Official Luthiers Forum!

In part of my wanting to document my entire first build, I decided I wanted to record my tap tones throughout the build process. After reading Mr. Somogyi's voicing preview, I got to wondering how many of you record tap tones for comparative purposes? I'm wondering aloud here, but it seems maybe you could use the recordings to compare wood species, bracing, etc. Anyone?

_________________
nay

My blogs
Hand Made Gutar
Woodworker++

This is actually something I'm planning on doing, too. I should have a
Focusrite Saffire LE here within the next few days. I was protools certified
a few years ago and had an Mbox but sold it. I still have a nice mic, and
recording my finished projects was something I wanted to do. You don't
need to get such a setup ($) setup, but it's the route I decided to take.

I'm just going to be using it into Garage Band for a nice, hassle-free, fun
time experience. I won't be doing any of the more elaborate mixing or
recording methods (punching in, etc.) that would require more elaborate
software, and Garage Band has a good enough plug-in suite that I can
compress, eq, and add space with reverb or delay.    

Originally, I picked up an M-Audio Mobile Pre USB for $149 last friday,
but I had to turn the gain 75% up on the preamps to get enough signal
from my mic. This introduced some white noise ("shhhhhh" sound) which
wasn't worth the saving to me (I'd rather spend $300 than waste $150). I
had Guitar Center order the Saffire LE for me because I never had noise
issues with the Mbox preamps--which were made by Focusrite. The
product is in the same price range as the Mbox, so my bet is that the
preamps are the same.

Yeah, I already have the equipment to record. I have a nice (at the time they were bought) pair of AKG C1000S condenser mics that should work well. I went the Roland route and have an RPC-1 PCI card with the VM-3100 digital mixer. I don't like the pres on the mixer too well. I have a Behringer outboard tube mic pre that I could use. Hindsight is 20/20. The Roland setup isn't the best because it's all roland proprietary connections.

Hopefully, I can get around to recording the tap of the top (before bracing) this weekend.

_________________
nay

My blogs
Hand Made Gutar
Woodworker++

I record 'tap tones' in the form of Chladni patterns and frequencies on a paper form I print out. I keep a folder on each guitar, with those for the 'free' plates and the assembled modes, along with brace maps, top and back wood and thickness data, weights and so on. Over time there seem to be more and more things to record. Recently I've taken to putting the most important info on my guitars onto a single sheet, which goes into a notebook, which makes it really east to flip back and forth for comparisons.

However you do it, I'd say there are three things to keep in mind with your record keeping:
1) Keep it simple. If it takes too much time or trouble, you won't do it,
2) Always do your tests in the same way. This is especially important if you're recording the sound of tap tones; small variations in the way you hold and tap, and the placement of the microphone, including where it is in the room, can make a big difference in the sound. and,
3)DO IT.

Time and again I find myself seeing something I hadn't noticed before, and pulling a bunch of records to find out if there's any meaning to it. When you start to see the same things over and over in the instruments you like you're likely to be on to something. It's even more important when one doesn't work!   

Alan, thanks for the input. Good idea for tracking thickness and weight (I didn't think of tracking weight). Seeing your post triggered my memory. I read your "Fine Tuning" article a couple of months ago. Very informative, thank you for sharing.

_________________
nay

My blogs
Hand Made Gutar
Woodworker++