Home Sweet Home

[Jonas]

Here's a little Home Sweet Home for ya! Don't worry, the mandolin comes in after a while... ;)

Home Sweet Home.mp3 (http://www.4shared.com/file/87378931/e54379c5/Home_Sweet_Home.html)

[grassrootphilosopher]

Nice and tasteful, as all of your clips.

How did you record that piece? I am asking because of your other threads concerning the recording devices, the recording setup and the recording location.

If were to guess I would say you did a single mic setup with the instruments fairly close to the microphone with hardly any mixing of the instrument. But I have listened to your clip on my office computer, so that might not be indicative. Still I´m curious.

[Jonas]

Right on target!

It's a single mic setup (SDC - a Röde NT3) in my living room.. And yes, the mic was quite close to the instrument (too close I think) and I have only done a little EQ and reverb.

Any thoughts on how to improve the sound and/or mix?

[Bob Wiegers]

very nice! the only thing I noticed that I might change is that the mando comes in a little abruptly, and I wouldnt have it so heavily in the left channel. with headphones my head was rather tilted at that point :-) but either way that's some mighty fine picking

[grassrootphilosopher]

I like the Röde aproach. I have done single microphone recording (live concert and livingroom) over the NT1 and have now an NT2a (and a Peavy and a C1000). I like Röde. Audiotechnica is also great (for the price).

Listening right now to Home Sweet Home again (at home and over better speakers) here´s my two cents.

First I´d like to say that the recording sounds good to me (despite the following comment that just reflects my own thoughts concerning [home] recording and my own experiences with it). And your picking is nice! In this kind of setup (close mic position) you´d probably have to do more mixing than under other circumstances to achieve ahomogenous sound. The instrument really "shines" which makes it difficult to find a homogenous (band-) sound. It was sort of obvious that the mando track was "inserted" (multitracked). The homogenity of the sound lacked a triffle. After the guitar part the mando part appeared too loud with respect to the guitar. After the banjo part the guitar soundet a little bit "small". My guess would be that you used the most eq on the banjo. Mind you, I have had equal results in my own efforts. And I find it extremely difficult to achieve great results. Like you said in the other thread, recording is an art in itself.

My guess would be that the mic position was about 30 cm from the soundhole/f-hole/banjo head and placed in front of it. I found that differnt positions change the sound considerably. The best position for the guitar would (to my mind) be on the upper bout a little above the soundhole and in front of it, like here: http://www.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=NT3 That first clip would also show my preferred position for vocal mics. With mandolin and banjo the mic position would be a little different methinks. With the distance a little further you´ll have the chance to pick each instrument like you would in a life setting (not minding the overdrive you hear over the headphones, that you had on when you did the recording). That way you may achieve a more live feel and the music does not sound like being played "cautious". Also you´d be able to drive the instruments a little harder which will sound a little livlier.

An interesting aproach in my opinion would be one of the stereo microphone setups mentioned in the other thread (xy, dutch, french...). That way you are able to capture the sound of the room better (which may or may not be favorable to the tune), you can play the instrument like you are used to and it does not differ too much from a single mic setup on stage (which I prefer).

The tune in itself was played way nice. I especially liked the lower speed. I tend to play Home Sweet Home a little too speedy on the guitar (and mandolin...). The arrangement was sweet and the overall impression very favorable.

It would be interesting if I found the time to do just the same and post it here for reasons of comparison but I am far from structured these days (having too many roads to travel). But maybe... the thought intrigues me.

[grassrootphilosopher]

By the way, the mic position in my avatar is my favorite, on stage and off.

[billkilpatrick]

got my (scroll!) beautiful (scroll!) f-style (scroll!) mandolin last year and the first song i played on it was ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cmrUh2n_C8

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http://www.youtube.com/user/billkilpatrick

[billkilpatrick]

jonas - i neglected to compliment you on a beautiful rendition of this song ... delicate, balanced - a real treat. grazie!

- bill*