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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
 Posted - 09/23/2004 : 11:59:59 AM
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TaroPatch Ohana,
I’ve been a studio rat since the late ‘60s. I’m a certified Recording Engineer. Although I no longer try to make a “living” in the studio, I still take on private projects and concert sound. If it’s a type of music or an instrument, I’ve probably recorded it. If its piece of studio gear, I’ve probably used it or something close. Over many years I’ve been fortunate to amass some high-end gear and recording equipment. But, guess what? Some of the best recordings I’ve ever done or heard were done on some pretty lousy equipment. Why? Attention to details and utilizing what you have to the best it can be.
Of all the acoustic instruments out there I think the acoustic guitar is the hardest to record well. Violins, Cellos, Acoustic Bass, etc., are a piece of cake compared to the guitar.
The request was made of me by a couple TaroPatchers to discuss recording. I hesitate a bit because this is an involved topic and quite truthfully, very subjective. Having followed all the threads on the topic leading up to the 2004 CD, then listening to the CD, and finally, reading the threads subsequent to it, I will discuss recording in very broad terms. Having said that, I just want to say, the TP CD recordings are very good. All could be better by following a few simple techniques that I’ll discuss below. I also suggest that all the recordings could be better without spending more money on equipment. This is a “utilize what you got to the best of its ability” discussion.
Because of the complexity of the topic, I decided to break this up into three sections: Signal Path, Editing and Platform. I will present it over two or three threads. This first one is the most important.
I’m going to make the basic assumption that all of our recordings are going to end up on a CD or DVD. This means that they are all going to end up in a computer of some kind for final processing. That’s where we put the pieces together, EQ, reverb, tweak. compression, etc. If you lack that capability, then find someone to do it for you. If you follow the advice below, this can be done inexpensively.
Signal Path
As we say in the studio biz, “Garbage in, Garbage out” The recording Signal Path is Player > Instrument > Microphone/Guitar electronics > Cable > Pre-Amplifier. Of course your setup could be more complicated than this, but let’s stick to basics. If any one of these elements is not being used to its full potential, then you create garbage (in our case noise, distortion, hums etc.)
Player:
Your performance and the recording of it are the most important piece. First of all, practice, practice, practice, then practice some more. Practice with a metronome, then practice to a click track with headphones on. Learn to record with headphones and a click track. If your system doesn’t generate a click track, then record your metronome. Place pillows on the floor so you can tap your feet vigorously and not make noise (take your shoes off). You’ll be amazed how much better you play if you tap your feet. Staying on beat will lessen the amount of work you have to do in the editing phase, especially if you need to cut-and-paste a few notes here and there (more on this when I discuss editing). If you’re a heavy breather when you play, buy a box of cheap surgical masks and learn to wear them. Find a chair to sit in that doesn’t squeak when you move around. Find a playing position that you can be comfortable in for the length of the recording process. Microphones will be adjusted to that position, NOT the other way around. Plan on attempting to do your entire recording for that track in a single sitting. We want to keep things as uniform as possible. Wear clothes that don’t make noise. For example, corduroy pants can sound pretty weird in a microphone; buttons against the back of a guitar, skin being unpeeled from the face of the guitar, etc. You get the picture.
Not to get ahead of myself, once your ready to record, practice in that environment until your comfortable. One of the tricks I use for myself is to plan the recording day. I set everything up the day before, practice and set my initial recording levels. My adrenalin flows way too much if I try to set up and record all at the same time. It takes most of us a long time to be comfortable in the studio, so take it nahenahe.
Instrument:
You’re the one that knows your instrument the best. I have a guitar that sound the best ten minutes after I put new strings on it and another that doesn’t sound good for two days. The other ones are in between. Put on new strings and plan your recording day appropriately. Guitars are like your spoken voice. How many times have you said, “Do I really sound like that?” upon hearing your recorded voice. Guitars are the same way. If you have fret buzz, poor intonation, high strings, spend a little money to get it right. If it’s worth recording, it’s worth keeping in recording condition. One last tip, clean and polish the neck. The hardest noise to get rid of (usually impossible) is the noise the palm of the hand makes when it sticks and then squeaks when you release to move to a new hand position. I heard it on a couple of the TP CDs and it is avoidable. String squeak is another matter. Sometimes it adds to the performance, but most of the time it doesn’t. Practice makes perfect (or squeakless).
I’ve recorded $10,000 guitars and a $100 Harmony. Price doesn’t always make a difference. If you set up properly, you’ll get a good recording. Again, it’s about maximizing you Signal Path.
Microphone/Guitar Electronics:
This is not a discussion about what mic to buy, but how to use it. Most modern mics are pretty decent. What I will discuss is mic placement. There are as many ways to mic a guitar as there are engineers out there. This is the basic setup that works for me in a small space almost all the time.
Here I’ll make my second assumption. Most of us record in small, noisy spaces. My studio is an 8 x 10 room with the computer and noisy equipment in a closet. I live in the flight path of San Jose Airport and I have a freeway and train within two blocks. My neighbors across the street think I like their Mexican and/or rap music, so they occasionally play it loud enough for me to hear (and quite well I might add). Even though Keola Beamer lives in a relatively quiet neighborhood in Lahaina, his studio isn’t much bigger. His recordings aren’t too shabby. So, what’s the solution? Close micing!
Microphone: Ideally you want a mic that has a cardioid or super-cardioid pattern with high off axis rejection. Simply put you want one that picks up only the information in front of it. You can use an omni-directional mic (wider pick up range), but it will also pick up more noise (you might place it closer, but then distortion becomes a factor). For the money, an AKG C-1000 at $200 is a great start for any studio. Plus, it’s great for gigs and decent for vocals. (This is not an endorsement. I don’t own one, but I’ve used plenty of them)
Okay, how do we position it? If you only have one mic, position it 6 to 12 inches away from the center of the lower bout of the guitar. You don’t want it perpendicular, but off axis about 5 to 10 degrees. Avoid aiming it towards the sound hole. Put on your headphones; turn off you monitors and play. Listen to the quality of the instrument as you move closer and further away, side to side and up and down. Find the sweet spot and make a note of it.
If you have a second mic, position it 6 to 12 inches away from the 14th fret, aimed towards the body end of the fretboard, but not directly at the sound hole. Go thru the headphone listening phase again, listening only to that mic. Once you’ve found the sweet spot, listen to both at the same time. Make sure you separate it into stereo. Once you’ve accomplished that, pan both tracks to mono. If some of the sound drops out as you play, there is a phasing problem. This doesn’t happen often with Close Micing and the reason why this happens is too detailed for this discussion. Suffice it to say, make minor adjustments to the mic positions until it goes away. Now you’re ready to record with the mics.
Guitar Electronics: What a Pandora’s box this is, but let’s gets back to basics. Most novice recordists EQ the instrument. This is what we call recording “wet”. Once it’s been recorded it can’t be changed. Unless you have a frequency that really howls and has to be knocked down, place all the EQ and other levels at zero. On a scale of 1 to 10, place the volume control around 8. These settings are about the optimum for most guitar electronics: the cleanest Signal Path. Don’t record your reverb or other effects. We’ll add those later if necessary. We want a “dry” recording, not a “wet” one.
One rule of thumb that generally works for me is that if you have two mics of different quality, the better of the two should be the one at the 14th fret. I find this to be true 8 out of 10 times.
Cable:
Do yourself a favor and buy some high-end cables: BLUE, Mogami, Star-quad, and Monster, with Neutrik or Switchcraft connectors. I don’t care. This goes for your guitar cable also. The reason? Repeat after me: Signal Path. This also goes for the cable that runs from an outboard pre-amp or other effects device. Use good ones. No, Radio Shack is not an option. (Oh Boy, I’ll be flamed for that one)
Pre-Amplifier:
Whether the pre-amplifier is part of your recording device or separate doesn’t really matter. Let’s discuss how we use it. Hit the Record button (not Play, although that’s OK too. You can always erase it. Plus you can hear what it sounds like and make adjustments accordingly). Watch the levels as you play. Play the loudest passage you play in the song. The level should never “Clip” (go all the way to the top). If it does, back off the volume and/or adjust your playing position. Do all this with your headphones on, but don’t crank the volume up. You don’t want to damage you ears. Listen for distortion. More than likely being too close to the mic would cause that. Play through the entire song and learn what it takes to “play” the mics. It’s much like singing; you change distance with the dynamics or sound of the performance. Your recording should always be as loud as you can play it without “Clipping”. The exception is string squeak. If the only time the recording “clips” is with string squeak, don’t sweat it. It can be reduced later. For you advanced readers who are thinking, “Yeah, but what about Normalization?” I rarely Normalize. I’ll talk about this when we get to Editing.
TIME TO RECORD
Suggestions:
Remember assumption one? This will end up in some kind of computer. Well this is where it happens. I suggest that you do not try to take on the whole song in one pass. Take it how ever many measures at a time that make sense to you and that you can perform without mistakes. Record it many times. The more good takes you have the better for building the song at the editing phase (next thread). If there is a transition from verse to verse or verse to bridge, always record into the first measure of the transition. It’s also a good idea, if you’re recording the second verse or bridge, to start a measure before. Finally, if you have multi-track capabilities, place your takes on different tracks. If you’ve done this and recorded to a click track, editing is a breeze and much less expensive if you’re paying someone.
Comment:
This has been provided as a starting point for beginning recordists to make better recordings. The more you do it, the more you’ll find ways that work better for you. If you have the capability to leave your recording setup in place, record your practice sessions.
Good luck. Hope this has been helpful. The Editing thread will take time, so please be patient.
Ke akua pu,
Dave
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 12:17:49 PM
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| This is excellent Dave...thanks! |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 09/23/2004 12:19:27 PM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 12:31:06 PM
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Mahalo!
This is very helpful.
Jesse Tinsley |
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milikona
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 12:38:07 PM
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Dave,
Thanks... This is really informative.
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ohanabrown
Lokahi
281 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 2:45:33 PM
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Aloha, Bruddah Kawika
I was smiling at certain subjects you were talking about. It's all true! like the, "chair, breathing, clothes with metal bittons, guitar sticking to your skin, minor thing's like that, could be very costly in recordings. Kawika if you don't mind, can i add another thing that we might over look?
And that is your "WATCH" today's watches are high tech. Some of them have alarms, some stop clocks, and some will beep every hour to let you know. It happen couple of times to me. And the worse part about it is, when your recording on your guitar, or vocal's and your playing the best paani you've ever done, and hit the note you've been trying for hour's and your alarm on the watch ring's, and you go back again to re-do it, and you can't capture that same feel and sound, It's time to pack up for the day.
Sometimes if you listen to different artist on a CD, and you watch them live, chances are the artist will not play the exact licks you heard on the CD. Because at that time he recorded it, there was this certain feel that he had in the studio. It may sound close but not exactly.
When peter moon recorded "kawika" he did a paani(lead), in the intro,that was the hottest sound around, everybody duplicated peter's intro, except for peter. In the millions of time's he played it, he did it a million different way's.
Me Ke Aloha
Kevin |
Kevin K. Brown |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 2:49:10 PM
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Mahalo, Dave! Excellent.
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 3:57:03 PM
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Right on, Brother Dog. An excellent public service.
If I may, I'd like to clarify one small point:
Once you’ve found the sweet spot, listen to both at the same time. Make sure you separate it into stereo. Once you’ve accomplished that, pan both tracks to mono. If some of the sound drops out as you play, there is a phasing problem.
Dave is refferring to listening to the stereo signal collapsed to mono on your speakers , not headphones. If it sounds weird (as in, all the bass or treble drops out, or, in extreme cases, the signal dissapears entirely, adjust accordingly.
Happy recording!
Mark
PS. Dave -- Mahalo for one heckuva a job you did on the AMC student concert CD!!!! |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:24:58 PM
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Awesome. After that read, CD III will be improved already.
Thanks for such a lengthy but very interesting post. You may want to type your next post into a word processor first so that you don't accidently hit and wipe out the whole thing before posting. Save periodically. Then copy (Control-C) and paste (Control-V) into Taropatch. I speak from experience. |
Andy |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:42:11 PM
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Kevin, Mark and friends
You know how much I love you guys. Thanks for the constructive remarks.
The watch thing has never happened to me in a session, but I know it now. I did have a cell phone and pager go off more than once. A producer was giving me a hard time about how the session was going. As his big-time artist was doing the vocal of his life, the producers cell went off. He was on the sound stage with the artist. It took four more takes to come even close and I took his money for the extra time. (Yeah, I know Mark, I actually got paid for that one)
I forgot the "monitor" thing. You're right, this won't happen in headphones. If you guys don't mind, I'll add those things as an edit down the line to keep this thread bumped to the top.
The remarks about Peter Moon brought a lot of issues home for me. A lot of us talk about finding TAB that's played just like the record, but the artist never plays it the same way twice.
Mark. Thanks for the kudos about the AMC CDs. Talk about not so good equipment. Two medium grade dynamics mic and two guitar cords running through a Fender PA system to a Sony Mini-disc recorder that was attacked by Moloka`i menehune. Plus Mark Lennon's Sony recording live sound under attack also. As you know, it's a wonder we had anything at all. I'm pretty proud of that effort.
Keep it coming . This is great.
Mahalo,
Dave
PS: Andy. As I just posted this I came back to find your comments. It took the better part of six hours to write the piece and I did do it in Word with lots of saves. It's on my Desktop as we speak. That's a great point that I'll bring up in "Editing". I've lost hours of complicated edits by not saving. Thanks. |
Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 09/23/2004 5:01:06 PM |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 5:46:54 PM
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Thanks, Dave. I need all the help I can get.  |
Dusty |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 7:01:39 PM
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Aloha Dave,
Thanks for the effort. |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 7:44:07 PM
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I love the coincidences in life. This afternoon I open my mail and found the lastest issue of Electronic Musician (Oct 2004). On page 84 is an article entitled "Finding the Sweet Spot". It takes what I said above and gives a little more detail. There's a good description of mic patterns. I suggest that any of you who want to become proficient in recording get the article. The Earthworks QTC-1s displayed on page 84 are what I use to record guitars.
Another great resource for recording is a magazine called TapeOP. The best thing about it is that it's free. You can sign up for a free copy at www.tapeop.com.
Admirable: The AKG C-535 is a damn good microphone. I have used it on vocals where I needed to warm up a weak voice. I've never used it on guitar because I had other options. Given how it works on vocals and the fact that it cardioid, you'll probably find you best results recording a little further away, but you'll have to quiet your room down. I know that sounds backwards, but the mid-range and bass from your guitar may overwhelm it a bit. Just a guess. Good luck!
Happy recording
Dave |
Edited by - `Ilio Nui on 09/24/2004 3:06:00 PM |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 8:38:26 PM
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The purpose of this thread is to "take what you have and use it better". I'm more that happy to give recommendations about studio inprovements and equipment purchases, but there are so many variables, I think the best way to do that is off-line. Send me an email through TaroPatch. Tell me what your Signal Path is right now, what you use to edit, and what platform you use (Mac, PC, Mackie, Fostex, Alesis, etc.) What is your studio space like? What do you think of the recordings you're making now? If you're willing to spend money, how much and on what? If I know more about you I can help more.
Thanks everyone
Woof |
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Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 8:13:26 PM
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Aloha Dave--
After reading some of the posts here, I went back and listened to the AMC 2004 CD and boy, I'll tell you, despite not-so-good equipment, you did a hell of a job producing a nice sounding disk. Mahalo redux!
Duke
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 8:32:37 PM
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Duke,
Mahalo. It's because of you that My Sweet Pikake Lei is part of my performance set. I call the AMC recording my Hana o Aloha (Labor of Love, but please correct my Hawaiian). Your PA system was a God-send over previous AMC recording attempts. I too am very proud of how that turned out.
Ke akua pu,
Dave |
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