nylon guitar compress and eq

[ecolleno]

Hello,

When I read an advice about how to compress or eq acoustic guitar, I understand people speak about metal strings.

I want to know if that is different than nylon guitar (classical music, brasilian music).
And I supposse that is different if you play string by string or as rhythm guitar.

I have an compressor Portico 5043 and I have doubt about the attack in nylon guitar. Do you use fast attack for nylon guitar?

[Andreas G]

It depends on what your goal is?
Making an instrument more upfront in a mix – long attack
Bringing up the quiter parts – short release.
Creating more sustain – shorter/medium attack long release match to the song tempo.
Pushing the guitar back – short attack long release match to the song tempo.

As a side note: when I was younger I learned classical guitar. I'm really not sure if I wanted to have changed my interpretation with a dynamic tool. When integrating in a pop-mix it's a different thing of course. So again it depends on your goals.

Andreas

[ecolleno]

thanks, well, I don´t play classical music I said classical because it is have similar sound in the guitar. I play a kind of music which need compression. My music is more or less songwriter with soft african rhythm

[jigsawlogic]

I need to know the problem before I can help, with what limited knowledge I am able, to provide a remedy. What about the sound you are currently getting doesn't work for you? Why is compression the answer?

If you have a clip, even just 10 seconds, that would at least be a starting point. I have trouble enough properly compressing the things I can hear, let alone compressing the things I can only imagine based on a general verbal description.

Anybody's answer, based on what you have so far written, cannot be trusted since it would be constructed around a problem devised in their own mind using cues you have provided. Decisions as to compression (as with all things mix-oriented) are only germane to the actual audio at hand, and cannot be used to effectively tackle hypothetical situations. No broad stroke works in all cases. If you want a concrete answer, provide a concrete problem (in the form of audio). Otherwise, you're asking the blind for a description of the sunset.

[ecolleno]

Well, I understand what you say

Now I am changing my gears and all is new. Before I worked with digital preamp, compress and recorder and now I am starting to use old analogues gears. First days the result is not how I was expected, but I am improving every day. I was looking for ideas but I agree with you that my question in too general. I was following some general advices about acoustic guitar but I realize I hardly found some specific about nylon strings.

I cannot show you in this moment audio of my last experiences, I did not bring that information.

In my page MySpace.com - Javier Montijano - ES - Acoustic / Experimental / Other - www.myspace.com/javiermontijano there are several videos a of music I play, if that is enough.

thanks

[Musiclab]

As far as setting compressor attack do you hit hard or do you have a light touch.
If you hit hard and you want to bring out the percussiveness then med attack, if you hit soft slow the attack down, if you want it more or less even then go with a faster attack.
and try low ratios 2 or 3 :1

[jigsawlogic]

Thanks for linking to the videos. The feeling I get when watching them is that you want to capture a natural sound from the instrument. With this in mind, try being on the subtle side with the comp. Leave enough attack to let the pick transients through without any glaring modifications (keep it sounding natural). Set the threshold and release to the alter the decay of the instrument, but still keep it from being an obvious effect.

Every instrument has a signature decay that is like a dynamic thumbprint. Using a modest ratio will allow you to modify the decay, while preserving it's overall character. This will keep things sounding natural. You might want to follow with a second comp or limiter set with a very high threshold/high ratio to catch any transients that would otherwise clip.

Also, try patching your comp in at a 1:1 ratio, and see if you like what it does to the sound without having it actually work on your dynamics.

These are some basic starting points I'd use to get running, although they can end up being totally different once you've dialed in the sound. If you're after capturing a natural performance, quite often less is more with compression and nylon guitars. A favorite solo nylon-string song I tracked had none at all. Hope this helps, and happy mixing!

[vernier]

Natural hall, good mic, and analog recorder is all you need for those awesome instruments ...classical and flemenco guitar.

[ecolleno]

thanks for your advices and for watching videos. They are interesting ideas, particularly, using two compressors. I used this solution only for voice but I think I will try for guitar too. I would use a very soft compression in the first compressor (2:1 compressing 1 or 2 db) and the second compress with different attack similar ratio (3:1) and compressing about 3db.

I don´t understand: compressing 1:1, is not the same than bypass?

[andy_simpson]

Originally Posted by jigsawlogic

...
If you're after capturing a natural performance, quite often less is more with compression and nylon guitars. A favorite solo nylon-string song I tracked had none at all. Hope this helps, and happy mixing!

As the man says above, the less you do, the better it will sound.

Andy