Recording Acoustic

[RickM]

Hi guys. Just got moved out of my house and into an apartment. Got lots of unpacking to do, but I want to get set up to try recording some stuff on the Ovation. Here's what I'm planning on getting;

Shure SM-57
A cheapo mic stand
A mic preamp (Art Tube MP Pro ..or.. PreSonus BlueTube DP)

Any comments before I order?

Also, what brand cables should I get?

Thanks......Rick

[Slipstream]

Looks like an excellent choice of gear to me. I have the Shure KSM27, but it costs three times as much as the SM57. I've read lots of good things about the SM57. Can't go wrong with Shure.

I've never heard of the Art Tube, but I have Presonus pre-amps in my new Firebox. They are top-shelf. The BlueTube has real tubes in it though, and ought to sound even better. It has phantom power too so if you decide to get a condenser mic it will be compatible.

I recommend getting balanced cables, but I wouldn't know which brands are better, or if there is even much of a difference between brands. I know that balanced cables are sheilded, and will help prevent picking up RF interference (noise). This really helps if you live near a radio station or some other broadcasting source.

[martinedwards]

If the ovation has an internal pick up then mic it too. then you get two channels which you can pan apart and process seperately giving loads of width to the sound.

As far as I know, the "electronicly converted to stereo" versions of 50s songs are a 3 way split with the original centre, and full pan left being trebley and full pan right being bassey. try that with your recordings!!

[Slipstream]

If I had the gear and wanted to do some serious acoustic guitar recording I'd put two small diameter condenser mics, 110 degrees to each other, pointed at the 12th fret about 10" away, and a large diameter condenser mic about 6' away for room ambient sound. Then track the large dia. mic down the middle, the small dia. mics panned left and right.

Ah man, I think I just talked myself into gettin' a couple more mics. Nah, I got too many other things goin' on right now.

[bugman]

The Art Tube preamp is good.

[RickM]

Thanks for the help, guys.

One more Q.

If I get a PodXT for the Agile, can I run a mic into it and use it as a preamp to record acoustic?

Thanks, Rick

[Slipstream]

You can if it has both high and low impedence inputs (line-in and mic-in).

[RickM]

Okay, Slip, thanks. I'll download the user manual and see.

R.