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rhythm guitar from “polly” by nirvana | ToneDB

polly

nirvana

rhythm guitar

AI generatedv1.0

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.

Gear

Gibson Acoustic Guitarinstrument
Reverb$2199Sweetwater
AKG D12microphone
ReverbSweetwater

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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 Guitar

Microphone: AKG D12

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

  • Gibson Acoustic Guitar(guitar)
  • AKG D12(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone DR-100$100-$150

Alternative to: Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Budget acoustic with similar body size and mahogany construction that provides the raw, unrefined acoustic tone character

ReverbSweetwater
Gibson J-45 Studio$1,200-$1,500

Alternative to: Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Modern Gibson acoustic with the authentic Gibson tone and build quality for the most accurate recreation

ReverbSweetwater
AKG D112$150-$200

Alternative to: AKG D12

Modern successor to the D12 with similar large diaphragm dynamic characteristics for capturing natural acoustic tone

ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57$100-$130

Alternative to: AKG D12

Budget dynamic microphone that captures raw, uncolored acoustic guitar tone without the smoothness of condensers

ReverbSweetwater
Focusrite Scarlett Solo$80-$120

Alternative to: Smart Studios recording chain

Clean, transparent preamp that won't add coloration, maintaining the direct acoustic character

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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