I've tried different microphones. Both phantom powered and other, including the inbuilt piezo.
The general problem is the volume level.
I have this piece that is a pulled chord, a bit explosive, and then followed by fingerpicking.
If i set the record level for the pulled chord, the rest is agonizingly low in volume.
If i set the record level for the fingerpicking, the pulled chord is destroyed by distortion.
I have yet to try plugin effects and ir's.
How do you get a successful nylon guitar recording done?
It's at home, no studio setting available.
Acoustic recording. Nylon guitar.
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- addled muppet weed
- 111343 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
one mic set for the high bit, one for the low, then edit the audios?
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1115 posts since 20 Oct, 2018
Thanks for all suggestions. Please keep them coming.
Most of the song is fingerpicking. Maybe i should omit the the pulled chord bit and record the other stuff. Then try to do a separate recording of the chord. Punch in or paste in.
Is that something you think been done before, with ok result?
Most of the song is fingerpicking. Maybe i should omit the the pulled chord bit and record the other stuff. Then try to do a separate recording of the chord. Punch in or paste in.
Is that something you think been done before, with ok result?
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- The tallest of the gang
- 373 posts since 1 Jul, 2002 from Yon London
If you have a friend available, get them to drop the level smoothly at that peak - I've successfully used very crude methods like draw two lines on the input fader (quiet and loud)
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- Boss Lovin' DR
- 14312 posts since 15 Mar, 2002 from the grimness of yorkshire
Depending on how good the noise floor on your recording is something like VOLA2 or similar might do the trick, using both upward and downward gain adjustment;
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2594/
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2594/
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- KVRAF
- 9531 posts since 6 Oct, 2004
Find alternate chord voicings that don't generate the unwanted frequencies, sometimes invasive open or low strings can be avoided that way. Some guitars even need custom string gauges for certain songs, especially with a piezo.
For mics, get a rotating/rolling armless chair, where you can re-distance the sound-hole quickly. Or play/record while standing. Vocalists, when needing to control their 'instrument' to hit a certain pitch or style, reposition distance and or direction. Same goes for acoustic guitars.
Phrasing a pause may buy you time in the above soundhole adjustment. A well placed
silence allows the listener time to absorb, and breath in the music. Jeff Beck was great at that skill. You can arrange your song in various ways, and may want to introduce the pulled chord later, maybe with some catchy fingerpicking at the intro. You don't mention a rythm track
The Rippingtons Caribbean Breeze starts with a simple percussion roll, followed by the melodic acoustic solos.
Consider using an audio editor, for precise control of the results. Audacity lets you
record your 'silent' recording area, and use that as a profile to remove an audible noise floor
from a recording where for example, the quieter fingerpicking needs a substantial boost,
but also amplifies the noisefloor. It's easy to change the amplitube of the various parts
to overcome performance oddities, with zoom in-out and undo/redo control. It has a handy plugin with sliders for bass, treble and volume, which works well on acoustics, again, undo/redo let you dial in the best combo for your song and portions thereof. A subtle reverb on the whole can help glue things together.
Cheers
For mics, get a rotating/rolling armless chair, where you can re-distance the sound-hole quickly. Or play/record while standing. Vocalists, when needing to control their 'instrument' to hit a certain pitch or style, reposition distance and or direction. Same goes for acoustic guitars.
Phrasing a pause may buy you time in the above soundhole adjustment. A well placed
silence allows the listener time to absorb, and breath in the music. Jeff Beck was great at that skill. You can arrange your song in various ways, and may want to introduce the pulled chord later, maybe with some catchy fingerpicking at the intro. You don't mention a rythm track
The Rippingtons Caribbean Breeze starts with a simple percussion roll, followed by the melodic acoustic solos.
Consider using an audio editor, for precise control of the results. Audacity lets you
record your 'silent' recording area, and use that as a profile to remove an audible noise floor
from a recording where for example, the quieter fingerpicking needs a substantial boost,
but also amplifies the noisefloor. It's easy to change the amplitube of the various parts
to overcome performance oddities, with zoom in-out and undo/redo control. It has a handy plugin with sliders for bass, treble and volume, which works well on acoustics, again, undo/redo let you dial in the best combo for your song and portions thereof. A subtle reverb on the whole can help glue things together.
Cheers
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- KVRAF
- 20941 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
The first two answers will get you what you need. Aphex 651 or 661 would be a good compressor for this.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1115 posts since 20 Oct, 2018
Aphex is W A Y out of my pricerange.
I have two old hardware effects i could test some fabric presets.
Yamaha Rex 50 and Zoom G2.1u.
I usually don't use metronom or percussive track in the beginning of a piece. I think an instrument gives you rythm enough and don't constrain you.
I have two old hardware effects i could test some fabric presets.
Yamaha Rex 50 and Zoom G2.1u.
I usually don't use metronom or percussive track in the beginning of a piece. I think an instrument gives you rythm enough and don't constrain you.
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- addled muppet weed
- 111343 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
hold on!
is the pulled chord, an intro, then the fingerpicking follows throughout?
if so, set up for the pulled chord, record.
on a second track, set up for fingerpicking, press play and record.
come in at appropriate moment.
is the pulled chord, an intro, then the fingerpicking follows throughout?
if so, set up for the pulled chord, record.
on a second track, set up for fingerpicking, press play and record.
come in at appropriate moment.
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- KVRAF
- 20941 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
It’s around $100.
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- Boss Lovin' DR
- 14312 posts since 15 Mar, 2002 from the grimness of yorkshire
No functional nylon string here, so we'll have to make do with, err, 12 string acoustic. Had a mess about with VOLA and not bad results. First is the original (with switch between picking - plectrum of coursedonkey tugger wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 8:30 pm Depending on how good the noise floor on your recording is something like VOLA2 or similar might do the trick, using both upward and downward gain adjustment;
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2594/
- and strumming accentuated for effect). Second bit is the same file with VOLA set to pull-up 12 db.https://drive.google.com/file/d/13PDTrk ... share_link
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1115 posts since 20 Oct, 2018
It did increase in volume without audible disting.donkey tugger wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 5:17 pm No functional nylon string here, so we'll have to make do with, err, 12 string acoustic. Had a mess about with VOLA and not bad results. First is the original (with switch between picking - plectrum of course
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13PDTrk ... share_link
Maybe something to try.
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- KVRAF
- 9531 posts since 6 Oct, 2004
@donkey tugger:
Thanks for the link and example. Downloaded VOLA 2, and it has rave reviews! I loaded your mp3 in audacity to visualize your results:
I would boost the picking part a lot more myself for a finished piece, this screengrab shows the picking boosted by 6.0 dB in audacity:
Cheers
Thanks for the link and example. Downloaded VOLA 2, and it has rave reviews! I loaded your mp3 in audacity to visualize your results:
I would boost the picking part a lot more myself for a finished piece, this screengrab shows the picking boosted by 6.0 dB in audacity:
Cheers
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1115 posts since 20 Oct, 2018
Gear4music and Thomann only has "Aphex Channel Master Preamp and Input Processor" which is 1000 euro.Uncle E wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:07 am The first two answers will get you what you need. Aphex 651 or 661 would be a good compressor for this.
On Ebay it is about 300 euro with shipping. Used items is a lottery and i obviously will try other things first.
But it indicates that a compressor together with eq could help. Saw a video about raising volume that used Audacity. As mentioned by glokraw. Looked interesting.
Bare in mind. I'm the king of procrastination...
