumbo acoustic, so I'm always wrestling with bass overloads. Together with a bass rolloff, this recipe seems to work.

 

[wjgypsy]

i don't have a pre-amp right now. i'm trying to get one though but, i don't know which one to get. i have been looking at the midiman dmp3s and the audio buddy. are they any good? also musician's friend has a four-channel mic pre-amp made by behringer for $199.99 would it be any good?

the mics i have are:

nady scm900 condinser

(2) mxl603s (there coming in the mail next week.)

sm57

and a v-tech nd series condiser

 

[Wide Awake]

I think the DMP3 would be a big improvement, that's the one to get. Once I got a good preamp with plenty of gain it made my mikes work so much better. It's a very important part of the signal chain. I'd stay away from the Behringer. The preamps are o.k. on them but it's not a good long-term investment in your studio because of their quality control and poor customer support. If you need a small cheap mixer for mixing then go ahead and buy one, but otherwise a dedicated preamp has some advantages that a mixer doesn't always have. Phase control, metering, and I think usually the dedicated preamp just sounds better unless you are talking about high-end mixers.

I haven't tried the Marshall 603's yet, but they have a reputation for being great on acoustic guitar. I'm going to buy one soon myself.

 

[wjgypsy]

okay i think that i'm allmost serten that i will by the dmp3! does it how or add much noise?

oh! and if you are going to order your 603s any time soon, 8th street music has them in a two pack with 2 free 25 foot cable for $159.99!!!!!!! that where i ordered myne from. (i hope they get here soon!)

 

[Wide Awake]

The DMP3 is very quiet and has a lot of clean gain. It will allow you to turn up your mikes until they are very sensitive without adding noise.

I was planning on buying a single 603 from 8thstreet.com this weekend. I don't need a pair right now, but I did see that special deal with the free 25' mic cables. That's a good deal. Let us know how you like the 603's.

 

[wjgypsy]

wide awake,

i'm wide awake now! i thing that your post hit the spot. first time i get some money i'm ordering me one(or mabye even 2!)

 

[tdukex]

After you buy the DMP3, and crank it just a little, the only "noise" you'll hear in your recordings is your computer fans, your refrigerator, your air conditioner, your own breathing that you never realized was so obnoxious and loud, and anyone who farts within a block of your house--because that's how loud your signal will be.