Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Plenum n Heather on March 12, 2016, 09:55:52 PM

Title: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Plenum n Heather on March 12, 2016, 09:55:52 PM

After doing a bunch of research, I pulled the trigger on a Fishman Aura Sixteen pedal for recording acoustic guitar. What a fantastic pedal/studio aide!

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Kiichi on March 12, 2016, 11:52:00 PM

For a dummy like me, can you explain what that thing does? Just had a look at the website where it says that it enables users to mix studio miced sound with onboard (undersaddle / soundhole) pickups. Next paragraph it talks about eliminating the need to mic the guitar.

I am probably missing something, but right now I have no bloody clue what this thing is supposed to do.

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Plenum n Heather on March 13, 2016, 03:24:18 AM

I wish I knew what sorcery is involved, but I will explain is as best as I know it: Aura is a system that blends your UST pickup with an 'image' of a mic'd guitar. It uses Impulse Responses and something akin to sampling, but I have no idea how, to put your UST "through" the image. At full clockwise, you can hear just the image; at full counter-clockwise, you can hear just the DI. Fishman recommends you blend the two sounds, and it creates a really cool hybrid sound that sounds pretty much like a  mic'd guitar. You would be VERY hard-pressed to tell the difference in any sort of mix as to whether it was actually mic'd or the Aura.

Here's a quick test I recorded using my Ovation Legend into the Aura; the images used are an Alvarez guitar with a dpa mic, Alvarez with a Neumann M147, and a Guild Hummingbird with a Schoeps mic.

https://soundcloud.com/asfollowswriting/aura-test

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Kiichi on March 13, 2016, 08:27:00 PM

Ahhh, I think I get the idea now, thanks! Sounds like a nifty little thing. Have to say I was a bit sceptical, but the clip actually sounds pretty impressive. Congrats!

Might have to look into these more some day. When I again have a guitar with an undersaddle or soundhole pickup.^^ Currently only have an undersaddle mic.

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Plenum n Heather on March 16, 2016, 12:36:35 PM

Yes, it's specifically designed for UST systems, and I have read that other designs have had varying degrees of success; I made that test clip in roughly 10 minutes ... no special effort was made aside from some compression and a dash of plate reverb.

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: gwEm on March 17, 2016, 09:18:27 AM

I love this kind of technology. I don't have an acoustic at the moment, but I'll look into this anyhow.

Title: Re: Picked up a FISHMAN AURA pedal this week
Post by: Plenum n Heather on March 18, 2016, 06:45:42 PM

I am  curious how it will sound with an electric guitar myself ... may be some unique sounds in there!