Need some microphone help PLEASE

[GeorgeG]

Originally Posted by rule18

Interesting, thanks for that. Funny, I was just playing Blackbird this morning.

I played in a high school talent contest in 1969 and the kid that won played Blackbird. I've had it on my list ever since then. I recently decided to complete my bucket list item of an entire album of songs that I do everything on. That's all new to me, I'm used to playing in a rock band since high school. So besides learning how to record, mix, play bass and keyboards, etc I finally decided to sit down and learn that song properly. Nothing like a run through in your DAW with your headphones on to remind you that you need to up your game. Some of my first recordings are shall we say, rather loose. I often wonder now if I used to make that many mistakes back when I played live and we were not being recorded? Of course a lot of things humble me more now at 66 years old. But I have wisdom! LOL.


George

[rule18]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

I played in a high school talent contest in 1969 and the kid that won played Blackbird. I've had it on my list ever since then. I recently decided to complete my bucket list item of an entire album of songs that I do everything on. That's all new to me, I'm used to playing in a rock band since high school. So besides learning how to record, mix, play bass and keyboards, etc I finally decided to sit down and learn that song properly. Nothing like a run through in your DAW with your headphones on to remind you that you need to up your game. Some of my first recordings are shall we say, rather loose. I often wonder now if I used to make that many mistakes back when I played live and we were not being recorded? Of course a lot of things humble me more now at 66 years old. But I have wisdom! LOL.


George

Indeed...

I love playing Blackbird, I actually play it everyday as a warmup, after a few scales.

[GeorgeG]

Do any of you guys prefer an internal pickup vs an external mic for studio recording?


George

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Do any of you guys prefer an internal pickup vs an external mic for studio recording?


George

My self only rarely , and only if for a specific song/tune and I am after some sound that does not really need/want to sound authentically like an acoustic. But normally maybe 85% to 95% mic'ed

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Do any of you guys prefer an internal pickup vs an external mic for studio recording?


George

Not for me.

- Glenn

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Do any of you guys prefer an internal pickup vs an external mic for studio recording?


George

Not by itself. There are some uses for a pickup mixed in with mics. It can add a bit of directness or punch. I usually add a pickup when recording baritone guitar, it needs that extra definition that adding in 10% of a pickup can give. Some of the candyrat players seem to use a pickup mixed in to get that big bass.

In general, tho, a $10 mic from Radio Shack will sound better than any pickup when recorded. In fact, the "pickup" I used to get the most questions about in my list of 100 or so pickup tests was the Radio Shack lapel mic :-)

[shufflebeat]

I started recording my various UST and SB pickups when sketching out songs and tunes and running the resulting recording through an impulse response. Initially is was for experimental purposes, then once I was getting decent results I carried on for the convenience. After a period of evolution I saved a few preset tracks in Reaper that I can pull up and be recording in seconds. I can run the playback via monitors and play along and the tracks are often easier to mix in a band situation than mic recordings.

This is in part because the band setup doesn't leave as much space for the nuanced transparent sound of a good mic.

[GeorgeG]

Originally Posted by runamuck

I'll be curious to hear your opinion on how the 450 compares to the 184.

Just checking the used 184 that I bought for functionality, it is probably my favorite so far. I will conduct a proper mic comparison this week and post some sound clips. Unless I hear otherwise I will record them all dry?


George

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Just checking the used 184 that I bought for functionality, it is probably my favorite so far. I will conduct a proper mic comparison this week and post some sound clips. Unless I hear otherwise I will record them all dry?


George

Yes, I'd suggest recording the guitar dry, no EQ, no reverb or effects. Also, keep a similar distance from the guitar as well as where the mics aim on the guitar.

- Glenn

[GeorgeG]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Yes, I'd suggest recording the guitar dry, no EQ, no reverb or effects. Also, keep a similar distance from the guitar as well as where the mics aim on the guitar.

- Glenn

Glenn

For one mic where do you point and at what distance? I have been around the 12th fret and I listen for the distance to prevent (or just minimal) the proximity affect which seems to be 10-20"

George

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Glenn

For one mic where do you point and at what distance? I have been around the 12th fret and I listen for the distance to prevent (or just minimal) the proximity affect which seems to be 10-20"

George

It's best to move it around IMO. I always start at the neck joint (out 6, 12, 18, 24 inches). Then I do the same at the 12 fret, and again near the bridge.

All this gives you a general idea how the mic will sound on that particular guitar/room either in mono or in a left/right position if paired, and also how it responds to distance. Each mic is different, as is each guitar.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Glenn

For one mic where do you point and at what distance? I have been around the 12th fret and I listen for the distance to prevent (or just minimal) the proximity affect which seems to be 10-20"

George

I think about 10" distance from the guitar is a good round number. At about 20-24" the proximity effect disappears and at about 10" it's usually not too extreme.

As far as where to point it, a lot of people like aiming the mic at the 12th fret. With two mics I usually aim one at the 12th fret and one at the top in the bass bout area, past the sound hole.

Or, as DukeX notes, you could experiment around and listen through headphones until you find a place you like to aim the mic. Generally, you want to avoid the sound hole.

- Glenn

[GeorgeG]

Thanks guys, I’ll try to do some sound tests this weekend. Probably the 57, 835, NT5, 450, 184.


George

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Do any of you guys prefer an internal pickup vs an external mic for studio recording?


George

For some applications, yes.

The caveat would be that a good mic is ALWAYS going to sound better if you're trying to achieve a close approximation to your true acoustic tone. If I were doing a pure guitar recording then a mic or mics it would be.

For me personally, I've been using a K&K Pure Mini which provides me with an easy way to isolate a vocal and the guitar when doing video stuff. I'm always looking for the "easy way out" and I've been doing this for an on-going project for posting songs I've written or are in public domain to my Youtube channel. I love the ease of simply plugging the K&K straight into my recorder without adding anything to further refine the sound. A great advantage is being able to record anywhere you want to without being concerned about what the room is going to sound like, and no microphone in the video shot or mic distance to think about.

The K&K Pure Mini makes for a quick n' easy live performance rig, too.

At present, it boils down to doing it that way and actually getting something done vs. shooting for better sound and procrastinating on the project.

Here's my last posted example of using only the K&K Pure Mini for acoustic guitar parts:

[GeorgeG]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

For some applications, yes.

The caveat would be that a good mic is ALWAYS going to sound better if you're trying to achieve a close approximation to your true acoustic tone. If I were doing a pure guitar recording then a mic or mics it would be.

For me personally, I've been using a K&K Pure Mini which provides me with an easy way to isolate a vocal and the guitar when doing video stuff. I'm always looking for the "easy way out" and I've been doing this for an on-going project for posting songs I've written or are in public domain to my Youtube channel. I love the ease of simply plugging the K&K straight into my recorder without adding anything to further refine the sound. A great advantage is being able to record anywhere you want to without being concerned about what the room is going to sound like, and no microphone in the video shot or mic distance to think about.

The K&K Pure Mini makes for a quick n' easy live performance rig, too.

At present, it boils down to doing it that way and actually getting something done vs. shooting for better sound and procrastinating on the project.

Here's my last posted example of using only the K&K Pure Mini for acoustic guitar parts:

Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it. John Prine and his work must have crossed your path in the past.


George