The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic DIs for Recording?
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  DIs for Recording?
Andrew Waegel


From:
Berkeley CA USA
Post  Posted 23 Apr 2021 8:10 am    
Reply with quote

Hi all,

So I'm doing recording for a friend's album and got some advice that makes sense to me - mic up your amp with the sound you like and put that on one track, and also put a DI right after the volume pedal and record a dry track so the producer/engineer has some options.

The basic workhorse DIs seem to be the Radial Pro DI (passive) and the Countryman (active). From experience I know that boxes like this designed for guitar sometimes don't work so well for steel, so I'm looking for recommendations - have you used either of these boxes for recording directly, and how did it work out?

FWIW I also use a Sarno Freeloader as the first thing in my signal path, which I may skip for the recording. That may change the equation but I'm not sure how.

Don't need anything super audiophile, I'd like a unit that I can use for going to the board at live shows too.

Thanks!
- Andy
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 23 Apr 2021 10:16 am    
Reply with quote

While not a DI per se, I recently got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo to use with Garage Band for recording. I've been putting a mike in one channel and a magnetic pickup direct in the other. I've been very pleased with the way it works. The Scarlett has a USB output as well as a pair of line level 1/4" outputs.

The downside for potential live use is the lack of individual volume controls for the two channels--all of that happens on the computer. It could just as easily happen at the board though.



Dave
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Andrew Waegel


From:
Berkeley CA USA
Post  Posted 23 Apr 2021 11:37 am    
Reply with quote

Hey Dave, are you recording pedal steel or something else?

I've got a focusrite scarlett too but would need to split up the signal since I'm playing pedal steel.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Greg Lambert

 

From:
Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 23 Apr 2021 5:31 pm    
Reply with quote

I have done both and got great results on both and have got bad results on both. Guess it depends on the song and how its mixed.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 24 Apr 2021 3:57 am    
Reply with quote

Andrew Waegel wrote:
Hey Dave, are you recording pedal steel or something else?

I've got a focusrite scarlett too but would need to split up the signal since I'm playing pedal steel.


I'm recording pedal steel, lap steel and acoustic steel. All with the same basic configuration--condenser mike into the XLR side, magnetic pickup into the other channel, with the signal split at my volume pedal.

Dave
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

David Spires


From:
Millersport, OH
Post  Posted 24 Apr 2021 4:04 am    
Reply with quote

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TD1DI--telefunken-tdp-1-1-channel-passive-instrument-direct-box

David Spires
_________________
2021 MSA Legend XL 10&7; Asher Electro-Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel; '79 OMI Dobro 66 w/ Scheerhorn cone and setup; '64 Hand-wired Re-issue Fender Princeton Reverb
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 24 Apr 2021 5:11 am    
Reply with quote

I've recorded two different steels direct with a Radial Pro D2 and didn't change the sound at all (a Franklin with Lawrence 710 pickups and a GFI with the GFI II (George L's) pickup).

The Radial's were my main passive D.I. boxes when I had my recording studio.

How to record is very subjective and there are as many ways as there are recording engineers. Wet or dry. Where to place mic's and how many and what mic's. Direct vs mic'd, etc.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Andrew Waegel


From:
Berkeley CA USA
Post  Posted 25 Apr 2021 5:10 pm    
Reply with quote

Thanks for the feedback - I'm going with that Telefunken passive DI.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP