What microphone should I use for recording acoustic and electric guitar?

[jt47000]

Hi,

I'd like an easy way to record audio from my electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I teach guitar lessons and the audio that my camera picks up is pretty bad. Sometimes it sounds ok, but if I strum all the strings on acoustic or if I use certaint types of distortion on the electric, it gets really "crunchy and poppy". And If I strum or play while I talk, it usually drowns out my voice as I need to talk to explain what I'm doing during the lessons.

I'm not looking for a huge complex system that costs thousands and/or wires everywhere. I was hoping for like a simple oni directional mic that can pick up clean tone and clear audio from up to 15 ft away that will maybe plug in easily via usb or that I could potentially plug into a nice canon camera or nikon camera.

I have a condenser mic, but I need to run wires, It's super finicky, I have to use a mixer along with computer software to regulate the sound... It's a headache. I'm looking for simple.

Here's a pretty famous guitar guy, what do you think he uses for audio and video? I'd love my videos to turn out like his - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZwqulxboIg

Any thoughts?

Thanks guys!

JT

 

[ecc83]

"oni directional mic that can pick up clean tone and clear audio from up to 15 ft away "

No such animal I am afraid. A shotgun mic might work but good ones are expensive and I doubt you would get the punchy, clean sound in that video. Which, BTW was recorded by a much more sophisticated setup than you think or get shown!

I suspect the guy was wearing a tie tack mic, a good one. Or there was a boom mic over his head. There was just TOO little room intrusion for the mic to be very far away (the room did not look heavily treated) .

The guitar sound too was especially good, even to these old, shot ears. I am sure there was a mic or mics very close to the amp.

You need a basic but good Audio Interface. I would suggest the Steinberg UR22 , Mics are a teensy problem. For voice a dynamic such as the Shure SM57 or SM58 and another 57 for the guitar amp cab. The problem is acoustic guitar. The dynamic will give a low level, not in itself a problem but the sound will not be very accurate, lacking in "brightness" . The solution is a Small Diaphragm Capacitor (aka condenser) mic. If you can only afford two, get an SDC and a 57 and use the cap' mic for speech (you might prefer it anyway!) .

This setup will give you two fairly independent tracks that you can balance for video.

I think most here will say this is about the minimum needed for good results. The video LOOKED easy because good work always does!

Dave.

 

[John Willett]

Hi,

I'd like an easy way to record audio from my electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I teach guitar lessons and the audio that my camera picks up is pretty bad. Sometimes it sounds ok, but if I strum all the strings on acoustic or if I use certaint types of distortion on the electric, it gets really "crunchy and poppy". And If I strum or play while I talk, it usually drowns out my voice as I need to talk to explain what I'm doing during the lessons.

I'm not looking for a huge complex system that costs thousands and/or wires everywhere. I was hoping for like a simple oni directional mic that can pick up clean tone and clear audio from up to 15 ft away that will maybe plug in easily via usb or that I could potentially plug into a nice canon camera or nikon camera.

I have a condenser mic, but I need to run wires, It's super finicky, I have to use a mixer along with computer software to regulate the sound... It's a headache. I'm looking for simple.

Here's a pretty famous guitar guy, what do you think he uses for audio and video? I'd love my videos to turn out like his - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZwqulxboIg

Any thoughts?

Thanks guys!

JT

Almost certainly there was a short gun above his head and just out of shot (the normal way of doing these things), so it's only a foot or two away.

The guitar probably had a floor mic. by the amp.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

Hi,

I'd like an easy way to record audio from my electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I teach guitar lessons and the audio that my camera picks up is pretty bad. Sometimes it sounds ok, but if I strum all the strings on acoustic or if I use certaint types of distortion on the electric, it gets really "crunchy and poppy". And If I strum or play while I talk, it usually drowns out my voice as I need to talk to explain what I'm doing during the lessons.

I'm not looking for a huge complex system that costs thousands and/or wires everywhere. I was hoping for like a simple oni directional mic that can pick up clean tone and clear audio from up to 15 ft away that will maybe plug in easily via usb or that I could potentially plug into a nice canon camera or nikon camera.

I have a condenser mic, but I need to run wires, It's super finicky, I have to use a mixer along with computer software to regulate the sound... It's a headache. I'm looking for simple.

Here's a pretty famous guitar guy, what do you think he uses for audio and video? I'd love my videos to turn out like his -

Any thoughts?

Thanks guys!

JT

Get a SM7

 

[ecc83]

Get a SM7

The SM7b has an even lower sensitivity than a '57 or '58 and the chap would need an exceptionally good pre amp to use one on finger picked acoustic guitar. The SM7b is a "talk" mic and one rarely sees them suggested for much other work?

Been a while so maybe OP can catch us up on what he has done so far? Some audio clips (MP3 attached works best for me) would help.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Thread's over ten years old. Didn't the forum warn you?

 

[ecc83]

Thread's over ten years old. Didn't the forum warn you?

Nope.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I meant Scott.

 

[TalismanRich]

It's a bit sad. The OP made two posts the day he joined, and never came back to even see what responses he got.

I guess he could have looked without logging in, but this is really common.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

The SM7b has an even lower sensitivity than a '57 or '58 and the chap would need an exceptionally good pre amp to use one on finger picked acoustic guitar. The SM7b is a "talk" mic and one rarely sees them suggested for much other work?

Been a while so maybe OP can catch us up on what he has done so far? Some audio clips (MP3 attached works best for me) would help.

Dave.

I use an API preamp with mine and I do crank the gain up, but I have two original SM7’s ( no B) and they work on anything from acoustic guitar to kick drum and it’s my desert island mic. They make the cloud lifter for those with weak ass pre’s….lol.

 

[ecc83]

"They make the cloud lifter for those with weak ass pre’s" Or! get some decent SDCs! Lewitts are nice.
But Scott mate! We are not preaching to the converted here we are talking to the long ago pissed off!

Dave.

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

Seems to be a thing..... these ancient, abandoned threads getting brought to the top. I'm not paying close attention - is it a forum bug? Operator error?

 

[ecc83]

Seems to be a thing..... these ancient, abandoned threads getting brought to the top. I'm not paying close attention - is it a forum bug? Operator error?

Don't think so, they all seem to do it. I guess the mods don't have the time to weed them out?

Dave.

 

[Papanate]

Here's a pretty famous guitar guy, what do you think he uses for audio and video? I'd love my videos to turn out like his -
Any thoughts?

I know it’s late to the game and quite a necro thread - anywho - On Sweetwater Marty has posted his recording gear he favors - amoung them the SM7B for getting his voice - and a Boss Katana going direct for his electric stuff - he has a lot going on - but it’s really simple things used in the best way possible.
Marty Schwartz's Top Gear Picks

 

[TalismanRich]

Yeah, but the OP wanted some thing simple that he could plug into his camera, and he has a condenser but it requires WIRES and a mixer and a computer program which is apparently too confusing for him. And he doesn't want to spend thousands and doesn't want to have wires everywhere.

Is that asking too much, especially in 2015?

Actually he was before his time. Today you can get lots of little wireless lavaliere mic sets for cameras for $100 or less. They may not be at the same level as Scott's API with an SM7 (which is thousands of $$$ AND uses wires!) but for an instructional video for students could do quite well. I saw one recently with noise reduction, a pair of clip on mics and a receiver for $60. It didn't sound too bad either. You wouldn't want to use it for a stage mic, but in a room with just you, it would work pretty well.