Acoustic guitar recording help

[pjbelsch]

Hi, I am in the process of recording guitar. My Martin has onboard pre amps that emulate the sound of a 1940's Martin. I am wondering if I should use my input jack or just use 2 condenser mics instead and get the natural guitar sound. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[MikeBmusic]

If you have the capability, record everything! IF you have only 2 input channels on your interface/recorder, then use a mic for one and the DI for the other.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by pjbelsch

Hi, I am in the process of recording guitar. My Martin has onboard pre amps that emulate the sound of a 1940's Martin. I am wondering if I should use my input jack or just use 2 condenser mics instead and get the natural guitar sound. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If you have the mics try both ways and decide which you like

A quick complete gear list might be helpful also

[pjbelsch]

I am using
Martin
MacBook Pro using logic
2 blue hummingbird microphones
1 blue bluebird mic
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (probably going to upgrade to a 18i8 in a couple weeks)

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by pjbelsch

I am using
Martin
MacBook Pro using logic
2 blue hummingbird microphones
1 blue bluebird mic
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (probably going to upgrade to a 18i8 in a couple weeks)

Great little system
OK how are you monitoring HP's or speakers ? since the 2i2 has only 2 inputs

As Mike stated above try one recording with two tracks one track with say the Bluebird and one plugged into the DI

Then also do another recording with two mono tracks and both hummingbirds each going to their own mono track
Try to match all levels as close as possible

The mono tracks will be the most accurate for straight comparison sake but I am guessing you like the stereo two tracks sound the best.

[pjbelsch]

I do use a nice pair of headphones for monitoring the sound. I need to invest in a pair of studio speakers. Is it better if acoustic is recorded stereo v mono? Sorry I'm a noob

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by pjbelsch

I do use a nice pair of headphones for monitoring the sound. I need to invest in a pair of studio speakers. Is it better if acoustic is recorded stereo v mono? Sorry I'm a noob

It is not a matter of better so much as specific application and personal preference
If your recording only guitar then most people prefer the sound a stereo recording as you get more width to the sound.
If you are recording guitar and vocals then you can get very nice recordings with a stereo guitar panned left and right and a mono vocal panned in the center this makes room for both and still gives good feel of width.


But if you are doing multiple tracks with other instruments and vocals and backing vocals etc. then many recording engineers use a mono acoustic guitar recording
It all depends on context.

[Halftone]

As others have already mentioned there are many ways to do this and the method will depend on the sound you wish to achieve.

The way I get the sound I usually like is by recording each mic in Stereo to a separate track. Once I am satisfied with the recording I offset one track a few milliseconds so that it is very minutely out of sync with the other track. Then I hard pan 1 track left and the other right.

The real fun of recording is in the possibility experimentation. As almost everyone will tell you it is both a blessing and a curse.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Halftone

As others have already mentioned there are many ways to do this and the method will depend on the sound you wish to achieve.

The way I get the sound I usually like is by recording each mic in Stereo to a separate track. Once I am satisfied with the recording I offset one track a few milliseconds so that it is very minutely out of sync with the other track. Then I hard pan 1 track left and the other right.

The real fun of recording is in the possibility experimentation. As almost everyone will tell you it is both a blessing and a curse.

I am a bit confused what exactly does "recording each mic in Stereo" to a separate track" mean ?
Are you using one mic or two ?

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by Halftone

As others have already mentioned there are many ways to do this and the method will depend on the sound you wish to achieve.

The way I get the sound I usually like is by recording each mic in Stereo to a separate track. Once I am satisfied with the recording I offset one track a few milliseconds so that it is very minutely out of sync with the other track. Then I hard pan 1 track left and the other right.

The real fun of recording is in the possibility experimentation. As almost everyone will tell you it is both a blessing and a curse.

One mic = mono. Sending the signal to a stereo track is still mono.
Maybe you meant that you send the 2 mics to left and right of two separate stereo tracks? No need to do that, though, you can just duplicate the first (stereo) track if you want to do something with it. But its not really 'stereo' recording that way, it's just a delay trick.

[Halftone]

Mike, how do you like your Merlin? Do you use it a lot?

[Halftone]

it would be 2 mics recording at the same time. Each with it's own channel. Each in stereo. Then each panned hard left and right.

1 mic = stereo True, but I seem to like the sound better when selected in stereo. Maybe it is my ears, maybe it is my imagination but that's the way I prefer it.

You can do it with each mic being mono. Try both see which you like.

[Tritone Sub]

Originally Posted by Halftone

it would be 2 mics recording at the same time. Each with it's own channel. Each in stereo. Then each panned hard left and right.

1 mic = stereo True, but I seem to like the sound better when selected in stereo. Maybe it is my ears, maybe it is my imagination but that's the way I prefer it.

You can do it with each mic being mono. Try both see which you like.

Even better when sent to two mono tracks

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by Halftone

it would be 2 mics recording at the same time. Each with it's own channel. Each in stereo. Then each panned hard left and right.

1 mic = stereo True, but I seem to like the sound better when selected in stereo. Maybe it is my ears, maybe it is my imagination but that's the way I prefer it.

You can do it with each mic being mono. Try both see which you like.

Still, one mic = mono. If you are recording one mic to a stereo track, it's exactly the same signal on the left and right sides (mono, in other words). If you record one mic to one stereo track and pan that hard left, and the other mic to a different stereo track and pan that hard right, its no different than having two mono tracks, one panned hard left and one hard right. Your eyes/ears are just playing tricks with you. Have someone do a 'blind test' with you (be sure and match all the levels first) to check it.
What can make it sound different is if you are sending the tracks to a bus (reverb) pre-fader/pan.

Originally Posted by Halftone

Mike, how do you like your Merlin? Do you use it a lot?

It's fine for what it is, but I don't play it much. Of course I don't play my ukes much either, or my 12 string or anything but the Taylor.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Halftone

it would be 2 mics recording at the same time. Each with it's own channel. Each in stereo. Then each panned hard left and right.

1 mic = stereo True, but I seem to like the sound better when selected in stereo. Maybe it is my ears, maybe it is my imagination but that's the way I prefer it.

You can do it with each mic being mono. Try both see which you like.

Ah OK so (if I am understanding " Then each panned hard left and right " correctly ) all you are really doing doubling the signals (i.e. 4 signals instead of 2) which probably means it is simply a bit louder than when you are listening to just two mono tracks . Which often is heard as more appealing.

Same thing would happen if you were to duplicate the two mono tracks .