REALLY Basic Recording Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcKay
  • Start date Start date
M

mcKay

New member
I want to record three vocals and one acoustic guitar to make a simple, folky, live recording. We have tried recording in places that have duvets behind us, bass traps in the corners, and various other acoustic frills. What really sounds good, though, is my garage. It has a beautiful ring (reverb, I guess I should call that) and also clarity. The guitar doesn't get boomy. The parts sit nicely together. Vocals sound full but clear. There's no super sound protection, but the mics don't seem to pick up outdoor noises. Am I missing something here? Is there any good reason why we shouldn't record where it sounds best? I am no sound engineer and will use Garage Band for all mixing. Is it a viable option to make it sound good at the start and tread lightly thereafter?
 
Are you all huddling round a single microphone or are you multi-tracking?

And are you basing your question on having recorded something and thinking "Gee, that sounds good" or just playing and listening as you go?

And, no offense, but do you know what a good recording sounds like, in terms of the level of reverb?

I'd hesitate to do full scale recording in a garage at the best of times. I'd much prefer to eliminate/control reflections and add them back later, as would most here, I suspect, but it's hard to tell without actually hearing what you're talking about. If you have a sample, post it...
 
tbh, it's a tough one to answer because i tend to agree that if it sounds great in the room then it normally sounds great on recording, particularly with acoustic guitars and drums. HOWEVER, as both armistice and fitz have said, the caveat to this is that you can't remove any natural reverb once recorded so if you don't like the sound when you're mixing it, you're stuck with it. with vocals especially i'd be more tempted to record them as dry as possible and add reverb etc during the mixing stage. if you really like the natural sound in your garage why not record everything "dry" somewhere else and then setup a speaker and a mic in the garage, play the tracks back through the speaker and record back in the natural reverb sound?
 
mcKay said:
What really sounds good, though, is my garage. I am no sound engineer and will use Garage Band for all mixing.
Click to expand...

Well, if you are recording in the Garage than you are using the right software.

Jokes aside, if it sounds good and records good in the Garage then record there. I would however, as suggested, tame the reverb a bit by maybe having a few gobos, or even a bit of soft furniture and a rug or two in there.

Alan.
 
Yes, we are multi tracking: 4 mics.

Yes, my opinion is based on recording in different locations, not just listening to live music there.

What I've recorded in the garage sounds less "reverb-y" than preset effects and much more natural. It's not that we're recording in an echoing cave; the music just doesn't sound flat or muffled or dull. There is stuff in the garage, some of it soft and sound-absorbing. It's not a ringing, empty cavern. If a recording there sounds good and more natural than added reverb later, why would I want to change it in the mix, especially since I am not terribly experienced at the mixing? (That's a real question, not a smart-aleck reply.)

Unfortunately, no, I cannot post samples.
 
OK - 4 mics, live performance...

Sounds like you've answered your own question, just try to minimise the bleed between mics as best you can without killing the vibe - are there three people or four? ie. is the guitarist also singing? That's the most problematic area, (assuming that there are three people) depending upon mics etc - voices are much louder than acoustic guitars, and depending upon the volume, getting decent guitar clarity could be difficult, but I guess once you have your 'master' recording done, you have options to add other things as needed.

Go for it.
 
Thanks.

Three people: guitarist sings.
 
Last edited:
With 4 hot mics at once I'd try to keep everyone as far apart as possible. Try to minimize phase problems from crosstalk. The thing that always bites me on the ass when tracking acoustics and vocals simultaneously is phase problems between the vocal mic and the instrument mic. Fig 8 mics help but still.
 
mcKay said:
Yes, we are multi tracking: 4 mics.
Click to expand...
Which mics? You can almost completely control how much room reverb gets recorded by mic selection and mic placement. If you have a figure 8 pattern in one of those mics, I'd be tempted to try one take using a Mid-Side technique. You'll get a much better representation of the placement of the people in the room than you can get by mixing and panning individual mono tracks. And you can do it with only 2 mics if necessary.

mcKay said:
Is there any good reason why we shouldn't record where it sounds best?
Click to expand...
Read the book "Behind The Glass" and you will quickly realize that recording what and where it sounds best is the only thing that really matters. Which ties to your other question......

mcKay said:
Is it a viable option to make it sound good at the start and tread lightly thereafter?
Click to expand...
If you can do this then you are miles ahead of everyone else. Always strive to get the best possible sound at the source for the first generation recording, then you will need only bare minimum mixing and tweaking later.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top