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  #16  
Old 05-12-2021, 02:36 PM
lukegard22 lukegard22 is offline
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Just depends on the sound you're going for.
If you're after the fingerstyle sound of Tommy Emmanuel, Pete Huttlinger, Al Petteway, et al, you can safely assume that there were at least two mics pointed at them when they were in the studio.
Delta blues or flatpicking? Could probably get by with one mic.
Keep in mind that two mics mean listening for phase issues, which can be no fun at all.
A reasonably priced 1 mic for acoustic would be an AKG 414, or I guess 314.
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  #17  
Old 05-12-2021, 02:49 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
How'd I miss everyone else insisting what he needs?
I may be guilty of using incorrect verbiage.

Last edited by Rudy4; 05-12-2021 at 03:01 PM.
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  #18  
Old 05-12-2021, 05:10 PM
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I do think two mics makes for a nice three dimensional feel for solo guitar and piano records. And I've always made albums that way myself. That said, Earl Klugh's grammy nominated solo guitar record Naked Guitar is just one mic in a small room in his house and it's easily one of my favorites for sure.
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  #19  
Old 05-12-2021, 05:53 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
It's best to experiment a bit and see what YOU like, and not what everyone else insists that you need.
No one is insisting. The OP asked for opinions and that's what people are giving. Not every opinion has to be blatantly labeled as such. Some posts may read as more assertive than others but given the context of the thread as defined by the first post, it's simply a collection of opinions.
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  #20  
Old 05-12-2021, 06:31 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Originally Posted by jim1960 View Post
No one is insisting. The OP asked for opinions and that's what people are giving. Not every opinion has to be blatantly labeled as such. Some posts may read as more assertive than others but given the context of the thread as defined by the first post, it's simply a collection of opinions.
If you read before posting you'll have noticed that I already stated that I used "incorrect verbiage" in my post, but thanks so much for your help with what I have already corrected.
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  #21  
Old 05-12-2021, 07:07 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
If you read before posting you'll have noticed that I already stated that I used "incorrect verbiage" in my post, but thanks so much for your help with what I have already corrected.
I'm glad you recognized your error. Well done.
You might have gone back to that post, however, and reworded it or removed the "incorrect verbiage" altogether.
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  #22  
Old 05-12-2021, 07:20 PM
jklotz jklotz is offline
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I think you'd be selling yourself short just having 1 mic. I used to do it, back when I first started recording myself. I go back and listen to those recording now and they seem one dimensional and a bit lifeless. The one exception is when recording a full band - sometimes you want the acoustic to be that way so it sits in the mix easily and leaves space for the other instruments and vocals.

You don't have to spend a lot of money though. Take a listen to this recording I made yesterday:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=615319

I use a Rode M5 pointed around the 12th fret (SDC) and an Audio Technica AT4033a (LDC) on the lower bout, pointed at the soundhole, sort of across the body of the guitar. Neither are expensive mics. The small diaphragm condensor (M5) picks up the sparkle and articulation and the large diaphragm (AT) give me the bass and body of the guitar. The thing is I don't pan them hard left or right, actually I pan them l and r just a tad, but I can mix them until I get just the sound/balance I want. I can also eq them separately. The trick is to use a stereo reverb and send one all the way left and the other all the way right, so I still get the stereo effect.

I've experimented with all kinds of different miking setups over the years. To my ears, I'm really liking this method the best. Tomorrow that could change, but I'm really happy with what I've been able to get, recording wise, from my humble setup in my music room.

You may want to give it a shot. I've been having a lot of fun with it as of recent.
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  #23  
Old 05-12-2021, 07:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by min7b5 View Post
I do think two mics makes for a nice three dimensional feel for solo guitar and piano records. And I've always made albums that way myself. That said, Earl Klugh's grammy nominated solo guitar record Naked Guitar is just one mic in a small room in his house and it's easily one of my favorites for sure.
A fair amount of stereo effects added post recording on that album. I've read that generally he prefers two mikes. I do feel nylon string guitars fair somewhat better than flattops with a single mike.
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Last edited by rick-slo; 05-12-2021 at 10:11 PM. Reason: typo
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  #24  
Old 05-12-2021, 08:53 PM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
A fair amount of stereo effects added post recording on that album. I've read that generally he prefers two mikes I do feel nylon string guitar fair somewhat better than flattops with a single mike.
And in a non-solo context, you might be surprised by how good a dynamic mic can sound on a nylon-string, as opposed to a condenser. When I was a tyke one of my first assignments at a "real recording studio" was to assist on a scoring session for what turned out to be an Oscar-winning movie, and the engineer told me to put a Sennheiser 421 on a classical guitar. I thought he was nuts, and it sounded great.
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Last edited by Brent Hahn; 05-13-2021 at 08:59 AM.
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  #25  
Old 05-13-2021, 07:38 AM
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Thanks for all the input guys.
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  #26  
Old 05-18-2021, 10:25 AM
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I've almost always recorded with two mics. Mic placement is really important though.
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  #27  
Old 05-18-2021, 11:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hahn View Post
And in a non-solo context, you might be surprised by how good a dynamic mic can sound on a nylon-string, as opposed to a condenser. When I was a tyke one of my first assignments at a "real recording studio" was to assist on a scoring session for what turned out to be an Oscar-winning movie, and the engineer told me to put a Sennheiser 421 on a classical guitar. I thought he was nuts, and it sounded great.
Classical guitars with their nylon strings have so much less percentage of higher frequency overtones (more so with cedar tops) that the likelihood of recording a sizzling harshness (especially on the transients) is less. The tone is softer and less detailed and that works to the advantage of the dynamic mike's less detailed sound, especially in a mix where a less detailed sound probably won't be missed. Of course it also works to a condenser's advantage as there is less change of a harsh sounding recording. Generally I think classical guitars are easier to record (unless you muddy things up with proximity, etc.) to get an acceptable sound.
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  #28  
Old 05-18-2021, 11:14 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
Classical guitars with their nylon strings have so much less percentage of higher frequency overtones (more so with cedar tops) that the likelihood of recording a sizzling harshness (especially on the transients) is less.
Yeah, but condensers (cheap ones, especially) very often hear an ice-picky "tink" in the attacks. I can't stand that. Even with very good condensers you have to be a ways away to not get that tinkiness, and that puts you at the mercy of the room. Great room (or hall or church), no problem. Not a luxury I'm usually afforded, though.
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  #29  
Old 05-18-2021, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Brent Hahn View Post
Yeah, but condensers (cheap ones, especially) very often hear an ice-picky "tink" in the attacks. I can't stand that. Even with very good condensers you have to be a ways away to not get that tinkiness, and that puts you at the mercy of the room. Great room (or hall or church), no problem. Not a luxury I'm usually afforded, though.
Part of what I was referring to as an advantage of dynamics. Don't think mike distance from the guitar is a problem in that regard rather more about where they are placed left to right and what direction pointed.
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