sandpaper pick

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bufaloeletric

New member
im recording a fender accoustic that has a pickup thru a sm57 close miked to the amp. my rhythm track sounds like im using a sheet of sandpaper across the strings as a pick. what am i doing wrong?
 
What does it sound like before it hits the mic? Where's the mic pointing? How loud is the amp? What amp is it?
 
Are you trying to record the electric sound on purpose? Adjust your playing style - pick at a different part of the guitar. Try a different thickness of pick. Adjust EQ (on guitar, and/or on amp). Adjust hte position of the mic in relation to the amp.
 
Creating a soundcloud account its free, then uploading your sample there and posting a link would be much better to give you answer. Could it be you are distorting, overloading something, too much high mids and so on
 
It sounds like an acoustic guitar piezo pick up through an amp that's miked to me... that is, overly bright and brittle, but also that's just the sort of sound they tend to make. You can try rolling off some of the highs if you like - it really can't be sounding much different in the room.

I actually do something similar sometimes but wouldn't use it as a main sound.

It sounds worse when the lead cuts in, that's for sure.

I'd record the guitar on its own, sans pic up and amp, with the 57 (assuming that's your only mic) then re-record through the amp with the highs rolled off and put them together, probably 75/25 to just the guitar and see what that sounds like. You'll lose some highs with the 57 on the guitar alone, probably, but that overly sheeny recorded sound via the amp can help bolster it a bit.

Obviously you have to have good "repeatability" with your playing to do this or it will get very messy...
 
Armistice said:
It sounds like an acoustic guitar piezo pick up through an amp that's miked to me... that is, overly bright and brittle, but also that's just the sort of sound they tend to make. You can try rolling off some of the highs if you like - it really can't be sounding much different in the room.

I actually do something similar sometimes but wouldn't use it as a main sound.

It sounds worse when the lead cuts in, that's for sure.

I'd record the guitar on its own, sans pic up and amp, with the 57 (assuming that's your only mic) then re-record through the amp with the highs rolled off and put them together, probably 75/25 to just the guitar and see what that sounds like. You'll lose some highs with the 57 on the guitar alone, probably, but that overly sheeny recorded sound via the amp can help bolster it a bit.

Obviously you have to have good "repeatability" with your playing to do this or it will get very messy...
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the help is much appreciated, certainly sounds better.
 
bufaloeletric said:
i cant get the volume i want out of just miking the guitar itself. pushing the channel fader all the way up only brings the signal level up about a third of the way.
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There's nothing wrong with that. Don't worry about the recording level and don't try to record too hot, which is what it sounds like you're doing. What level are you going for? Hopefully not "as loud as possible without clipping" because that's way too hot.
 
OP dd not answer my question - are you trying to record the electric sound of the acoustic on purpose? If it's just volume, do as the others have suggested.
Do what I do, record the guitar acoustic with the mic, and also plug the output of the guitar directly into your interface (assuming it has an instrument input) and record that to a separate track. Use it for the sparkle of the high end, mixed judiciously into the natural sound from the mic.
Rolling off some EQ @ 6000Hz should also help the piezo buzz.
 
The link doesn't go where it ought. If you're Matt Spraker you'bve been posting there for a while.
 
bufaloeletric said:
i took it off soundcloud, thought i was done getting answers. now im trying to get this post deleted as not to waste your time.
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Not wasting time. Threads don't get deleted because it might help someone else who might come along and read it days, weeks or months from now.

Did you get the answer you were looking for?
 
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