Good vs Bad Guitar Recordings

[chalkboardjamtracks]

The other tip I would add re tuning is to tune to the song, or to the PART you are currently recording. I make a lot of backing tracks in multiple keys, and it's amazing how a few tweaks can make a big difference even on a well-intonated guitar. And, as you say, especially when using a capo!

[PhilipMurrayDesign]

Thanks Joe - really helpful video. Your recording checklist is terrific by the way!

[rome]

I've been known to use Melodyne to retune a note or two if the rest of the performance is in tune. Sometimes it doesn't work if the chords are too dense. The software gets confused. But a lot of the time, especially on single note lines, it works amazingly well. If you're only moving a note 10-20 cents, the editing will be imperceptible in the final track and it saves you having to scrap an otherwise good performance.

[michaelrichardson]

Great advice Joe. This seems so obvious but it’s real life stuff we all need to be aware of. Thanks for sharing!

[AcousticWisdom]

Great video and tips! Definitely invest in a strobe tuner and use it to tune all the instruments. I’ve found discrepancies in the different tuners I have and after I stared using the same strobe on guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass etc. my recordings are much more in tune.

[carmvecchio]

What a GREAT foundational video. GIRATS cannot succeed if any of these three things happen. I usually do these faux pas moves when drinking lol. To keep from doing them sober, here's what I have done for over 50 years: Use a strobe tuner before playing and in between songs, and ALWAYS after capo changes. GET A GOOD CAPO. "K" brand is crap. Capos wear out - replace them. As for the timing, two things: #1. Know your material - practice before performing; #2. LISTEN to the others (people or tracks), you are not the center of the universe. When playing solo, see #1. For last recording problem video section, record your practice with multiple mic positioning, and then DOCUMENT each positioning set up AND what you heard in the recordings. Use Raw tracks - no plugins. Joe, you had us do that in your RECORDING (EXCELLENT class) and I discovered my go-to vocal performance DYNAMIC mic had an uneven response curve that was suited to my voice, but not recording instruments. I checked with the manufacturer specs and they showed the response curve accentuated the "presence" frequencies and gave my J-45 and Martin D18-00 an annoyingly "crispy" texture that required constant EQ. I don't get that issue with my MXL condenser or Presonus PD-70 dynamic. So mic selection, and positioning are critical, as well as pitch and timing. Thanks Joe!

[danaelston]

Joe these are all great tips on getting it right the first time even though it is most often the second, third, fourth, etc. Always appreciate your non techy down to earth approach to teaching.

[cgluck]

This is so helpful. My lead singer is also my acoustic guitarist (3 guitar players in my band). He is a great singer and song writer, but a mediocre guitar play. I have so much trouble getting a decent sound from him. I think you gave me some great pointers here.

[Endless_Skyway_Adventures]

Regarding the tuning, I have been guilty of squeezing my guitar out of tune. So now I tune to fretted notes vs open strings.

[briancoemusic]

Nothing but great nugs on here! Thank you!!!

[JerryDechant]

Mic positioning effects the type of sounds you get when recording acoustic guitars. There is a sweet spot which may take some time to figure out, but once you do, the guitar will sound fantastic. Depending on what sort of guitar sound you are going for, closer to the bridge or neck area will make a difference.

[georgepalmer]

Good advice. Relatively new strings help too! Really liked the microphone advice.

[larrycavallucci]

Good to see more and more VIDEOS from you, Joe! Thanks! Good points more on the Tuning and Timing. I also use Melodyne to occasionally change a guitar note, more so, when I "bend" a note, but I've also done it with VocAlign, the latter also when I've done multiple harmonic Gtr parts. Sometimes I use Quantize in Studio One. I'm also somewhat Lazy....haha....Because I have 7 acoustic type Gtrs, 5 of which are Ac/Elec wired, I then tend to use one of those, going directly into my Allen & Heath ZED 60. TWO Ac Gtrs not wired, are a Vintage Martin D-18, and also a Yamaha 12-string....the lazy part comes in with them. I DO have a pair of sE7 mics, but sometimes just too lazy to mess with setting one or both of them up, and then toying around trying to get them right. My TWO other "direct-in" Gtrs is a Takamine Jumbo, which has a great sound for strumming, fingerpicking, etc, and mostly rhythm tracks. I use my Taylor 810ce for some CAPO stuff, some lead fills, etc. I can control "muddiness" easier going direct. IF I did maybe wrote a song with ALL Acoustic multi-track GTRs, then I'd find it more worthwhile to set up the 7's, and then just do multiple tracks with multiple acoustic gtrs. I even have a GREAT Korean knockoff Classical Gtr that is factory wired that sounds great going direct. Just my 4 cents worth, due to our current inflation rates! haha

[davidhiser]

I recorded a women once that could not play to a click track to save her life...after about the 10th and talking to her I got an idea...I changed the click sound to a KICK DRUM. She nailed it the first time. As she said...she was used to hearing a kick...but not the click.

[fathuman]

I've often got frustrated with my recordings coming out sharp when I slap a capo on even though I'd just tuned up. I actually never thought of tuning the guitar WITH the capo on. Why the hell did I never think of this?

[PhatOtterStudios]

Well you have G.I.R.A.T.S. and now you have the 5 T's - "Take The Time To Tune"

[CharlesK]

As a guitarist myself this was both painful and interesting 😅. Good job 👏🏾

[erixouther]

i havent recorded anything yet, and i feel like this video saved me a month of headaches

[madiimad]

I've spent the past week, fixing cutting adding and subtracting guitar tracks. Cuz the guitar player of the band I'm mixing, is out of time 80% of the riffs. Double the work. They sent me the raw tracks. So, I wasn't able to guide em through the recording process

[Trinityshogun]

The 2nd example kind of happens fairly often, most often when the guitarists gets lost in the emotion of the track.