stero recording acoustic

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doulos

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hi there gang any body want to share some ways of getting deep larger then life intimiate sound for acoustic guitar? ive done an acoustic album it was sweet but im missing the "edge" in intimite finger picking and the depth of warm full fat acoustic tone any help out there or recording techniques?
 
Yes, use TAPE.

Seriously, tube processing might help too, and someone here will recommend a nice warm condensor mic.

I can't recommend any condensor mics. All I've ever used are dynamic.
 
I record steel-string acoustic with two mikes. One is an AT 4041- small diaphram and the other is an AT 4033 medium-diaphram. They are in a coincident pair to avoid phase problems, and the front of the mikes are almost touching. It doesn't give me a really "wide" stereo separation but it gives a natural stereo sound.

The small diaphram gives me a sparkle, detail, and a little brightness especially if fingerpicking. The medium diaphram (or large diaphram if I'm using my Rode NT-1000) gives me a fullness and warmth in the mids and lows that I just don't think you can get in a small diaphram condenser. I think it gives me much more dimension than just using my pair of 4041's.

What mikes do you currently own ?
 
I read an article that explained how to mic the guitar to get that Clapton Live sound (which is what I crave) and they said to place the mic about a foot away from the guitar at the 12th fret, pointing to the fingering hand. I tried it out and was very happy with the results, but I also placed a mic over my shoulder pointing towards the back of the guitar to have a little bass to mix into the sound.

The mic placement helps alot.
 
currently i have an akg 100s nice but boomy akg 2000b killer for vocals and a akg 3000b perfect for guitar and a pair of nady cymbal overheads they rock on a tube pre say the blue tube uh huh they flat out rock. Thanks for the replies guys !
 
The absolute most important thing is to have a killer sounding guitar. I love my Larivee. Here are my first acoustic recordings for a singer/songwriter friend of mine. My quick and dirty mix and mp3 mastering sucked a little of the high end but you get the general idea. These were all recorded and mixed in about 10 hrs.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/texroadkill/singles

They were recorded on a Roland Studio pack and MXL mics. A V93 and 67 at bridge and 10th fret. All tracks were doubled and the stereo field reversed for one set of tracks.

When I'm Home - slower fingerpicking
By the Way - Claptonesque ditty
Byron Bay - Old time country
 
I enjoyed listening to those. Damn near fell asleep on the second one, it was very relaxing.

Anyway, I noticed that the warmth of the guitar changed between the verse and the chorus on the first tune. What did you do? The chorus and guitar both sounded warmer.

The second one was the warmest of all and I really liked that. I detected just a hint of reverb on the vocal. Almost like a ghost.
It had a very nice balance and that one I liked the best.

The third one sounded thin and kind of tinny. I expect that it was intentional on your part to fit the mood of the song. Is that right?

Explain to me how and why you reversed the stereo field and on which track did you do it to. I haven't heard of doing this before.
Why?

Thanks.
 
Anyway, I noticed that the warmth of the guitar changed between the verse and the chorus on the first tune. What did you do?
Click to expand...
It wasn't anything deliberate. I think it was just his playing and more barre chords in the chorus.

The third one sounded thin and kind of tinny. I expect that it was intentional on your part to fit the mood of the song. Is that right?
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The main difference was the guitar. He had an old parlor acoustic and that thing was a midrangy hog. It seems to fit the song but I won't let him use that guitar on anything else. It's just too hard to get a decent tone out of it.

Explain to me how and why you reversed the stereo field and on which track did you do it to. I haven't heard of doing this before.
Click to expand...
I did that on the first 2 tunes but it's probably the most noticeable on the second song When I'm Home. There was one mic at the bridge and one at the 10th fret. We doubled the track so there were 2 stereo pairs.

I panned one of the stereo guitars the opposite of the first so that if sounds like 2 guitar players. One playing left handed with the guitar heads pointed outside and the bodies slightly overlapping. The bridge mics were panned pretty close to center with the neck mics panned hard L and R. He also played one take with a pick and one without to give it a little more texture.

N1----B2-B1----N2

N=Neck mic
B=Bridge mic
 
when Im home

When Im home is god damn beautiful man.
Just thought Id throw that in there.
 
Re: when Im home

demensia said:
When Im home is god damn beautiful man.
Just thought Id throw that in there.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude. Doug played it great and I was lucky enough not to screw it up.
 
I really liked By The way.

A classic song.

Nicely done. Good lyrics. What more could you want?
 
Ive been playing arround with a 603s at the twelth fret pointing toward the headstock at a 45 degree angle, a C1 at the bridge, and two ecm8000s at ear level about 8" from each ear. going into my Yamaha MLA7 pre.

then panning the mics at 10/2.

with the ecm8000s at low level.
 
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