Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed!

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MiykPace
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2010/02/28 04:11:58 (permalink)

Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed!

I recently got some money to by some more equptment for my little basement studio, but I also ordered a Lanikai tenor ukulele for around $109. I havnt even gotten a chance to OPEN my new mic because im so obsessed with this uke, its such a happy and small instrument that brings this cuteness aura whereeverrr you go with it haha.

back to the question, It doesnt have a pickup and I was looking to buy them, but alot are really expensive and you had to open up the uke and such, and others just didnt look promising and cheap. I do though, have 2 condenser mics I use to stereo record acoustic guitar with, and all i was wondering if anyone else has had this setup before when recroding a ukulele?

Ukulele's seem to be getting more popular now, especially the tenor one, so Im sure there are a few people who have recorded them beforee successfully haha, and maybe can lend me some advice? Should I even bother stereo recording it becuase its so tiny, and because you strum where the neck meets the body where whould I put the mics? Im also still on a trial of Harmony Engine, so I might run the recording through that tommorow and try to get a nice big and whole tone if it doesnt sound very good to start off with.

any and all help apppreciated, soorry for all these spelling mistakes, but I just got back from a party (even got on the preforming stage where the bands were to sing happy birthday to the girl on my uke :p), and its really late so im tired and not focused but I just wanted to get this out thereee.
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    MiykPace
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    Re:Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed! 2010/02/28 04:17:18 (permalink)
    here is a good pop track of a song that sounds alot like what im writing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAScVJLBlGw

    in the beggining verse you can really tell that he layered the sound of the uke, that little downstrum "slap" gives it away, and throughtout the whole song the uke is very dominant and "big", while played normally it sounds so pale in comparison. And its way to perfect for him to have played it twice, so im thinking he stereo recorded it, then maybe just doubled the take and added a tad of delay to one and some reverb? Ill try out tommorow I guess.

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    montezuma
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    Re:Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed! 2010/02/28 05:18:05 (permalink)
    Trial and error. After all you've got to record it in your space right...with your gear...
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    The Maillard Reaction
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    Re:Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed! 2010/02/28 07:48:39 (permalink)
    If you are close mic'ing you can forget the stereo mic'ing and just use normal production techniques.

    If you have a nice room you can record from a few feet back... I'd be tempted to try stereo.

    Doubling tracks makes tracks sound doubled. Some folks like that sound. And some folks like that sound when it is really well done. I think it always sounds like doubled tracks no matter how well done. Is that the sound you want?

    If you are looking for rich thick non doubled tone... try a stereo recording from a few feet back in a nice room with a nice preamp that can be driven to high levels of gain.

    I think I'd try a ribbon mic(s) about 3 feet back with a preamp set to near maximum gain.

    I'd try the same mics in M/S as well.

    I'd avoid doubling UNLESS you were looking for an ukulele orchestra type sound.

    But as Monty suggests... you'll find what you need to know by working it our for yourself with the tools you have handy.

    best regards,
    mike




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    MiykPace
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    Re:Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed! 2010/02/28 11:10:56 (permalink)
    thanks for all the replies guys, im actually going to go try things out right now.
    I use a SP1 Condenser mic, Im guessing ill first try it stereo a few feet back, and I will see what the tone is like from there. Im really aiming for the sound in the song I posted, so Im going to try and see what I can doo.
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    Monkey23
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    Re:Micing a tenor UKULELE! some advice needed! 2010/03/02 10:54:21 (permalink)
    Yes, try that first (stereo recording). Doubling can work (listen to Beirut) but won't give you the intimate one-guy-with-one-ukulele sound that the clip you posted has.

    http://www.michaelstibor.com/
    #6
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