Recording Acoustic Guitar - avoiding unwanted sound?

[Brian Huether]

I have the difficult task of recording myself playing acoustic (and if that
fails I will head to a studio!). I am using a Royer r121 at the moment but
have a Studio Projects C1 on the way. I notice that if my picking arm
brushes against the guitar, this noise is being picked up. It almost seems
that I have to remain impossibly rigid to record. I prefer to get into it,
you know. If I am sitting rigid, I feel like my playing may be rigid also.
Can anyone recommend some techniques (playing or recording) that lend
themselves to "clean" sounding acoustic? Or is a certain amount of player
noise part of the game?

thanks,

brian

[Luckyman]

Hi,

I don't think you should change the way you play... when you play most
naturally and relaxed, you provide the best performance. You can try to
remove rings from your fingers or your long-sleeve-shirt while recording, if
those are of problem and causing the noise.

What could be better cure, however, would be to experiment with mic
positioning. Bring the microphone closer to the point where your left hand
grabs the neck than where your picking hand touches the strings. Try to
position the mic more upper, so it points to the guitar from above.
Anything. Think of where the distracting noise is the loudest, and then keep
the mic away from that area.

If there is problem with the overall volume level rising occassionally, you
might want to try a adding a little bit of compressor.

Regards, Kalle





"Brian Huether" > wrote in message
...
> I have the difficult task of recording myself playing acoustic (and if
that
> fails I will head to a studio!). I am using a Royer r121 at the moment but
> have a Studio Projects C1 on the way. I notice that if my picking arm
> brushes against the guitar, this noise is being picked up. It almost seems
> that I have to remain impossibly rigid to record. I prefer to get into it,
> you know. If I am sitting rigid, I feel like my playing may be rigid also.
> Can anyone recommend some techniques (playing or recording) that lend
> themselves to "clean" sounding acoustic? Or is a certain amount of player
> noise part of the game?
>
> thanks,
>
> brian
>
>

[Audy]

Brian:

How close is the mic to the guitar? Try backing off to about 10
inches, aiming the mic at a diagonal from the player's left (assuming
you're right handed) to the 18th fret at 45 degrees, facing slightly
downward. If that doesn't help, wear a soft, long sleeved cotton
flannel shirt or some kind of soft cotton long sleeved shirt,
unstarched.

Recording does require some changes in technique so be open, be
patient with yourself and expect to make some adjustments when
recording. Recording is a great teacher.

Aloha,
Audy
Radar 24 Dealer

[Peter Larsen]

Brian Huether wrote:

> I have the difficult task of recording myself playing acoustic (and if that
> fails I will head to a studio!). I am using a Royer r121 at the moment but
> have a Studio Projects C1 on the way. I notice that if my picking arm
> brushes against the guitar, this noise is being picked up.

Mic pair is too close.

> It almost seems
> that I have to remain impossibly rigid to record. I prefer to get into it,
> you know. If I am sitting rigid, I feel like my playing may be rigid also.
> Can anyone recommend some techniques (playing or recording) that lend
> themselves to "clean" sounding acoustic? Or is a certain amount of player
> noise part of the game?

Musicians who do not breath will expire.

> thanks,
>
> brian

--
************************************************** ***********
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
************************************************** ***********

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I am using a Royer r121 at the moment but
> have a Studio Projects C1 on the way. I notice that if my picking arm
> brushes against the guitar, this noise is being picked up.

The microphone doesn't create any sound, it's just picking up what's
there. You just never realized it because you're listening from the
other side of the guitar. You can experiment with mic position to
minimize this, but often the studio environment, where your sound can
be put under an aural microscope, reveals bad habits that you never
knew you had. Best to correct those at the source - you.

> I prefer to get into it,
> you know.

If you "get into it" chances are the volume of the guitar will exceed
the volume of your sleeve brushing against the instrument. Unless of
course you're wearing chain mail.

> Or is a certain amount of player noise part of the game?

That, too. About the only player noise that bothers me is breathing. I
don't sweat finger, pick, or fret noise. Those are all "organic" and
just part of the sound. You can control them or let them show, as you
wish.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Neil Henderson]

>> I prefer to get into it,
>> you know.
>
>If you "get into it" chances are the volume of the guitar will exceed
>the volume of your sleeve brushing against the instrument. Unless of
>course you're wearing chain mail.


ROFL! Nice one.

BTW, what's the best mic for under $200 with which to record chain mail?

NeilH

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> BTW, what's the best mic for under $200 with which to record chain mail?

An EV 664 should do pretty well. You could even MAKE chain mail with
it.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )

[t fitzgerald]

Recording has a way of revealing the flaws in ones playing. Get used to
playing in a way that works for recording. Try standing and sitting see
what works best. Make sure as suggested you are playing loud enough. The
guitar will be louder than the noise. Use newer strings, they usually
give out more volume. I have had to tape a cloth to the guitar to keep
the pick from hitting the pickguard and making noise. Good Luck

Todd Fitzgerald
Chief Engineer
OarFin Studios Minneapolis
www.oarfinrecords.com

[Doctor Phibes]

"Brian Huether" > wrote in message >...
> I have the difficult task of recording myself playing acoustic (and if that
> fails I will head to a studio!). I am using a Royer r121 at the moment but
> have a Studio Projects C1 on the way. I notice that if my picking arm
> brushes against the guitar, this noise is being picked up. It almost seems
> that I have to remain impossibly rigid to record. I prefer to get into it,
> you know. If I am sitting rigid, I feel like my playing may be rigid also.
> Can anyone recommend some techniques (playing or recording) that lend
> themselves to "clean" sounding acoustic? Or is a certain amount of player
> noise part of the game?
>
> thanks,
>
> brian

>

Wear clothing that doesn't make noise. Synthetic fleece I think is
good, it's like insulation. Cotton canvas would be real bad. Also
you'd want to wear long sleaves not matter what you wear. You don't
want skin squeeks. I don't know if your down stroke creates noise on
the pick guard but if it does maybe you could drape some cloth out of
the sound hole. Don't wear work boots while playing. Play on a rug
even if a small one. Use a shock mount on your mics and maybe some
foam or rubber isolators under the stand. The last this could probably
be found at home depot. Also jeans can be bad if they have any metal
on them always ticking away at your guitar. You want your body to
become isolated without effecting your style.

Good luck,
William

[dwgriffi]

This thread reminds me of a great quote from Steve Miller which in essence said
that no great music was ever recorded in a recording studio. It's just not a
natural situation to be playing in the direction of a mic, with a shirt you
don't usually wear because it makes less noise, not tapping your foot because...


When I was little I used to wonder why most of the musicians I thought were so
great live really didn't show that greatness on their records, and I think this
dance for clean recordings is a big part of it. It's all a compromise, to me.
Get comfortable and don't go for a totally noiseless track. I'll bet many of
those sounds aren't objectionable to others, only to you. They're just there.
If it's too much reign it in with a little of all of the options, but don't keep
reconfiguring everything just because it's not silent.




And then cherry-pick the noises out in PTools!! ; )


DWG

--
Raindances always worked because they didn't stop dancing until it rained.



To reply, please remove the 555 from the return address

[Garthrr]

In article >,
dwgriffi > writes:

>This thread reminds me of a great quote from Steve Miller which in essence
>said
>that no great music was ever recorded in a recording studio.

Thats a bunch of bull****. Steve needs to listen to some different records
then.

Garth~


"I think the fact that music can come up a wire is a miracle."
Ed Cherney

[dwgriffi]

In article >,
(Garthrr) wrote:

> In article >,
> dwgriffi > writes:
>
> >This thread reminds me of a great quote from Steve Miller which in essence
> >said
> >that no great music was ever recorded in a recording studio.
>
> Thats a bunch of bull****. Steve needs to listen to some different records
> then.



IIRC, he was speaking relative to the great music that didn't get played inside
a studio. I think his point was well taken. He wasn't refering to great
productions or great records, just great playing, compared to the playing that
happens outside of the recording environment.

--
Raindances always worked because they didn't stop dancing until it rained.



To reply, please remove the 555 from the return address

[Tommy B]

Guess Steve never listened to the stuff Tommy Dowd recorded on 56th st.
Tom


"dwgriffi" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (Garthrr) wrote:
>
> > In article
>,
> > dwgriffi > writes:
> >
> > >This thread reminds me of a great quote from Steve Miller which in
essence
> > >said
> > >that no great music was ever recorded in a recording studio.
> >
> > Thats a bunch of bull****. Steve needs to listen to some different
records
> > then.
>
>
>
> IIRC, he was speaking relative to the great music that didn't get played
inside
> a studio. I think his point was well taken. He wasn't refering to
great
> productions or great records, just great playing, compared to the playing
that
> happens outside of the recording environment.
>
> --
> Raindances always worked because they didn't stop dancing until it rained.
>
>
>
> To reply, please remove the 555 from the return address