I'm trying to record some acoustic guitar with two mics, an AKG C3000B (large diaphragm condenser) and a Shure SM57 (dynamic). The AKG is placed about 18 to 24" from the guitar, and the SM57 is pointed at an angle at the 14th to 16th fret about 6 to 9" from the guitar. The AKG sounds pretty good, but I can't get high enough gain from the SM57 without introducing a fair amount of noise. What I've read suggests that the SM57 requires very close placement for acoustic recordings, which doesn't really work for me. I don't like to play guitar with the mic 2" from the strings.
Any suggestions for replacing the SM57? I was thinking a small diaphragm condenser of some kind would be better.
Thanks.
Recording acoustic guitar
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will.record.for.food will.record.for.food https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=47978
- KVRist
- 222 posts since 14 Nov, 2004 from TX
I would personally use a large condensor fo that
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- KVRAF
- 2565 posts since 30 Mar, 2004 from Phoenix AZ USA
Read this (all 4 pages), there is a lot of good info in there about different mic placement techniques:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Features ... ousticGtr/
http://www.harmony-central.com/Features ... ousticGtr/
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- KVRAF
- 4222 posts since 23 Feb, 2004 from Tucson Arizona USA
5 feet away, but in a very nice roomcobalt wrote:Just one large condensor? Any particular position?
Thanks for the response.
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- KVRAF
- 1955 posts since 5 Sep, 2003 from Denmark
My rule of thumb: Acc. guitar in a track with other elements (bass, drums, keys el.guit etc.): Record with one good mic (LCD, SCD). If the room is nice move the mic away (the sweet spot etc.), if the room is not so nice and/or noisy, then place the mic acap (as close as possible ). When acc. guitar is carrying the track, ie. singer-songwriter stuff, then use a stereo setup. Good result can be had from a couple of matched SCDs. If you're in a nice room and want to try something different then place the mics on each side of the players head (and hope he isn't to much into Ray Charles). It can be interesting trying to record what the players hears.
If you want a lofi'sh sound then record with your sm57 (close to the soundhole at an angle) and blend in a cheap piezo mic (you can make those yourself (search for contact mics) attached to the body - or use an onboard piezo (though they seem often to be to hifi).
And remember this is just a little bit of my arsenal. And I'm neither good nor experienced. There are different and better and worse and unheard of ways of recording acc.guit.
). When acc. guitar is carrying the track, ie. singer-songwriter stuff, then use a stereo setup. Good result can be had from a couple of matched SCDs. If you're in a nice room and want to try something different then place the mics on each side of the players head (and hope he isn't to much into Ray Charles). It can be interesting trying to record what the players hears.If you want a lofi'sh sound then record with your sm57 (close to the soundhole at an angle) and blend in a cheap piezo mic (you can make those yourself (search for contact mics) attached to the body - or use an onboard piezo (though they seem often to be to hifi).
And remember this is just a little bit of my arsenal. And I'm neither good nor experienced. There are different and better and worse and unheard of ways of recording acc.guit.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 223 posts since 2 Aug, 2004 from Boston, MA
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see what I can get out of my LCD mic and maybe pick up a pair of matched SCDs. I'll be considering the AKG C1000S, Studio Projects C4, and the Rode NT5 mics. If anyone has tried out more than one of these and has any feedback, I'd appreciate it.
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Stupid American Pig Stupid American Pig https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4753 - KVRAF
- 7065 posts since 25 Nov, 2002 from not sure
I can tell you what I do- though it may or may not be "best practice". i use a pair of my NADY SCM-95 small diaphragm condensers I put them right next to each other and close mic them so that proximity boosts the bass slightly. I tweak it until I get a nice clean sound. If I am doing a nice wide rhythm track I record two takes of the same thing and pan each take hard left or hard right. the subtle differences in each take make it sound nice and wide and nice and busy.
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- Rad Grandad
- 38041 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
I think I might think about a second 57 and put them in an X/Y configuration a few feet away, put the LDC close to the heel joint...
I use a pick-up and a LDC, the only acoustic song on my page was done with a real crappy Dean acoustic (nice looking though) and that's how I recorded that. Now I have a new Ovation and have only played my acoustic for the last two weeks and this my way. Although I like how this guitar sounds with just it's pick-up. Here is a little snippet of something I'm working on, this clip (about 15 seconds) is just a working copy so I can write other parts for it...I could post a piece of the song it's in, but this is the guitar part totally natural...no fx or any other processing...just plugged in direct.
I think the guys like me without the benefit of a good room should always use a pick-up and season with mics...however that is coming from someone who's on a very busy street right on the main route to a hospital...I'm by a bridge that crosses a river so all the traffic goes by us...
BTW please ignore my god awful phrasing in the clip, it's really just a reference clip...
I use a pick-up and a LDC, the only acoustic song on my page was done with a real crappy Dean acoustic (nice looking though) and that's how I recorded that. Now I have a new Ovation and have only played my acoustic for the last two weeks and this my way. Although I like how this guitar sounds with just it's pick-up. Here is a little snippet of something I'm working on, this clip (about 15 seconds) is just a working copy so I can write other parts for it...I could post a piece of the song it's in, but this is the guitar part totally natural...no fx or any other processing...just plugged in direct.
I think the guys like me without the benefit of a good room should always use a pick-up and season with mics...however that is coming from someone who's on a very busy street right on the main route to a hospital...I'm by a bridge that crosses a river so all the traffic goes by us...
BTW please ignore my god awful phrasing in the clip, it's really just a reference clip...
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