Post your best acoustic guitar + vocal recordings (and your methods!)

[des0free]

I have been experimenting with simultaneous recording of acoustic guitar + vocal and think I finally made a big improvement - comments and advice welcome!
(The song here is yet another redone cover of "You Raise Me Up" by Loveland/Graham)

I would like to hear other people's recordings of guitar + vocal and hear in detail about the techniques, gear, mixing - and discuss  
(of course I'm always looking for an excuse to buy new gear  )

Today I tried three dynamic mics (CAD D90s vocal mics, not expensive...$50 each on sale), one pointed directly at the guitar sound hole ~0.5 m away (Taylor GS Mini), one pointed down from above at my right shoulder ~0.5 m, and one close to my mouth (pointed away from the guitar) (see photo below), recorded with Zoom R24.  The two guitar mics were panned hard left/right which gives a stereo effect.  The use of 3 mics allows one to later adjust relative volumes of the vocal, and L and R guitar channels, and apply different FX to each.  There is some pickup of the guitar in the vocal mic, and vice versa, but it isn't bad. The vocal mic went though a Mic Mechanic 2 processor and in Reaper I used Waves Q3 Eq, CLA vocals, Maxx Bass, CLA unplugged, J37 Tape, API 2500 compressor, L1+ limiter plugins. The other lesson was to try to keep more bass/less treble in the mix (but perhaps what I am still "guilty of" is using "too many" processors and FX...)
* Edit: adjusted Eq following a comment by Ferryman

My earlier attempts, for comparison:
https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=30255.0
https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=29651

[bruno]

I've experimented loads on this topic.
I normally use two mikes, one at the 12 fret, one further back at the bridge. Hard left and hard right in the playback. Having some compression of acoustic really helps keeping the acoustic in the mix.

Here's an example (I think, however I didn't write any notes on how this is recorded).

I've tried an over the shoulder mike, whilst sounding great, it does pick up the sound of you breathing. There's loads written on this on the internet - however there is always a compromise or problem somewhere, on whatever method.

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=21555

B

[Farrell Jackson]

Here are a couple for you to check out. My set ups are explained at the song links. I did these some time ago but they are done using different set ups and getting different results.

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=21176  Your Time Is Gonna Come (Led Zep)

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=24835.msg302444#msg302444  All Things Must Pass ( George Harrison)

Farrell

[TPB]

Ok when we are thinking up a song me and my partner usually flesh it on the acoustic. Here is the start of a song one ovation plugged directly into the amp and my Epiphone 500 on a condenser mic just off the hole toward the neck. This started off with Em and C as a warm up and we just got into it one take warts and all. We ended up doing the song with a electric lead and vocals which I will post in the originals section
Tim

[Flash Harry]

Like you I struggled and experimented. I settled upon a pair of Behringer C2 condenser mics, Geir had recommended them but at £39 a pair I wasn't expecting them to be as good as they are.

Like Bruno, I have found one is good at the 12th fret, though I have the second one a little closer to the sound hole than the bridge.

If I have any criticism of them at all its that the output is a bit low so nice quiet pre-amps are a must (what am I saying, they're always a must, but even more so).

This is a noodle I did while testing them and also a reverse Dm piano chord intro, againC2's

[Farrell Jackson]

Here's an acoustic instrumental where I used the Taylor GS Mini but tuned it down to standard D instead of E. I once again used the X/Y configuration with matched, small condenser mics but this time I also used the onboard pickup. They all went to separate tracks, which allowed me to blend the three individual tracks to taste. To date this is my preferred method.

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=22328

[SE]

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=27484.msg330951#msg330951


The one that still  catches  me now.

[StephenM]

I've experimented loads on this topic.
I normally use two mikes, one at the 12 fret, one further back at the bridge. Hard left and hard right in the playback. Having some compression of acoustic really helps keeping the acoustic in the mix.

Here's an example (I think, however I didn't write any notes on how this is recorded).

I've tried an over the shoulder mike, whilst sounding great, it does pick up the sound of you breathing. There's loads written on this on the internet - however there is always a compromise or problem somewhere, on whatever method.

https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=21555

B

a really wonderful song and recording...but the remix doesn't exist....  reminds me a bit of my favorite band...Kansas!

[StephenM]

I have been experimenting with simultaneous recording of acoustic guitar + vocal and think I finally made a big improvement - comments and advice welcome!
(The song here is yet another redone cover of "You Raise Me Up" by Loveland/Graham)

I would like to hear other people's recordings of guitar + vocal and hear in detail about the techniques, gear, mixing - and discuss  
(of course I'm always looking for an excuse to buy new gear  )

Today I tried three dynamic mics (CAD D90s vocal mics, not expensive...$50 each on sale), one pointed directly at the guitar sound hole ~0.5 m away (Taylor GS Mini), one pointed down from above at my right shoulder ~0.5 m, and one close to my mouth (pointed away from the guitar) (see photo below), recorded with Zoom R24.  The two guitar mics were panned hard left/right which gives a stereo effect.  The use of 3 mics allows one to later adjust relative volumes of the vocal, and L and R guitar channels, and apply different FX to each.  There is some pickup of the guitar in the vocal mic, and vice versa, but it isn't bad. The vocal mic went though a Mic Mechanic 2 processor and in Reaper I used Waves Q3 Eq, CLA vocals, Maxx Bass, CLA unplugged, J37 Tape, API 2500 compressor, L1+ limiter plugins. The other lesson was to try to keep more bass/less treble in the mix (but perhaps what I am still "guilty of" is using "too many" processors and FX...)

My earlier attempts, for comparison:
https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=30255.0
https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=29651

cool setup and you are crazy into this so good for you...indeed this sounds really good....

[Jean Pierre]

very interesting subject!
since I've been making small home studio recordings I've hardly ever used direct and simultaneous voice and guitar recording...I've always recorded by superimposing guitar tracks, then voice, then other instruments in rerecording

...and by chance it happens that this is something I'm exploring a bit at the moment, so all your opinions and impressions and experiences are very interesting, we're here in a fundamental aspect of SC: (amateur) recording and sharing experiences and knowledge.

so here are two excerpts from one of my current attempts
the context: this is a song by Zachary Richard, an American Acadian singer-songwriter, accordionist, multi-instrumentalist and poet. The song is called Jean "Batailleur" (trad John the fighter?).

Both excerpts are recorded with a single microphone (AKG Perception 200) placed at 20cm at mouth level.

- The second excerpt is processed on Reaper with plug ins provided by Reaper Rea Equ and Rea verb (with Taj Mahal convolution), MstereoExpander from Melda Production and Exciter from JS.

- The third  excerpt is treated with CLA Waves , with Preset Rockman

I have a little weakness at the moment for the Plug ins waves which are all great.

My next step will be to record with two microphones, one for the guitar (SM 57?) and one for the voice (5AKG Perception).

Thank you for your opinions and advices, I will give you the rest of my elucubrations in a few moments.


thank you DesOfree for this excellent topic

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