Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Hi Vol, some thoughts and suggestions.

Do you have a recording room that is quiet and does not have internal echo ? This kind of space will mean the main sound will be from the shakuhachi and will enable you to back off from the microphone to perhaps 300mm so that the dynamics of volume incrase will not distort or give digital clipping. If you get too close to the microphone there is a high risk of a bad recording due to volume peaking. You could use a compressor to get a top end threshold but this also has the effect of cutting dynamics so you should not use too much.
However, it is usual to record 'dry', without any effects, then add effects later, because once you record with effects you can't change them.
The same applies to using Reverb, which is usual, particularly with shakuhachi, but again, it may be preferable to add this after the dry recording.

You do want to record with the best volume you can get without distorting the sound, because if you have to boost the volume later, you will also be boosting any other background sounds.
It is very useful to use EQ to filter out frequencies beyond the flute, but again, be careful you don't lose the dynamics of the sound and it becomes 'flat'. When using EQ pull back those frequencies you don't want rather than boosting those that you do want.

Explore your equipment, hardware and software. On my microphone I have a sponge cover that I have taped 20mm away from the actual end of the microphone itself, this helps to reduce noise generated by wind or breath.

Think about doing your recording on one day but any processing or mixing on the following day. This is because you will find you can get too attached on the day you record, and will be more detached the next day and will hear the sound with a fresh ear.

The quality of your speakers, headphones and amplifier will affect your decisions regarding the sound. Have some examples of shakuhachi music to use as models for the sound you want to get.

A program such as Steinberg Freefilter is very useful as you can take a sample of the EQ settings from a professional CD and apply these settings to your recording.

One thing I have found, the more you record, the better you listen.

Regards,
Kel.