NickDrake.com

[49Hudson]

I absolutely love the guitar tone on all of Nick Drakes CDs.


I do some homerecording and tried my best to get a similar tone.



I am using an Okatava 319 mic with a tube preamp and washburn guitar.



msg me if you want a any more details or you have any good recording tips !



http://www.myspace.com/49hudson



Cheers,



Andy

[Joe Cronin]

That is really very nice actually.

I'm always looking to capture a tone similar to Nick's, and I think you've done a good job there.

[huge_fan]

Good work!

[thewhimmed]

your song sounds great:)
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[Anonymous]

I'm not sure we'll ever get a tone that we can judge as almost exactly like Nick Drakes, for many reasons (technique as well as equipment) but one thing I would recommend that anyone trying to move in that general direction should try is this: Beg, steal, borrow (or just plain buy if you can afford) a nice mahogany top guitar. The closest I ever got tone-wise was with a modern Martin D15 - Not a guitar that ND ever used, but that mahogany top sure lent a mellow warmth and purity that evergreen tops trade for sparkle and splash.

(I've since sold that Martin btw, and play an Adamas II now - life moves on and so do ambitions; I want my tone nowadays!)

[Andy49hudson]

Hey big thanks for the feedback people.

I agree about the Mahogany guitar.

Although technique is a big part of Nick Drakes sound if you can get hold of the guitar that he used (Guild M-20) you'll be on the right track, Paul Johnson played one at the TIA gathering this year and it sounded amazing.

I'd definately recommend an Oktava 319 mic for recording the guitar and vocals, it has a real vintage feel to it.

Andy
http://www.myspace.com/49hudson

[jrm]

Sounded very good, you should pat yourself on back for getting to where you are. Had a very nice acoustic sound.

The only thing that didn't sound like drake was the amount of low sustain you had. I never really heard that with Drake. He has more a velvety, on the surface sound with not too much low tones... a dryer sound than yours.

Good work though.

I'd be interested to know how you recorded it. How much mixing did you do? I definitely hear it on the vocals. I home record too and would love any tips (my stuff is sounding a little weak as I'm not the best producer)

[johnboyd]

I agree with jrm.

Normally, I like a twangy, 'southern' sound to my songs but I did find one way to produce high-end, softer sounds on my faithful Fender. I stuff two pairs of socks into it and play-away. It produces a thick sound with good lows and mids. Of course that's on my guitar. I encourage you to try it on yours and post some feedback.

Keep-On-Keeping.

John
www.johnnyboyd.info

[modestmatt14]

alot of nicks stuff kinda sounds more mellow and recently I have tried the martin DC-15E. i am looking to get a new one and it is between than and the martin aura since my mom can get discounts on martin guitars. and i think that the mahogany DC-15E is very close. nick's guitar seems to maintain that kind of mellow sound and doesn't sound very twangy alot

[hank chinaski]

nick had the coolest tone ! you must remember there were NO real acoustic strings back then " Well " i mean like they were all made from Nickel/steel and or strings put on electric /acoustic git boxes .. none of this bronze/phos. stuff! you see what i'm saying? and i would also think the way nick played with lots of slack in the tunings, smoking. maybe? they were a bit dirty and old which adds a nice timbre in itself. do you think not?

there is the sun and earth , then ther was nick ! and now were all still waiting for whats next.....dig

hank
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