Perhaps a strange question about recording and acoustics

[BoneDigger]

Would keeping your acoustic guitars in the same room where you record be an issue? I mean, assuming you have more than one, would the acoustics/resonance of the guitars in the rack effect the room acoustics? Would drums or banjos, which have a drum head, effect the room acoustics enough to be of concern?

I have a few guitars and banjos and am in the process of building my man cave/recording studio. I'm just wondering if having them out in the room where I record would be an issue?

Todd

[rick-slo]

Record something with all the instruments in their usually habitat. Then exile all instruments but the instrument at hand and record again.
Let us know how it comes out.

[Silly Moustache]

When I recorded in my small office, I had to remove all other instruments as they liked to join in.

[Bob Womack]

The rule of thumb is to use your ears. If you can hear a difference, go from there. There have been plenty of orchestra solos recorded alone in a room where most of the rest of the orchestra's instruments are still in their places. Most large studios will have several instruments lying around for use when needed. Abbey Road Studio Two where the Beatles recorded, for instance, has at least two pianos plus assorted other instruments in the space at all times. Doesn't seem to cause concern.

Use your ears.

Bob

[Rudy4]

Pull a strip of cloth between the fretboard and strings of any unused instrument and it will kill any sympathetic resonance. (Wasn't that easy?)

[KevWind]

Mine are always in cases so not really an issue.

Drums you can go to most stores that sell drums and get the little synthetic gel like dampeners usually dark blueish that just stick on the side of the head (don't remember what they are called ) but that is what I put on my djembe and bongos. I actually like having them on the djembe when record as well to dampen the ringing at bit.

Snares can be problematic, but just throw a towel over the top when recording other instruments

[BoneDigger]

Thanks guys!

Todd

[mc1]

i've heard of people who have a second guitar close to the mic to pick up sympathetic vibrations. i suppose it depends upon the tune.

[TexCo]

Assuming you have a pair of monitors, the best way to identify potential issues is to play a sine wave at a moderately loud volume. Start at a low frequency and slowly sweep up into higher frequencies. If you hit a frequency that is sympathetic with something in your studio, keep that frequency going and locate the rattling/buzzing/humming. It might not even be an instrument that's causing the problem, I had a metal keyboard stand that made a number of appearances on my home recordings until I dampened it.

If its an instrument, then its really a matter of taste. Maybe you find having all the instruments around gives the room a bigger sound, maybe you find it irritating.

[You don't necessarily need a sine wave generator to do this, you could do the same thing with your voice, but that can get kind of tiring.]