Recording Acoustic guitar dilemma

[Big Kenny]

I have never been led astray by Harvey, that guy has taught me more about recording and mic use (especially how to get good sounds from cheap mics) than anyone....

 

[tdukex]

I wonder how that reflects real world data...you will notice that LDCs are usually preferred for acoustic guitars in the major studios.

I suspect that would be because they are recording full bands and carving out a place for the guit in fairly denses mixes. And in that case I agree. If I have a fairly dense mix, say a Country song demo, with a lot of instruments competing for space, I do prefer a single LDC. It's just easier to fit it into the mix. I don't need or want to hear the guit's full range of sound. I want it to fit. But when I am recording myself playing solo acou guit, or in a very sparse mix (as the OP described: vox and guit), I almost always prefer the sound of two SDCs. They capture more of the complete, complex sound of the guit, and I'll bet you when most solo acou guit players are recording their albums, they are using two matched SDC's.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I guess i would come down to preference...most of the time when the acoustic is in stereo Ive also seen more done with 2 LDCs

 

[oretez]

I wonder how that reflects real world data...you will notice that LDCs are usually preferred for acoustic guitars in the major studios.

I'm sorry but that's much like saying 'beef is preferred in most restaurants'

in relatively OK restaurants beef's preferred where beef is appropriate

where appropriate an LDC is appropriate choice for recording acoustic instruments

I'm an opinionated asshole and have logged hundred, probably thousands of hours in commercial studios going back 25 yr. and even I wouldn't project such a blanket statement that 'LDC's are preferred' weapon of choice for acoustic guitar . . . it simply is not true

appropriate U47 fet all by itself can be appropriate choice for a broad range of guitars, styles, sounds, rooms, arrangements performances . . . but unfortunately for a great number (if unprovable for majority of) of home recording environments it might not be 'best' choice to record acoustic guitar

there are far too many variables to support contention that any single mic, mic design, mic placement is appropriate for majority of recording situations

 

[oretez]

I guess i would come down to preference...most of the time when the acoustic is in stereo Ive also seen more done with 2 LDCs

then I'd respectfully suggest your experience is somewhat limited

done in excess of 200 sessions with nylon string guitars using various pairs of SDCs

did a half dozen session at beginning of month featuring acoustic steel string and upright bass with some variation used K47 LDC paired with Ck2 omni SDC on guitar Joly Mod ribbon and AT4041 on bass . . .

evening prior to paid sessions musicians played variety of material for a couple of hours while I auditioned a number of microphones. The evening before was designed for a lot more then auditioning mics and first hour of the on the clock session was spent on mic selection, positioning of instruments performers and mic placement in the room

during a break between first and second three hours during fourth or fifth session (on this project) the mics and mic placement that had seemed better then merely OK now sounded all wrong and used different mics and different placement but in that particularly room LDC stereo was not in the cards

if this stuff was amenable to cookie cutter solutions . . . well, I probably wouldn't be doing it and certainly wouldn't expend time on these forums

 

[tdukex]

...there are far too many variables to support contention that any single mic, mic design, mic placement is appropriate for majority of recording situations

In that case I would be as guilty as darrin by claiming that SDC's are the "standard." As you point out, there are far too many variables (and preferences) to make such blanket claims.

I still prefer two SDC's in my space with my guits. That could change though, especially after reading/hearing WhiteStrat's recording technique in another thread.

 

[WhiteStrat]

I still prefer two SDC's in my space with my guits. That could change though, especially after reading/hearing WhiteStrat's recording technique in another thread.

That's my standard too, though--so that's what's in that other thread--a pair of SDC.

I sometimes throw in a LDC on the body, or a ribbon (or pair)--but my 90% approach is 2 SDCs (even if I only keep one track).

 

[nate_dennis]

In reference to which mics to get ...

All I can say is that I love my Naiant XQ for my acoustic guitar. They are tiny and easily placed, sound great, and are increadibly inexpensive (NOT CHEAP!!!) Naiant gets a lot of love from these forums and I purchased them based on many glowing reviews from here and I was not disappointed.

http://www.naiant.com/studiostore/microphones.html

(Upon my looking at their site, I didn't see the XQ anymore but I just may be blind.)

 

[darrin_h2000]

I think I saw an artical in Recording magazine where a guy recorded his acoustic with 8 mics...if you have unlimited tracks in your DAW...why not try it every which way possible...lol.

 

[tdukex]

That's my standard too, though--so that's what's in that other thread--a pair of SDC.

I sometimes throw in a LDC on the body, or a ribbon (or pair)--but my 90% approach is 2 SDCs (even if I only keep one track).

Yeah...I got a little confused there. It was your (very) close micing and your mixing technique that caught my ear.

 

[tdukex]

I think I saw an artical in Recording magazine where a guy recorded his acoustic with 8 mics...if you have unlimited tracks in your DAW...why not try it every which way possible...lol.

Yup, I saw the same article. It was several years ago in one of the recording mags. The sight of it kinda scared me.

 

[mikeeb]

Yup, I saw the same article. It was several years ago in one of the recording mags. The sight of it kinda scared me.

That's crazy. That guy must have spent some time making sure phase cancellation didn't occur while trying to get all these mics to surround him.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I think that he was more into the idea of choosing which tracks he liked best than having a sound made with all 8 mics at once.

 

[Shadow_7]

I think that he was more into the idea of choosing which tracks he liked best than having a sound made with all 8 mics at once.

In the end there can only be one.

But sure, if you're just recording yourself, why not use every mic in your cabinet? I mean you wouldn't want any of them to feel left out. And they're probably already hooked up anyway.

Of course I record more for educational purposes than for anything commercial. With two mics there's better odds that one of them has a good level and/or was actually pointed at the source. Especially if you're the one performing and the person who's setting the mics in place have no audio background.

 

[Chrisdb]

hmmm a lot of suggestions/arguments here, I really don't know what to go for. But I think I'm going to take a gamble and buy two Rode NT5's and see what they are like, because I don't know a great deal regarding SDC's for acoustic recordings.

I hope I am making a good decision? I would buy Naiants seeing as they are so cheap, but they don't sell them in the U.K. And I'll just end up with tax if I order them from the states.