How to deal with "room" sound?

[Orange Worker]

How do you guys deal with this? I'm recording acoustic guitar with an earthworks SR 69 into the 001, it's OK sounding, but it's picking up the room. What can I do to reduce this problem?

[where02190]

Go direct.

[GothicV]

an acoustic direct isn't the advice I'd give

I recomend seeing if you can get ahold of a headphone extension cable and some long(er?) mic cables and trying from another room. Moving around the room can help. If its a big room and its too reflective, you can sit the guitarist in the corner facing out and keep the mics close, that can work.

[Chris Cavell]

I wouldn't even begin to think of the notion of ever even giving someone the advice to record an acoustic direct if you want anything that sounds even remotely natural or realistic unless you've by chance got one of these. And I'd probably then still wonder 5 minutes after giving the advice, " What the hell was I thinking?" However, if you prefer a direct sound from a less natural sounding pickup...then by all means...

There are several sites that will return from a quick google search on DIY sound absorption, baffling, gobos, etc...

You failed to mention the details of your mic technique...perhaps we could offer some adjustment ideas if we knew more.

Good luck...and don't forget to experiment profusely ()...especially with acoustic guitar mic techniques...every acoustic requires modification to the standard techniques to dial in "that perfect sound".

Cheers,
Chris

[tele_player]

Chris - have you tried one of those pickups? I'm still undecided about what to do for a pickup in my acoustics, I almost bought a Taylor with the Expression system, that's the best I've heard yet. But I want a pickup in one of my Martins

[stanonbass]

gosh room sound is great if theres no noise in it. Thats what makes the acoustic sound sweet! Unless its a crappy room. :I

[3JDamon]

The room isn't something to be avoided, it's something to be harnessed. If you're getting too much of the room from one mic, it's not a burden, but an opportunity. Play with it. Take what you've got and work the direct guitar tone and see how the room tone is affected and vice versa. If you can maximize both, it's downright magical.

[Chris Cavell]

Chris - have you tried one of those pickups? I'm still undecided about what to do for a pickup in my acoustics, I almost bought a Taylor with the Expression system, that's the best I've heard yet. But I want a pickup in one of my Martins

Yep, sure have...love 'em. I'll still use my mics for recording, but they are by far the best sounding pickups I've ever personally heard...blowing anything by fishman completely out of the water. They have the iMIX now, which I haven't heard...but I have a feeling it's really just a system built to appeal to those who don't realize how good the iBeam sounds by itself...some people want mic + pickup inside the guitar b/c others do it...not realizing the iBeam is a completely different beast altogether. No holes through the soundboard (a good thing if you don't want to drill into a valuable guitar)...and the jack replaces the usually already present strap pin. Check out this page for some comparisons b/w it and a pair of vintage KM84's. I still prefer the 84's, but the comparison recordings are pretty damn impressive for what it's doing. I think, perhaps if they'd used the newer 184's, there would be a more marked difference, but it's still a pretty cool comparison though.

-Chris

[lemix]

Hey Orange Worker ,

earthworks SR 69

..I don't use this mic...what is the pick-up pattern of it ?
"Good Room Sound" is desirable, and part of any acustic instrument's sound.
Use slightly more directional mic's and gobos to cut down on room reflections.

happy tooling,
cheers,

[where02190]

Go direct.

See what happens when you are forum addicted and jsut have to cruise through one more time before going to bed?

I guess my point was if they don't want the room sound, then that's the only way to get rid of it. however I agree 100% the room sound is totally what makes the acxoustic breath.

The earthworks SR 69 is a cardiod, try positioning the mic closer or in a different position to capture more of the guitar. Unless the playe ris playing very quietly, you shouldn't be having that much room noise. Positiion the mic about 18" from the neck, pointing at the 12th fret at about a 30 degree angle, coming in from jsut slightly below the bottom of the neck. If you are using two mics (IMHO the only way to record acoustic) place the other mic the same distance from the body jsut below the bridge, and again angles in about 30 degrees, but NOT pointing at the sound hole. Pan hard left/right.

You can deden the room with rugs, blankets, curtains clothing racks, pillows, etc., to try to tame reflections, but I agee, don't try to lessen the room, harness it's sound of the the acoustic in the room, your tracks iwll have much more life and vibrance than a dead, dry recorded acoustic that you will inevitably want to put artifical ambience onto.