Recording Accoustic Guitar.

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demensia

demensia

www.lukemacneil.com
Im mostly an accoustic guitar player... Im trying to record some songs by using a bottlecap pickup through my RP100 processor for a pre-amp, to my 4track, to my computer.

This is not working very well. The quality of the recording is terrible, and the volume ends up so low that any amount of boosting degrades the quality even worse... to the point where I might as well hit record on an old boombox and go to town.

Now the easiest solution to this problem would be to say to hell with the accoustic, and just record electric... but its just not the same.. I need the whole shabang.. the sound of the pick scrapping against the strings and such .. you know.. the accoustic sound.

Ive tried to mic the accoustic, using the same chain... mic to the RP100 to the 4track to the computer... But the with equal success.


Help... Please :(
 
1 newbie 2 another

r u talking about the digitech rp100 effects processer?
im my experences (i have the rp200) mic just doesn't work well at all through it..
my best suggestion would be 2 use a mic with a pop filter infront of it.. infront of the hole on the guitar (giving u enough room 2 strum) then into the 4track then into the computer or right into the computer.
i go from the mic w/ pop filter 2 my behringer mx 1604a console then into my echo mia sound card and i like it... make sure you dont hit the mic with yor hand as u play...
if you have no luck ther i suggest go 2 your local music store and rent an acoustic with pickups and thats eliminating your biggest problem
hope i was helpful..

peace
-matt
 
do you need to put the FX's before recording?

Hi buddy!

First of all: wich mics do you have or you can borrow?

Can you get two condensers?

A stereo technique, with smart mic placement will surely help you.

Tell me wich mics you can get and I'll try to help you...

Peace...

PC
 
I am talking about the Digiteck RP100, and Im not using it for effects at all, just trying to boost the signal a bit.

I can only get my hands on 1 condenser and right now I have the thing laying on my desk, with the keyboard holding it down, pointed at the hole of the accoustic.

As to renting an acoustic with pickups... would that be the same? Ive never played one... It looks like I might as well play an electric with acoustic emulation... not really what im looking for...

PC: you know of any mic teqniques I could use with only one mic?

Thanks.

Demensia
 
Forget about pickups, they never sound like a real acoustic if that's what you want. Use them to spice up a miced sound or if you want a direct signal to add chorus or other effects to.

Your best bet will be to get a half decent condensor like a MXL V67 or a Shure dynamic SM57 (not the best choice for acoustic but a good all around mic.) Both can be found for <$100 new.

Right in front of the soundhole is not recomended. Try micing very close at the 12th fret or the over the shoulder technique where you put the mic by your ear pointed down towards the guitar (you will need a boom stand for this). Close mic when you want to accentuate the pick attack and finger squeak.

You can also get a decent sound with a condensor about 5ft away to capture more room sound and give you a smoother sound for a more background type rythm guitar.

You can use condensors farther away but dynamic mics need to be petty close to get a strong signal. Dont record with the FX unit in the chain. Any gain it gives you will be at the cost of added noise. If you need more gain get a cheap preamp instead.

Without a decent mic, preamp, and preferably a compressor you will not get anything close to a killer sound but you can get something that will work.
 
Listen to Tex!

Never point it towards the hole, the air and low end coming out of it makes the track muddy...

Point it towards the 12th fret in a 45º angle for finger squeaking noises or point it at the bridge for more pick sound... also use thin picks for this if U like that kind of sound...

If you have 1 condenser and 1 dynamic, try a stereo pair, the condenser at the 12th fret and the other at the bridge... move them around till you find a sweet spot, and a good combination of dry sound and room ambience...

Peace...

PC
 
Sounds like you're having level problems and until we fix that it won't really matter where you put the mic.

Since you are using a condensor, do you know if it (like almost every condensor) needs phantom power? The only one that I know of that does not is the AKG C1000S, which can use a battery. Which mic are you using?

It might be a side address mic, too. In other words, you might have the TOP of the mic pointed at the guitar when it should be the SIDE of the mic that points at the guitar. Depending on the mic, that could be your problem right there.

If it isn't the mic or phantom power, how are you setting levels on the 4-track and the computer? Somewhere in there something could be turned down too much for the signal to end up strong enough by the time it gets to the computer.

What outputs are you using from the 4-track? What inputs on the computer? How can you tell how loud the signal is going into the computer? Have you recorded other things (keys? Drum machine? Vocals?) that DID work? What did you do differently if anything?

Let us know a bit more and we should be able to figure this out.

Take care,
Chris
 
not only the AKG....

Audiotechnica has other model like that...or any electret mic...

Peace...

PC
 
A tehnique I picked up here is phenominal. Mic your acoustic over your right shoulder aiming down at your pickhand. Have another mic about 1' in front of you at about the 12th fret aimed at the hole. It's a great stereo effect and you hear back the sound like you heard it when you played it as to opposed to what everyone else usually hears.
 
Thanks for the tips already... Ill have to check what kind of mic it is at home.. (Im at work now) I never really cared...

I have the track and master sliders up to max, as well as the monitor knob on the 4 track, and I usually have all my sliders in windows at max as well...

(This is WAY too loud for drum machines and my electric)

And as for Phantom Power... I have absolutly no idea what your talking about...

Id rather not, but it looks like I might have to invest 100 bucks for another mic... not the end of the world I suppose.

Is my RP100 working as a preamp.. or do I need a seperate box... I know what a preamp does.. but im not quite sure what it is...
 
You would be better off using the preamp on you 4track than the fx unit.

Phantom power is a 48v charge that most condensor mics need. If you get a condensor make sure your 4track can generate phantom power or you will need a preamp.

Dont feel bad about spending $100 bucks for a mic. That is dirt cheap and if that is all you need consider yourself lucky :)
 
I just magically solved the problem. I was recording through the line in on my Soundblaster Audigy...

I moved it to mic, and the level is fine.

Plus I can still have my 4 track plugged into the line in for the drum machine and whatever other craziness I decide to screw around with.

Now I just need to come up with the magical mic placement.

(And My mic is not a condenser by the way. Its some peavey dynamic mic that was bought at GC for some $90 or somethin)
(My girlfriend used to be a manager at GC. It was like christmas)

Demensia.
 
If my GF was a manager at GC that bitch would know to bring home something better than a Peavey dynamic ;)
 
You apparently dont know what managers at Guitar Center Get paid!

heh.

Im lucky i got the peavy.
 
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