Recoring Acoustic Guitar Direct

M

MDMStudio

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What do you guys think about recording acoustic guitar direct? I know it's not nearly as realistic as a good microphone, but sometimes in a hurry it's just convenient for getting ideas down. Any thoughts regarding mixing that can help realism and livening it up a bit?
 
Do you want it quick and convenient? Or do you want it real and lively? The two paths don't cross often.

Record direct to quickly get ideas down.

When you want realism and "lively", record it with a mic.
 
I record acoustic guitars DI often...but that's when I'm just using them mostly as "fill" rhythm tracks. I'm not featuring the acoustic guitar or doing any fancy finger picking on it (not that I'm much of a finger picker).
For that I use a Dean Markley pick-up (the wooden ones)...I have a couple different ones, but I find the single-coil sounds best most often.

Otherwise...for anything more focused on the acoustic...I'll use mics.

Sometimes I'll try both approaches and see which ones sits better with the other tracks...it's not always the mics...nor is it always the DI.
 
I am not a fan of electric acoustic. For quick down and dirty, sure. But for final product, micing is the only way to go. Why would you play and acoustic only to make it an electric. I understand using it when playing live, but not for studio recording.

If you do use electric acoustic, turn down the volume on the output! So many people are saturating those little pre-amps and making something bad sound even worse. Best to stay below 70% and learn to use that EQ.

I guess I posted in the wrong thread, this should have gone on the new rant thread. :)
 
DM60 said:
I am not a fan of electric acoustic. For quick down and dirty, sure. But for final product, micing is the only way to go. Why would you play and acoustic only to make it an electric.
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When I use the Dean Markley ProMag pickups...my acoustic doesn't sound anything like an electric guitar.

It's really about the final sound in the mix.
I find that when the acoustic is the main instrument and you want to let it fill out most of the sound stage...miking gives you that big sound.
When I want it for just some background rhythm work in a denser mix with many other instruments...miking doesn't always sound best, IMO.
 
miroslav said:
When I use the Dean Markley ProMag pickups...my acoustic doesn't sound anything like an electric guitar.

It's really about the final sound in the mix.
I find that when the acoustic is the main instrument and you want to let it fill out most of the sound stage...miking gives you that big sound.
When I want it for just some background rhythm work in a denser mix with many other instruments...miking doesn't always sound best, IMO.
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Hey, can't or won't argue with the logic you give. It is about what you're going after.
 
DM60 said:
...If you do use electric acoustic, turn down the volume on the output! So many people are saturating those little pre-amps and making something bad sound even worse. Best to stay below 70% and learn to use that EQ. ...
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Now that's a possible helpful tip. I was told by Fishman that the typical'? pizeo elements themself tend to 'clip just playing hard.

Tip 2- I found (via some Fishman amps and D/I boxes) have a 'Brilliance' control -a bell filter around 6k. Cut that to get rid of that piezo hyped crap that screams 'fake'.
 
I get that it's not always the best way to go, but I was looking for more tips like DM60 and mixsit gave. I'm not planning on using it full time, I'm just curious about giving it a better tone.
 
MDMStudio said:
... I'm just curious about giving it a better tone.
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Well...it really depends on what if any electronics are in the guitar. I don't think you mentioned if it was on-board or if you were using some external options...?
I don't much care for the built-in electronics of most acoustic guitars...which is why I opt for using the Dean Markley ProMag Plus pick-up when I need it...and I can take it out in 2 secs when I'm done using it.

Dean Markley - ProMag? Plus

It maintains the sound of the acoustic very well...especially this single coil version, as I mentioned earlier...but they do have a couple of other versions, and you just have to try them to find the one that you like.

That said...making your guitar sound better if it has on-board electronics, kinda depends on your guitar and it's electronics.
I would certainly pick a setting you think sounds good...record a track...listen to it...and then go back and make some changes based on what you hear in playback that you like and don't like.
Just dial it in....it might take a few tries, so have some fun with it, and you'll learn where the sweet spots are for your guitar. :)
 
The old stand by was and still performs is Ovation electronics on the better one's. (Not a Celebrity version) The higher end with the individual coils under each string give super results directly into the recorder with cutting the mid control and boosting bass & treble. The round hole models, LIVE, tend to feed back and you can't hold your own (in an "orchestrative fight with other electrics) but the grape vine hole models are tops around a $700.00 price tag. They don't get the transducer clack and don't pick up outside noise by going in the board direct. They are 5 stars from me.
 
I have an Ovation Adamas 12 String. When I record it I plug it in direct, AND mic it and mix the two. I get a great sound.
 
miroslav said:
I use a Dean Markley pick-up (the wooden ones)...I have a couple different ones, but I find the single-coil sounds best most often.
Click to expand...
Plus one for the Dean Markley. I put one in Jon Anderdson's acoustic, as a last minute thing before a major show. The guitar had no onboard electronics and he didnt want to be stuck in the mic sweet spot.
Worked like a charm. Sounded like an acoustic. Of course their live mix guy knows a thing or two, but the pup delivered.
I always liked those, but that night won me over.
 
I've got one of those Markleys, too (In fact someone here suggested it when I needed an inexpensive way to plug in my old Epi). I found it doesn't pick up the G string well, though -maybe it would with a wound string, but I use extra light strings on that guitar.
 
I just picked up a Martin GPC Aura GT on Friday that has the Aura system built in. It is basically a 2000-band phase/EQ microphone modeling system. Fishman recorded the guitar using something like nine different microphones and compared that to the piezo output direct, and then built the EQ/phase programs to try and duplicate the sound of the microphone. It also has a compressor on board and a few other bells and whistles (tuner, anti-feedback). They actually recommend using a blend of the dry and wet signals (accomplished by turning a knob on the guitar) for live performance and then setting it to 100% wet for recording direct. It does have a USB interface so it is likely very similar to the Aura DI box hardware just running different firmware (or something similar). It gives me ideas of being able to "re-amp" acoustics. That Taylor isn't sitting well in the mix? Make it into a OM-28v, maybe...?

I've only futzed with it a little bit and haven't had a chance to track anything with it, but holy shit does it sound great through a PA. The "quack" is just not there.

Is there interest in getting something recorded and uploaded to hear it?
 
When i record acoustics i always do a mic'd track and direct signal if the option is available. I have rarely ever had to use the direct signal but i always like to just have it to fill in some sonic gaps. I never really like it though.
 
I'll have to change strings on my old D-28 so I've got something to A/B. I have limited microphone resources to capture the guitars acoustically, but I'll see what I can do in the next week sometime.
 
A friend got one of those Martins with the Aura built-in. It does sound good, but doesn't have a lot of volume.
 
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