tracking tips
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Posted on Jun 07, 2004 08:02 am
Mauz
grrrrrrr
Member Since: Mar 29, 2004
Does anyone have any good tracking tips? Any suggestions welcome. I am in the middle of doing a lot of tracking mainly with my acoustic guitar.
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flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 07, 2004 08:18 am tracking in what sense? like mic placement, recording techniques or what?
theres some stuff in the recordin tips section ya might find useful.
personally, i use two mics (sm57s), one about halfway up the neck and another near the soundhole and mix em in til they sound good...
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 08:26 am Well. I do a similar mic technique. But use an AKG 2000 to capture the body near the sound hole about 12 inches above the bridge. I am getting a pretty good sound at times, but some of the open strings ring a bit twangy. I am not sure if I can fix this with eqing, effects or if it may be something with the way I pick the song. Possibly I could use some compression on the way in as I have a little stereo compressor I can use. There are a few notes that bother my ear even though the overall sound is OK.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 07, 2004 08:30 am i compress on the pc...because then you arnt stuck with a rubbish track that you cant do anything with if it all goes wrong, and also because i dont have a compressor - though theres one arriving tomorrow.
what kinda thing you doing?
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 09:03 am Am doing something like an acoustic project. The song I am working on at the moment is something like oasis meets radiohead. First setting down the picked acoustic tracks to a click track then my bass player is gonna put down the bass tracks. He's the man - plays a fretless bass and double bass as well. Then I will add some drums, piano and moderate electric guitar at the end.
I am doing two acoustic guitars as the basis for the track. The verse is a picked acoustic panned left and then a capo'd acoustic panned right picking in a similar rythm but with slightly different notes. Really sounds gives it a full sound. I like this style a bit more than double tracking. Makes my mistakes in playing look more deliberate.
But this one twangy note is really annoying me. Its an A on the G string. Do you know what frequency I need to kill to get rid of this weird sounding note?
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 07, 2004 09:53 am no idea im afraid -it sounds like an ace tune though - i love both them bands.
i can sing like liam too...
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 10:31 am If I go in the red on the mixer and then compress the signal before going into the audio interface would it still be considered clipping? It is not clipping in CE meter but sometimes on the mixer it tends to because I try to get the loudest signal possible? This is another point of confusion for me.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 07, 2004 10:41 am clipping is generally gonna be a concern in the digital realm...if a digital signal clips itll put pops and click on the signal. in analogue terms, as longas it sounds alright, dont worry!
so, no, i wouldnt be too concerned unless it sounds really pants...
WillumIdiot.Member
Since: Apr 22, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 10:54 am heheheh... 'pants'.... :)
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 10:57 am What sort of compression would you guys recommend? Mainly the attack and decay confuse me when it comes to acoutic guitar.
el musicoFreeleance Producer/Engineer/GtrMember
Since: Aug 11, 2002
Jun 07, 2004 12:55 pm I would use an "XY" stereo micing technique with 2 identical condenser mics and pan one left and the other right, respectively.
I use a limiter on things going to tape. if using compression to tape, maybe something with a fast attack and set the release time so it breathes with the tempo of the piece.
Here's a sample of something i did for a client... raw tracks of acoustic guitar. I used 2 rode nt2 large diaphragm condensers in an xy pattern near the neck and port of the guitar with a nady cm90 (small diaphragm) about 4 feet above and about 2 feet back from the nt2 pair for ambience. click here: www.azbayrecording.com/au...%20acoustic.mp3
guitwizzNothing doesnt give me gasMember
Since: May 25, 2004
Jun 07, 2004 11:44 pm my pants are pants, none of them fit anymore....
:(.....
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jun 08, 2004 12:11 am I agree with the approach that El Musico is mentioning. I like doing my "best" work up front rather than trying to fix it later. If you can, find the root problem. Is it the string? Is it the getfiddle? Is it the accoustic environment that you are playing in? Is it mic placement? Is it the mic(s) used? If you hear the aberent note in the recording setting, try another room or some acoustic baffling to subdue it. If the getfiddle is flakey fix it. If it sounds good to the ear, then start working on using the mic(s) as an ear. If the aberent sound manifests only via the mic(s), try different mics, different positioning. All of these techniques are non destructive. The next level would be tube pre amps, compression, and eq. If used judiciously these techniques are only mildly destructive of the origional signal, and to some an enhancement. Having said all that; if it is a performance issue.... have at it. Fix it as best you can or wait for the performer to practice until acceptable.
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
Jun 08, 2004 05:41 am luckily I seem to be figuring things out and my FMR RNC is really doing a good job on supernice mode. People tell me that I should be careful with compressoin on the way in, but I really liked the sound I was achieving. In fact I liked it so much that I stayed up until 3 recording. I think I will go for this kind of alternative setup with dynamic on the 12th fret and condensor above the bridge. I will set my other mic up as well to capture ambient should do just fine like this since I am bouncing down to mono. If I am going for one acoustic in stereo I will go for the X-Y style as described by coolio.
What do you guys think of recording different bits of the song in small bits. I did intro then verse then chorus all with different takes. In this was I could re-do the bit until I thought it was OK. But I am not sure how its going to sound when I put all the bits together. Its in time so should be OK. I think some ringing electric guitar should work to tie things together. We'll see...
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 08, 2004 06:06 am el musico - that sounds ace...lemmee know when the songs done, id love to have a listen!
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 08, 2004 06:07 am erm, walt, whats a getfiddle?
Jun 08, 2004 06:58 am actually it's "guitfiddle" or "gitfiddle". It's part guitar, part fiddle.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 08, 2004 08:30 am ahh, i see...
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jun 08, 2004 08:39 am ah, thanks...those look ace!
pictures always help me...
