This was Stephen Duros reply to a question that I asked him about recording. He is truly one of the best nylon guitar players out there and with two wonderfull cds out there I think there will be a lot more comming his new CD Thira is just beauiful thanks Stephen.
Dear Victor,
First of all, thank you for listening to my music. I am familiar with you as you're one of my flickr friends and I've seen your website.
Again I know that some artists cant revel there secrets or even have the time to. However if you do I would be very appreciative.
Sorry but I just can't revel whats behind the curtain, just kidding. Not a problem to share what I use. Most of the tone comes from the guitar I play and how I play it. I play a GVR Flamenco Guitar made in 1995. You can check them out HERE at their website.
The first CD, I played with a pick for lead and my hand for the rhythms. On Thira, I played about 95% of the lead with picado as I'm trying to convert my lead playing over to all picado. It's an on going process that will take me a few years. I'll still play with a pick as well as I enjoy it.
So thats part of the tone, it's the attack I use and where I place my pick or fingers on the strings. Some times on ascending guitar lines I'll start moving my pick towards the bridge to change the tone. I did that a lot on songs like Embrace or well, just about all of them, but always on the high B and E strings.
As for mics and mic placement, the first CD all I had to use was an AT-4033, a Roland 1680 and keyboard. My friend came over to my apt and would record percussion in my living room. As for placement, I had the mic in front of the sound hole but really close as I did a lot of the recording at night at that time and couldn't be too loud as I would wake the neighbors.
For Thira, I recorded in the same situation only I purchased a UA 1076 channel strip. On both albums I used no compression at all on the guitars. I don't like how compression effects the instrument. However there is over all comp on the mastering of the albums. The same mic was used on Thira only instead of using the 1680, I upgraded to protools 002 and used that. So the learning curve was steep but after recording Thira I felt that I could get around pretty quickly on it. The Thira sessions were pretty brutal for me. I'd be up around 5 or 5:30 am and working sometimes all the way till midnight. I did everything my self so it was a lot of work but no complaints as It was great experience and I love to create. I'd also be working at night some days of the week at at the Key Club in Hollywood doing lighting for the bands to keep afloat. I started in mid January and finished up in late May. I knew I needed to start early in the year because I wanted to finish up before the summer tour started with Ottmar. I finished up about two weeks before I flew out here to Santa Fe for rehersals. It gave me time to study the live music. Anyway, I'm starting to write a novel here, but I hope that helps a bit. I don't get too technical about mic placement, I really don't know, I just go with what sounds good really.
Take care and thanks for the nice comments and listening to the tunes!
Stephen
On 1/18/07, Victor Tarassov < victortarassov@mac.com> wrote:
Hi Steven,
You dont know me but I have been listing to your music for a few years and just thought I would ask. How do your record your guitar. I love the way it sounds and any tips, mic placement, pre amp, compression settings would be very appreciated. Again I know that some artists cant revel there secrets or even have the time to. However if you do I would be very appreciative.
Victor Tarassov
victortarassov@mac.com
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