Acoustic Guitar Recording 101

**WhiteStrat** · 01-06-2012

Originally Posted by silvercn

Supper tutorial. My main instrument is acoustic guitar and I have been trying out different configurations for recording...from the pic, that looks a lot like my Alvarez....similar inlay on the board, etc... Very nice. I am going to work on duplicating that process. What interface and DAW are you using ???

Good luck with your efforts. Would love to hear some results.

It's been a while, but I think I was using a TASCAM 1804 (with the built in preamps) as an interface at the time. My DAW has always been Cubase. But just to be clear--the DAW doesn't matter at all (as far as sound goes), and for something like this, the interface barely matters.

I could have (and did!) get indistinguishable results from a cheap Behringer mixer and Reaper. In other words, it's way more about technique than technology.

**robhply** · 03-02-2012

This is the drum folks, excellent article and exactly the same approach i use to make em sound sweet.
Newbies, don't be put off by the expensive mics and preamps mentioned, just start using these techs with whatever you got and upgrade when you can, any result will be worthwhile and better than on result!
Cheers Rob

**deaf clef pro** · 04-05-2012

I've been recording an old friend's acoustic efforts with (what I beleive to be) very good results using the following approach:

Room: My living room. Couches, coffee table, full carpet, textured 8 ft. ceiling, drywall and paint.
Instrument: Takamine Jasmine with whatever strings he can find to replace whichever one breaks.
Gear: Sterling Audio S50 condenser in shock mount with pop filter on boom stand. I tried without the filter and the pick snaps were maddening. The house is typical 1955 platform ranch over crawlspace so I had to put the mic stand on pillows to keep his rhythmic left foot out of it. I position the mic about 10-12" away from the sound hole and angle it down a bit. I tried straight on and got a ton of string noise. The mic signal runs through an ART pre-amp (which is noisy but does effectively boost the mic signal to a usable level) then into a Boss BR-1180CD digital workstation on input 2. He also uses a Martin snap-in pickup which goes into the Boss input 1.
Method: I capture both the mic and pickup on tracks 1 and 2 simultaneously panning 1 hard left and 2 hard right. I then work the signal from each track independently, using shelf EQ as high and low-pass filters to cut the hiss out. I then bounce them over to tracks 3 and 4 panning each the opposite way. Now I have four tracks. I like the natural sound of the mic tracks but can't beat the clean punchiness of the pickup so I blend their levels until I get a good, natural clean open sound them bounce all four to the mastering tracks (9/10). A little soft compression and limiter, maybe boost up the bottom end and we're set!

I don't know how to post up audio files for your ear's consideration but the artist and I both agree we've got great recordings that translate very well from headphones to home stereo system.

**Whaleblue** · 04-11-2012

One more thanks for the tutorial.

I was umming and arring over whether to get a better mic than the one I have - but after going over this realise there's so much to learn I'll stick with my cheap mic until I know better. With just the one mic I'll have to use double taking to try out your ideas - but the stunning differences from the single mono take makes me think I can improve more by expirementing with these ideas than buying a more expensive mic and single take mono recording!

**WhiteStrat** · 04-11-2012

Originally Posted by Whaleblue

One more thanks for the tutorial.

I was umming and arring over whether to get a better mic than the one I have - but after going over this realise there's so much to learn I'll stick with my cheap mic until I know better. With just the one mic I'll have to use double taking to try out your ideas - but the stunning differences from the single mono take makes me think I can improve more by expirementing with these ideas than buying a more expensive mic and single take mono recording!

You're welcome!

And I love your response to my rather long-winded tutorial! That was exactly my point: technique over gear. I spent years and untold dollars chasing mics and pres when what I really needed was some knowledge. That recording was made with a relatively cheap mic through a relatively cheap preamp, and even though it's a couple years old, I'm still happy with it--it's still my go to method.

Best of luck on your own tone quest! Post up some samples when you're ready!

**Whaleblue** · 04-12-2012

Originally Posted by WhiteStrat

...That was exactly my point: technique over gear...

Minor confession - I've offered to buy moresound's pair of SM81's. It seems too good an opportunity to get a *pair* of really good mics that will hopefully last me a lifetime :-)

However, point absolutely absorbed. I must admit that like many of us I sometimes lose focus on the whole reason I'm doing this - i.e. not to accumulate "stuff" and empty the coffers, but to do something creative and fulfilling.

I hearby promise that once I have the SM81s I'll focus all my effort on the doing. It will be a good few weeks (or months) I suspect before I've progressed well enough to be happy to share my output, but that in iteslf gives me a useful goal (I kinda work that way!).

Thanks again.

**silvercn** · 04-15-2012

I just opened and set up a Fishman Aura 16 acoustic imaging stomp box for acoustic electric guitar...wow nice !!! For those who wish to record a mix of mics and direct line in, check this out and other models they have. Cool usb loadable guitar / mic images (16 separate setting on this model - more on others), and the ability to go online to their site and download more images.... very sweet. There is a blend and phase control, to adjust the amount of your own guitar pick-up with the image you chose...