Muddy frequencies in acoustic guitar recording.

  • Thread starter Thread starter dmbpettit
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dmbpettit

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I have a Takemine 12- String that is equipped with a L.R. Baggs I-Beam. When I record on to my computer, sometimes I record through the pickup into my mixer. Other times I mic the guitar with a Behringer B-1 condenser mic. Either way, I get a muddy sound. It is not a problem with my setup I hope, but I think I need help with equalization to clean it up a bit.

Does the Timeworks EQ work very well? If so, what settings would I use?

Bonus Question: I would I best us compression?
 
I recall reading once that mud lives at 300 Hz. Try lowering your eq in that area.

I don't understand your bonus questions, but if you are asking should you use compression, personally I like compression on an acoustic guitar. YMMV.
 
Yeah, mud is usually in the 250 to 350 range. Try adding a little in the 2k to 3k as well. Move the mic close to the hole as you can without the players hand getting the way. More guitar and less room cuts through easier and is easier to eq after the fact.

SoMm
 
Son of Mixerman said:
Yeah, mud is usually in the 250 to 350 range. Try adding a little in the 2k to 3k as well. Move the mic close to the hole as you can without the players hand getting the way. More guitar and less room cuts through easier and is easier to eq after the fact.
SoMm
Click to expand...
Uh.. I got to go just the opposite. Moving the mic just a few inches either way is a huge eq. Moving it away from the sound hole, toward the neck or back out, or up a bit, there all different.
After the position is good, then go for the eq and comp.
And don't forget new strings.
Yea?:)
Wayne
 
Yeah, the guitars all sound different as does the mic. If your using a decent LDC you can roll off the proximity, pull back the 250-350, bump the 2k to 3k and things should clear up for some situations. I guess its on how you interpret what an acoustic is supposed to sound like..to you.

If it works for you, don't mess with it until you discover something else works better. No 2 mics shal occupy the same spot twice ;)

SoMm
 
My bonus question was supposed to be:

How would I best use compression? I really don't know about the settings like ratio, attack, etc. Any help?
 
Never point the mic at the soundhole, especially close to.....unless you particularly want that booming sound;) .

Two positions that work for me are the over the shoulder position, i.e. mic at left shoulder level (assuming geetarist is right handed), pointing down diagonally and into the strumming hand/fingers/pick.

The other position is three to eight inches from the nut, pointing down the fingerboard to the soundhole/fingers/pick.

You should always play with "cans" on whilst getting someone to move the mic around to find the optimum position for your desired sound.

Light Compression is preferable after recording dry, and a few db cut set around 250 to 800 to offset muddiness. Nothing (shelving) below 100hz, and a little boost around 5000 - 8000 for crispness/clarity;)

And never record with "old" strings:mad:
 
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