Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

[TwilightOdyssey]

Am working on a Symphonic Folk album this Summer; this is the pedal board I made for the recordings. My acoustic guitar is an Ovation Legend. It looks like the Aura 16 doesn't fit onto the board, but it actually fits really well; just a bad camera angle.

The signal is split at the Mel9; the guitar path goes to the Aura then to a Lexicon reverb. The Mellotron output goes to another Lexicon.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Nice! How is the Aura 16? I like the idea of not having a mic in my way.

 

[VinceT]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Is the Aura last in the chain? I would have put it first (I.e. Direct from guitar)?


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[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Nice! How is the Aura 16? I like the idea of not having a mic in my way.

The Aura products are stellar; you have hundreds and hundreds of images to choose from, with a variety of mics. I also like the fact that if there is a particular guitar image you like, you can vary the tone by using different microphones, and they are perfectly in phase with each other. (e.g.; Rainsong dreadnought with a U87 mixed with a Microtech Gefel ribbon mic)

Mic'ing acoustic guitar is dependent on several crutial factors I do not have the luxury of having at my disposal: a good-sounding room, and a quiet space. I live in a small NYC apartment with little kids -- the Aura does the job just fine. Would I rather use my Cascade Fatheads/SSL and record the acoustic using a Blumein pattern? Heck yeah!! But as that is not a possibility, I use the Aura.

However, the Aura can hardly be called a compromise; it's really just an alternative as the results are just as good, just different. (I have no idea if that sentence is grammatically correct)

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Is the Aura last in the chain?

Nope. As I said in the OP, the guitar signal is split at the Mel9; the acoustic guitar signal goes to the Aura; the Mellotron signal is separate.

GUITAR > COMPRESSOR > TAPE SATURATION >
SIGNAL A:: AURA (passing thru Mel9) > LEXICON > SSL > INTERFACE
SIGNAL B:: MEL9 > LEXICON > SSL > INTERFACE

I would have put it first (I.e. Direct from guitar)?

... and missed out on the delicious Neve transformer, lush optical compression, and tape saturation. You could absolutely go direct, I've done it before; but I want something more euphonic.

 

[VinceT]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Nope. As I said in the OP, the guitar signal is split at the Mel9; the acoustic guitar signal goes to the Aura; the Mellotron signal is separate.

GUITAR > COMPRESSOR > TAPE SATURATION >
SIGNAL A:: AURA (passing thru Mel9) > LEXICON > SSL > INTERFACE
SIGNAL B:: MEL9 > LEXICON > SSL > INTERFACE



... and missed out on the delicious Neve transformer, lush optical compression, and tape saturation. You could absolutely go direct, I've done it before; but I want something more euphonic.

I wasn't clear, I would have gone guitar direct TO AURA and then onward to everything else - that's how I use my D-TAR Mama Bear. In other words, I wouldn't hit the guitar emulator with a compressed and saturated tone.

Of course, my approach would require a dedicated splitter before hitting the Mel9, so signals A and B could be processed separately.

As always, what works for you works for you, and that's all that really matters [emoji1]


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[HiFiRebel]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

I've run into similar issues when recording over the years. I will have to keep that in mind.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Very nice! I would love to try the Aura. I use a compressor with a blend knob (Vise Grip) an EQ, a short delay, a looper, and an Aphex Acoustic Xciter, which adds lower harmonics...sort of like an octave pedal, but way more subtle. I am using this rig with an Adamas medium bowl.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

I wasn't clear, I would have gone guitar direct TO AURA and then onward to everything else - that's how I use my D-TAR Mama Bear. In other words, I wouldn't hit the guitar emulator with a compressed and saturated tone.

Of course, my approach would require a dedicated splitter before hitting the Mel9, so signals A and B could be processed separately.

As always, what works for you works for you, and that's all that really matters [emoji1]


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Agreed, horses for courses.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Very nice! I would love to try the Aura. I use a compressor with a blend knob (Vise Grip) an EQ, a short delay, a looper, and an Aphex Acoustic Xciter, which adds lower harmonics...sort of like an octave pedal, but way more subtle. I am using this rig with an Adamas medium bowl.

That's cool!

I will have a clip soon. Tracked all the guitars for the first movement, now to add the orchestral elements...

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Sounds like THIS:

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

i like that sound.
Just have to ask...why don't you just mic the acoustic and add all the effects later in the box?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

i like that sound.
Just have to ask...why don't you just mic the acoustic and add all the effects later in the box?

Because I have three small kids and no dedicated recording space. I can deal with the constant distraction, but there is no way to record an acoustic in my house. (See post #4)

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Very nice! I would love to try the Aura. I use a compressor with a blend knob (Vise Grip) an EQ, a short delay, a looper, and an Aphex Acoustic Xciter, which adds lower harmonics...sort of like an octave pedal, but way more subtle. I am using this rig with an Adamas medium bowl.

I bought one ...a guess a few years back. It was for live use an I just didn't gel with it. Put it back in the box and haven't touched it since. It's as good as new as used gets. PM me and I'll make a real deal for you.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pedal board for recording acoustic guitar

Well, I don't actually need one, I just wanted to try one at some point. I have been doing more electric gigs lately.