What is the Most Popular Acoustic Guitar Recording Technique?

[Steve7]

I have two small diaphram condensor mics and I'm about to start recording acoustic guitars. I'm going to try every technique before deciding which one to go with. But first I was just curious what was the most widely used technique for recording acoustic guitars? Is it XY, OTRF, Spaced Pair?

What technique do most professionals use? What technique do you use?

Thanks.

[Jules]

I like to move mic's around while listening to them in headphones, out by the player, until I find a position I like.

[C Heat]

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[Protools Guy]

I start w/ the mic at the 12th fret and work around there, left & right, in and out.

Then, if needed, I place a mic about 3 feet away from the player. I use my ear to find the best spot. Sometimes it's closer to the bridge, sometimes closter to the neck.

Mics used: U-87, AT-4050, AKG-451, Royer-121

[GearGeek]

It really depends on the guitar, player, room, style of music and instrumentation. But generally for solo performance a SDC stereo pair works great. And for a full band mix one LDC works well. But nothing is set in stone. Find what works for you. Good luck.

[Mike Jasper]

One Neumann KM84, around the 12th fret area in the same proom. It allows me to be consistent and the controlled environment coupled with the KM84 provides an idiot proof sound.

And I was just the idiot to test it.

Jasper
PS -- Yep, I record mono. If I want stereo, I record twice. So that's dual mono, but the listener doesn't care.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by Mike Jasper

One Neumann KM84, around the 12th fret area in the same proom. It allows me to be consistent and the controlled environment coupled with the KM84 provides an idiot proof sound.

And I was just the idiot to test it.

Jasper
PS -- Yep, I record mono. If I want stereo, I record twice. So that's dual mono, but the listener doesn't care.

I totally agree!

I've rarely done it so far but recording two players at the same time in the same room with 2 mono mics can give you an amazing sound. The harmonic interaction is totally different that way as opposed to overdubs.

Since I recently got a second KM 84 I probably gonna try it that way pretty soon.

I also like doubling a regular acoustic part with a 'Nashville'-tuned one and thinking about it this could also be great if done live by 2 players.

Originally Posted by Jules

I like to move mic's around while listening to them in headphones, out by the player, until I find a position I like.

I do this pretty much with everything that I record. If I'm recording electric guitars by myself then I loop the part with a Boomerang and adjust the mic(s) while listening with headphones.

[Steve7]

Thanks.

Anyone else have any favorite mic placement techiniques for acoustic guitar?

[Unclenny]

I know this is a minority opinion.......but I like to get a nice DI through a good pre on one mono track and to mix with the other mono track that I got with my KSM32.

I've found that my small body Martin/Sigma fits into a crowded track better than my old mic'ed D-18.

[warhead]

Almost always X/Y with a pair of SDC, usually about 12" out, centered on around the 14th fret to capture the whole body of the guitar. It's mono compatible and gives me all I need most times.

War

[cheeky b]

If I'm going for that really strummy, shimmery, almost percussive sound to cut through a dense mix I'll mic up close-ish with a LDC set to omni to cut out the proximity effect. A U87 works and even a 414 gets a sound.

[rockinjohnny56]

I use a U195 on the body of the guitar towards the end of the guitar maybe 12 or so inches away and a GT44 pointed approximately at the 12th fret. I agree with the idea of using headphones and moving the mics around to get the best sound. It really does depend on the guitar and the player. I also agree with the idea that this should be a mono track and to get a great stereo track you should have the player record another track all together. The slight differences in the performance (provided that they are good players) will add a lot of space to the guitar tracks without trying to over process things.

[jmikeperkins]

Of course there is no exact answer and a big part of the fun is to experiment. I read that most of the classic James Taylor stuff from the 1970's was recorded with a Sony lavalier mic on a popcicle stick stuck onto the guitar with mic in the soundhole! Presumably the small size of that mic rolled off the low end and somehow that worked.

The most popular method (but certainly not always the best) is a spaced pair of small diaphram mics, something like the Neumann KM84 (I use a pair of Neumann KM 74 mics), with one mic pointed at about the 12th fret and the other pointed slightly below the bridge (far enough from the soundhole to avoid the boom) and then panned hard right and left for a stereo spread. If the boom from the soundhole is too much, some people will move that mic over the shoulder of the player pointing down toward the bridge. The theory is the bridge mic will pick up more of the "body" and the low end and the 12th fret mic will get the ring of the strings. An X-Y pattern with 2 small diaphram mics or using one small diaphram mic around the 12th fret would probably the next most popular. You can also mix and match large and small diaphram mics, just be careful of the low end mud sound on some large diaphram mics as that sound can get lost in a dense mix.

Although something like the Neumamm KM84 may be the most popular mic, it may not be the best one. Many people swear by various vintage AKG mics, especially the Nuvistor tube units. The vintage Gefell mics with the nickel capsules are also very popular. I have also had excellent results with various Earthworks mics, various Schoep mics, and very bright EV RE-200.

J. Mike Perkins
jmikeperkins.com myspace.com/jmikeperkins

[n8tron]

I had a thread here: acoustic guitar recording... 1 mic or 2

that had some good discussion of mic placement in different situations.

basically, for me, if I want the acoustic lush, kinda bright and more dominating in the mix (strumming) I like 1 sdc at 12th fret about 6 inches away and 1 sdc facing down at the fretboard from above. Pan those left and do another take and pan it right.

otherwise just 1 mic a the 12th fret is good enough for me to cut through a mix in an acoustic side part.

for finger-picking I like them both close to the guitar, either in xy or with a wide spread... depending.