Recording "Meaty" Acoustic

G

guinsu

Member
I've been working on how to get a "Meaty", full sound out of my acoustic recording. I have been messing with M/S recording using 2 AKG 414-XLII's on a Martin D-18. I get a really nice, natural sound, I am really pleased with it on some songs (like this:
). but I also want something that can be more "in your face". Sort of like the acoustic guitars on a Neutral Milk Hotel album or the new Decemberists. Some of the NMH stuff is stereo and full, so I think it can be done.

Besides the 414's I have some SP B1's and 2 MK012's and an AE2500 on loan from a friend, plus a smattering of dynamics (441, 421, re20...)

Any advice? Is it a mic choice or a positioning thing or maybe the room?
 
I would say first off, it's mostly the guitar itself that's going to give you that tone. ie for "Meaty" you really want something like a Martin as opposed to a Takamine. Also really think about how you are striking the strings - if using a pick, the gauge of the pick can change the sound tremendously. Also where you strum/pick, closer to the bridge or closer to the neck.

I've been recording tracks using MS micing and I also really like the sound. My only figure 8 mic is a CAD M179 - which I pair with a MXL 603 for the mid mic.
My room is particularly dead - and I've been getting a nice, upclose sound from this combo. Try pairing a MK102 and a 414 in a MS configuration and see if you like it. I definitly don't know the "right way" to do it, but I've been placing the mics at about the 14th fret and as close to the guitar as I can physically stand it. I'd be intrested to know your placement.
 
guinsu, geraldine's a cool song! I really dig the vocals.

If you're going for a NHM-type sound you can get it with your Martin. You want to use the heaviest strings you can stand. Light strings are no good. You also don't want new strings. And use a heavy pick. You can get "meaty" with the dynamic mics you have like the 441, RE20. I'd try and stick a mic behind the bridge aimed up towards the soundhole. Try another mic position with the mic out about 2' from where the neck meets the body. You'll get more boom with this, but then you just roll-off the low end around 150Hz or so. You also want to be in a fairly small room that's not too live.

You'll also need to apply some compression to get the acoustic sound to come to the front of the monitors.

You don't need any new gear. You just need to play around with what you've got.
 
NMH also applied a fair amount of distortion to many of their acoustic sounds. Don't be afraid to experiment with a little more drive than usual, in addition to all the other great suggestions.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll mess around with them this weekend. Mostly I've been doing M/S with the Mid mic pointed at the body of the guitar behind the bridge, to minimize boom and the click of the strumming. I'll try the other suggestions here, including throwing a dynamic into the mix.

Tyler, the song is actualy an original, hopefully we'll have a CD (our first as a band and my first for recording) finished by the end of the summer.
 
guinsu said:
Tyler, the song is actualy an original, hopefully we'll have a CD (our first as a band and my first for recording) finished by the end of the summer.
Click to expand...


sweet, you better post it
 
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