Softening a steelstring

[dyna]

I´m into sparse guitarplaying a la Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

Since I don´t own expensive microphones like vintage Neumanns I have found
my own way of getting that in between steelstring- and nylon guitar sound.

By combining a cheap t.bone RM 700 ribbon mic with a sE 7
small diaphragm condenser I can balance the crispness of the sE
with the smoothness of the ribbon. Voilá - good enough for me!

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by dyna

I´m into sparse guitarplaying a la Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

Since I don´t own expensive microphones like vintage Neumanns I have found
my own way of getting that in between steelstring- and nylon guitar sound.

By combining a cheap t.bone RM 700 ribbon mic with a sE 7
small diaphragm condenser I can balance the crispness of the sE
with the smoothness of the ribbon. Voilá - good enough for me!

Post an example of one of you guitar recordings.

[dyna]

I´m sorry Rick, I don´t have any actual song recorded like this as of yet.
This is with a nylonstring:

[Doug Young]

Ribbons are a great option for a smoother, darker sound. I usually record with a ribbon in the middle of a pair of condensers, then mix to taste. I don't always end up using the ribbon, but if I want to smooth out the sound, it's there. I have also recorded with just ribbons, which can work great (KevWind generally uses his ribbons as well).

You might also try using that ribbon in MS. Turn the ribbon sideways, with the SE aimed forward, then use an MS decoder on the result. I've never seen that mic, and with a quick look, it appears to sound different front to back, which isn't mathematically correct for MS, but that could well work to your advantage, letting you pick which side of the guitar should sound a bit darker.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Ribbons are a great option for a smoother, darker sound. I usually record with a ribbon in the middle of a pair of condensers, then mix to taste. I don't always end up using the ribbon, but if I want to smooth out the sound, it's there. I have also recorded with just ribbons, which can work great (KevWind generally uses his ribbons as well).

You might also try using that ribbon in MS. Turn the ribbon sideways, with the SE aimed forward, then use an MS decoder on the result. I've never seen that mic, and with a quick look, it appears to sound different front to back, which isn't mathematically correct for MS, but that could well work to your advantage, letting you pick which side of the guitar should sound a bit darker.

Thanks Dough, I have heard MS recordings before, they can sound great!
I haven´t tried it - will look into that.
Cheers,
Lars

[Doug Young]

Here's a demo I posted maybe a year ago, using an SE ribbon with a Schoeps condenser. The 1st time thru, it's MS with the ribbon as the side mic, then spaced pairs with the ribbon on the lower bout.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Here's a demo I posted maybe a year ago, using an SE ribbon with a Schoeps condenser. The 1st time thru, it's MS with the ribbon as the side mic, then spaced pairs with the ribbon on the lower bout.

Dough, they both sound great but I prefer the MS.
It sounds more natural and relaxed to me, less "in your face".
I cannot play nor record as well as you by far but this
makes me convinced I have to try out MS.
Thanks for the demo!
Lars

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by dyna

Dough, they both sound great but I prefer the MS.
It sounds more natural and relaxed to me, less "in your face".
I cannot play nor record as well as you by far but this
makes me convinced I have to try out MS.
Thanks for the demo!
Lars

To me, the MS makes for a more balanced sound when mixing the different type of mics. The condenser provides the center, while the ribbon is covering both sides, so the stereo image is balanced tonally. With the spaced pair example, the tone and even the response of the 2 different mics creates a more dramatic stereo image, but one that doesn't sound entirely natural.

Hope you have fun trying it!

[lkingston]

Is anyone else thinking coated strings? In addition to making the strings last longer they darken the sound and tame the brightness and fret squeak. That’s why I like them.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by lkingston

Is anyone else thinking coated strings? In addition to making the strings last longer they darken the sound and tame the brightness and fret squeak. That’s why I like them.

I was thinking that string choice might have been my way of dealing with an edgy tone, but that's not the OP's M.O.

Introducing a second mic does create other factors that might need to be dealt with, but it's certainly a viable way to shaping tone for an instrument recording when we might otherwise love the sound when we're simply enjoying it while not recording.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I was thinking that string choice might have been my way of dealing with an edgy tone, but that's not the OP's M.O.

I think that probably the OP just wants to solve to problem.

[TBman]

My past attempt to get a tone close to nylon:

1. Alternative tuning

2. Two large condenser mics (AT 2035 for this recording)




I discovered the best way to get that nylon tone was to buy a couple of classicals and go at it.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by TBman

My past attempt to get a tone close to nylon:

1. Alternative tuning

2. Two large condenser mics (AT 2035 for this recording)




I discovered the best way to get that nylon tone was to buy a couple of classicals and go at it.

Sounds nice TBman, nice deph!
What distance are your mics? Preamp?
What reverb?
Cheers, Lars

[dyna]

Tried a little m/s recording of the guitar.
Pardon strange singing, in swedish...

Guitar: Se7 + Milab VIP 50 in figure 8
Vocals: SM57 dynamic
Preamp: Warm WA 12
Reverb: Seventh Heaven

[TBman]

Originally Posted by dyna

Sounds nice TBman, nice deph!
What distance are your mics? Preamp?
What reverb?
Cheers, Lars

Thanks Lars. Back when I recorded this I kept them about 18" back, no preamp. The reverb was 7th Heaven on the Sunset Chamber setting.