Arranging and Orchestration Concepts !! 101Most engineers prefer to ‘‘take the guitar direct’’ (into the console)
rather than miking an amplifier. The guitar is plugged directly into the
recording console and bused to a track. Since guitar effects can simulate
almost any amplified sound, often there is no need to use an amplifier.
Most rock-and-roll bands prefer to use amplifiers in the studio in order to
capture their live sound. Some engineers simultaneously record a direct
sound and a live sound and mix the two sounds together. This technique
is customary when recording acoustic guitars.
Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars have either nylon or steel strings. The playing style is the
same as for the electric guitar, except that finger picking is used more often
with acoustic guitars. The sound is usually pure and not ‘‘effected’’ (e.g.,
delays, choruses, and so on) in the same manner as that of an electric gui-
tar. Reverb is generally added to give the instrument some ambience.
A number of acoustic guitars are manufactured with microphone pick-
ups. A quarter-inch cable (guitar cable) is plugged into the recording con-
sole, and the signal is recorded directly. Some engineers mix a direct signal
with a microphone signal that is recorded by placing the microphone in
front of the guitar. They also want the room sound to be blended in the
overall ambience of the sound. Engineers use microphones that are placed
far from an instrument to record the ambience of the room.
Most commercial music guitar parts are written with chord symbols
and rhythmic indications within each bar; the rhythm notation indicates
where to change the chords. Specific parts are notated. Arrangers indicate
if the part should be arpeggiated, strummed, or plucked.
Guitar players are hired because of their individuality, which includes
their feel, sense of time, technical ability, and musicality. (Some guitar
players specialize in either acoustic or electric guitar.)
Range:Electric and acoustic guitar parts are written in the treble clef
and sound one octave below where they are written. The guitar is built in
C. The lowest string is E, below the treble clef, followed by A, D, G, B, and
E (see examples 6-2 and 6-3).
Example 6-2 Guitar open strings.Banjo, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, lute, ukulele, and other stringed
guitar-like instruments are used in various genres of music. Almost all