Autoharp Home Recording Tips

I've had a few people ask how I record my autoharp. Here's the equipment I use to record my autoharp:

• Cool Edit Pro
• Sonic Maximizer plugin
• Shure SM58 microphone
• Tascam 4-track mixer
• Autoharp pickup
• 1/8" to 1/4" chord
• Sound Blaster Live! sound card

Set two tracks of the the mixer to record left and right channels. In one channel feed the autoharp pickup. In the other, feed the microphone.

Place the microphone about one foot behind you. This cuts down on a lot of the keyboard clatter. Record.

Once you have working models, use the Sonic Maximizer to compress the sound. I use the guitar setting usually depending on how loud the inputed sound is. The Sonic Maximizer adds body to the autoharps dry sounding microphone and pickup.

Mix and master, and you're done. For a more detailed description of our recording techniques, here's a free eBook compiled by my music partner, Andrew McKee.

Copyright 1999-2008 Bard Marc Gunn's Folk Music, Poetry, Pictures - Talk to Me