Oh My! Schoenberg Klepper 000-12c

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Good playing, Juston. And great-looking guitar!

As far as sound, what I hear is first of all, a lively room - this is typical of recording in an untreated room, and probably why the sound may be thinner on the recording than the guitar is in person. Mics hear differently than our ears, and room reflections can sound harsh and thin.

Second, the recording seems to be mono. The H4n can record in stereo, which will sound much more open, and might even help reduce some of the room issues. If you are recording in stereo but somehow mixing to mono in the video, that might also explain why the recorded sound isn't what you are hoping for.

And finally, it looks like you're aimed at the 12th fret or so? That's a classic mic position for micing in mono with a single mic, especially for getting a stringy sound, like you might want for a rhythm guitar track. But for fingerstyle, you'll probably be happier if you place the mics (h4 in this case) centered on the guitar above the soundhole, about even with the waist. You'll get a balanced stereo sound and more "wood", less thin string-sound. Alternately, you can go below the soundhole, if you need to keep the recorder out of the way of the video.

Not to digress too much from your guitar discussion, but since you mentioned not being happy with the recorder... Just a few things you might try.

Doug, with the Zoom in stereo, one of the levels is always lower than the other (I presume because one of the mics just isn’t getting the same kind of input because of its orientation). Do you just boost the quieter channel in mixing software so that it matches the louder of the two?

[dbintegrity]

very nice guitar !! I think it would be even more impressive if he could get the guitar in tune and have the gear screws totally vertical with the mounting screws...

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by justonwo

Doug, with the Zoom in stereo, one of the levels is always lower than the other (I presume because one of the mics just isn’t getting the same kind of input because of its orientation). Do you just boost the quieter channel in mixing software so that it matches the louder of the two?

I am no expert, but I believe it is always best to adjust the mic placement, and your position in the room, to try to achieve even levels. Just keep moving yourself and your Zoom until it sounds even. You could use headphones to listen to avoid having to record until it sounds the way you want. Or at least closer to that!

I REALLY need to get busy and do some recording, but I just do not seem to have the psychic energy.

This axe is beautiful and you sound dandy to me!

Carry on and have fun

Paul

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by justonwo

Thanks guys. Great tips, Doug. I still would love to get together post-apocalypse and go through the finer points of recording. Maybe you can show me the finer points of playing, too! In the meantime, I’ll try moving to my living room and placing the mics closer to the sound hole (it was recorded in stereo).

I just double checked this, and interestingly your first video, Freight Train is stereo. The 2nd, West Coast Blues is mono, which I guess is what I listened to originally. Sometimes this happens during the mix, or maybe your video editor is doing something. But odd that one is stereo and the other is mono.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I just double checked this, and interestingly your first video, Freight Train is stereo. The 2nd, West Coast Blues is mono, which I guess is what I listened to originally. Sometimes this happens during the mix, or maybe your video editor is doing something. But odd that one is stereo and the other is mono.

I bet you anything the Zoom lost its connection with the phone and the resulting recording on West Coast Blues was simply through the iPhone microphone.