A Guide to Recording Acoustic Guitar

Hello! It's time to start recording acoustic guitar, eh? Well this process can be as complicated or as simple as you make it. Let's go over a few tips to make this endeavor as harmless as possible.

Step One : Microphones are very important. The most common microphone type, dynamic, is nearly useless for capturing the full range and complexity of an acoustic guitar. Do not even bother with these microphones. You'll want a condenser mic for this application. Both small and large diaphragms can work, so use your ear and decide what's best.

Step Two : The room you record in is part of your sound. Recording in a room filled with an unpleasant echo or one with absolutely no presence can be disastrous. All rooms have their applications however, so choose wisely. Be sure to try every room you can and use your ear.

Step Three : Replace your strings. New strings sound the best! Always put new strings on when you record. Remember, your recording will last forever! Your tone is important as you can't alter it to sound completely different in the post production process. Make sure your string guages match the tone you're going for. Thick strings for thick tone, thin strings for thin tone.

Step Four : Play well! Don't expect to fix your all your mistakes in the post production process. Practice and remember, you won't sound magically better when you record. If you can't play correctly in practice, you won't play correctly when you record!

Step Five : Position your mic correctly. ''Working the mic'' is a popular studio term and you'll want to do this as long as it takes to get the right sound. First, the most common position for your microphone is front of the 12th fret of your guitar. Try different distances. The closer you get, the more bass and presence you'll have. This can also make your guitar sound boomy and unpleasant however.

Another method is to place the microphone in front of the sound hole. In almost all cases, you'll need the microphone to be a solid distance away from the guitar or else you'll get a harsh, muddy sound. This method will pick up the sound of plucked or picked strings easier as well.

The most important thing in recording acoustic guitar is the performance. Don't count on sounding great just because you have the engineering knowledge to do so. It takes practice!