Recommendations for Audio Recording Inferface for Acoustic Guitar & Vocals?

F

Fauxfire

New member
Hi all!

I'm new to the community here, so I could use some help here! :D

I'm looking for an Audio Recording Interface to do some basic home-studio recording.
I play the acoustic guitar and usually play acoustic covers of songs, like those amazing people on Youtube (Tyler Ward, Alex Goot, Jake Coco, just to name a few).

Currently, after looking around the net a bit, I came across the Line 6 Toneport UX1/UX2 (I'm not sure whether is the Line 6 POD Studio UX1/UX2 the same as the above-mentioned).
It's got a lot of good reviews and all, but i'm not sure whether does it support acoustic playing.

So please advice guys! And if there are other alternatives, I'll appreciate the info!
 
You might wanna check some Focusrite. I own Pro 14 and love it. However, I have no ideal about their USB line.
 
Haha thanks for the info Kongwee, i'll go check it out.
But meanwhile, is there something more "entry-level" and "newbie-friendly"?
Cos i'm pretty new to this field so I'm having a low budget of abt $200? Izzit possible?
I don't mind secondhand ones too :D
 
Presonus Audio Box used to be that cat, but no longer now.
But you can consider that under $250 cat.
Of cos, you need to budget out to buy at least a large diaphragm condenser.
 
Kongwee:
Wow there are different types of condenser mics too?? I'm only familiar with the long and skinny ones...

Blueprintstudios:
Wow that's a lot of info to take in at one go, but a big THANKS anw!! I'll spend some time reading it.
And with regards to your questions, here's what i have.

Gear
- Fender Acoustic Guitar, Fishman pickups
- Some guitar cables
- An old electric guitar amp (bought it tgt with my old electric guitar some time ago)
- A converter from the "guitar cable" head to the "earphone" head.

Daw - Audacity

Recording Purpose - Do acoustic covers, in the future will attempt a "one-man-acoustic-band" with cajons and stuff. :D

Looks like i've got A LOT to learn! :D
 
Fauxfire said:
Kongwee:
Wow there are different types of condenser mics too?? I'm only familiar with the long and skinny ones...
Click to expand...

Condenser are cat by the diaphragm size other than the mic pattern. Normally the manufacturer will state large,medium or small. Or cos, physically you can see the different. From instruments, I try to use a few small diaphragm condenser. I can do AB,X-Y or M/S recording. Becos they are small, they are easy to configure. Like piano or guitar cos I don't spend a lot of time getting good spot, I will do X-Y or M/S for a good stereo imaging. In the past, not knowing this method, I use a lot of effect to spread the instruments sound. With X-Y or M/S, it is a lot easier.

But in your case, it is Large Diaphragm Condenser aka LDC you should get first. It work good on vocal and guitar.
 
fauxfire: so you're just lacking an audio interface, make sure your computer is well maintained. play around. try to increase your budget in the mean time. save heheh.
 
Kongwee:
Ohh i see i see! How much does a decent one cost then?
And pardon me pls, but what does all the AB, X-Y and M/S mean..?
And for mics, its better to get those with the 3-pin connectors right?

Bluepringstudios:
Haha yea. Slowly lol. But currently, i'm still looking at the Line 6 POD Studio (aka Toneport right?) UX1 or UX2...
They work for acoustic guitars right?
And from the many good reviews i read abt them, it seems to be pretty newbie-friendly and long-lasting for my entire "learning journey" into the audio world.
Any comments on that? :p
 
The Toneports are not designed for acoustic but will definitely work. And they are a good investment as a basic interface for almost any instrument or mic you want to record in the future.

A good starter, multi-purpose mic is the Shure SM57 or 58, since I assume you are also recording vocals. And yes always get a XLR mic (the "3-pin connectors" you mentioned), not USB mics.

Even though your guitar has pickups, you can try recording both the pickup signal (plugged into whichever interface) and the room sound (with a separate mic) simultaneously. Then mix them together to get the best of both worlds. For example the external mic can help you get more defined picking and hand movement sounds, which some people like for acoustic guitars.
 
Last edited:
Carboxymoron:
Hello! Appreciate the input! But i got a few questions now:
1. With the interfaces, I don't need an acoustic amp to do any recording right?

2. I've heard of that Shure SM 57/58 mic a few times! I can use that to record my guitar too?
With that, I'll assume that I can mic it up to a Cajon too? I've always thought such instruments need condenser mics to pick up a good sound. :p

3. When you say mix them tgt, do you mean laying both tracks next to each other?
And so i'll have one track from the pickups lined into the "guitar" input jack, and the other one from the into the "vocals" input jack on the interface?
Or do i record them separately, lining it only into the "guitar" input jack?

Blueprintstudios:
Ohhh... What do you mean by noisy? Won't the interface remove those "interference" stuff..? :p
 
Fauxfire said:
Carboxymoron:
1. With the interfaces, I don't need an acoustic amp to do any recording right?

2. I've heard of that Shure SM 57/58 mic a few times! I can use that to record my guitar too?
With that, I'll assume that I can mic it up to a Cajon too? I've always thought such instruments need condenser mics to pick up a good sound. :p

3. When you say mix them tgt, do you mean laying both tracks next to each other?
And so i'll have one track from the pickups lined into the "guitar" input jack, and the other one from the into the "vocals" input jack on the interface?
Or do i record them separately, lining it only into the "guitar" input jack?
Click to expand...

1. You don't need any amp, you mic from your guitar body area. Shifting different area of the body can produce difference result.

2. SM 57/58 will do. But consider you need to sing and only can affordable a mic. I suggest AT 2020(or similar price LDC) to do everything. Unless your singing is very loud, AT2020 will suit you better.
 
Yup, record two tracks at the same time. You can setup the Toneport UX2 to separate inputs 1-2 and 3-4, then setup your tracks in Audacity to record from the two sources accordingly, one for pickups plugged in and the other using the mic. Then adjust the levels if you want more of the external sound or more of the pickup sound etc.
 
fauxfire : if you're recording in ubi industrial area at primetime drilling/construction/work period, then you're better off with DI pickup recording because in that situation your miking will be noisier than your pickup recording.

otherwise, DI Pickups is usually very "skinny" and "sharp" sounding from my past experiences as they use it mainly for live to avoid bleed from the PA or the vocalist singing and so the guitarist can move around than stay in one same spot.

especially if the pickups is cheapo type, then it'll be very "hissy" and "noisy" as well.

on talk of condenser microphones, http://homerecording.about.com/od/microphones101/a/mic_types.htm

everyone says the same thing everywhere, it's tried and tested :
http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/forum.php?action=view_thread&id=1214&frm=1

so personally in a "bedroom" situation like how I'd record acoustic guitars is simply just one large diaphragm mic at the body, and one at the neck. just need to watch the equal miking distances.
some examples here (using Rode NTK + NT3) and here (Rode NTK + AT2020) off my FB.

AT2020 (I did a review here) is a highly affordable and very versatile microphone can use it for overheads, acoustic guitars, vocals, room etc. just remember to get an audio interface that has phantom power on its preamps.

so to help answer the qns you have:
1. no.the "body" of your acoustic guitar is like an amplifier already.
2.you can use any mic to record anything but the sound is just not gonna be as clear as a condenser.
3.yes. record "dual mono" , e.g. guitar pickups > #1 , AT2020 (miked at body) > #2 , you can control your panning width if you do it dual mono, or if you're just lazy and want a neater layout, just record it in stereo.
4.AB, X-Y and M/S : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonic_sound , as you can see from the photos i'm using AB.
 
Wow you guys are truly amazing and helpful!
Thanks for all the info!!

So from reading all your info, I suppose its best for me at this stage to get:
1. Line 6 POD Studio UX1/UX2 (btw, are there interfaces specially for acoustic settings?)
2. AT2020 Condenser Mic to record EVERYTHING (guitars, vocals)
3. Mic Stand(s)

While comparing prices for the AT2020 mic, I found out that there are both the USB version and XLR version.
It's better to get the XLR one right? (which means i have to get another converter for it to be able to be plugged into the interface, right?)
Does the USB version compromise on the sound quality a lot? And does the prices differ much?

And also, I came across this picture: http://s2.hubimg.com/u/1995909_f520.jpg
What's with that set-up?
 
Get the XLR one. You will be able to use it with any interface/mixer, whether with your computer or in a studio or live setting. USB can only be used with your computer.

There is no need for any converter as XLR is the standard plug for mics. Your interface should have at least 1 XLR connector. Even the low end Toneport UX1 has 1 XLR (the 3 holes in the big circular socket) for mic and one 1/4" (quarter inch) for guitar.
 
Err... Whats "Latency"? I've been seeing that term pop up every now and then
Is it something like "lag" or "delay time"?

And pls correct me if i'm wrong, but is "Reverb" something like the "echo" created by the surrounding environment, which in this case its the room or that foam thingy? :D
I remember back in my secondary school, the recording studio's walls had those triangle foam thingy stuck on them. It's supposed to make it more "soundproof" right?
With that in mind, I heard that a very budget way of making a makeshift studio in the bedroom will be to hang curtains on the walls or something.
Is that true?
 
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