Quote:
Originally Posted by Bowie
We can just agree to disagree then. I've been doing this for a long time and my EQs are about as good as they come (Millennia and Pultec) but I still prefer EQ acoustic as little as possible. Granted, I'll still end up EQing most tracks to some degree, but it's always to fit the context of a mix, staying out of the way of a vocal, etc. If there's a metallic edge, I address that with mic placement or mic choice (though that may not be an option for the TS). Since he's the player, he can even address it with pick, strings, technique. So many better options than EQ.
I like to encourage beginners not to reach for EQ as a way to fix the source. Fix the source signal, then use EQ to craft your mix. That should be the goal at least.
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Okay we'll disagree
This is the last I say in this subject. Like you, I have been doing this for extreme long time, and, I also have the real deal Pultecs, but to me microphones couple with acoustic guitars, like electric guitars couple with amps. Some for the better, some for the worse, and if he has a microphone that doesn't work with that guitar, he can place it all he wants and he still will have some off putting tones that need correcting. Yes placement will help, but metallic tones rarely come from placement. Thin-ness, loss of distinction, and mud, oh yeah, that's got placement all over it. Ask midwinter if he can place a Rode M5 on his acoustic to avoid the overly bright tone. I guarantee you, I know his answer to that question. We do agree that EQ is best when used to sculpt a part into the mix. You got alot of business going down on the low end? High pass that guitar until it sits in a pocket. You got a singer that is in the acoustic guitar midrange? Scoop the guitar and let the singer sit in the pocket. But, if you got a ring on top that emanated from a Chinese capsule, find it, fix it. You want to learn about placement, start with a decent mic, and that will give you a fighting chance. As a matter of fact when I first started buying better microphones I found that I got to recording alot faster, and spent way less time trying to find that position that would get me a useable take. The Violet Amethyst is such a forgiving microphone all you need to is get it into the same area code of the instrument and you're getting a take that's going to require very little EQ. Another good flat mic that I find very easy to place is the Neumann U89. If people are going to seriously record their instrument, it's best to find a complimentary mic for it, choosing it with as much concern as you would a new guitar. Placement is important, no doubt, and the developing of a critical will pay huge dividends, but sometimes if you've got an overly dark / bright instrument, or microphone with those qualities, better learn how to use an EQ.