how to mic an acoustic

D

djessence

New member
i'm new to recording instruments and have had problems recording an acoustic guitar...going for a folky type of sound.

i have a shure sm-58, some other dynamic mic and a rode ntk tube mic...i've tried different combos and nothing seems to be great...should i get a condenser mic more suitable for recording instruments? please help

also, where should mic placement be?

thanks
 
Okay.....here is the response I got:

-Get a good mic preamp
-Get a good A/D converter


Now as for the mics you have.......I can tell you that most people don't like the 58 on acoustic, but I get a very good 1930's type blues sound out of them, so go figure......

What kind of acoustic is it? I assume dreadnought. But the model and brand will make a difference. Some are more boomy and some are more mid ranged.

If it there isn't too much bass, then about 3' away with the Rode, aimed at either the soundhole or maybe even right off the soundhole on the fret board.
 
Even with cheap preamps you should be able to get a very good sound with the Rode. I have used a Behringer mixer and a tube mic to get very good results. Like Locus said, your converters will make a big difference. If you are recording using a Soundblaster forget it.

And I agree that no mic will make a POS guitar sound good. I usuallly go 18" - 24" out in front with a single mic config, pointed slightly toward the neck.

Too bad the NTK doesn't have multiple patterns. Sometimes I like Omni or even Figure 8.
 
A couple of ideas for ya...

Set up A:

One small diaphram condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret, about four inches away.

A second large diaphram mic about 18 inches in front of the bridge.

Record each onto their own track, and pan them hard left and right. This gives you a pretty nice sound.

Setup B:

One small diaphram condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret, about four inches away.

A second small diaphram mic over your right shoulder pointed down toward the guitar.

Record each onto their own track, and pan them hard left and right. This gives you a nice ambient sound.
 
How I Get An MTV Unplugged Accoustic Tone...

What I've been doing is aiming a just okay Radio Shack karaoke mic directly at the hole. The mic is going into a Behringer V-Amp 2 modeler set on the Fender Black Twin model with a touch of reverb to warm up the room. Adjust the Bass, Mid, Treble and Gain to liking. My modeler runs direct in to my Tascam Portastudio.

Not quite a pure folk sound, but that's not what I'm going for. But I have gotten several good tones going. Modelers are very tweakable. Not everyone's cup of tea though.

As for the recording quality I'm getting, I'm happy. The magic might be in the analoge tape or the Dolby NR, but it sounds great. I think the preamp path may be your way to go... ;)
 
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Re: A couple of ideas for ya...

Stewwy said:
Set up A:

One small diaphram condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret, about four inches away.

A second large diaphram mic about 18 inches in front of the bridge.

Record each onto their own track, and pan them hard left and right. This gives you a pretty nice sound.

Setup B:

One small diaphram condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret, about four inches away.

A second small diaphram mic over your right shoulder pointed down toward the guitar.

Record each onto their own track, and pan them hard left and right. This gives you a nice ambient sound.
Click to expand...

I like this idea! I'm going to try it too. :)
 
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