budget (usb) mic for classical guitar recording needed

[kozikowski]

Oh, yes. Before we leave this completely. Can you post that picture of proper microphone placement?

Koz

[bgravato]

Oh, yes. Before we leave this completely. Can you post that picture of proper microphone placement?

Koz

yes, here they are:

[steve]

It's pretty impressive that you are getting such low noise from what is still a relatively "budget" pre-amp - that's quite a distance between the mic and the guitar, but it shows very well how it is able to pick up the whole of the guitar sound and some room ambiance.

I presume that you still using it on the cardioid setting? If so, it may be worth trying it on omni as that will allow you to pick up the same amount of room ambiance at a much closer distance to the guitar. Also, the "proximity" effect should be much less on "omni".

(Proximity effect: the tendency of microphones to accentuate the bass frequencies when used close to a sound source. )

[kozikowski]

Excellent. Yes, that's what I want to do with the hallway here at work. And if you move the mic too much either direction along the instrument, it starts sounding wimpy or boomy?

Koz

[bgravato]

It's pretty impressive that you are getting such low noise from what is still a relatively "budget" pre-amp - that's quite a distance between the mic and the guitar, but it shows very well how it is able to pick up the whole of the guitar sound and some room ambiance.

I presume that you still using it on the cardioid setting? If so, it may be worth trying it on omni as that will allow you to pick up the same amount of room ambiance at a much closer distance to the guitar. Also, the "proximity" effect should be much less on "omni".

(Proximity effect: the tendency of microphones to accentuate the bass frequencies when used close to a sound source. )

Yes, still using cardioid. I tried omni once briefly but I didn't like much the sound from it, so I went back to cardioid. I think I didn't change the position of the mic though... so I shall try again in a closer position...

[steve]

I think I didn't change the position of the mic though... so I shall try again in a closer position...

And at the top of the stairs
Have you thought about putting a safety strap round the mic/mic stand - perhaps it's the photographs, but it looks pretty close to the edge

[bgravato]

Excellent. Yes, that's what I want to do with the hallway here at work. And if you move the mic too much either direction along the instrument, it starts sounding wimpy or boomy?

Koz

I didn't try to move it along, but occasionally I unconsciously move/rotate myself and slightly change my position while playing and I noticed that probably due to that at some parts of my recordings the sound became a bit more boomy, probably when I moved the guitar hole closer to the mic...

You also probably noticed that I don't put the mic in a vertical position... I do that for two reasons:
1) when I'm playing the guitar is usually not in a vertical position either... so I tried to place the mic more or less parallel to the guitar
2) when the mic is facing slightly down like in the pics it seems to capture a better ambience sound than when I positioned it vertically

[bgravato]

Have you thought about putting a safety strap round the mic/mic stand - perhaps it's the photographs, but it looks pretty close to the edge

It's the photographs It's pretty safe. It's much more prone to being slapped by my myself or the guitar when I sit down/stand up than falling down the stairs

Here's a pic taken from behind where I sit:

[steve]

Here's a pic taken from behind where I sit:

Phew, I can rest easy now
(one of my duties at work is "Health and Safety", but I'll avoid commenting on the lead trailing across the top of the stairs... oops, too late )

when I'm playing the guitar is usually not in a vertical position either... so I tried to place the mic more or less parallel to the guitar

That's the "classic" way to do it. Bit by bit you're confirming, from experiment and experience, that the text books are right.

I tried omni once briefly but I didn't like much the sound from it, so I went back to cardioid. I think I didn't change the position of the mic though... so I shall try again in a closer position...

You may find that you still prefer the cardioid setting, but with the experience and refinements that you now have available I think it would be worth trying.

[bgravato]

I've just tried to record some samples in the omni setting. It sounds more "distant" like if the mic was standing much further away from the guitar... Placing the mic closer to the guitar of course reduces this effect, but then it starts to sound a bit more boomy...

I've also been playing around with opening/closing the doors in the stairway hall to change the echo/reverb effect. With all doors closed it's interesting to listen while I play but then on the recording it's just too much reverb, specially in the omni setting... but that's what I was expecting...

(hopefully in a not so distant future I will get all variables settled and start doing some more serious recording