[ddots-l] Re: recording acoustic guitars
- From: "Shawn Brock" <shawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:06:10 -0700
Hi Guys,
Okay, this may get a little long and scattered here, but these are some of my
thoughts. I have also got some links to here examples of what I'm talking
about.
First I'll cover both acoustic and nylon string miking. I will misspell some
here, so Jaws doesn't go on and on with micing and miced...
Nylon:
I mostly use 2 small diaphragm mikes or a small diaphragm by the bridge, and a
large diaphragm by the soundhole. It all depends on the guitar, and how much
punch it has, and how much I want to get. For more classical, or solo which
requires a good bass presents, I will go with the small and large combo. For
flamenco, jazz and most pop, I stick with the 2 small diaphragms. Either way I
start with the same placements regardless of which mike combo being used, and I
go from there.
Where to start:
I place a small diaphragm mike 6 to 10 inches in front of the players picking
hand. You want the mike slightly above the hand and pointing downward. Lets
say the mike is pointing down at a 20/ 30 degree angle. You also want to angle
the mike relative to the guitar. The mike should be at a 30 to 45 degree angle
relative to the body of the guitar. Make sure that you are closer to the
bridge than the soundhole, but not behind the bridge, and the height of the
bottom of the diaphragm is around the middle of the players hand. The mike
should be even with the middle 2 strings, (G and D), with the diaphragm facing
the soundhole.
Fretboard mike:
Get this one a little closer to the player, or even with the bridge mic. I
normally go 5 to 8 inches for a small diaphragm, and 6 to 10 for the large
diaphragm. You will want this mike a little more straight, and not angled
downward as much. Start with the mike parallel to the fretboard, and adjust
from the chord end of the mike, (if we are talking small diaphragm). Angle the
mike to be level with the bottom 3 strings, (G, B and E). Try to have the
diaphragm even with the 13th, 14th and or 15th frets. You have always heard
about miking a guitar at the 16th fret, but we want to go a little wider on our
spread here. As stated, this mike will almost be parallel to the fretboard...
Slowly adjust it until the diaphragm is 30 to 50 degrees relative to the body
of the guitar. To hear the full affect, pan the bridge mike 100 right, and the
fretboard mike 100 left. If you have any fazing problems, you will notice
quickly, and they can be resolved easily by angling the fretboard mike more in
the direction of the guitar, and capturing it at a 20/ 40 angle.
I use those placements for any acoustic or nylon guitar, when I stereo mike.
Here's an example of a large and small diaphragm combo on a classical guitar.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13037545/08-Shawn%20Brock%20_%20Andecy.mp3
Here's a pare of small diaphragms on a flamenco guitar. Keep in mind though,
these are 2 completely different instruments, with the flamenco being more
raspy, punchy, and not having the bass response of a classical guitar. You
will also notice that the mikes aren't panned as hard. Its also worth noting
that this guitar was miked more in the 6/ 7 inch range, where the classical was
miked in more of the 10 inch range. All in all the instrument and miking here
are more in your face. You'll also notice that there is more than one track of
guitar here, but you will hear that both guitars don't play all of the time.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13037545/Shawn%20Brock-%20Pluma%20%28Tangos%29.mp3
Stepping away from nylon for a while. Here is some bluegrass with an acoustic
miked in this fashion.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13037545/02%20Your%20Selfish%20Heart.m4a
And finely, something that took me about 20 minutes to do for a church here in
town. This is acoustic miked the same, and nylon the same...
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13037545/Shawn%20Brock-%20Noel.mp3
As far as mikeing congas and bongos. I normally use small diaphragm mikes, and
will either double mike each drum, or will single mike each drum and put up an
overhead for the set. When double miking, I place the top mike about 5 inches
above the head, and about 3 inches from the outside rim. This gives room for
the hands, and if you angle the mike at about 30 degrees, you will pick up the
full head of the drum, and a good attack on the slap. If the congas are
carrying the tune, (heavy latin), I will double mike, with a mike low on the
outside of the drum, and about 3 inches from the side. It works well to pan
the drums hard, and leave the overhead mike in the center, if you don't want to
double mike each drum. With an overhead, I put it about 3 feet above the
center of the kit.
Hope this offers something new for someone to try. Love it or hate it, at
least its something that you may have not tried yet.
I'll leave these files up for a few days.
Best,
Shawn Brock
----- Original Message -----
From: Erik Bryndahl
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 1:03 PM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: recording acoustic guitars
Hi Shawn!
I would be very interested in your experience and thought's on this matter
aswell.
Regards, Erik
From: D!J!X!
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 8:44 PM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: recording acoustic guitars
Hi Sean, just in case you send the Email privately, I'd sure be interested to
hear your thoughts on mic selection and positioning at least for guitars, and
if you've got something to say regarding mics or mic placement for percussion
such as congas and such, even better. In the next few months I'm going to be
doing some work with these instruments (recording some salsa and bossa and such
latin styles), so would like to hear your thoughts, you know we can never learn
enough :)
THX, D!J!X!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Shawn Brock
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 2:37 PM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: recording acoustic guitars
Hi Manny,
Yes it does make a big difference.
Most times I mic an acoustic and stay away from using the pickup on sessions.
Key words here are most times...
You will have to consider what genre of music your recording, and how much
the song is carried by the acoustic. If the acoustic plays a big part in the
song, and the genre of music is folk or country for example, you will be better
off using microphones. If you are recording hard rock or something, where the
acoustic just lends a little color to the song, then you may want to think
about recording from the pickup, or taking a track of the pickup and
microphone.
Most times I stereo mic acoustics, and pan each mic hard right and left, but
maybe that's more than you want to get into at this point?
Mic selection and placement on acoustic instruments is an area which I have
explored heavily for many years, and I can offer some worthwhile thoughts on
this subject if need be. And I'll try to do so without just sending one word
emails which don't contain any substance...
Shawn Brock
----- Original Message -----
From: Manny
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 10:05 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] recording acoustic guitars
Hi all,
Many over here with a quick question. When recording an
acoustic guitar, is it better to use a microphone or the pickup on it. Does it
make a difference when recording an acoustic strum compared to lead rifts.
Thanks,
manny
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