acoustic guitar miking

[Rick Shepherd]

I tried micing the guitar using a pair of Peluso CEMC6 mics, one about 8 inches out from the 12th fret, the other about 6 inches over my right shoulder above the body of the guitar, and OMG! It sounded way better than any other position I tried, I was amazed. The interesting thing about it was, the gain on the preamp was set the same for both mics, meaning that the mic over my shoulder was picking up on alot of sound from that spot, which I never would have thought would happen, even after reading about that as a preferred micing option on the internet.

 

[junplugged]

I just used 3, one on an amp w/ effects on ac/gt and output of a looper, one on my acoustic guitar, and one for the room. Been listening to it today for a few hours, not bad, actually.

 

[XLR]

I use two mic's a lot, more mics sometimes, but for recording myself today I'm feeling like using just one mic might be better... because the simpler it is handling the gear the more effort I can put into actually PLAYING THE MUSIC.

Tim

 

[DefenderOfRock]

I like using one sdc mike and playing the part twice, then panning the two takes to either side. This makes for a very pleasant stereo environment, 'specially if the two takes are really tight. (for dashboard fans especially!)

On the flipsode, doing separate variations/arrangements on the takes such as capoing or playing an arrangement with more space makes for sweet tracks too.

This techniqe works super for songs that are just solo acoustic and vox, or Jack Johnson style arrangements that are less busy.

Have fun with whatever you end up doing!

Carl

 

[ragata]

I like to blend the signal from one close-up sdc with an ldc(in my case) capturing the room as much as a couple of meters away (towards a window in some cases). Sometimes adding a little light chorus to the sdc track and then panning the two apart.

 

[ecktronic]

If using a matched pair to record an acoustic it would be wrong (wouldnt it?) to pan the two tracks if one mic is at the hole and the other is on the neck. This would be unbalanced in the mix as the tracks would have quite different toneal qualities.

 

[jerfo]

If using a matched pair to record an acoustic it would be wrong (wouldnt it?) to pan the two tracks if one mic is at the hole and the other is on the neck. This would be unbalanced in the mix as the tracks would have quite different toneal qualities.

That's not necessarily the case. In fact, it's quite possible that a stereo spread will sound more natural than panning the tracks dead center. Look at a what happens when you mic a drum kit: you generally use a matched (or similar) pair of overheads that are picking up very different pieces of the kit, but panning them hard left and right is acceptable and resonably natural sounding.

When you listen to an acoustic guitar in a live room, you're hearing sound coming from various different sources hitting each ear at different times. You're hearing resonant sound from the soundhole, attack from where the pick hits the strings, reflections from the walls, and so on. A hard-panned matched pair of mics might simulate this better than a matched pair of mics both panned dead center. Each ear might be getting a very different "tonal" picture from the other.

However, it's also possible that panning the two acoustic guitar tracks wide left and right will make your mix too muddy or cause the acoustic track to fade into the background of your mix, depending on how dense the rest of your instrumentation is. There really isn't a "right" or "wrong" answer. With apologies to Joe Meek: if it sounds good, it is good. Try it both ways, or any way in between.

- Jerfo

 

[joshw]

Depends on the mix and style, but I find that two mics in stereo always sounds better if your mix has room for it. I'd still record in stereo with a busy mix for the sake of flexibility later on, and then either use only one of the mics, or both in a very narrow stereo spread for a little bit of life.

As for method, I find XY the most realistic, though spaced omnis can sound amazing too.

 

[lexdrummer]

the magic of money

Rode NT4, mono compatible, pic atrack or use both. Magic....

 

[lexdrummer]

goodness josh! Total Goodness! way Cool...wicked...awsum

anymore I could throw in...probably

Smokin great effort, excellent technique, great recording, great music, solid, solid, solid

Wow....teach this art. Everyone here at the forum should dive on this and study...

Thanks for the link..

-lexdrummer