Recording Acoustic Guitars (noob content inside)

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Mr.Skull

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Mar 16, 2010
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I searched around for a good acoustic guitar thread, but couldn't find one. (yea, i know, it's a metal forum) So I apologize if there was already a thread about this.

So I'm experimenting with mic'ing my acoustic guitar using an SM58. Yes, I know it's not as ideal as a good condenser mic, but it's what I've got to work with for now. I'm actually getting passable results, although I'd still like a few pointers if anyone's got any.

Some things I've done so far to improve my results...

-Blended mic and pickup signals to get a fuller sound. The mic records a little dark and the pickups record really bright. (is this a common technique?)

-Cut some mids to make room for vocals and high pass until the boominess is gone

-Used chorus (VERY lightly) and pseudo-stereo plugins to widen it a bit

Compression tips are welcome, although I'm still trying to grasp the concepts behind it. I'm a pretty dynamic player and perhaps compression isn't necessary, idk.
 
Yeah, upload a clip. My tip is to try and play as even as possible, you'll need to use less compression which generally sounds better. Double tracking is always a option if you want more stereo spread.
 
Upload a clip. I've recorded acoustic with an SM-58 and got pretty fair results. Actually it might have been a 57.
 
With acoustic guitar, the guitar/player/room is the most important component, followed by the mic and (more importantly IMO) mic position - get these right and you'll need very little processing to make it work.
 
I recorded my Taylor 810 for awhile with a Sure SM57, and it sounded fine after a little tweaking.

I'd usually place the mic on the 12th fret or bridge. (The most common mic placements for recording an acoustic guitar.)
The majority of the tone though is in the instrument and the musician.
 
Seeing as you have a 58, try removing the mic grille, it will basically turn into a 57 and will probably work a bit better. Buy yeah, acoustic guitar is one of those instruments where placement is REALLY important.
 
I usually mic with a couple of pencil condensers (Samson C02's), or one cond, and one dynamic (57, or 58 in your case). One on the board, one on the hole (sounds like a porn technique). With the electro acoustic I usually do what you're doing - one mic signal and one from the jack, then blend. Jack signal tends to handle the 'body' and the midrange whilst mic'd sig takes the top end and 'air'.

As for post prod: Reverb is king. Too much sounds cheesy though, depends on your direction for it. I usually smash the living shit out of it with compression too, to get the 'chiminess' to come forward.
 
Vinny, that tone is very much what I'm after. Sounds great.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll be checking out these suggestions this weekend and hopefully reporting back with a clip.
 
Thanks. It's incredibly easy if you know what you're doing. I didn't use any EQ except for a high pass and boosting the highs on the mic + DI bus for a bit more presence and airyness with a very wide q, and a touch of reverb and very slight compression with the CLA plug I mentioned.
Acoustic guitars are very dynamic; I personally do NOT prefer a bunch of compression, unless you parallel compress it (which sometimes works very well) or else it can sound very unnatural. Just use your ears and do what sounds best to you.
But the most important factor in my opinion to getting a great acoustic tone is NEW STRINGS. New strings affect acoustic guitars even more than electric guitars.
I'll be picking up 2 more pencils condensers and a Large Diaphragm condenser soon, so I may post up a clip of that if you're interested.
But like I said, I used a single 57 in my clip, so I'm sure you can decently replicate that with a 58.
 
I've had great results with a condenser room mic, a mic at the 12th fret, a DI signal, and a mic angled into the soundhole (angle depends upon room you're in and playing style, etc.).

Getting it right while tracking means minimal EQing and post-processing. All I ended up doing was a slight EQ (with rolloffs obviously), 1176 compression, and a send to a Aux reverb bus.

I would rather eat a bucket of rusty nails than try to work with a terribly tracked acoustic.


EDIT: Forgot to list DI out from the acoustic.
 
ive lately been struggling on a decent acoustic sound as well. but i dont understand how to go about blending a DI track with an ACOUSTIC guitar... and i always seem to have to HP@ ~250 to get rid of the boominess, LP@ 16k to knock off hissing, and cut around 1k. i use an e835 in my bedroom (no special treatments or anything to the room).
 
Some people like to blend the mic and pickup. I like recording with the SM81. The 57 has been too low an output for my liking and really forces you to club your preamps up to an insane level giving you some nasty shite. Unless you have some very nice pres of course.
 
Best results I've gotten recording acoustic was one over right shoulder(or left if they are lefty) and one pointing at the 12th fret.
Sounded even and the way I heard it in the room playing.
Could add a room mic, depending on the room.
 
I also vouch for getting decent results with a single 57. done exactly the same as vinny. blended with the acoustic guitars d.i signal.

This track has 2 rhythm guitars-mic. 2 rhythms-d.i, and 2 harmony guitars I think mic'd

Only thing it has is a huge Eq boost for some air and presence and a hpf

1:28
http://throughplagues.bandcamp.com/track/goddess-of-the-sea

It's not the best but it got the job done.
 
Also, make sure that the player is not muting the top of the acoustic with his palm or forearm. This will destroy the low end. try it you'll be surprised.

i always run a small diaphragm condenser on the 12th and a large on the body behind the bridge.
 
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