Looking for a sound like this, mic suggestions?

boing · #1 02-20-2019, 07:20 AM

This guitar sound fits my style perfectly, any advice appreciated. I have an RPQ2 preamp and Orion32 converter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjqXHe1QwRw

runamuck · #2 02-20-2019, 10:05 AM

In my experience, it's not the mic that's all that significant here - it's the player, the guitar, the reverb and other processing.

TBman · #3 02-20-2019, 11:15 AM

Large condenser with low self noise. I have an AT2035 with another on the way. I'm far from an expert, but I like the 2035. I have a ribbon mic also, but it has relatively high self noise so there's more work to be done post recording.

The recording in my signature, Nameless, is recorded with the 2035 with it's track doubled then panned. The guitar is in dadgad tuning which I favor as well.

jim1960 · #4 02-20-2019, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBman

Large condenser with low self noise. I have an AT2035 with another on the way. I'm far from an expert, but I like the 2035. I have a ribbon mic also, but it has relatively high self noise so there's more work to be done post recording.

The recording in my signature, Nameless, is recorded with the 2035 with it's track doubled then panned. The guitar is in dadgad tuning which I favor as well.

The track the OP referenced has a stereo image. Yours does not so far as I can hear. You won't get a stereo image simply from doubling the track and then panning the identical parts left and right. If one isn't differentiated in some way, it still sounds like it's sitting right in the middle.

What I'm hearing in the Solsbury Hill track is a two mic recording with the left mic pointed at the body somewhere and the right mic at the fret board (notice almost all the fret noise comes from the right side). I'm not sure of the mics involved, but I'd bet I'm hearing a couple of SDCs rather than LDCs, but that could also simply be how it's EQed.

TBman · #5 02-20-2019, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

The track the OP referenced has a stereo image. Yours does not so far as I can hear. You won't get a stereo image simply from doubling the track and then panning the identical parts left and right. If one isn't differentiated in some way, it still sounds like it's sitting right in the middle.

What I'm hearing in the Solsbury Hill track is a two mic recording with the left mic pointed at the body somewhere and the right mic at the fret board (notice almost all the fret noise comes from the right side). I'm not sure of the mics involved, but I'd bet I'm hearing a couple of SDCs rather than LDCs, but that could also simply be how it's EQed.

I think the tone of the guitars are similar regardless of my amateur recording techniques,

boing · #6 02-20-2019, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

The track the OP referenced has a stereo image. Yours does not so far as I can hear. You won't get a stereo image simply from doubling the track and then panning the identical parts left and right. If one isn't differentiated in some way, it still sounds like it's sitting right in the middle.

What I'm hearing in the Solsbury Hill track is a two mic recording with the left mic pointed at the body somewhere and the right mic at the fret board (notice almost all the fret noise comes from the right side). I'm not sure of the mics involved, but I'd bet I'm hearing a couple of SDCs rather than LDCs, but that could also simply be how it's EQed.

I am looking at Schoeps CMC6 MK4, stereo pair. I think this would produce a stereo image that I am looking for, any thoughts here?

jim1960 · #7 02-20-2019, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBman

I think the tone of the guitars are similar regardless of my amateur recording techniques,

A bit, but with two mics in a spaced pair, Blumlein, or XY, configuration (and I think one of those is what was used here), you're going to hear something different from each side. You'll get more bottom end from the mic pointing towards the body and more top end from the mic pointing at the fret board. In the OP's example, I think the mixer may have EQed the tracks to make them sound a bit closer than the raw recording. I could be wrong about that, and wiser heads are welcome to say so, but I think that's what I'm hearing there.

jim1960 · #8 02-20-2019, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boing

I am looking at Schoeps CMC6 MK4, stereo pair. I think this would produce a stereo image that I am looking for, any thoughts here?

I've never heard anyone ever complain about the Schoeps CMC6 MK4. They were on my short list when I bought my Gefell M295 pair. The Schoeps will do you just fine.

DukeX · #9 02-20-2019, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boing

...I have an RPQ2 preamp and Orion32 converter.

That's a nice preamp + converter setup. What mics do you have right now, and what do you not like about them for nylon guitar?

jim1960 · #10 02-20-2019, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boing

I think this would produce a stereo image that I am looking for...

Something to keep in mind... the stereo image isn't created by the mics as much as it's created by how you set up the mics and what you do to the tracks in post processing.

russchapman · #11 02-20-2019, 01:23 PM

Listen closely to the occasional difference in voicing of the guitar(s) on the Solbury Hill track. My guess is 2 takes, panned. Much like doubling of a vocal.

Dirk_Z · #12 02-20-2019, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boing

This guitar sound fits my style perfectly, any advice appreciated. I have an RPQ2 preamp and Orion32 converter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjqXHe1QwRw

Hi,

my guess would be that this is a double tracked guitar playing nearly identical.
So micsetup doesn´t matter.

jim1960 · #13 02-20-2019, 02:21 PM

I listened further into the song and I think you guys are right about it being double tracked. I didn't hear it in the intro which is all I listened to first time around, but after the first verse I could hear some arpeggiation on one side that I didn't hear on the other. Nice catch.

Dirk_Z · #14 02-20-2019, 02:46 PM

I´m pretty sure now :-)

I´ve seperated the left and right side and moved one side to match up with the other side. With a stereomiced track the stereo image would collapse. It didnt.

Even when you look at the waveform you can see its a different recording.
Like russchapman said there are differences in the voicing.

jim1960 · #15 02-20-2019, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirk_Z

I´m pretty sure now :-)

I´ve seperated the left and right side and moved one side to match up with the other side. With a stereomiced track the stereo image would collapse. It didnt.

Even when you look at the waveform you can see its a different recording.
Like russchapman said there are differences in the voicing.

The part that convinced me comes at 1:28 right after he says "day" he arpeggiates the chord on the right track but not on the left track.