Recording acoustic with Reaper

wern101

Hey Everyone.

So I have been scouting the reaper forums but couldn't find an answer to help.

I am recording acoustic guitar rhythm using reaper. Direct from guitar pickup into PC, no external microphone involved. I am trying to get a 'warm' tone for the acoustic in reaper (post mixing) but can't seem to find any plugins / settings to assist.

PLEASE help me with some advice. How can I create a nice acoustic sound using reaper? EQ settings? Plugins? FX? ???

Thanks.

ezietsman

I haven't done this but the first place I'll go looking is for acoustic guitar impulse responses. You'll need a convolver plugin to make use of them, there's a bunch of free ones that works fine. That should get you quite some ways away from the quack that is a piezo pickup.

morph

The Gibson (http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Gear-101-How-to-Warm-up-Guitar-Tone.aspx website talks about “Warm” tones are built around midrange frequencies. The highs are rolled off to a point where they may come subtly into play, and the lows are full, rich and present without being boomy. They recommend using a tube amp for a warmer sound. Turn the gain down to clean up the sound and volume up, adjust the highs and low end on the amp

Try using a tube amp sim found here

http://www.vstplanet.com/Effects/Saturation.htm

Also a bit of reverb adds life to a dull recording.

I have an AC33 Roland acoustic amp and the typical effects they have are Chorus, Reverb and Delay.

ezietsman

Greg Perkins wrote: The Gibson (http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Gear-101-How-to-Warm-up-Guitar-Tone.aspx website talks about “Warm” tones are built around midrange frequencies. The highs are rolled off to a point where they may come subtly into play, and the lows are full, rich and present without being boomy. They recommend using a tube amp for a warmer sound. Turn the gain down to clean up the sound and volume up, adjust the highs and low end on the amp

Try using a tube amp sim found here

http://www.vstplanet.com/Effects/Saturation.htm

Also a bit of reverb adds life to a dull recording.

I have an AC33 Roland acoustic amp and the typical effects they have are Chorus, Reverb and Delay.

The problem is that the piezo pickups usually found in acoustic guitars are really awful by themselves. The better systems have both piezo and a microphone which you can blend together. The sound you really want is that of an acoustic guitar that has been mic'd though. The impulse response *should* get one much closer. There's a box you can buy that does this, it is called the Fishman Aura, and there may be more modern ones available too. No reason not to try and do it on the computer though. It'll work in realtime too.

wern101

ez wrote: I haven't done this but the first place I'll go looking is for acoustic guitar impulse responses. You'll need a convolver plugin to make use of them, there's a bunch of free ones that works fine. That should get you quite some ways away from the quack that is a piezo pickup.

I have the 'ReaVerb' and the 'ReaVerbate' plugins, both VST (and a hell of a lot more others) that I have been messing around with and have gotten a 'better' sound, but still not close to a nice clean, warm acoustic sound. What I am playing and what is recorded does not sound the same...probably a crappy pickup anyways, but can the plugins make a big difference? if so, how?

Greg Perkins wrote: The Gibson (http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Gear-101-How-to-Warm-up-Guitar-Tone.aspx website talks about Warm tones are built around midrange frequencies. The highs are rolled off to a point where they may come subtly into play, and the lows are full, rich and present without being boomy. They recommend using a tube amp for a warmer sound. Turn the gain down to clean up the sound and volume up, adjust the highs and low end on the amp

Try using a tube amp sim found here

http://www.vstplanet.com/Effects/Saturation.htm

Also a bit of reverb adds life to a dull recording.

I have an AC33 Roland acoustic amp and the typical effects they have are Chorus, Reverb and Delay.

Thanks Greg. Not sure how this relates to my acoustic guitar, but I have saved this for later reference with the electric.

Thanks!

ezietsman

So those reverb plugins are more or less what I'm talking about but you should look for one that is a measured impulse response from an actual acoustic guitar.

Like this guy is showing:

morph

wern101 wrote:
Thanks Greg. Not sure how this relates to my acoustic guitar, but I have saved this for later reference with the electric.

Thanks!

I saw that it was from an electric forum but I reckoned a definition of what a warm tone is was needed, and then to explore options of getting there

Have you tried using a mic to record your guitar? What guitar is it? What make or brand of pickup do you have in it?

wern101

Hey guys.
Thanks. This really does help. Came accross some vids on utube that also helped a lot. Will be applying the concept tonight.

Gregg I thought about that as well. It 'should' be better using a mic, but my rooms isnt acoustically 'treated'. I will also do the mic recording tonight. I have a Stagg SW206 Acoustic with a stock pickup

wern101

Quick update. Recorded into a microphone and oh WOW. What a major difference it makes. Suddenly the bass sounds come out and the depth of the acoustic is heard!! Applied a wee bit of reverb and compressor and now it actually sounds like a guitar.
Tnx for the assistance gents!! Champion!!