How to improve the quality of my recordings...

[mikerofone]

"Only started to listen. Nice picking. You don't use EQ or compression at all?"

Once I mix down my tracks to a single stereo track, I use a plug-in called Vintage Warmer and the preset I use has some compression/limiting.

"How close are you micing and what level are you recording at?"

Sometimes I use just a single KM184 placed about 6" off the body/neck joint. Sometimes I also use in tandem with that the C214 placed about 15" off the bridge. When I use the single KM184, I double each track (using copy/paste) and place them at different points in the stereo spectrum to get a bigger sound. So as an example, I will double the rhythm track and pan those two left at about -25 and -55, and double the lead track and pan those right at about +25 and +55.

"Cup of Three" needs EQ and compression on the bass (IMO). Whose song is that? It was written by the mandolin player.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by mikerofone

I'm definitely open to different mics. Suggestions?

There are hundreds, if not thousands of mics. Everyone has favorites, which doesn't mean much. There's nothing wrong with KM184s, really. If you don't like the built-in presence peak, just add a corresponding high frequency cut to compensate.

I don't hear harshness, digital or otherwise, in your recordings, and I don't hear much evidence of room acoustics issues, certainly not the kind that many people recording in spare bedrooms get. I'd do some things differently in the mix - there's all kinds of options there, comes down to personal taste, but overall these seem like nice tracks to me.

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by mikerofone

Once I mix down my tracks to a single stereo track, I use a plug-in called Vintage Warmer and the preset I use has some compression/limiting.
...

Sometimes I use just a single KM184 placed about 6" off the body/neck joint. Sometimes I also use in tandem with that the C214 placed about 15" off the bridge. When I use the single KM184, I double each track (using copy/paste) and place them at different points in the stereo spectrum to get a bigger sound. So as an example, I will double the rhythm track and pan those two left at about -25 and -55, and double the lead track and pan those right at about +25 and +55..

First, I think the whole "doubling tracks" thing is a waste of time for acoustic mixes. One good track is enough. If you don't do anything to them individually, and put one at -25 and another at +55, you might just as well put one at +30 and bump the gain.

I would place both mics a little more equidistant, say 10" all around, or more. The room won't intrude and I have used my C214 about that far off the 12th fret, aimed toward the neck joint. It picks up a bit bigger sound that way. It's not a perfect mic, but I find its problems more noticeable and likely to cause more work (like sibilance) on vocals than guitar. It's pretty easy to work with IMO.

Do you use reference tracks at all? Listening to other recordings and thinking (hard) about about what the difference is between your recording and ones you'd like to sound like is a good exercise. A lot of it can be instrument and room, and technique, of course, but EQ and a little compression on individual tracks can really make a difference.

Me, I don't think a mic is going to "move the needle" for you, because you've got good performance captures already.