best way to record an electric cello in DP8

[Stuartfox]

Hi guys,

I am now the proud owner of one of these:
http://www.nedsteinberger.com/instruments/nxt_cello.php

Anyone know the best way to get a nice recording out of it. The documentation says that you need to run this instrument (piezo pickups) through a pre-amp - Do I need an extra hardware preamp before I go in to my UAD apollo Quad's instrument input or could this be done with plugins?

Thanks in advance….

Stuart

[mikehalloran]

From the spec:

ELECTRONICS & CONTROLS: Passive circuit with high impedance output, no batteries required. Volume control and Tone control (treble roll off).

Any preamp designed for use with a single piezo pickup should work. Fishman, Baggs and others make these. A single piezo has a very high impedance. The preamp first matches the load and many have tone shaping controls.

BTW, the preamps for popular 3-sensor pickup systems from K&K are not what you are looking for - the impedance is wrong (Ohm's - not just a good idea. It's the Law).

Even with a preamp, it will sound quite harsh if plugged in direct. Going through an amp and speakers and the air into a microphone will give it some space and body. Of course, running through effects may give you the sound that you want. YMMV.

[Stuartfox]

Thanks a lot for the tips.

Some of my first attempts (cues for a documentary)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/250 ... itos_1.mp3

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/250 ... _bull2.mp3

I think the answer might be to much the amp up to give it the space - and also capture whats acoustically going on with the instrument as well (which makes a very pleasant if quiet sound).

I like the freedom of not having to use headphones to lay down little bits and pieces though.

[mikehalloran]

That's a very useable sound. I bet that you'll be a wild man when you start using effects and triggers on it.

I love my Buddy Holly records. One of Norman Petty's tricks was to use a room mic to capture the acoustic sound of Buddy's Stratocaster. If you listen, you can hear it on many recordings. It's pretty clear on many of the remasters such a Peggy Sue where it sounds like an extra rhythm guitar. Although Niki Sullivan did play acoustic rhythm on many cuts, his job on Peggy Sue was to flip the pickup switch between rhythm and lead for the solo while Buddy was playing.