Steven Clarkson - Posted - 07/30/2021:  16:39:11

Another day of recovery and with a 4am wake up I finally got proactive piecing together a retrospective radio show. Quite a bit of fun actually. Going through a years worth of recordings to cherry pick my favorites.

A long time ago, early on in my playing, a friend told me he recorded at least a few times a week. Despite quite a few dry spells in my 25 years of pickin fifths, I’ve tried to keep this up.

It has been more resourceful in learning recording techniques than anything else, but fun to listen to personal stylistic changes through the years.

Hope everyone had a great week.

TSSN - Posted - 08/03/2021:  03:21:10

How has your recording rig changed over the years?

Steven Clarkson - Posted - 08/03/2021:  05:02:24

Lots of things Patrick:

1) learning at least a bit more of what Logic Pro is capable of.

2) A better ear for mixing

3) Amp and Mic choice are key

4) a good recording system sounds like your acoustic mandolin with the mic

5) simplicity is the best policy— I try to limit my recordings to 5 or less travks

6) Patience is key

7) if you’ve played on recording and you suddenly don’t feel like it /- press on

8) RAM deficiencies can bite you in the butt

9) play around with microphone placement/ /- it does make a difference

10) etc

Steven Clarkson - Posted - 08/03/2021:  06:40:28

Making the adjustment from single track solo mandolin to multiple tracks was big. Helping develop my mixing ear was a hard step. Then adding electric effects, amps and mandolins into the mix was definitely challenging. Some of my favorite recordings incorporate the two. More than anything I’m on auto mode now with most things. I can setup and record in half the time,

TSSN - Posted - 08/07/2021:  05:31:00

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Clarkson

9) play around with microphone placement/ /- it does make a difference



 

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Ok, all good advice.  I have a long way to go.

I was especially struck by your point #9.  Jimmy Page talks about this element a lot.  He insists that mic placement was a critical key to the LZ sound. 

Steven Clarkson - Posted - 08/07/2021:  06:00:46

I saw a documentary on it — there is a sweet spot — I use an older at condenser and I put it about 2 ft away from the center of thr 10 inch cone