rhythm guitar from “polly” by nirvana | ToneDB
polly
nirvana
rhythm guitar
Tone Profile
A raw and intimate acoustic guitar sound, capturing a sense of vulnerability and directness. The tone is stripped-down and unpolished, with a focus on the natural character of the instrument.
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The Story
Kurt Cobain recorded the acoustic guitar for "Polly" using a cheap Gibson acoustic guitar and an AKG D12 microphone at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin with producer Butch Vig. The song was captured live in one or two takes with no processing, aiming for a raw and immediate feel that captured the natural character of the acoustic guitar.
Production Credits
Producer: Butch Vig
Engineer: Craig Montgomery
Recorded at: Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin
Signal Chain
Instrument: Gibson Acoustic GuitarShop on Reverb
Microphone: AKG D12Shop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Use a similar-bodied acoustic guitar to capture the core resonance.
- Experiment with microphone placement to find the sweet spot that captures the guitar's natural sound without harshness.
- Avoid adding any compression or EQ during recording to maintain the raw, unpolished character.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Gibson Acoustic Guitar
Budget acoustic with similar body size and mahogany construction that provides the raw, unrefined acoustic tone character
Alternative to: Gibson Acoustic Guitar
Modern Gibson acoustic with the authentic Gibson tone and build quality for the most accurate recreation
Alternative to: AKG D12
Modern successor to the D12 with similar large diaphragm dynamic characteristics for capturing natural acoustic tone
Alternative to: AKG D12
Budget dynamic microphone that captures raw, uncolored acoustic guitar tone without the smoothness of condensers
Alternative to: Smart Studios recording chain
Clean, transparent preamp that won't add coloration, maintaining the direct acoustic character
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
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