Matched pair o not matched pair?

[RRuskin]

At best, I think it's somewhere in between. Even given that the receiver is optimally hearing both stereo sources in perfect reproduction of each other. I don't see any intrinsic value unless it is one source at one location. Mic an acoustic guitar at the 12th fret and the sound-hole (or whatever two seperate spots you wish) that single instrument is still producing two different sounds from two different locations. Subtle or not, I just don't see the need to worry about two identical mics in that situation. Many ways to skin a cat.

True but your scenario is not what the originators of stereo or binaural had initially in mind. Theirs was more along the lines of a pair of mics picking up an entire ensemble from a particular spot in a given room.

 

[MeMyGuitar]

Nice thread came up!

As you could realize I'm not into sound recording but I like very much to go deep into any sound engineering, although I won't ever do nothing more than *home* recording of my acoustic guitars
Here -> ://youtu.be/EwszbxcFKZQ you can see what I can do with my actual equipment (add http, I'm not yet allowed to make make a direct link)
I'd like to go back to the main reason for I asked here your advice, but first I'm putting down some points I'd like to share with you, fell free to quote any point and give your opinion:
1. recording an acoustic guitar can be as complex as far as you want to catch any of the tones and overtones coming out of it;
2. its tones and overtones are markedly different depending on the technique and touch of the player ad on the kind of music which is played (fingerstyle, heavy or light strumming, flatpicking, hybrid picking...);
3. an acoustic guitar generates a spectrum of frequencies which is characterized by prevalence of highs, mids or lows strictly depending on the location of the microphone (near 12th fret, near the hole, near the bridge....); actually, from the sound-recording poin of view, it behaves like we may say an instrument cluster, and may require multiple recording sources;
4. and last but not least the features of the microphones are (obviously) heavily conditioning the resulting recorded sound.

Well I came here thinking that two identical mics are more easily manageable, now I am convincing that two very different mics could really give a wider palette of sounds and possibilities.
Some said that if the second mic was a figure of 8 it would give me such possibilities; what if it was a Rode NT2A ?

Massimo

 

[Farview]

True but your scenario is not what the originators of stereo or binaural had initially in mind. Theirs was more along the lines of a pair of mics picking up an entire ensemble from a particular spot in a given room.

But that isn't what we are talking about here. the reality is that you really wouldn't listen to an acoustic guitar with your head two inches away looking at the neck joint. He is trying to create a larger than life, big stereo image of an instrument that, in normal circumstances, would be relatively small and narrow listening to in a room.

This is complete different from binaural recording.

 

[Tomm Williams]

Must say I enjoy these intelligent exchanges immensly. Other forums I've been on would have deteriorated to four-letter words by now.

 

[Bobbsy]

But that isn't what we are talking about here. the reality is that you really wouldn't listen to an acoustic guitar with your head two inches away looking at the neck joint. He is trying to create a larger than life, big stereo image of an instrument that, in normal circumstances, would be relatively small and narrow listening to in a room.

This is complete different from binaural recording.

Yup, and it's why you can get away with using different mics.

However, I think it depends on how different the mics are. I wouldn't want one side of the stereo to be bright and fizzy with the other one dark and muddy--so I wouldn't pair up an RE20 with an SDC. However, two similar mics would likely be fine--but, for me, it's just easier to use the same model of mic twice even if I don't worry about them being a matched pair.

But I'm sure somebody will pop up saying they love have one dark mic and one bright mic and it's exactly the sound they're after! That's the beauty of recording--everyone wants a different sound!

 

[moresound]

Mid side is good for singer songwriter stuff as xaudia say. If you want a wide stereo spread (the beauty of this technique is you can have it as wide or narrow as you want)

You will be amazed though by the Niaint xs (omni) on acoustics and its dirt cheap too.
Dont take my word for it see what the others say too

Backing you up on this one Kip. For the price everyone should own three or four of every model of the Niaints.

 

[MeMyGuitar]

.........But I'm sure somebody will pop up saying they love have one dark mic and one bright mic and it's exactly the sound they're after!

Could this be the real goal when recording acoustic guitar rather than being after a one-of-a-kind of sound? I mean, two bright mics would give back a bright guitar sound, but that would very likely not be representative of the real sounding of that guitar. Would a "blend of mics" give more chances, when properly used and mixed down, to get the more realistic sound?
(can't stop begging your pardon if my questions may be too obvious...please be patient to a begginner.... ;-)

 

[moresound]

Yes and no the sound you may be going for may not be right once you stack it up in a mix and experience will dictate what you should be going for from the beginning for every mix/song is different.

 

[MeMyGuitar]

... experience will dictate what you should be going for from the beginning for every mix/song is different.

Hummm...you're right, I have already experienced that.
Coming back to mic choices:
- someone told that the Naiant X-S could be coupled to my (super)cardioid Rode NT3 to get a great sound. Any other opinion out there?
- will a figure of eight mic require a rear screen to prevent rear unwanted sounds (ex. PC vents buzz) to come in? is a fo8 advisable for home (= in-house) recording?

 

[xaudia]

Hummm...you're right, I have already experienced that.
- will a figure of eight mic require a rear screen to prevent rear unwanted sounds (ex. PC vents buzz) to come in? is a fo8 advisable for home (= in-house) recording?

Yes, absolutely fine - Figure 8 mics generally have a tighter pickup pattern than cardioids, and (should) have very good rejection at the sides. So it is a matter of pointing it in the right direction, and using the null-points to reject the unwanted sounds. I use this a lot on snares to reject annoying high-hats.

There is a bit on mid-side recording here....
Microphone practice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and Blumlein pairs...
Blumlein Pair - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blumlein picks up in all directions. You should try and sort your computer fan / room noise anyway, sooner or later it will creep into your recordings and annoy you, especially with acoustic instruments.

There are lots of other sensible suggestions in this thread, so this is not the only way to go. But do think beyond cardioid!

Cheers!

Stewart