Hey Tom, did you ever figure out the piezos?

[Rockabilly69]

Any breakthroughs yet? I was wondering if recording though a good computer program would help to develop the EQ necessary to get a good sound. I know my use of microphones on stage was helped by recording. It definately helped me find a good balance between my magnetic pickups and the microphones. I also learned what microphones sounded good with the fishmans. Just a thought.

Dan

[sliding-tom]

Hi Dan - I haven't worked on that yet but think I will in the near future. I was just trying to get some direction in that other thread I started in case someone has had some experience with that. I'm not exactly recording into a computer program but into a workstation that has full parametric EQ so I could tweak frequencies in all the ways I want.

[Rockabilly69]

Something I've noticed is that if you can get a good sound to a recorder, you can generally get a good sound to a live mixer. When I was recording I found that moving the microphone away from the soundhole always cleaned up my tone, and sure enough, I applied the same thing to live mixing and it worked. I also used a program called Waves Renaissance, and it has this thing called a PAZ analyzer. While running the analyzer I could actually see the problem frequencies and I kept moving the microphone until they were minimal, and then designed an EQ to further help. After doing this for a while it actually taught me to trust my ears when using microphones, instead of what was considered "correct". I love old guitars, but love modern technology:crazy

Dan

[bluespckr]

I might be a long-time guitarist, but I'm a total novice when it comes to home recording and stuff. For most of the past 10 years, I lugged around an Ovation, which to my ears sounded better when plugged in through a PA or sound-system, than it did straight to a recorder.

I'm now using a Martin D-35, which I have rigged for plugging in, but prefer to play through a mic for a recording or on stage.

This past weekend, I had a go with it on an all-acoustic song I was recording, and I found that (1) I do not like the mic aimed at the hole, and (2) seemed to get a more natural tone by placing the mic (an AKG P-something 400 large diaphragm thing) closer to the when the neck meets the body. You can check out the results by going to a link in a post I have in the general area above.

An inch or less and slight change of direction makes a huge difference.

[Rockabilly69]

That spot where the body meets the neck is a good one especially with a smaller diaphragm mic there, and a medium to large diaphragm mic on the body (away from the dreaded woofy soundhole). Another good trick is a little distance from the guitar and a good XY matched mic setup. Either way, pan the individual guitars apart in the mix to create a soundstage. One guitar, can sound huge like this, and either one of these techniques can be combined with a pickup to give the guitar a quick attack, but usually there is a slight latency between direct and mic signals. Another good trick is to flip the phase on one of the mics if your getting too much boom (this can be done later in the mix nondestructively). I love to record acoustic guitars.

Dan

[bluespckr]

Some good suggestions, Dan. Thanks.

I have another mostly-acoustic tune that I will be working on in the next week or so, and will try the two mic thing. I have a large and small diaphragm, as well as other different mics I can try. I'll see how that goes.

[Rockabilly69]

Paul,

Another thing that I definately forgot to mention is the use of compressors with those mics. They make the whole recording thing MUCH easier!!!
E-mail me at danpweldon.com and I'll leave my phone number, it would be easier to tell you some things over the phone.

Dan

[Rockabilly69]

whoops - danpweldon@msn.com!!!