Mid Side recording

[always guitar]

Note to self - never make decisions while monitoring through headphones. The last link is getting there.

AG

[ukejon]

For spaced pairs, I've used the 14th fret and just below the bridge successfully, tho the sound tends to be a bit unstable. I've had better luck with putting the mics roughly 15 inches apart, about the height of the soundhole, and just position myself in the middle, fine tuning by watching the meters. You can hear that sound in Scott Whigham's "Library" project: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=289290

Doug, how far from the instrument? Any phase issues. By the way, I've given up on ORTF for acoustic...just don't like what it captures. So spaced pairs is in my mind these days. As for M/S....way over my head!

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Doug, how far from the instrument? Any phase issues. By the way, I've given up on ORTF for acoustic...just don't like what it captures. So spaced pairs is in my mind these days. As for M/S....way over my head!

I'm usually about 8 inches away, but it can vary. You can go closer, or back up to even 2 or 3 feet, depending on your acoustics and the sound you want. If you look at any of my recent you tube videos, they're all spaced pairs, tho not exactly the setup I described, because there I'm more focused on keeping the mics out of the picture than setting them up for best sound. Still works out ok. Some amount of phase differences are part of what makes the spaced pair sound. Not ideal if you think you'll play back in mono, but not any real problem. When setting up for serious recording (i.e, not you tube), I'll monitor phase and level meters to maximize the phase coherence as much as I can.

Here's some phase examples from the tracks I did for Scott's Library. Mono would be perfectly in phase, +1. XY is pretty close (MS would typically look like this when mixed at nomimal levels):



Here's the spaced pairs track, still positive phase correlation, but less so



and here's our OP's original "MS" track, even less phase coherence (at least it's not negative, which kind of surprises me, since it sounds negative to me)

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by always guitar

Note to self - never make decisions while monitoring through headphones. The last link is getting there.

AG

Glad you're liking what you hear. If you can endure one final piece of advice: Agreed, you can completely fool yourself in headphones. You might want to go even further and listen on a variety of systems, including decent monitors in an acoustically treated room, home stereos, even your car. I'd also try to collect some reference recordings, commercial recordings in your style whose sound you like. Compare those recordings and yours in as many playback situations as you can, and see if you're getting anything close to the sound of your references. Going back and forth between pro recordings you like and your own efforts can be really educational.

[always guitar]

Endure? I appreciate the advice and thanks for posting that phase coherence screen shot. I have it collapsing to mono far more elegantly now that I took the time to learn what the stereo width controls do in Reaper. Pan law and that change everything.
I have Dynaudio BM5As and Auratones. Not into building a control room so I monitor softly to minimize the eccentricities of the room. which are many. The Dynaudios told me instantly Sunday morning that I was on the right track. I also listen in the car and give CDs to some musician friends of mine.
I don't feel the need to compare to commercial recordings because my goal is not to make this into a career. I'm a professional musician in recovery.
Speaking of advice, the next mic position I try will be pointed at the waist, as you suggested a few posts ago.

AG

[Doug Young]

Given a choice between monitoring in an untreated concrete room and headphones, I'd probably take the headphones. But since you're just trying to have some fun, it doesn't really matter.

[always guitar]

Some time has passed. Both the guitar and the vocals are recorded mid side. I am slowly finding out what I want to do.
This is no capture, it is mixed.
I have learned that I need to relax.

Got the omni caps today, shall post the result.

https://soundcloud.com/frieda-calor/...am-v10/s-xzwYi

pbc