newbie needing feedback solo Acoustic Guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike O
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Mike O

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I'm new to recording and thought you folks may have some advice. This one is a Don Ross tune called "Catherine" that was done in DADGAD tuning. On this song, I changed the recording signal path as compared to previous efforts (through a Aura direct, no microphone). I recorded with a Yamaha AW16G using my Taylor 314CE, a RODE NT1A microphone and a Fishman Aura direct. The microphone was set about 12 inches away from where the neck meets the body of the guitar. I used the Fishman Aura Track to give a little more clarity to the microphone track. I used no compression, very little EQ and added reverb (maybe a little too much reverb, but I like the effect in this song). Let me know what you think...any feedback is welcome as I am continually looking to improve!

 
Technically accomplished work...

done with some real talent! Congrats!

You'd better be kidding about just getting started on recording; I "just started" about 4 years ago and still don't have an acoustic recording of this caliber. (or a Rode NT1A, either) damn you!






:D
 
Very nice recording. I really enjoy listening to acoustic pieces. When they're done nicely like this, it makes it even more enjoyable.

Question: When you're using a weird tuning like DADGAD, how do you even remember where all the notes are? Doesn't your world get thrown into a whack? Or do you just figure them out first and just memorize the pattern of playing? Or do you simply get that good eventually.

Back to recording: I don't have anything to add. I'm simply enjoying listening and giving you a two thumbs up on a great recording and even better playing. :)

Enjoy the "rock" feel around 3:29. It may not have been the intended feel. But I felt it had very nice heavy rock undertones. I like how around 4:10 it goes back to the classical style.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I am new to home recording. This was my second attempt. The 1st was not as good. I only used a Fishman Aura (acoustic imager) direct, no microphone.

DADGAD is one of the more popular alternative tunings for solo acoustic guitar (among many others). I ordered tabs for this song from Don Ross' website. The middle was improvised though and yes, I was a rocker way back when............
 
Beautiful playing Mike. Really nice expression, rhythmic control. Rich tone to the guitar. Lots of verb but it sounds good to me, especially on the staccato chords.

Kind of heavy handed peak limiting on it... a matter of taste I guess... if it were mine I'd use a limiter setting that'd just catch the few largest peaks, maybe where the slaps on the guitar happen. In much of the tune a lot of the transients are getting squashed... not in the softer passages such as :35 to :41 and its repetitions. Check out a waveform of the file for a visual of it. There's so much expression in the playing that avoiding over limiting would let it come through more, IMHO.

Nice work.

Tim
 
Mike,

What playing level do you consider the Don Ross arrangements? (I can't listen to your version of Catherine because I have dial up!!). Are they way beyond intermediate? Advanced?

thanks,

rpe
 
Hi

Very nice recording and playing. Did you adjust the parameters of the reverb to fit the tempo of the song ?

Thanks,

Jack Real.
 
Thanks for the responses.

Jack Real
Did you adjust the parameters of the reverb to fit the tempo of the song ?
Click to expand...
I used one of the stock reverbs in the AW16G and raised the level to where I thought it worked best. I'm not sure how to fit parameters on the reverb to tempo?

rpe
What playing level do you consider the Don Ross arrangements? (I can't listen to your version of Catherine because I have dial up!!). Are they way beyond intermediate? Advanced
Click to expand...
?

Don is a very advanced and unique player. He calls his style of playing "heavy Wood" which I think is approyate. Lots of percussion, harmonics, altered tunnings, etc. I really enjoy his style of playing. I would recomend that you try some of his stuff. You only limit yourself.

Check out Don's website http://www.gobyfish.com/
or this link w/ video clip of "this Dragon Won't Sleep" http://www.npr.org/programs/wesun/features/2001/jul/donross/010722.donross.html


Timothy Lawler
.

Kind of heavy handed peak limiting on it... a matter of taste I guess... if it were mine I'd use a limiter setting that'd just catch the few largest peaks, maybe where the slaps on the guitar happen. In much of the tune a lot of the transients are getting squashed... not in the softer passages such as :35 to :41 and its repetitions. Check out a waveform of the file for a visual of it. There's so much expression in the playing that avoiding over limiting would let it come through more, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Thanks Tim. I'm not sure what you mean by transients getting squashed? I didn't think I used a limiter at all. This could have happen durning mix down. I'll check.
 
Beautiful pice played very well. It does sound like there's some limiting going on. I looked at it in Soundforge and there's some serious clipping going on for sure. Great playing though.
 

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Could converting the WAV file to MP3 cause this? I'm using dBpowerAMp.
 
Mike O said:
Could converting the WAV file to MP3 cause this? I'm using dBpowerAMp.
Click to expand...
IME that wouldn't happen - overall levels are kept the same with converting apps I've used.

Since you didn’t use a plugin limiter, it's likely the signal was clipped or limited without you realizing it at some point in the tracking or mixing. Does your recorder have an automatic limiting function? Anyway, to avoid the problem, just check levels at each stage of the signal chain and mixdown/processing sequence next time you do a tune and set all levels so peaks don't overload hardware stages or hit/exceed 0 dB on the digital side. If you're at 24 bits you can leave as big a safety zone as you want when tracking, like 15-20 dB, and just boost the file level later.

Audacity is a good freeware app for viewing waveforms and editing files if you need one.

Tim
 
Mike, I've never seen a conversion do that. More than likely it was clipped on the way in.
 
Mike just wanted to say VERY VERY awesome!

I'm using dBPower Amp for some MP3 conversion also, but I've never seen it do that lol. Probably just un-noticeable clipping. Still sounds deadly!!!
 
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