Acoutisc-Electric guitar

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Newbie dude

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Anyone here ever record an acoustic electric guitar direct? Did it come out alright? I'm asking this because I don't own a condensor mic and I don't have an amp specifically designed for an acoustic-electric guitars.
 
In general, it doesn't sound very good. Particularly the piezo pickups that are in most A/E guitars--yuck. They work o.k. live, but sound quite unnatural to my ears. Of course, it can work for certain sounds and some folks blend the direct sound with a mic sound. If that's all you have, use it. But, save up for a mic and preamp. You'll thank yourself.
 
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I've got the preamp with phantom power, just no condensor mic yet.
 
Do what you have to do!! Mic'ing will always sound better, IMHO.

The one possible exception I've come across is the B-Band electret pickup system ... it doesn't have any of the honkiness of piezo pickups.
 
I've got a Takamine with a piezo pickup and I never record direct. Hearing it direct or through an electric guitar amp to me is like fingernails on a blackboard. It hardly sounds like an acoustic guitar.

Haven't been recording long but I've only got one mic for now, an SM58 that I use for my acoustic. I'd say any mic will sound better than using the pickup on the guitar. So if you've got a dynamic mic or whatever kind you've got it'll still sound much better than playing direct or miking an electric guitar amp.

IMHO, if you've got any kind of mic, use it for now.

If you like, you can click on my signature to hear what the dynamic mic I use sounds like. (though I'm not sure it's a good example because i'm brand new to recording and it's my first recording)
 
Some of the best acoustic guitar sounds I've gotten have came from scratch tracks with a SM58 or 57.

Record with what you have. Just because you don't have a condenser dosen't mean you can't get a great sound.
 
Piezo pickups are made to not feedback when used in an acoustic. Using a magnetic pickup as in electric guitars will feedback like crazy when close to a monitor...even so, piezo's will still manage to give you feeback problems occaisionaly - but that can be solved by eqing...anyway... A piezo doesn't feedback like a magnetic pup, but it does transmit sound similarily...it picks up vibrations of the strings through the bridge as opposed to the magnet through the air.

Why doesn't anybody use it in the studio? Because you're not actually picking up the guitar's sound, just the vibration of the string! The pre in your guitar's pickup does it's best to emulate the actual sound of the guitar, and some do a good job (Taylor make good ones, I really like my Matrix 2), but most do a fantastic job of not actually making the grade.

If you want the sound of an acoustic guitar sound you'll use a mic and record the actual sound of the air vibrating because of the wood on the top of the guitar. But if you wanted a simulated acoustic sound from the vibration in the bridge you'll use a DI for recording.

Do you ever see any pro's DI'ing their electric guitar live? Same in the studio? Nope...mics on amps give you the sound you want because that's the sound a guitar's supposed to have! Have a nice day,

Jacob
 
sometimes...

I've always hated the sound of piezo "bark" or "quack". Especially if you play it really hard.

HOWEVER, in some recording situations, blending that pick up with a small or large condenser -- or even a well-placed dynamic mike -- can give you that extra presence to cut through a mix or even just to balance the sound of a solo acoustic piece.
 
Newbie dude said:
Anyone here ever record an acoustic electric guitar direct? Did it come out alright? I'm asking this because I don't own a condensor mic and I don't have an amp specifically designed for an acoustic-electric guitars.
Click to expand...

i've used an acousto-electric a few times, and have come out with a few interesting results. i actually use the same technique sometimes on an electric. depends if you have the ability to record two independent tracks seperately.
mic up the guitar if you can, but also record the direct input. slighly pan the worst sounding of the two, drop the volume a bit, and add a little chorus. you really have to play with it, but it adds a nice 'fullness' to the whole sound. as for using the direct input as your main track, i'd advise against it as you'll not get the 'natural' sound. piezo pickups, IMO, are just useful for live performances, not for recording.
if anyone's interested, this works sometimes on an electric guitar when playing rhythm parts or strumming chords. mic up the strings on the guitar. obviously the sound from an electric is very quiet, so mic as close as possible and turn the input level up a little.
the sound of the strings you now have can be treated as you like. what i find is that it just adds something a little percusive to a song and a bit of depth.

but that's just me :)

Cheers
Mark
 
I use a passive d/i box with an electric acoustic and get a good sound. A mix of the d/i and a mic is different and has a nice sound.
 
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