Discussion over at the Larrivee forum ensued about various ways to get a nice sounding recording on acoustic guitar at home. I promised to knock out a demonstration of how to do double tracking and how it sounds different than a stereo recording. No effects.

Room: The Lake household, kids going up and down stairs, dishwasher running in the background, I'm sitting on the couch (well, it's a love-seat) in the living room.

What played by whom: My Larrivee L-03, me playing a simple chord progression.

Recording setup: Tascam US800 interface, Electro-Voice PL80a microphone placed at 12th fret, about 4-5 inches away from fretboard, aimed down toward soundhole, Samson Q2U microphone about even with sound hole, aimed at upper waist location.

Two takes involved.

Take 1, stereo recording with EV hard panned left, Samson hard panned right.
Take 2 same thing.

Listened to take 1 while recording take 2

4 files exported from my DAW software. Stereo recordings 1 and 2 from the 2 takes.

Then the magic of double tracking comes with the other two files which are the individual unique mics, with take 1 in left, take 2 in right.

Click images to launch a larger view...






Stereo recording take 1 - Scott Lake

Stereo recording take 2 - Scott Lake

Double Track export using EV mic from both previous takes -Scott Lake

Double track export using Samson mic from both takes - Scott Lake


Recording equipment outlay: $100 for tascam, EV mic won free in a drawing but retails online for $99, Samson Q2U microphone cost $39 at Target on clearance and came with some pedestrian circumaural headphones. Cables and stands, around $60 total.

There is a definite hole in the middle of the stereo spectrum in the Double Track export demos, where the Stereo Recording has a fuller stereo field, and a warmer sound because of it I think. I would be interested in the pictures if you want to post them.

Nice playing also!

Myself, I have gone with Mono recording & the double tracking all my acoustic parts, it makes for less phase issues & a cleaner way to add effects, at least for me.

True about the hole. One way to close it is to not hard pan like I did. Easy enough to accomplish since the recordings already exist.

Photos now in opening post of the thread.

Pretty decent result with cheap equipment, IMO.

-Scott