One Mic or Two

[SteveA]

I just opened a thread recently 1st attempt at stereo guitar. I could really hear the difference from all my prior recordings. You may want to check out the thread

[Ze.]

I spent a lot of stress and money to find out that the H2n as said before was the way to go for me ...the simplicity and don't be deceived by the price or size its a wonderful piece of kit for home recording .

[Bobboy]

I've never liked the sound of "stereo" on a solo acoustic guitar recording. To my ears it just doesn't sound natural. When I listen to a guitar that's played by someone sitting in front of me, the source is mono (in other words it's coming from 1 place -- the guitar), whereas a stereo recorded sound comes from the far left and far right to varying degrees, depending on how the recording is mixed.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Bobboy

I've never liked the sound of "stereo" on a solo acoustic guitar recording. To my ears it just doesn't sound natural. When I listen to a guitar that's played by someone sitting in front of me, the source is mono (in other words it's coming from 1 place -- the guitar), whereas a stereo recorded sound comes from the far left and far right to varying degrees, depending on how the recording is mixed.

Do you have any examples of solo acoustic guitar recordings you like, that are mono? I've come across a few, but they seem to be pretty rare.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Bobboy

I've never liked the sound of "stereo" on a solo acoustic guitar recording. To my ears it just doesn't sound natural. When I listen to a guitar that's played by someone sitting in front of me, the source is mono (in other words it's coming from 1 place -- the guitar), whereas a stereo recorded sound comes from the far left and far right to varying degrees, depending on how the recording is mixed.

Technically a "mono" instrument, but your ears are hearing sound as it radiates from different parts of the instrument as well as picking up the radiated sound as it reflects from objects and the room itself. A "good" stereo recording (IMHO) is attempting to re-create accurately what your two ears would be listening to, in a way that permits the brain to process the information into a true to life recreation of what is dispersed by the instrument.

If the stereo field of a recording is so noticeable that it proves to be disconcerting then it's been done purposefully in the recording process. It can be used for dramatic, and sometimes good, effect if done properly. Throw on a set of good cans and listen to the opening guitar work of Led Zeppelin's "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyOg0mt2R2k

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Technically a "mono" instrument, but your ears are hearing sound as it radiates from different parts of the instrument as well as picking up the radiated sound as it reflects from objects and the room itself. A "good" stereo recording (IMHO) is attempting to re-create accurately what your two ears would be listening to, in a way that permits the brain to process the information into a true to life recreation of what is dispersed by the instrument.

If the stereo field of a recording is so noticeable that it proves to be disconcerting then it's been done purposefully in the recording process. It can be used for dramatic, and sometimes good, effect if done properly. Throw on a set of good cans and listen to the opening guitar work of Led Zeppelin's "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyOg0mt2R2k

Yeah, I totally agree with this. We don't listen with 1 ear. There are lots of stereo recording techniques whose goal is to capture the sound we hear with 2 ears. Even if you consider the guitar to be a point source - as it would be if it was far away - our ears hear the effect of the room, as the sound bounces off walls and so on. Using XY or ORTF micing will achieve this. To me, mono simply sounds artificial. Stereo sounds like you are there in the room.

Then there's the entire approach of modern recording - people have been trained to hear "bigger than life". No pop vocal recording sounds like a real person standing in a room singing, for example. Recording has become it's own art form, it's not a documentary. People try to make records that capture people's attention. If a simple acoustic guitarist wants a recording that doesn't pale in comparison, they generally need to beef it up a bit. (I've always wondered what a solo acoustic guitar CD would sound like if produced by a modern pop music producer.) I can only think of one tune I've heard in recent years that was solo acoustic guitar recorded in mono. The rest are all stereo, at least what I listen to. So a mono recording won't match the way I've come to expect a solo acoustic guitar recording to sound. But if there are good-sounding mono recordings out there, it'd be interesting to check them out.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Bobboy

I've never liked the sound of "stereo" on a solo acoustic guitar recording. To my ears it just doesn't sound natural. When I listen to a guitar that's played by someone sitting in front of me, the source is mono (in other words it's coming from 1 place -- the guitar), whereas a stereo recorded sound comes from the far left and far right to varying degrees, depending on how the recording is mixed.

As others have said, an acoustic guitar is not a mono source coming from one place to your ears. It is a broad sound source with different frequency content coming from various areas of the guitar and different arrival times at the ears. To me stereo is the way to mike it to achieve a more realistic recording.

[KevWind]

Although because I am a singing performer and I do not play or record solo acoustic guitar.
But I would tend to agree with those that prefer stereo '
I think when recorded correctly (and listened to on a system with the correct relative distance placement between the speakers for the listening position ) it does not seem to be coming from the far left and right but rather just a nicer fuller more centered sound.

[Fairlight]

I agree with the Zoom recorder option at this price point. The X/Y mics on the Zoom H5 are really incredible and you get everything you'd need to record either in mono OR in perfect phase stereo. Plus, you'd get many other great used out of it. When you're done, export your file to a computer (GarageBand-free) and fine tune/mix to your heart's content.

[Skip Ellis]

Originally Posted by Fairlight

I agree with the Zoom recorder option at this price point. The X/Y mics on the Zoom H5 are really incredible and you get everything you'd need to record either in mono OR in perfect phase stereo. Plus, you'd get many other great used out of it. When you're done, export your file to a computer (GarageBand-free) and fine tune/mix to your heart's content.

I checked them out and they work well for some folks but I'd rather stick to components that I have control over and can replace if something goes wrong. With the self contained unit, if it breaks or gets dropped or something, then I'm out several hundred dollars but if my interface blows up, I can replace it for a hundred bucks. Same with the mics - if I decide I don't like the cheepo Behringers, I can replace them with something better. I already have all the stands, cables and computers with a wide choice of DAW software so my initial output is fairly minimal - a lot less than the H5 would cost me, I am sure that it's a quality product for some people and does it's job well and I might even try one one day, but for now, I'll stick with what I've got.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

I checked them out and they work well for some folks but I'd rather stick to components that I have control over and can replace if something goes wrong. With the self contained unit, if it breaks or gets dropped or something, then I'm out several hundred dollars but if my interface blows up, I can replace it for a hundred bucks. Same with the mics - if I decide I don't like the cheepo Behringers, I can replace them with something better. I already have all the stands, cables and computers with a wide choice of DAW software so my initial output is fairly minimal - a lot less than the H5 would cost me, I am sure that it's a quality product for some people and does it's job well and I might even try one one day, but for now, I'll stick with what I've got.

You can, of course, replace the H5 for a few hundred as well, and it also acts as an interface. I don't think it's any more likely to break by being dropped or whatever than a mic. These things are the best kept secret out there for home recording, especially, but definitely not only, for those on a budget.

[TBman]

I'm going to move from my USB US-122 and get a Zoom as the recordings I hear with it here surpass what I can get with my $300+ mic pair and the US-122.

I'm not sure what it is, maybe I have too much mic for my room. So the moral of the story is don't overbuy as the room and your recording skills limit what you get from your equipment. Keeping it simple is the way to go.

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Trying to upgrade a little from my Samson USB mic for recording acoustic guitar ONLY - no vocals or anything else. I'm debating using either a single AT 2020 or a pair of Behringer C4's. I've read that the stereo effect won't really take effect until the mics are about 10' from the source so, if this is true, what is the point of the X-Y configuration up close? It seems that, for close in work, a single good mic should fit the bill. Or, would it be better to use two mics, one pointed at the soundhole and one at the 12th fret. I thought about using one mic up close and another further out in the room for more ambience? Which would be better for small bedroom recording projects? Budget is definitely an issue - <under $200 for mic and interface.

Hello Skip :

Why not experiment on this - I'm about to try several ways to capture as much acoustic sound as possible .

I'll hook up a large diaphragm Samson C01 condenser - Shure SM57 and run the audio from two X/Y condenser mic's
off my Tascam DR44 WL's line outs into the same interface that has those two other mic's in the chain to see if
I can get an explosive dynamic & sweet rich full fat sound . The Samson C01 & Shure SM57 are around $200.00 more or less
combined . These two bridge the gap of clean and bright and warm & full sounding recording on a acoustic anything .

What are you using to record this project on ?

• I'm going into a Focusrite Scarlet 6i6
• HP TouchSmart 610 w/4g's of ram
• Win 10 Home .

The interface I just ordered a few minutes ago online . Your post caught my eye fast because I'll be
recording a steel string'd dread , 000 resonator , a 000 nylon Sp.classical , soprano ukulele and acoustic harmonicas .

Good luck .

EZ :

HR

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by Fairlight

I agree with the Zoom recorder option at this price point. The X/Y mics on the Zoom H5 are really incredible and you get everything you'd need to record either in mono OR in perfect phase stereo. Plus, you'd get many other great used out of it. When you're done, export your file to a computer (GarageBand-free) and fine tune/mix to your heart's content.

Hello Fairlight :

Those X/Y mics do sound really great on a acoustic guitar , that's why I a going to include them into recording my acoustic instruments along with a large diaphragm condenser and A Shure SM57 .

With 4 mics in the chain this ought to be unreal .

EZ :

HR