Tips for Recording Pedal Steel

[hickenjr]

Mics/Noise Bodges:
Anybody got any opinions on the best budget mics for home studios (mic'ing up amps for steel)?
I do get some great tones out of my dad's set up but sometimes its a bit inconsistent and can be very noisy. The tone can change from day to day even when trying to keep the mic position consistent. For reference, I use a Fender Twin Reissue which doesn't have a line out,

I'd like something that limits ambient and static noise but retains a lush, consistent tone. (I think my dad uses a cheap condenser mic for recording instruments so I'm not overly critical of it because for the money, it's great).
He spent his money on the singers...although I could be wrong. He could be using one of the better ones for recording steel.
Any tips on limiting noise with simple bodges if a mic won't do that job. We only record from a small box room in the house. The ambient noise is that bad I have to set up on the hallway when mic'ed because the amp will pick up pedal noise and creaky chairs. Then there's the static noise coming from an amp.

Direct???
A while ago, I used to record with my Dad's Peavey Session 400 Limited into a board. It's been unwell recently though.
I used to like to record direct also but again...noise and it can also sound very sterile compared to recording via the speaker. I've had comments recently on how much my tone has improved moving from a direct Peavey to a Mic'ed Fender.
Any tips on not sounding sterile and noisy when direct? Direct would definitely create more consistency but as mentioned.. sterile and noisy.

[Danny Mitchell]

Well Steven, here's my tuppence worth.
First off, the mic approach.
Because you're finding the noises from the room too intrusive, I'd be inclined to use the good ol' Shure SM57, up against the grill cloth, positioned at or near the rim of the cone. These mics have a tight focus and if you're playing at a reasonable volume room reflections shouldn't be a problem. I recorded the guys at Gartcosh with this setup in an extremely echoey and noisey community hall and you can check out the results on the forum (SSGW Almost Live)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/prf9s9hv5r2k%20...%20CA_Wa?dl=0
As for amp noise, buzz, hum etc., you really have to live with that, comes with the amp. If it's a bad hum you can attenuate that a bit with a hi pass filter sitting at around 80-90hz for an E9, once you've recorded.
As for room acoustic treatment, in a box room (in a modern home?) Forget it. That's a can of worms that you could spend fortunes on and ultimately end up with a head of hair like mine. But, if you can achieve some room treatment, you could use a large diaphragm condenser a couple of feet back from the amp, perhaps blended with the close mic. As for clunky rod and pedal noise and squeaky seats....foam and 3 in 1 is the way to go.

Before I prattle on, it would be good to know what your recording setup is, anyway......

Next up, D.I.
For line out, I've never came across a better one than Telonics, this also goes for amp noise (none) with Quilter coming a close second. This is just in my experience BTW. Check out Davie Holland's recordings on both SSGW CDs.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/or9ve1kx8br4uhm/06%20Davie%20Holland%20%20If%20My%20Heart%20Had%20Windows.mp3?dl=0
A good D.I. box should achieve a clean signal that you could add reverb, delay and equalise to get the lush sound you're after. You could also use a blend of the two, mic and D.I.
Another direct method, which I employed in the, disastrous, Virtual Steelies Meet (excuse the shitty playing) was an 'American Sound' pre-amp pedal.
https://www.thebritishsteeliessociety.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11823
It cost about £30, and for a gigging muso could be a great 'get out of jail' card if your amp should go down mid gig.

I hope this helps. All the best

[hickenjr]

Well Steven, here's my tuppence worth.
First off, the mic approach.
Because you're finding the noises from the room too intrusive, I'd be inclined to use the good ol' Shure SM57, up against the grill cloth, positioned at or near the rim of the cone. These mics have a tight focus and if you're playing at a reasonable volume room reflections shouldn't be a problem. I recorded the guys at Gartcosh with this setup in an extremely echoey and noisey community hall and you can check out the results on the forum (SSGW Almost Live)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/prf9s9hv5r2k%20...%20CA_Wa?dl=0
As for amp noise, buzz, hum etc., you really have to live with that, comes with the amp. If it's a bad hum you can attenuate that a bit with a hi pass filter sitting at around 80-90hz for an E9, once you've recorded.
As for room acoustic treatment, in a box room (in a modern home?) Forget it. That's a can of worms that you could spend fortunes on and ultimately end up with a head of hair like mine. But, if you can achieve some room treatment, you could use a large diaphragm condenser a couple of feet back from the amp, perhaps blended with the close mic. As for clunky rod and pedal noise and squeaky seats....foam and 3 in 1 is the way to go.

Before I prattle on, it would be good to know what your recording setup is, anyway......

Next up, D.I.
For line out, I've never came across a better one than Telonics, this also goes for amp noise (none) with Quilter coming a close second. This is just in my experience BTW. Check out Davie Holland's recordings on both SSGW CDs.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/or9ve1kx8br4uhm/06%20Davie%20Holland%20%20If%20My%20Heart%20Had%20Windows.mp3?dl=0
A good D.I. box should achieve a clean signal that you could add reverb, delay and equalise to get the lush sound you're after. You could also use a blend of the two, mic and D.I.
Another direct method, which I employed in the, disastrous, Virtual Steelies Meet (excuse the shitty playing) was an 'American Sound' pre-amp pedal.
https://www.thebritishsteeliessociety.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11823
It cost about £30, and for a gigging muso could be a great 'get out of jail' card if your amp should go down mid gig.

I hope this helps. All the best

Cheers Danny, that's a lot of useful info.

I'm definitely going to try move the mic further to the cone. I'll take a look at those mics you mentioned. As of now we are putting it in the middle of the grill cloth, which on a Twin is in between both of the two speakers...I knew we were doing something wrong. I had an idea we had it in the wrong position but didn't wanna start any house wars. Hopefully now I'll consistently sound like a Lloyd Green Tribute Act As I said, sometimes I've got sweet tone out of our setup but other times I've sounded . Most of it is to do with my dad's post EQing though. He's got a nack for that.
In the past I've tried to record wet into the computer via the speaker but the reverb/effects always comes out much, much drier than what I had coming into the amp. I resorted to just recording bone dry and getting my dad to add stuff on the computer but I'm not really keen on Cubase Reverb presets. Maybe this will help with that.


The foam thing is something I've noticed on a few manufacturers of newly built steels. I always thought it was just to stop clashes of pull rods happening but now that makes sense! Noise dampening. My Show Pro is quiet but having a recording mic 3 foot behind you messes stuff up.

[Danny Mitchell]

Hopefully now I'll consistently sound like a Lloyd Green Tribute Act

Definitely Steven! That's the dream.

Regarding applying FX to a dry recorded steel. I'd recommend a single repeat slap back (preferably with a vintage vibe) and a spring reverb, perhaps a plate for those lusher ballads.
May The Lloyd Be With You

[hickenjr]

Hopefully now I'll consistently sound like a Lloyd Green Tribute Act

Definitely Steven! That's the dream.

Regarding applying FX to a dry recorded steel. I'd recommend a single repeat slap back (preferably with a vintage vibe) and a spring reverb, perhaps a plate for those lusher ballads.
May The Lloyd Be With You

Ironically, as much as I love Lloyd, I'm not really keen on spring reverb. Most steel players sound great with it. It just doesn't give me what I want in my hands.
My live chain is a tad bit of analogue delay and a nice plate reverb to give some shim. Sometimes I turn off one of them. It depends on what the song needs and running both can be overbearing in some scenarios.
Only thing is, the plate on my dad's copy of Cubase is really lacklustre. Mixcraft is much better for the effects, much more realistic and nicer sounding, but my dad's Zoom Desk decided it didn't want to work with Mixcraft.
When I did Together Again with Mathew Jut however it was done through Mixcraft on my computer. Direct from the Peavey into one of those Single Channel boxes. Once the steel was played I added a tube simulator, tiny bit of analogue delay and plate. Still sounded a bit shrill/sterile in places but was nice.

[Donny Johnston]

DANNY'S THE MAN. TO ME THAT WAS COMPLETE GOBBLEDEGOOK BUT DANNY SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND IT. THAT'S MA BOY. LDN

[Ken Byng]

Steven
PM sent.

[hickenjr]

Steven
PM sent.

Cheers Ken, just waiting for it to come through. Hasn't arrived yet.