The EM Poll

SIX-STRING STRATEGIES

Dec 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Michael Cooper

           

Amped Up

Despite the DI box's occasional creative and problem-solving uses, a good mic and mic preamp will always deliver a more organic, natural, and realistic acoustic guitar sound. If you can't afford both a high-end mic and an expensive preamp, Dodd recommends that you put most of your money on the preamp.

Dave Way

“You can maximize [the quality of] an inexpensive microphone with an expensive mic pre,” Dodd notes. “But you can lose so much the other way around.”

When recording to Digidesign Pro Tools, Way prefers to use a tube preamp. “When you're going to digital, especially with something as transient as acoustic guitar, to be able to soften up those transients is definitely something you want,” he explains. “Otherwise, it can sometimes just hurt your ear, especially when you put a compressor on it.”

Ahern says, “The best all-around preamp for guitar is a [Neve] 1084. If you can't afford one of those, get a Peavey VMP-2 tube preamp. It sounds really close to a 1084. Available cheap, and they sound amazing. Nobody paid much attention to it when it first came out, but it was a fine piece of work, and everybody should own one.” (The Peavey VMP-2 is a discontinued dual-channel model that occasionally sells on eBay for around $650.)

Busy Signal

Way and Dodd have no qualms about applying analog signal processing such as EQ and compression to acoustic guitar while tracking. In fact, they both stress the importance of getting the sound right in the analog domain in order to avoid the use of DAW plug-ins as much as possible. The big caveat is that you have to be sure the processing you want to apply is appropriate for the production before you cast it in stone. Prudence dictates playing it safe if you're just beginning to track and have no idea what will be needed at mixdown.

“The engineer's job is a bit like the Hippocratic oath: first, do no harm,” Dodd states. He won't hesitate to apply EQ and compression, however, when he knows it's needed or will add a nice touch. “If I'm sure, I'll commit,” he says, adding, “If this is the last overdub, you should be doing it the way it's meant to be on the record. What's the point in not doing that? Leaving too many options [open for mixdown] is a bad thing.” But he qualifies his statement by noting that “the EQ usually only comes into play to deliberately change something you already like and seldom to try and salvage something.”

Way agrees. “I try to move the mic before I put in EQ,” he notes. When EQ is needed, however, he says that “more often than not, you're either rolling off a little bottom, adding a little top, or both.”

Like Dodd, Way is “not afraid to put in the compressor. Ultimately, if I'm going for a sound, I'll go for it,” he says. A typical way in which Dodd and Way might use compression while tracking acoustic guitar would be to back the mic farther away from the instrument and compress the signal to bring out the room tone (if it's favorable). Way also notes that compression “can affect how the guitar player plays. If he gets that hyperreal sound in his headphones where he can hear every little detail, that can actually inspire a great performance.”

Unlike Dodd and Way, Newland usually shies away from compressing acoustic guitar while tracking, preferring to capture “the full signal.” He will, however, conservatively apply EQ while recording “if it's obvious it needs a little bit no matter how you look at it.” He notes that you can always add a little more EQ during mixdown if needed. He has no compunction about using EQ and compressor plug-ins, citing Waves Renaissance EQ and Renaissance Compressor as favorites.

“The Renaissance Compressor is probably the No. 1 plug-in that I have, period,” Newland enthuses. “It's great on guitars. It's a totally flexible, great piece of gear. I've got no problem slapping one of those things on in addition to whatever analog processing I'm using. I'm totally into the concept of a little bit of the old, a little bit of the new.”

I have also found Renaissance Compressor to be my go-to compressor, when uncompromised transparency, minimal coloration, and preservation of depth are required for acoustic guitar tracks.

Ahern will use compression and EQ while tracking acoustic guitar “if the player is looking for a specific trashy, rock 'n' roll sound.” But he notes that his favored UREI 1176 “may sit there for a year and never get lit up.” As for equalization tips, he revealed that “if you use a felt guitar pick, the plectrum noise becomes suppressed, and then you can crank up the high frequencies without any danger of clicking and banging.”

When asked about their favorite compressors and equalizers for tracking acoustic guitar, the four engineers cited mostly vintage, high-end models. However, when pressed for suggestions on an inexpensive compressor to use, Newland said of the FMR Audio RNC Compressor, “That thing, for $200 or so, is one of the most kick-ass pieces of equipment available.”

Good Is Good

As we wrapped up the interviews, Newland and Ahern both offered advice to those who are new to recording acoustic guitar. “If I didn't know what mic to put on it and was recording a great player,” suggested Newland, “I'd say, ‘What works for you?’ I would certainly ask the player what they've had success with. I think that people learning to record can learn a lot by asking other good players what helps. It's a good way to get another perspective and some extra knowledge.”

Ahern brought the subject of recording acoustic guitar down to earth by cautioning not to get caught up in equipment specs and theory while tracking. “I always ignore math,” he said flatly. “What sounds good is good. Period. Just turn the buttons till it sounds right.”

EM contributing editor Michael Cooper (www.myspace.com/michaelcooperrecording) is the owner of Michael Cooper Recording in Sisters, Oregon.