How do YOU record your Steel ?

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 3 Jul 2008 4:36 am

Dave, I am thinking, seriously, that picture could win an award !

Yeah, especially with the faded colors, the beat up Fender and the slightly visible postmark. The picture really has a cool vibe.

Cool song, too Dave.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 4 Jul 2008 1:09 am

I typically record my steel direct - I find it easier to set up, obviously, and if I decide I want to replay part of a song a week later, no problem - I can get the exact same sound. I also prefer the reverbs I have in the DAW (mostly Altiverb) to my amp's spring reverb or anything in my PodXT. If needed, I have a ReAmp - I have only ever used this on one song, a pop number where the steel was a supporting instrument. It just wasn't cutting through, so I set up a bass amp (!) and miked it up...can't remember what mike, probably a Shure SM7 large diaphragm dynamic. Worked great.

If you want to hear some DI'd steel in a full band mix, check out http://www.brynloosley.com/ - there's a little media player on the right side under "Stream the Wrecker"...all the PSG on this album was me playing direct. I did switch out pickups on a few tunes. Track 9 features the steel more than most of the others.

Eddie Harper · Post by **Eddie Harper** » 4 Jul 2008 10:23 am

Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought a large diaphragm condenser mic was used for mainly vocals with a pop filter, and a small diaphragm condenser was used for instruments, amps etc.

I mainly use a SM57 but would like to try a condenser mic. Any suggestions on a cheap model to try out? Thanks Eddie

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 4 Jul 2008 5:48 pm

On that picture of Lloyd, ten shades of green, isn't that the little RCA studio, looking at the engineers window, and the door to the lobby? Sure looks like it to me. From way back when.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 4 Jul 2008 6:49 pm

I always use my POD and have never had any problems getting a natural room ambience....

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 5 Jul 2008 5:07 am

LOL Steinar. you must be using your very short scale lap steel in that small room.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 5 Jul 2008 5:15 pm

Randy, no no..That's when Steinar recorded his big tuba ..you know:Raaat-taaat--Boom Brrrt PLOP!

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 13 Aug 2008 8:26 am

RE: Ten Shades of Green album
"Although my "Ten Shades of Green" was recorded in RCA Studio B in January 1976, the cover was shot at Woodland Sound Studio by English journalist Bob Powel during another recording session.
The cover picture reflects my actual studio recording set-up.
The Fender Twin had 2 D120F JBLs. The LDG was/is the first and same one I use today."

Lloyd Green

Billy McCoy · Post by **Billy McCoy** » 14 Aug 2008 9:23 pm

Hey guys,

the last few days in the studio I have been using a newer technique for me....

The Center/Side mic combination.

This entails a large double sided diaphram mic
facing side to side and NOT directly at my two JBL
speakers in the ISO booth. The mic is approximately
2.5 ft away and about 2 ft. in the air.
Just under the large diaphram mic I have a cardioid mic facing towards the speakers (in the space between the speakers) again...approx. 2.5 ft away and just underneath the large diaphram mic.

This way, in the control room you can pan between
the 4 mile wide (SIDE) mode to the more CENTER or somewhere inbetween. WORKS GREAT and SOUNDS BETTER.

I'm not sure if I really described this correctly, but it's close.

Sorry, I don't recall the mic manufacturers...but I can get that information if you contact me.

Thanks,

Billy

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 14 Aug 2008 9:56 pm

Sounds like MS (mid-side) miking:

http://emusician.com/mag/emusic_front_center/

A nice stereo technique. I like using ribbon mics for this (you can get away with using two fig-8 mics).

Billy McCoy · Post by **Billy McCoy** » 14 Aug 2008 10:09 pm

Yes,
you are correct, Center/Side technique...uhh I mean Mid/Side technique.

I tried both...the afore mentioned in my last post and two figure 8 patterns.
All work great...just depends on what the studio has to work with I guess.

b

Ulf Edlund · Post by **Ulf Edlund** » 30 Sep 2008 12:00 pm

I've been using SM57's, Sennheiser 421 and various large diagram condensers, including Neumann M49, but lately i've been using a cheap (china?) ribbon mic with surprisingly good results.

Little or no compression.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 25 Nov 2008 3:46 pm

I don't think anybody ever came out and identified the mic in the Lloyd pic...it looks like a Neumann U67 or U87...there is a studio in Nashville that has an old 67 that I always ask for when I work there...it has dents in the windscreen and looks ancient-sounds great!A lot of people seem to like the Sennheiser 421,too...a great sounding mic...and of course,in Demoland I see a 57 just about every day...I like them...they have(to me)a real nice little mid-range bump...and you can record a cab outside using an SUV as an isolation booth(happened last summer)...I tried an AudioTechnica 4033 out at the house recently...great for acoustic instruments,but the 57 beat it on the steel.

Jeff Hogsten · Post by **Jeff Hogsten** » 2 Dec 2008 11:01 am

I think a mic sounds better. However it seems to me direct has got to the point where there is not enough of a difference to make it worth the trouble. I think eventually that will be all you will see. Some people are using amp with a palmer, that could be a great solution. Direct with a speaker sound

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 2 Dec 2008 1:20 pm

What's a palmer?

Jeff Hogsten · Post by **Jeff Hogsten** » 2 Dec 2008 3:02 pm

you unplug you speaker and plug the speaker output into that. Then you run direct out of it like a direct box. Ive not heard one but some really heavy guitar players and engineers say you cant tell your not playing through a amp with a speaker micked.

Gerald Menke · Post by **Gerald Menke** » 10 Dec 2008 12:55 pm

I use a stereo THD cabinet when I record, and have been experimenting with a pair of microphones, usually a SM57 and a Neumann KM184. This week I picked up an AEA R84 ribbon microphone and was using that last night in conjunction with the small Neumann, what a sound. The crisp highs of the Neumann sit right on top of the warmth of the ribbon microphone. Ribbons have a way of just smoothing everything out in the most musical way. I am using API mic pres into an Apogee Ensemble, and am very pleased with the results, it's the proverbial sound I have in my head coming out of the Genelecs - or my headphones.

This is the set up I have been using for Internet session overdubs, which I have been doing more and more of lately...

Jeff Hogsten · Post by **Jeff Hogsten** » 10 Dec 2008 1:20 pm

that sounds like a great combination for recording, I think Ill try that, I have a couple of api pres and a great ribbon, that makes a lot of sense

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 10 Dec 2008 1:22 pm

Amen on the ribbon. On my last record, I tried a bunch of mics, including the delightful AEA R84, and eventually settled on a Coles 4038. It was probably 8-10 inches from the center of the speaker. Smooth, clear, warm, yet defined.

Richard Massey · Post by **Richard Massey** » 23 Dec 2008 9:47 pm

I get excellent results going direct and using Guitar Rig 3. Racks of options, effects, cabinets, mics, mic placement, multiple cabinets, multiple mics, you name it! Then I model the room. (FX3)

I like options!

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 23 Dec 2008 10:01 pm

Richard Massey wrote: Then I model the room.

Richard,

What does that mean?

Edited to say I just figured it out. Guitar Rig 3 is a comprehensive amp/mic/room modeling unit!

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 23 Dec 2008 10:07 pm

I think I'm going to try a ribbon mic. I've gone back and forth between a chinese made large condenser and an SM 57 and they both emphasize a shrillness I don't care for.

(course it could be an accurate reproduction of what my amp's doin'...)

Richard Massey · Post by **Richard Massey** » 23 Dec 2008 10:09 pm

GR3 doesn't do the room per se. I use Sonar and bought a plugin called FX3 which is a room modeling program. I have others too but FX3 is quick and effective.

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 24 Dec 2008 8:49 pm

My last project I recorded direct, using only the Black Box, before the preamp.
I ended up sending my aiff files to a Pro Tools studio in another city where the cd was being recorded.
I recorded to Pro Tools (LE), through an Apogee A/D converter and a Brent Averill 1272 preamp.
I always record dry and let the producer or mixer collaborate on the reverb.

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · Post by **Ulric Utsi-Åhlin** » 29 Dec 2008 2:06 am

Time is rarely on Your side in recording situations,
and You more often than not opt for the easy(fast,
rather) way out,going direct or randomly setting up
the mike closest at hand...I know I have(but let the
one without sin throw the first U 87...) ; I did
something along these lines the other week,but this
time it turned into something really great,soundwise;
I grabbed my sE Electronics Gemini Mark II,mounted it
inside the sE Reflexion Filter and put the assembly
in front of my Steel King "a few inches" from the
cloth and,probably,slightly off-axis,and...completed
the business by throwing a blanket over the lot and
had the Gemini go into the TL Audio 5050 comp/pre...
in short: the result was incredible ; a full "sheeny"
Steel Guitar sound...a giant step for me.McUtsi

The Steel Guitar Forum

How do YOU record your Steel ?

How do you record your steel

From Lloyd Green

recording Steel

Yes

Direct with Guitar Rig 3

Re: Direct with Guitar Rig 3

Recording PSG cont´d...