Beginners Corner.....

[lapetrarca]

This is a continuation of this thread regarding help using a Tascam DP004.....

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=250048

The original thread has drifted way off topic with discussions ranging from ABG's to condensor mics to strings......

Lots of info being shared back and forth so other beginners can benefit and share!

[SeamusORiley]

This is a great thread for an acoustic guitar amateur beginning the world of home multi-track recording.

Tascam DP - 004 help...tips, novice learning

adding some mics....

adding a bass guitar...

and some great advice along the way.

[lapetrarca]

Let's hope those that contributed to the original thread will continue here.......

btw.....welcome to ALL home recording noobs!

[SeamusORiley]

As the learning curve on the DP 004 levels out, I am finding that the Tascam TM 1 condenser mic (about $30) does a very nice job with vocals and harmonica; that is, in using it up close. I see why some have written that they prefer it for vocals when multi tracking as it is unlikely to pick up background noise, as the internal mics are. Too bad I can't sing.

I am also finding that the internal mics, on high, are very responsive...they pick up everything in clarity, and to me amateur ears, sound like the quality of the Zoom H1.

I am hanging on to the H1 even though I now have the Tascam DP 004 (one day I may even graduate to the 008!) because it is useful in quick situations, such as recording an interview or lecture.

My first contact with home recording was the Zoom H2 (since the digital age) and I was stunned at the quality it produced. I had, many years ago, a Tascam 4 track cassette tape recorder I played with. One day someone asked to borrow it and I obliged. Many months later, he said he would have to get it for me, since it was way up in his closet.

Months later, he was in rehab and I was out my recorder. It was many years before I got back into playing guitar.

The H2 amazed me with the sound quality. The draw back was the screen and my eyesight. There was a learning curve but once I got it, I enjoyed it, until the day I plugged in the wrong AC adapter!

The DP 004 also does not have a backlight on the screen, which may be a deal breaker for some, but I think it was done to save battery strength, though I am using the AC adapter. (I paid about $15 more than I had to but was too fearful getting a generic one!)

I have been working on "Lay Lady Lay" fiddling with trying to learn a lead while knowing no one can sing it like Dylan.

The 2 minute harmonica and acoustic lead of "Helpless" is about done and I hope to get a few samples up.

BTW, I have Converter on Mac to change WAV into MP3, but when I am in a hurry, I simply plug in the H1 from the Tascam and I have it on MP3. I am still learning the differences, especially since a great deal of legal concert downloads from Dylan take up quite a lot of ipod space!

It is a lot of fun learning to record at home!

[lapetrarca]

Originally Posted by SeamusORiley

The 2 minute harmonica and acoustic lead of "Helpless" is about done and I hope to get a few samples up............

It is a lot of fun learning to record at home!

That's great. Looking forward to hearing it. I'll be on vacation for a week starting tomorrow but should have limited www access. I'll be checking in from time to time to see what's up.

Taking my MicroBR 4 track with me too.....just in case!


It is fun learning to record at home. You get LOTS of Mulligans to find out what works and what doesn't at no expense. Add to that, these forums where you can share ideas with others over long distances.

It's a different world than I grew up in!

[SeamusORiley]

Have a good time and enjoy playing!

[delb0y]

I'm going to try and take my home recording to the next level... which basically means one step up from just turning it on and positioning myself in the general vicinity of the built in mics...

I think maybe an external condenser mic will be a good start, but even before then I think I might try and experiment with simple positioning of the unit and maybe mixing an acoustic sound with the sound from the Tanglewood's built in mic.

Will look forward to sharing info on this thread.

Cheers
Derek

[SeamusORiley]

Originally Posted by delb0y

I'm going to try and take my home recording to the next level... which basically means one step up from just turning it on and positioning myself in the general vicinity of the built in mics...

I think maybe an external condenser mic will be a good start, but even before then I think I might try and experiment with simple positioning of the unit and maybe mixing an acoustic sound with the sound from the Tanglewood's built in mic.

Will look forward to sharing info on this thread.

Cheers
Derek

Keep us updated of your progress!

[delb0y]

This is a DP004 'control' track I've recorded to act as a comparison when I try different things. The set up was:

* In built DP004 mics only
* Unit was placed about 12" from guitar level with neck/soundhole
* Mics were set on Medium sensitivity
* Unit was placed on a hard surface

I imported the finished track into Audacity and panned the channels to 50% left and right. Just to kill two birds with one stone on the second verse I added some simple reverb (setting it to 100% left/right) using the basic setting as described on the Audacity Gverb Wiki Page.

Guitar is a Tanglewood TW60. Strings are very old and dull. No capo, no thumb-pick - although usually I use both.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11758273

Already it feels like there are an infinite number of things I could change with just this minimal gear... maybe starting with improving the reverb. But as a control track I'm happy.

Kind regards,
Derek

[delb0y]

This is step # 2:

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11760417

The first 30 seconds is a repeat of the control track. Second 30 is the same settings but this time with the DP004 on a cushion rather than a hard surface. I can't really tell any difference... Third 30 seconds I set the internal mics to high and sat a little further back (about 18 inches). Much nicer sound I think - but it might just be because it's louder. Last 30 is the same as the previous with a little reverb added (small hall setting).

It still sounds a long way from where I want...

Derek

[SeamusORiley]

Derek,

First, your playing is really nice. I enjoyed it in and of itself, headphones on, and got lost in the song. Great work.

Secondly, the recording sounds nice. I didn't notice any difference between the hard and soft surface either.

I am going to try the internal mics on high and set back from the unit. Did you hit OL at any point?

Great work. Any plans to add more instruments?

[delb0y]

Thanks Seamus

I don't think I hit overload whilst I had the mics on high sensitivity - although I daresay I might when I try the same tune with my thumb-pick on! One problem was I couldn't see the top of the DP004 whilst recording that last 30 seconds as I'd moved a little further away from the mics, so I wouldn't know until it was too late if I was overloading the unit.

Also, on lower sensitivities I recorded it whilst wearing headphones, on high sensitivity it picked up every creak my bones, squeak of the chair, every noisy breath! It was very distracting and I felt sure all this would be on the recording... So I ended up playing it without headphones and none of that stuff came out anyway.

No plans for other instruments at the mo'. Just want to find a reasonable way of getting a nice acoustic sound down. I need some new strings, and there's the aforementioned thumb-pick to come yet. There's a certain amount of boxiness to some of the chords (might be the guitar, I guess) and the bass notes aren't quite as distinct and bassy as I'd like. Not sure what the next step is - but the arrangement is coming along nicely (by accident). I've got the middle 8 75% sorted now, too

Kind regards,
Derek

[delb0y]

I've applied the same criteria as mentioned above but this time with a different guitar. I've also videod it...

http://youtu.be/aZ_PedclBv8

Not sure what to do next to continue trying to improve the sound. Any ideas?

Kind regards,

Derek

[delb0y]

Interesting article and set of sound files here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul1...escuemedia.htm

Shows what lengths the professionals go to even on just a single track of acoustic guitar. I think this might be a very long road...

[delb0y]

Inspired by the "It ain't the mic, it ain't the media" thread I thought I'd try recording the guitar via an SM58 into the DP004 but the signal was so low that I had to turn the levels way up and then there was masses of hiss. Shame because the actual tone sounded nice. I'm not sure if it was a dodgy cable or if it was because the input is a 1/4" jack rather than an XLR. I think an external mic and a pre-amp might be in order soon...