Can I use sm57 for an Acoustic Guitar?

  • Thread starter Thread starter myhatbroke
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myhatbroke

myhatbroke

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A guy is coming over to record and I'm hoping its not a failure hahaha :p
 
Well, it's a different sound than a SDC for sure, but I like an SM57 pointed at the 12th fret of my acoustic, about 6" out from the neck, as much as anything else I have tried. Try it and see for yourself.
 
No. Inside of the SM57 manual, it explicitly states that the SM57 is not to be used on any acoustic instruments... especially not acoustic guitar. Don't be a rule breaker. Don't be a hero. Don't even think about pushing boundaries.
 
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if you want to sound like some crappy indie rock band go ahead and don't forget the tube mp and 4-track while your at it, you steve albini wannabe. :D
 
I've had good luck in live solo acoustic guitar settings with an SM-57 on my Santa Cruz OM/PW. The preamp will have a big effect on the sound as well. I was going into a Mackie 1604 VLZ. I'm sure if I was going into a Great River, it would sound killer!

Gillian Welch and her partner David Rawlings always mic their guitars live with SM-57s.
 
a condenser mic will give u better results as they can catch the transiants better. try to move the mic on the body of the guitar, further back - more base, up against the neck - less base. and find a place where the guitar sounds as you want it to sound. with good micplacements, ok guitar and an ok condensermic you dont have to touch the eq

/ p
 
I`ve gotten quite nice results with a sm57 on the 12 fret and then a sdc on the brigde aimed away from the soundhole :)
 
Well, you may lose the shot at a grammy, but with a decent pre and placement, it'll work on most songs. Just don't expect a stand out acoustic track with it. If the song is all about the acoustic, it will likely fall short. If it's just a strummed rythem though, you'll be fine.
 
I've seen the 57 used live & I have recorded with one in the studio but usually alongwith a kondensator of some kind (preferably a working one :D :D )
 
TravisinFlorida said:
if you want to sound like some crappy indie rock band go ahead and don't forget the tube mp and 4-track while your at it, you steve albini wannabe. :D
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That's EXACTLY what I want to sound like :eek:
 
apl said:
Consider the fabulous MSH-1O SDCs in a spaced pair.
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So there's the MSH-1C - cardioid, and the MSH-1A is now called the MSH-1O - O as in omni? Well, the O (letter) is wider than the 0 (number), but that's going to be read generally as MSH-ten.

Tim
 
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