Searching for that perfect acoustic guitar sound
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Posted on Jan 08, 2006 10:35 am
guitar_jim
Czar of Cheese
Member Since: Jun 09, 2004
I have recently acquired some new gear, and I'm trying to use it to obtain the perfect acoustic sound. I'd appreciate a listen and some critical feedback and specific suggestions for getting that ultimate sound.
Here's what I you'll hear:
I recorded a chorus of an old folksong called "Freight Train". I fingerpicked my Martin acoustic with a capo on the fourth fret. I mic'd it with an Audix I5 dynamic about six inches away from the 12th fret. I put my (new) Behringer B-2 about 18 inches straight out from the sound hole. The B-2 is running through my (new) PreSonus TubePre and then through my dbx Project 1 Compressor/Limiter. The vocal was then overdubbed with the B-2. The mixdown has each guitar track panned slightly one direction or the other. The vocal track was copied twice, so one is panned hard left, one hard right, and the other straight up. All tracks have slight reverb on them.
The whole thing was recorded into GarageBand through my (new) Behringer FCA202 Firewire Audio Interface.
Here's the link:
www.thecutaways.us/freight.mp3
Let me know your thoughts!
Thanks!!
Jim
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Jan 08, 2006 12:03 pm Very nice little piece Jim. Sounds good to my ears and the guitar sounds sweet.
Sounds very nice and well mic'd. I think, for my money its a wholesome sound though I personally (and this is just me) would EQ one with a bit more high end...but thats just cause I like a jangly acoustic sound!
This sounds VERY similar (in sound quality) to a SCottish folk duo known as The Corries...very good indeed.
So, thumbs up here. As I say, try some high end EQ on one(or both) and see without - you may find that gives a little tad more clarity but as I say, its only my ears and perhaps, these poor speakers.
I'll d/l and see how it sounds on my mp3 player.
GOod work tho bud...very good- nice gear and seems, well used in this piece!
Nice
Coco
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Jan 08, 2006 12:26 pm Don't Stop! Man that was good Jim! I think the sound you got on the acoustic is fabulous, honestly. I really don't think you need to do anything more to it. You could experiment with adding some lows or highs but it would all boil down to just personal preference as the tone is fine and perfect for the song.
I think this is the first time I've heard you finger picking and man you did a sweet job of it.
Dan
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 08, 2006 12:50 pm Sounds great Jim. I've been kind of hit-and-miss when it comes to acoustic tone. The things I found that make the biggest difference is to always use new strings, and make sure the performance is clean.
I know that Martin sounds beautiful, and I guess its just a matter of finding the right mic positions to capture it. I tried a similar setup before I got my 2 SDC mics. I put an SM57 at the bridge and a LDC (well, an MXL990) at the 12th fret. This way, the dynamic handled the lower frequencies coming off the soundboard and the condensor handled the higher frequencies.
But it really does sound good as it is. That's the moral I guess: if it sounds good, it is good!
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 08, 2006 03:53 pm That is great Jim, agree with OD here. I guess the only thing would be to either try a bit of EQ if you like, or try moving the mics as Tad suggested for a little differant sound. But I think you captured the sound of the fingers pretty well. Not much fret noise, so maybe the miccing postitions you used worked out for the best. you can here the fingers ever so slightly snapping the strings, that is good. And I can here some lower end coming from the body as well. Not huge but very present. Your recording reminded me of Woody Guthrie for sure, even though it was performed by Garcia/Grisman you put a very Woody touch into it. I cant remember who wrote the tune though I believe it was Elizibeth ???? I think it was on the Not For Kids Only album back in the 90's?
I dont think I would do anything much at all unless you are not happy with it. My only suggestion would be to maybe have a touch longer tail on the vocal verb to seperate it just a bit from the guitar.
As for th placement of the guitar tracks it give it a great life the way you did it. Not so far apart the it sounds unatural.
Anyway, I cant wait to hear it finished as it is sweeeeet for sure.
Jan 08, 2006 07:00 pm Aye, I feel I should add the sound you got Jim, is VERY VERY good. My comments on EQ are purely personal and to be honest, not needed at all. As I say, its a very good shot and sounsd excllent.
The playing is, as ever, superb too...
Anyways, good work bud.
Coco.
Kaos62Kaos is only a form of insanityMember
Since: Feb 03, 2005
Jan 09, 2006 10:29 am Quote from noise " not much fret noise etc..." I actually like to hear a little coming through to give it that real homely sound of someone using their fingers "uh oh that could be interpreted in another way"
loved it jim great sound, I will now have to practice on my brother & his martin to see if i can gat anywhere close to your quality
jmailjimmie neutronMember
Since: Feb 14, 2005
Jan 09, 2006 12:11 pm Ahhh, refreshing - a Martin AND Travis picking. I *like* it... I agree with coco's 1st post about *maybe* a smidgen of more upper EQ, but I don't know where, for more "sparkle", but it does sound like you've captured the true sound of the guitar. I also agree with Noize concerning the vocal 'verb. I wouldn't worry about the low-end, because an upright bass would fill that in (you don't happen to have a good synth or such to stand-in for you, by chance?).
As an experiment, try a Nashville tuning on another guit-box and put that in there with it, back in the background 'cause they do come thru strong without much help. You may not like it.
2 other things: 1. Have you tried the B2 below the sound hole, about halfway between it & the floor, angled up, while you're sitting in a chair/stool on a hardwood floor, or on a sheet of plywood (or some-such surface)? That's how I get the best sound out of my D-35 with an SM-58 up by the 12th fret. 2. Do you not like the sound of the guitar without the compression (just a question)?
Again, sounds *very* good.
Jan 11, 2006 08:16 am Hey...thanks for all of the positive feedback on the recording. I haven't had a chance to tinker with it any more, but I will take all of your suggestions into consideration when I get around to recording the whole song.
My "solo" CD that I'm going to do is going to be a bare-bones affair, with just me and my guitar, with perhaps a few tracks featuring a second guitar.
**Tip for those interested: I've been using HarBal to study the waveforms and harmonic balancing of CDs that I'm trying to emulate. I'm after that 60's folksinger sound, a la early Bob Dylan or Neil Young. Using some of their tracks as references I'm hoping to be able to get close approximations for the sound I'm looking for. So far my results have been pretty good. Anybody else do this?
Jan 11, 2006 08:25 am Yeah, I have done the same thing, it's kind of funny you can almost tell a genre and era by looking only at the spectrum sometimes...HarBal has been a very educational experience in more ways than one...
