MIC'D (ie: non-DI'd) ACOUSTIC presets in the BR1600. Are there any?

[Super 8]

Been wondering about this .... On the BR1600CD there are stacks of ELECTRIC GUITAR presets/VOX presets/BASS presets and even ACOUSTIC GUITAR presets for direct injection of electro-acoustics but what about MIC'D ACOUSTICS? I can't seem to find any presets. What setting(s) do other folks use for ACOUSTIC guitar when mic'ing it?

[Super 8]

AHH! Just worked it out! Plug yer mic into input 1 (XLR or 1/4") > choose 'GUITAR' INPUT then > Presets: P081 to P085. "Simples!" (I've had a BR1600 for ages but only just got a copy of the manual!)

[AndyR]

That's very interesting... I might check those out.

If I'm doing a vocal, I kinda reach for MIC Preset 1 or 2. Originally when recording acoustic guitar I'd use one of these with the noise gate switched off.

But then one day I was experimenting with several mics and trying to do vocal and guitar live. Doing that I found myself looking at the MULTI effects. I use that algorithm for pretty much EVERYTHING now, you get a Hi Pass Filter, a Compressor, and EQ for each input. If you're recording MULTI input, input 1 goes to track 1 etc. But if you're recording Stereo Input, all the inputs are still active and they go to whatever you arm to record (if you hit 1 it arms 1 and 2, if you hit 1 again it arms just 1 - so you end up recording mono, but ALL the inputs are live unless you mute them).

Anyhoo - I ended setting up a variety of MULTI patches for common things I do. Eg electric guitars and basses, and keyboards are all coming into the stereo 7/8 inputs (from a mixing desk). So I've got a "GIT Squasher" patch, and a "Bass Squasher" patch - I don't ever mess with those now, took me some time to figure them out, so they're kind of presets for me now. I just make sure the appropriate one is selected and set to Inputs 1-8 (and MAKE SURE INPUTS 1-6 ARE MUTED!!! - a lot of my early recordings have extra hiss on them, it's because some tracks were recorded multi/stereo and the unused inputs were open and effected)

I've got a couple of other MULTI patches "General Input" and "General Mix Down" - the first gets used for multi input tracking, usually an acoustic instrument of some sort with several mics. The second is used on bounces where I need extra EQ (more than the 3 band on the track) or the track didn't receive a Lo Cut when it was first recorded, that sort of thing. They get edited as they're used.

[64Guitars]

AHH! Just worked it out! Plug yer mic into input 1 (XLR or 1/4") > choose 'GUITAR' INPUT then > Presets: P081 to P085. "Simples!" (I've had a BR1600 for ages but only just got a copy of the manual!)

You probably shouldn't use the GUITAR input for a microphone since it's high impedance and the mic is low impedance. Instead, set the input to MIC, then move the cursor to the bank name ("MIC" in this case) just below the patch number and turn the TIME/VALUE wheel to change it to GUITAR. Now you're using the MIC input but with GUITAR bank effects.

That's how it works on my BR-864 and most of the other BRs. I don't have access to a BR-1600 to test the idea but I suspect that it should work the same way.

[Super 8]

You probably shouldn't use the GUITAR input for a microphone since it's high impedance and the mic is low impedance. Instead, set the input to MIC, then move the cursor to the bank name ("MIC" in this case) just below the patch number and turn the TIME/VALUE wheel to change it to GUITAR. Now you're using the MIC input but with GUITAR bank effects.

That's how it works on my BR-864 and most of the other BRs. I don't have access to a BR-1600 to test the idea but I suspect that it should work the same way.

Excellent advice! CHEERS

[Super 8]

One day I was experimenting with several mics and trying to do vocal and guitar live. Doing that I found myself looking at the MULTI effects. I use that algorithm for pretty much EVERYTHING now.

Interestin' I'll check that out Andy - CHEERS! On the subject of recording acoustic, I really must look into getting a dedicated mic for recording mine! As things stand I just have one nice condenser and, err, that's it (well, I do have an SM57 somewhere but I've mislaid it!) I just tend to record ALL my acoustic input sources with ths one mic (eg: VOX, Acoustic, Banjo, Tin Whistle, etc. just about everything really!) I've recently taken to recording my Vox and Acoustic separately but the jury's still out on that this end. I dunno, there's a certain 'something' you get from playing & singing simultaneously which I just can't seem to capture recording separately. As you'll be aware the tricky bit of course when recording VOX & AC together is that you have to get a number of things right at the recording stage #cause you can't really 'fix it in the mix' namely: your recorded balance and, most impotantly, your performance! You have to get it right 'cause you're tied in from there on in. As it stands, when recording this way, I just sing and play into the one mic (so, in MONO) and try to get the positioning right so that my acoustic doesn't drown out my voice (or vice versa). I'd like to think the recordings I make are getting better but, who knows?!! It's all just one big 'work in progress' musical journey - we live'n'learn! Anyways, keep strummin' and (most importantly!) HAVIN' FUN :-)       

[AndyR]

Yeah, I've had the same problems with acoustic and vocal - I share your pain.

I'm with you, I MUCH prefer the performances from singing and playing at the same time. But getting a usable recording is a nightmare if you're both the musician and the engineer.

I have one large condensor and two sm57s.

I use the large condensor for most stuff. I use a 57 for things like:

A rock vocal (I often do that with the mic hand held - a 57 doesn't transmit too much handling noise... obviously don't get all Roger Daltrey on it ).

Mic'ing a guitar amp.

Mic'ing a resonator guitar or percussion stuff - the large condensor can't cope with that.

And then, when I'm trying to do the singer/geetar thing, I try to use all three. Sometimes I record to stereo, sometimes I record to three separate tracks and try to mix from that ...

... and then I give up and record the guitar and vocals separately!!

I've had "some" success recording a "live together" take and then replacing the vocal and guitar separately... but not always.

It seems to vary from song-to-song, and how well I know the song. Also, I seemed to be getting better at separate tracking but still sounding "live" ... but I haven't done any recording for nearly a year now - so I'll probabaly be back to square one again!

[Super 8]

... but I haven't done any recording for nearly a year now - so I'll probably be back to square one again!

Why's that Andy? Hope you're back in the saddle soon. Lookin' forward to hearing some new sonic fruits from ya! :-)

[AndyR]

... but I haven't done any recording for nearly a year now - so I'll probably be back to square one again!

Why's that Andy? Hope you're back in the saddle soon. Lookin' forward to hearing some new sonic fruits from ya! :-)

That's quite funny - I was thinking while typing a huge reply in your drums thread, that thinking about how I do this stuff is actually waking me up again.

I didn't intend to stop, but various things happened. A biggie was that I stopped smoking. Chain-smoking and music (especially song-writing, which I do away from the recording stuff) have gone hand in hand for ages for me. If I sit in the driving seat in the studio, I still feel odd with no ash-tray and packet of tobacco, and it's nearly a year.

Also, my main "muse" from many years ago died in January, and over the past few years she'd been taking on the role again by email. She'd been getting the demos and passing comment and whatever... I was pretty much playing to her. So when she went, the reason to play disappeared for a while.

And then, with the money saved on cigarettes, I had to buy some guitars and a new amp

I've been playing those a LOT, getting to know them, but without writing or without any commitment to opening the recording box again...

But there are song ideas (lyrically, emotionally) bubbling away, they'll come out soon. That's why I'm listening to the Bee Gees, that's what made me want to sing and write songs in 1970 or so. Trouble is, my guitar playing is all blues-rock, Marshall crunch etc... don't see how they fit together at the moment!!

Perhaps I ought to restring an acoustic or turn the piano on!

[Super 8]

Hey Andy! Sorry to hear your news but, being a songwriter, you have a special gift allowing you to channel your thoughts, feelings & emotions for the good and actually create something ('art'?) from your experiences.

As for the ciggies, oh Man, I hear what you're saying! I gave 'em up about 8 years ago (for financial reasons - I just couldn't afford to smoke anymore!) yet I still crave one every night after my tea with my coffee - it's weird! I don't enjoy a pint as much as I used to either 'cause for me the two just went hand in hand - hey ho!

For what it's worth I'd be interested to hear some Bee Gees-inspired songs played through a cranked Marshall amp! BRING IT ON!!!