Need lot of Help. Cant get Pro Quality Sound

[stoctony]

I am using Elixir .010-.047. I switched to these for the higher "twang" ( i guess you could call it.) Im just really getting frustrated. I record solo acoustic. I have a recording booth. Mostly sound deadening. I am recording direct and with a AT3035 at the same time. My gutair is an Ibenez AEF20 with an AEQ pickup. I really am trying to put a CD together to send to some agencys and for some reason i just cannot get the right tone quality on the gutair just right. I try to compare it to some pro solo acoustic but i cannot get it right. Please help. I need pro quality( as best I can with the equipment I have..

 

[Stealthtech]

You may have found the best you can with the gear you have.
You need pro gear to get that pro sound in addition to excellent mastering skills....using EQ, reverb, and other high quality outboard gear or even software.

 

[Strryder]

You don't mention the audio chain after the mic..

Whatta ya got?

Pre amp/mixer?

Recording device?

If computer, please list soundcard and software package.

Also list any effects, either hardware or software that you're using.

 

[starch]

What other equipment are you using (pre, console/hard-disk, soundcard, etc)? Understand also that if you are comparing 'pro' results to what you hear on most commercial albums, you are up against great musicians with quality well tuned instruments, experienced mixing and mastering engineers, ideal recording spaces, world-class (meaning 'really expensive') gear and a huge $budget$. That in mind, the goal is to figure out how to maximize the gear that you do have, and I'll bet, with what you have you can get pretty good results.

What is not good about your mix? What would you like it to sound like that it doesn't right now? Tell us what is broken and maybe we can help you out.

 

[Massive Master]

Posting an MP3 of what you have already might help also...

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

 

[chessrock]

You need pro gear to get that pro sound . . .

No. You need to be a pro to get pro sound.

 

[stoctony]

A pro what? Musician of Mixer?

 

[chessrock]

A pro what? Musician of Mixer?

If you want a professional photograph, you go to a professional photographer.

If you want a professional hair cut, you go to a professional hair stylist.

Are you seeing a pattern yet?

You can try to cut your own hair or take your own photos, but it's likely going to be hit or miss. Maybe you'll get lucky, but more often than not, people who specialize in a particular task . . . are trained for it . . . and have accumulated hours upon days upon weeks upon months upon years of their lives dedicated towards a particular task are just more likely to get "professional" quality results at whatever the task might be.

 

[TexRoadkill]

A pro what? Musician of Mixer?

Both.

You didn't answer any of the questions. We can't help you without more info.

 

[Track Rat]

In my experience, I've never gotten a sound I liked from an acoustic guitars on board pick ups of any kind. And I've used 3035's and again, in my experience, I didn't like this mic at all. I've read many posts here from folks who like this mic but I'm not one of them. Especially on acoustic guitar. Let's hear a clip of what you have.

 

[Han]

You sure need a lot of help and we can give you that, but at least answer to the questions that were asked you.

What pre are you using?
What are you recording to?
What's your soundcard?
Which monitors do you use?
How do you place the mic, where and at what distance?

 

[StevenLindsey]

Absolutely no offense intended: You're not going to get a "pro" sound from an Ibanez guitar recording with a pickup. The "pro" sound starts with the guitar itself. Even if you had "pro" equipment, you still wouldn't get a "pro" sound trying to record an Ibanez laminate guitar using a pickup. It's just not going to happen. So get the best sound you can get and send out your stuff. If your playing is very good and your music is original, it may not matter if your recording sounds "pro."

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Chessy:

Nice incremental listing in your reply.

Used to teach those and variations when I stood in front of the college students.

Green Hornet

 

[chessrock]

Yo, Green Hornet. What / where did you teach?

Hmmm Grand Rapids. Are you familiar with Station C? I know a few of the guys who used to engineer there. I also know a few of the musicians from around there; Mostly rock i.e. Verve Pipe, Daddy Longlegs, Botfly, etc. Not sure if that would be your music genre, though.

 

[donkeystyle]

i thought the verve pipe was british for some reason. i guess i was never a big enough fan of them to look into them.

Stocktony;
elixers are know for being dull, not twangy. you might want to try more strings out. and also mic position is very important.

there are a very large amount of posts about miking an acoustic guitar. try searching. you'll find all kinds of suggestions for mic techniques.

 

[James HE]

some things to try with "what you got"

try a different pick (unless finger picking obviously)

try strumming at a different position. I very often change this up in recording. Sometimes strumming and picking near the bridge or up on the neck (picking / strumming at the 12th fret can be really cool) may get you closer to a certain sound. You have to attack your guitar differently when you are putting it under the micoscope of recording.

try diffent mic positions, no technique works 100% of the time or even 90%. I was tracking some acoustic recently, screwing around with mic positions, I ended up basically micing my chest! had two mics in M/S configuration just a few inches away from my chest. Fit my guitar well. Didn't have much mobility... just put my head down and played. The reverse of this is somewhat true however, you wont get a good sound if you mic the soundhole... 100% ... heh.

IMO your guitar would sound better with NO strings than with those Elixers. Martin SP's here. You want tone? don't be a wimp go to 11's at least.

Get out of the booth.

If your going to use the pickup, do it like you mean it! add delay, or flange, or chorus. Make it sound unatural, cause that exactly what it is.

YMMV.

 

[chessrock]

i thought the verve pipe was british for some reason.

You might be thinking about the Verve. And they were British if I remember correctly.

 

[version2]

If your going to use the pickup, do it like you mean it! add delay, or flange, or chorus. Make it sound unatural, cause that exactly what it is.

I was waiting for someone to say this...I was beginning to lose faith!

 

[Chibi Nappa]

Get out of the booth.

Just what I was going to say. Accoustic instrument love a good room sound. Find the right room and record in there. If you have a local theater group or university with a concert hall you can rent, give that a shot. Use that that natural reverb for all its worth!

 

[donkeystyle]

You might be thinking about the Verve. And they were British if I remember correctly.

i thought they both had the same singer, but with different band members?