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Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
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Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
I've got a terrible whistling resonance from my Larivee acoustic guitar at around 1kHz and another at about 1.3kHz. Pretty sure it's the guitar, not the room or mic, having tried various rooms and mics. My main home studio room is adequately treated (I think). I also tried an old vintage Ibanez guitar and it had same issue! I'm at a loss here. Only commonality between the guitars is the strings - Elixer Nanoweb. Now that I'm tuned into this resonance, I hear it clearly whenever I strum my Larivee, regardless of the room acoustics. I'll notch it out if playing live.
When tracking, I can attenuate this somewhat with mic placement and notch filters but not all of it. I must admit, I don't have much experience tracking acoustic guitars. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
When tracking, I can attenuate this somewhat with mic placement and notch filters but not all of it. I must admit, I don't have much experience tracking acoustic guitars. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
- Generic Moniker
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
If it's identical in two different guitars it almost certainly isn't the guitars that are causing it (what are the odds?). What are you using to record?
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
I hear ya. But I can't figure it out. Tried various small diaphragm and large diaphragm mics, going straight into Steinberg interface and Reaper. No external pre in the chain. I've tried various rooms and the offending frequencies don't shift, which should be the case if it was the room, right? It's very prominent on my Larivee.
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
So the only common items are interface laptop and Reaper? What about monitoring, speakers or headphones?
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Hmmm. If you're getting it with just laptop, interface and headphones, it might be that (depending on the power supplies for the first two) you've actually got no earth in the system? That can cause odd noises. What model is the interface and do you have anything that uses an IEC (not-a-kettle-lead-but-looks-almost-like-one) that you can patch into the system to make sure you've got a ground?
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blinddrew - Jedi Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
I'm with Sam on this one. If it happens on two guitars, that's where I'd start investigating. Take 'em both on a short tour beginning in the live room, then another room, say the kitchen, then outside. If it's the guitars, you'll know. If not, you'll have to be rigorous in isolating the variables until you suss it out.
*edit: After re-reading, the thread, I see that I am with Sam in the sense that I agree the guitars should be eliminated as a possibility. :headbang:
*edit: After re-reading, the thread, I see that I am with Sam in the sense that I agree the guitars should be eliminated as a possibility. :headbang:
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Watchmaker - Frequent Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
I have tried both laptop (battery and plugged in) and dedicated desktop rig. I should mention that the same resonant freq is not there in vocals, drums etc with same recording equipment. I really think it's the guitar(s). Monitoring through 2 different sets of monitors and headphones. Always there. I will have to do more investigation. Will report back.
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- Generic Moniker
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Thanks for the helpful responses!
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- Generic Moniker
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Any chance of a recording? Do both guitars have under saddle pickups, and are they active or passive?
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Good point Sam.
GM, are you using the same hole mounted pickup in both guitars, or a specific mic?
GM, are you using the same hole mounted pickup in both guitars, or a specific mic?
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Watchmaker - Frequent Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Not going direct although the guitars do have KK pure mini. Using various condenser mics. I did have a light bulb moment though. I've been using the same preamp. Doh! Will try a different one tonight. Not sure why I didnt think of that earlier. That said, I think it's the guitar but perhaps wonky pre is making it worse
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Sam Spoons wrote:Any chance of a recording? ...
Seconded. We need to hear what the OP is hearing...
- Tim Gillett
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Most acoustic guitars have a couple of pitched resonances in my experience. They can be exaggerated by your equipment and recording position, but I can normally pinch the rogue frequencies out with a little precision EQ'ing. I have one at about 315Hz and one at about 3750Hz - always there whatever preamp or microphone I use, not noticeable acoustically.
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joelonsdale - Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
If you're recording with mics I can't see how it can be the guitars causing the issue. My bet is either feedback, acoustic if you are monitoring on speakers when recording (though you'd hear it if you were listening for it), electronic if you have a routing issue in the DAW/AI controller or a dodgy plug-in.
A detailed description of the recording/monitoring chain needed I think.
Do you use exactly the same recording chain when recording monitors?
A detailed description of the recording/monitoring chain needed I think.
Do you use exactly the same recording chain when recording monitors?
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
joelonsdale wrote:Most acoustic guitars have a couple of pitched resonances in my experience. They can be exaggerated by your equipment and recording position, but I can normally pinch the rogue frequencies out with a little precision EQ'ing. I have one at about 315Hz and one at about 3750Hz - always there whatever preamp or microphone I use, not noticeable acoustically.
But two different guitars producing exactly the same noise is extremely unlikely and that is the case here :headbang:
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Finally taking this recording lark seriously (and recording my Gypsy Jazz CD)........
Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
That's very true - then it has to be equipment related and you should exclude one piece of equipment at a time from the recording until the noise disappears.
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joelonsdale - Poster
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Yup, :thumbup:
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Sam Spoons - Jedi Poster
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Finally taking this recording lark seriously (and recording my Gypsy Jazz CD)........
Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Just sat down in studio (I use that term loosely...lol). Will report back after some investigation. I bet it's a bad pre.
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
...or phantom circuit. Can't be the guitars...but I swear I hear the resonance in my Larivee but maybe I'm trying too hard to hear it if you know what I mean.
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Re: Nasty resonance - acoustic guitar
Nope, wasn't preamp or phantom circuit.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q4rfkj8ro3p50 ... t.wav?dl=0
12" on axis off 14th fret. Exaggerated picking attack to bring out the ringing resonance. Seems to really like C. No EQing.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/q4rfkj8ro3p50 ... t.wav?dl=0
12" on axis off 14th fret. Exaggerated picking attack to bring out the ringing resonance. Seems to really like C. No EQing.
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