Thinkin about recording an acoustic album

[Wazzzupbro]

i just joined this forum because ive been thinkin about a new recording project but im not sure if i wanna go through with it so here it is... I work at a car wash and have the keys so i want to record an acoustic album there at night because of the great reverberation and echos that can be achieved in the tunnel when all the doors are closed. Its like 120ft long and 20ft wide. Ive got a Tascam 488 portastudio and it only has two inputs so im really limited in the range of mic's but im thinking about putting a SM57 about two or three feet off the sound hole and then a pretty nice condenser some where else that im not really sure of. Any ideas on mic placements or just any thoughts on the idea?

 

[grimtraveller]

Interesting.....as I have a vested interest in both ends of your spectrum. I have been a 488 user for 18 years and although I'm phasing it out as soon as I've finished off a number of tracks that really need to see the light of day, I've learned most of what I know about recording (which, arguably is hardly anything !! . Not really ! ) on a doing level on it. It's a great machine and I'd never knock it. If my memory serves me right, you can record 4 tracks at once although acoustically it is only two as there are only the two preamps.
As for recording in the car wash, definitely !
If the reverb is as you say it is and you like it and you are able to do it, then do it. If you don't you'll be forever kicking yourself at the spurned opportunity. Even if it turns out to be one big mush of a reverby recording (which it shouldn't), it'll still be worth it. After listening back to a song or two, you'll quickly find out whether or not it's a goer.
Recently, I did some recording with a drumming friend in the warehouse of my company. Even though it was zero degrees the first time and progressively colder the second (my fingers hurt each time I plucked those bass strings), it was worth it and we got down altogether about 10 useable songs. And the rats never turned up, which was a plus ! The acoustics there were, um, different, and I tried a few experimental things like putting a "room" mic in the back of one of the vans. I think your mic idea sounds pretty useable; maybe on the first session, you could spend some time just experimenting with various placings. If you look back over the "Recording techniques" section of Home recording, you'll find some fantastic bits on miking, like this one;

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=290919

It's worth reading back through a variety of threads because they quite often go on these sidetracks, slightly off topic {I call them 'sidechain inserts'} in which these pearls of wisdom and nuggets of gold come up. They may have had little to do with the original topic, but they tend to be highly useful and useable bits.
Enjoy it and your songs.

 

[Wazzzupbro]

thank you grimtraveller the 488 is indeed a beautiful machine and I cant get over the sound of recording on tapes. Ive tried other digital boss and korg recorders but they just dont sound right to me. I really needed a push to drag all my crap up to the car wash after hours but I think Ill try experiment in different places of the tunnel this weekend. What do you think about the mic placement -- do you think my dynamic/condenser combo sounds like a good idea with the right mix of the two?

 

[gecko zzed]

It's an experiment worth trying.

However, I'll add a note of caution.

My daughter's acapella group decided they would record some songs in a stairwell, for much the same reason; the natural acoustics sounded awesome.

On listening back afterwards, they realised that they'd recorded nothing they could use . . . because it was just too much! While you might get lucky, sometimes it just doesn't work.

 

[grimtraveller]

It's an experiment worth trying.

However, I'll add a note of caution.

My daughter's acapella group decided they would record some songs in a stairwell, for much the same reason; the natural acoustics sounded awesome.

On listening back afterwards, they realised that they'd recorded nothing they could use . . . because it was just too much! While you might get lucky, sometimes it just doesn't work.

Yep, you're right, this is always the risk. But unless tried, one will never know. It's worth at least one long night of recording to find out ! I guess I'm enamoured by the idea that the Beatles recorded "Yer blues" in what was no more than a tiny broom cupboard and when Led Zeppelin did "When the Levee Breaks", the drums were recorded in a stairwell with mics placed on successive floors and it turns out to be one of the most sampled drum pieces ever and once Bobby McFerrin recorded an album in which as his percussion he just knocked on trees out in the woods and stuff like that. By golly, I hope it works !

What do you think about the mic placement -- do you think my dynamic/condenser combo sounds like a good idea with the right mix of the two?

I think it's a good idea. How and whether it works is for you to experiment with. I'd say if the sound is too reverberant, bring your mics closer to your sources.

Have fun !