Hello again from the blog on the creative process involved in making abstract acoustics vol 1.
This post is going to look at some of the basic equipment used to record the initial samples.The main premise of this library is acoustic guitar so it's important to record the source sound properly.
A few basic bits used well is all that's needed here with a bit of trial and error to get the right sound for acoustic guitar.
I used a couple of pre amps before going into the audio interface and used a simple microphone set up for the recording.I always use condenser microphones and usually a large diaphragm cardioid microphone placed in the right position.I tend to find the best position through trial and error but a lot of this is down to personal taste.I always believe that it is best to avoid going to close to the sound hole and I tend not to have the front of the microphone direct at the sound hole.You want to avoid the bass heavy overtones that can occur from the proximity effect so keep a distance of about 20cm away from the guitar.I find that the area where the neck meets the body is a great starting point for placement and this can be refined to your own taste through trial and error.I use a matched pair of C1000's for stereo placement ,usually in a co incident set up and I use a Rode nt 100 for single set ups.
I use the Joe Meek vc3 pre amp and love this unit for recording.It includes compression and Eq and is useful for getting rid of annoying low end rumble that can sneak into recordings.Used subtly I would recommend this unit.I've seen them on e bay for less than 100 quid.With a bit of time and effort,it is possible to get a good recorded guitar sound anywhere but it is important to take into account the environment you are recording in.Small boxy square shaped rooms are the most difficult to record in due to early reflections,flutter echoes in corners and unusual responses to bass frequencies,standing waves etc.In this situation it is important to check the recorded sound for any issues that can impact on your recording.I' m lucky in that I record in a large loft space so this makes my job easier hurrah!.
That's all for just now.I'll get some pictures up of the gear used in my next post and go into the tunings and guitar style I used for recording the samples,peace love and respect papas st germain.