how to get a full acoustic guitar sound?

L

Laynestaley

Newbie Shmewbie
I usually record the rhythm guitar 2 times and pan one hard left and the other hard right to widen the mix. However I've noticed in professional recordings that when there are no other instruments except for an acoustic guitar, this technique is not applied. Instead the acoustic plucking or strumming is only recorded once and yet the mix still sounds 'full'. Any tips on how to achieve this?
 
I recently had a lot of success using this technique, but it maybe a big no no.

First, I placed a large diaphram condensor (C414) near the body and a small diaphram (SP C4) near the neck, both about six inches from the guitar. Then, with a mic cable I measured the distance between the nut and the 12th fret. Using the 12th fret as a pivot point, I placed the C4 six inches from the guitar, the length of the measurement at the neck and the C414 the same distance at the body. Both were pointed towards the 12th fret and in a cardoid pattern.

Panned to 10 & 2 gives a realistic depth to the instrument, kinda like your sitting three feet directly in front of the guitar. Panning even further may give you more of what your looking for, but I tend to think its sounds too exagerated.

Once again, I don't know crap, but it worked for me.
 
It's called Stereo mic'ing. Johnny Five kinda' went in to it a bit. Lots of ways to do it, by the way.

Gotta' make sure you're using a full-sounding guitar to begin with (12-strings are nice for this), and your technique should be sound, obviously.
 
I usually stereo mic it with sm57's and then add some chorus from my Mackie mixer board effects. It seems to work. I think the key is 2 mics and find the spots that give you the width and depth.
 
..and plectrum noise

I'm new to this forum. I have great results with this stereo mic'ing. The only thing I'm not happy about is plectrum noise. How can I minimize that noise and still keep the clarity?
 
lonelyparis said:
I'm new to this forum. I have great results with this stereo mic'ing. The only thing I'm not happy about is plectrum noise. How can I minimize that noise and still keep the clarity?
Click to expand...


that isnt so easy. I used to have the same problem, and tried all sorts of EQ notching, mic angles etc. In the end, I found the only real way to overcome that sound was to learn to play better so that I couldn't hear the pick, or play with fingers. try different picks/thicknesses too.
 
Basically what they said. Stereo mic-ing. It's two mics, so it's fuller, but you're not "hearing" two mics because both are recording the same source at the same time. Your brain just hears one guitar. I realize that is a completely butchered and untechnical explanation, but you get what I mean.

Try a large diaphragm condensor backed off from the body of the guitar up to a few feet away (assuming it's a guitar that projects well) and a small diaphragm condensor in close at about the 12th fret like johnnyfive suggested.
 
One of my favorite big acoustic guitar sound tricks is to do two stereo recordings of the guitar track then pan one of the pairs the opposite way in the mixdown. You end up with the neck mics panned to the far sides and the bridge mics towards the center. It gives you a fat, spread out and balanced sound.
 
Laynestaley, I'm not sure what Full means to you, but Wide and Balanced is what I like. No doubt tracking the same part twice and panning can give great results, but it can very tedious and difficult to achieve a unified sound...

I particularly like a very wide Acoustic guitar image, but natural sounding. I've found this method to be the best in balancing the overall guitar and minimizing the problem areas. This method also collapses to mono very well.

Start here (assume right handed player):

One mic is in front (12 to 20 inches), slightly to the left of and pointing at the neck body point (approx. fret 15). Make sure it's not pointed at the sound hole.

The second mic (same distance away as the first mic) is positioned over the right shoulder, pointed at the bridge. Rotate the overhead mic forward or backwards to balance the image. Forward for more boom and back for less. Playing over carpet or a rug will minimize the overhead mic's early reflection. Try both.

This technique gives an excellent balanced and wide image of the guitar tone and minimizes pick noise and sound hole boom. You can achieve a great tone with this in a very short time and with a lot less hassle than with double tracking and can sound just as good.

If you're interested, here's a clip I just through together. The first part of the clip is the front mic in mono, and then the spaced mics.

Acoust Gtr Spaced Mic Demo

-Keith-
 
Last edited:
In addition to stereo micing (or in place of it) try using a short delay panned wide with different settings for L + R.
 
What Chessrock said

Chessrock mentioned a 12 string guitar stereo miced. This is nice if you have a 12 string guitar. If you don't I recommend a "High-strung" guitar to do the job. Basically, you can record the part with your normal acoustic then you either have to restring it or if you have another acoustic take that and string the bottom 4 strings (E - G) with the higher pitched strings of a 12 string set. Then record the part with this guitar. This adds a hell of a lot to the music and is done on many recordings even over heavy electric parts to add clarity and "air." Good luck. Peace.
 
lonelyparis said:
Compliments for your Acoust Gtr Spaced Mic Demo. What type of pick did you use there?
Click to expand...
Thanks...

No Pick... the first part was finger picking followed by strumming with the top of my index finger fingernail.

-Keith-
 
Sonixx said:
Laynestaley, I'm not sure what Full means to you, but Wide and Balanced is what I like. No doubt tracking the same part twice and panning can give great results, but it can very tedious and difficult to achieve a unified sound...

I particularly like a very wide Acoustic guitar image, but natural sounding. I've found this method to be the best in balancing the overall guitar and minimizing the problem areas. This method also collapses to mono very well.

Start here (assume right handed player):

One mic is in front (12 to 20 inches), slightly to the left of and pointing at the neck body point (approx. fret 15). Make sure it's not pointed at the sound hole.

The second mic (same distance away as the first mic) is positioned over the right shoulder, pointed at the bridge. Rotate the overhead mic forward or backwards to balance the image. Forward for more boom and back for less. Playing over carpet or a rug will minimize the overhead mic's early reflection. Try both.

This technique gives an excellent balanced and wide image of the guitar tone and minimizes pick noise and sound hole boom. You can achieve a great tone with this in a very short time and with a lot less hassle than with double tracking and can sound just as good.

If you're interested, here's a clip I just through together. The first part of the clip is the front mic in mono, and then the spaced mics.

Acoust Gtr Spaced Mic Demo

-Keith-
Click to expand...

nice work sonixx!
it sounds like the guitar itself had alot to do with the sound of that clip.
new strings...
jumbo folk...

Great sounds come from great sources.
 
Sonixx said:
it's a taylor 614ce... .
Click to expand...

The brand or $$$ amount can be irrelevant in the guitar world.
Ive got a 300$ Honer acoustic that crushes any of my Takamiene acoustics in terms of recording IMO.
anyways...

nice work on the demo.
 
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