Help! Recording a Parlor Size Guitar or 00 Size Guitar

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lancelot0888

New member
I'm planning to record an EP Album of my originals songs right now.. But the only guitar I have is a Parlor Size Guitar or 00 Size Guitar. The specific model is Alvarez AP66ESB.

Is it possible to get a good recording out of this guitar? My EP will be mainly acoustic guitar and vocals.

Should I get a dreadnought or a bigger guitar or this parlor will be fine?

Do you have any methods/techniques in recording a small-bodied acoustic guitar?

Thanks!
 
gecko zzed said:
The first question I have is: "does your guitar sound good?"

If it does, then you should have no problem in recording it.

A small-bodied guitar presents no particular challenges for recording.

Start your reading here:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/general-discussions/recording-techniques/acoustic-guitar-recording-101-a-290919/
Click to expand...

I think that my guitar sounds pretty decent but, since it's a parlor guitar, it has slightly a thinner, focused and compressed sound.

By the way, I would be recording it with a single Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone (Audio Techinica AT2020)

Thanks :)
 
I have had pretty good luck with a dynamic mic on the sound hole (SM58) and a condenser on the 12th. Rather close to keep the room away from the recording as much as possible. I've used this for both parlor and jumbo acoustics. I mostly use my guitar for strumming and acoustic fill. For more intimate it should work, just need a quiet place.
 
DM60 said:
I have had pretty good luck with a dynamic mic on the sound hole (SM58) and a condenser on the 12th. Rather close to keep the room away from the recording as much as possible. I've used this for both parlor and jumbo acoustics. I mostly use my guitar for strumming and acoustic fill. For more intimate it should work, just need a quiet place.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion. But I only have one mic as of the moment.. I wonder if I can use the pickup system of my guitar and blend it with a condenser microphone on the 12th?
 
lancelot0888 said:
Thanks for the suggestion. But I only have one mic as of the moment.. I wonder if I can use the pickup system of my guitar and blend it with a condenser microphone on the 12th?
Click to expand...

If you only have the pickups and a mic, I would definitely try that. Blend the two. If the guitar has an EQ, you may try a couple of samples to see how the pickup part would complement the mic part. If the mic has a higher end, then EQ the pick up for more bottom. Something like that. I would even play with where to put the condenser. You might get a better mix with the mic closer to the hole. Just use 12th fret as a starting point, your situation may differ, so don't just stick to one way.

But yea, I would use both for sure.
 
I've got an idea.

How about you set up the AT2020, get your guitar out, hit record and start playing.

Then you listen to that and see if you like it.
 
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