recording acoustic guitar

[rickm4]

when i am recording my acoustic i keep picking up this clicking sound of the pick hitting the pickguard. I am running the sm57 into a fostex mr-8. Does anybody else have this problem? How can i fix it? any help is appreciated.

- rick

 

[tdukex]

Stop hitting the pick guard with the pick.

 

[Treeline]

Stop hitting the pick guard with the pick.

Jeez. Walked into that one.

Try rolling off the high end a bit and dropping the gain a little. If the mic is too hot, all you will hear is pick rattle. Then move to a thicker pick; they're way quieter than thin or medium picks. Finally, ... stop hitting....

 

[Track Rat]

Practice, practice, practice. And then practice some more. True, a thicker pick will cut down on the clicking sound of the pick noise on the strings but striking the top of the guitar with a pick is always going to be audible to a microphone and trying to EQ it out is not really the way you want to go about it. Teach yourself to put the pick where you want it (on the strings and not the face). Did I mention practice?

 

[canada-paul]

Maybe I'm just a rookie at all this, but I have an SM57 and a Norman folk acoustic and when I tried to record, I had to put the mic really really close, like within 6" to get a decent level through my mixer into my sound card (without boosting up the noise floor too high)

I think maybe those SM57's are more suited to louder, less subtle recording sources than acoustic guitar (ala mic'ing an amp). They're pretty hard to move. I'm thinking of picking up a Studio Projects B1 for acoustic and vocal stuff instead of using the SM57.

 

[scottboyher]

Maybe I'm just a rookie at all this, but I have an SM57 and a Norman folk acoustic and when I tried to record, I had to put the mic really really close, like within 6" to get a decent level through my mixer into my sound card (without boosting up the noise floor too high)

I think maybe those SM57's are more suited to louder, less subtle recording sources than acoustic guitar (ala mic'ing an amp). They're pretty hard to move. I'm thinking of picking up a Studio Projects B1 for acoustic and vocal stuff instead of using the SM57.

Recording acoustic guitar is better done with a condenser mic..

 

[Simmons]

take a pair of pliers and rip that sucker right off of the guitar's face.....you don't need that damn thing anyway...

 

[Treeline]

I'm thinking of picking up a Studio Projects B1 for acoustic and vocal stuff instead of using the SM57.

I did that and I like the B1. I also like the SM57, but one cool thing about the B1 (or any LDC) is that you don't have to eat it to get a signal.

For acoustic guitar, check out the MXL 603s, or a pair of them, if you can. I think it's worth springing for the shock mount, although others might find that debatable. It is fabulous with an acoustic guitar and I've had good results with a fiddle as well. Mix a B1 and a 603s and you'll have tons of raw tone.

 

[bedbug]

What's wrong with hearing the pick hit the pickguard? I think it makes it sound real.

A condensor mic might not eliminate pick noise, but it will make a huuuuge difference in your acoustic sound. The 603s are cool. You should also check out what Oktava has to offer.

 

[cstockdale]

there is nothing, repeat, nothing like recording yourself to reveal your weaknesses as a player. 3 yrs ago when I got into the recording game, I kept hearing that very same pick-on-the-guitar-body sound, finally, after a few more years of practice, I no longer do it, but I never would have noticed it if I wasn't recording.

Practice your hiny off.