mic placement

[antispatula]

So I FINALLY able to start recording with my analog recorder (fostex r8 reel to reel, 8 track.) And I can't seem to get a good accoustic guitar sound; whenever I try to record accoustic guitar, it sounds far off, muffled, dull, weak.....That's the best way to put it. I was thinking it proabibly had to do with the mic and where I put it. On the mixer, I left all the eq alone, but boosted the pre quite a lot. And I'm using an sm57. I know, not the best choice, but I need phantom power for my at3035 before I use it.

So maybe it's just the sm57 isn't the best to use? And Perhaps it's where I put the mic? If I put it near the soundhole or whatever you call it, the bass booms, and it still sounds like crap. If I put it a little higher on the neck, it sounds bad too.....Any suggestions?

 

[maskedman72]

try pointing it around the 12th fret. you can get a decent sound with a 57 on acoustic.

 

[ch2os7]

Just out of curiosity, is your tape old? If you are sure the tape is good then has the transport been de-magnatized? If your record heads are dirty or magnatized they will give you muffled, boomy recordings. If your tape is old it might cause the same results. It's been a few years since I used tape but I think I am remembering this right. There is another term used for de-magnatized I think it's "de-gaussed". I'm sure there is someone else who can give you more info.
You can pick up a degausser at Radio Shack fairly cheap. In addition to degaussing the heads they have to be cleaned periodically to keep the sound right. The friction of tape against the heads leaves deposits on them. You should be able to pick up head cleaning solution at Radio Shack too.
This is all just speculation. If you've experimented with mic placement but can't find a sweet spot, then it might be that the recorder needs some cleanup.
Good luck!

edit: you might want to get some instructions on degaussing the machine. If it isn't done correctly it doesn't help. So I've been told! Maybe someone can offer a link.

 

[antispatula]

hey guys, thanks for the advice! I'll try pointing it at the 12th fret. And my heads are clean, and the tape is fresh from zzounds. I need a demagnitizer though, good call.

 

[soundchaser59]

I would bet money as soon as you spend the $39 for a phantom power box you are going to lie awake at night until you re-record that acoustic track with the AT......

 

[Dogbreath]

Yeah, I've got good acoustic outta my 3035. I think you'll like it better.
I've also had good luck at the 12th fret, slightly angled towards the soundhole, a couple of inches out.
Just throwin in another "me too"...

 

[up-fiddler]

slightly angled towards the soundhole, a couple of inches out.

This has been my best location for a 57 also. Off axis like this has yielded good results. I alos usually use a second mike out about four feet if I'm not recording anything else (like vocals) at the same time. A mix of the two inputs sounds sweet. In that case I actually PREFER the 57 for close miking and use a condenser mike away from the guitar. Pretty common practice I think but that's just my opinion, Dave.

 

[emergencyexit]

So I FINALLY able to start recording with my analog recorder (fostex r8 reel to reel, 8 track.) And I can't seem to get a good accoustic guitar sound; whenever I try to record accoustic guitar, it sounds far off, muffled, dull, weak.....That's the best way to put it. I was thinking it proabibly had to do with the mic and where I put it. On the mixer, I left all the eq alone, but boosted the pre quite a lot. And I'm using an sm57. I know, not the best choice, but I need phantom power for my at3035 before I use it.

So maybe it's just the sm57 isn't the best to use? And Perhaps it's where I put the mic? If I put it near the soundhole or whatever you call it, the bass booms, and it still sounds like crap. If I put it a little higher on the neck, it sounds bad too.....Any suggestions?

What you have done here is actually very useful to you. You have found out the sound of a certain mic by trial and error, and your symptoms sound to me like the mic exactly. So this is what a 57 sounds like in your situation. USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. So you don't like the sound of this on acoustic guitar, well what kind of thing would you want to get the sound you are getting from it? You'll see when you start to record with the 3035 that this is most likely the mic you want because its gonna have a lot more presence and be a ton brighter taking away from your dull problem. At least you got something out of the 57 attempt.

Ben

 

[giraffe]

people have written books on things i've long forgotten on tape recorders.
has it been aligned in the last century? is that even a question that makes sense in this context?
what about bias?

 

[antispatula]

hey guys, thanks for all the help! Yeah, it seems the sm57 is nice sounding, but the output is so weak compared to lets say any cheap mic from bestbuy. I hope that made sense......Yeah, I'm going to get a phantom power box like NOW. Or get a new mixer, I'm using a peavey, and they reallllllly suck for recording. The insert and output on each channel is the same jack......one of it's many problems....

I don't even know what alignment is, or calibration.....I don't know all that much about reel to reels yet.

 

[jake-owa]

I'm using a peavey, and they reallllllly suck for recording. The insert and output on each channel is the same jack......one of it's many problems....

How do they get the insert (a TRS at least) and a mono out (a TS at least) on once jack? Is there a switch? If so that sucks ass, sorry.

As far as the 57 goes, I agree that you could get better sounds from the AT3035 but beware, the placement of you in the room or choice of room is as important as mic choice and placement.

Try to get the mic as close to the strings (maybe 7 or 8 inches) as possible, possibly over the 7th fret and point it down the neck toward the 12th fret without pointing straight at the hole.

 

[Nick98338]

Check my signature, below.... I've been through this. The only way to get reasonable guitar volume with the SM 57 is to get the mic reeeeealy close to the guitar. No more than 6 inches. Still, I have to turn on the boost on the preamp and turn the gain up pretty high to get enough volume. But, then I get that "boomy" proximity effect. And, I get a lot of pick noise, and I get fingers zipping on string noise, etc... I'm much happier using the 3035 for the guitar. Don't need the boost, gain at about 12 o'clock, mic about 18 inches from the mic. Nice clean sound. I now use the SM57 only for vocals.

 

[antispatula]

man I need phantom power. So will any phantom power unit work for the at3035? Is there any general rule about this?

 

[soundchaser59]

Any unit that is decent quality. I mean you dont have to spend $100 bucks to get a good one, but dont buy the $9.99 special either. Several household name companies make one, you can get a good one for $39 or $49 or $69, etc., depending on whether you want to run 2 or 4 mics at the same time.

But phantom power is phantom power, if you get a decent brand then you can count on it working all the time and it wont have any effect on the sound quality of the mic at all. 48 volts is 48 volts, plain and simple. But the difference it makes in recording your acoustic with a condensor will be priceless!

 

[up-fiddler]

Any unit that is decent quality. I mean you dont have to spend $100 bucks to get a good one, but dont buy the $9.99 special either. Several household name companies make one, you can get a good one for $39 or $49 or $69, etc., depending on whether you want to run 2 or 4 mics at the same time.

But phantom power is phantom power, if you get a decent brand then you can count on it working all the time and it wont have any effect on the sound quality of the mic at all. 48 volts is 48 volts, plain and simple. But the difference it makes in recording your acoustic with a condensor will be priceless!

Another oprion might be to spend a bit more and get an inexpensive mike pre (like DBX project 1). You get phantom power but for a bit more money you would also have the mike pre which would help with the 57 also. Dave

 

[soundchaser59]

You get phantom power but for a bit more money you would also have the mike pre which would help with the 57 also.

Excellent advice!

 

[antispatula]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=185271

would that work for my at3035? I don't know what it means by "for CSM mics", but it seems it would work......

 

[soundchaser59]

It will work fine.

They just mean that the ad copy is trying to influence you to buy a Nady phantom power supply to use on the Nady SCM mic you will want to buy after you give in to the power of suggestion...... they assume that you are buying a Nady power supply because you have a Nady SCM mic..... it's their own line of condensor mics. But 48v is 48v is 48v......it will work with any condensor mic that accepts 48v, which is most of them.