Best Mics for Recording Acoustic Guitar?

[Rejoice Music]

I am currently recording in a semi-pro studio and need some suggestions for good mics for recording acoustic guitar. You know, that nice rich bass sound and clear highs without that fog in between? That sounds as much like a natural acoustic guitar as possible?

The engineer has been using these small condenser mics, and I just feel like we could be getting a better quality sound that they are giving us. I have an AT4033 and he has another vocal mic (Sterling something?). Would these give us a better sound, or should we just spring for something a lot more expensive?

Your as-close-to-professional advice as possible is appreciated - thanks!

(I am going to get the brands of his mic and pre-amp to post here. He is recording into an iMac using Logic.)

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Rejoice Music

I am currently recording in a semi-pro studio and need some suggestions for good mics for recording acoustic guitar. You know, that nice rich bass sound and clear highs without that fog in between? That sounds as much like a natural acoustic guitar as possible?

The engineer has been using these small condenser mics, and I just feel like we could be getting a better quality sound that they are giving us. I have an AT4033 and he has another vocal mic (Sterling something?). Would these give us a better sound, or should we just spring for something a lot more expensive?

Your as-close-to-professional advice as possible is appreciated - thanks!

(I am going to get the brands of his mic and pre-amp to post here. He is recording into an iMac using Logic.)

Hi Rebecca…
Recording acoustic guitar well with simple mic arrangements is a passion with me...

Which aspect of the spectrum (bass or treble or clean mids) are you looking for improvement with?

I usually use a matched set of mid-small condensers (20mm diaphragm) and they are a good compromise between small and large, but I have also used an A/B array with the mics about 3-4 feet apart, 14-18'' out from the neck body joint and the same distance from a spot just below the bridge toward the tail using a large diaphragm off the bridge and med-sm at the neck body joint.

Yours is one of those questions that cannot be answered quickly nor easily.

Here I am telling you about my setup without even mentioning that I love to plug my mics into a tube-preamp before going into the box that converts everything to digital.

Is your studio tech using external preamps or something built into the box?

And we have not discussed the studio/room/booth design. Are you in a small room, a booth, middle of a cathedral? Wherever you are, I'd suggest getting away from all the walls by several feet on all sides, and onto a hard surface.

Please keep us in the loop. I must say my first few forays into semi-high end recording of my instruments was as much experiment and adventure as it was recording.

We are only too happy to make suggestions, but we need more info from your end...

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by Rejoice Music

I am currently recording in a semi-pro studio and need some suggestions for good mics for recording acoustic guitar. You know, that nice rich bass sound and clear highs without that fog in between? That sounds as much like a natural acoustic guitar as possible?

The engineer has been using these small condenser mics, and I just feel like we could be getting a better quality sound that they are giving us. I have an AT4033 and he has another vocal mic (Sterling something?). Would these give us a better sound, or should we just spring for something a lot more expensive?

Your as-close-to-professional advice as possible is appreciated - thanks!

(I am going to get the brands of his mic and pre-amp to post here. He is recording into an iMac using Logic.)

Sound being subjective, there is no such thing as "best."
You don't say what make/model of mics are being used or whether they are the same or not.
Are you recording in stereo?
What is the rest of the signal chain? (Pre-amps, any other signal processor(s), monitoring equipment.) Without more details, it's not possible to be of any real help to you.

[rick-slo]

First off there is no "best" mike for recording acoustic guitar and the sound you get is affected by so many things besides the mikes

A "semi pro" studio should have a selection of mikes to choose from. Is there a problem with how their prior guitar recordings sound to you? If not you may be close to set. If so what is the problem with the sound?

[runamuck]

In my opinion, these days, unless you are being recorded with awfully cheap mics and your engineer has no idea how to place them, that probably isn't the problem.

It comes down to using a guitar that sounds like what you are wanting to hear, and your performance.

Jim McCarthy

[Rejoice Music]

Thanks for your all replies, guys! I am going to post the brand and model of mics we are using, as well as the Blue Tube preamp, as soon I he gets back to me with this info.

The engineer is a family member, and this is his first recording project in his new studio, which he recently built and did a fantastic job. He is using an iMac with Logic, as I mentioned. Most of his instrument gear is vintage keyboards, drums, and bass, which he plays well, and he has performed with many professional artists in pro studios.

As for recording, he has my AT4033, and a handful of small condensors, mostly for drum use. I am playing my Taylors (GA's at this point), and the performance, nor the guitars, are the issure. We are also using the Taylor K4. The performance sounds good, and the Taylors sound great live. (I play very clear fingerstyle guitar.) There is just a lack of crystal clarity in the guitar recorded sound, such as the ones I am used to hearing. It sounds a little muddier than I would like, and when EQ'd afterwards, it tends to sound kind of artificial to me.

We are achieving good clarity with the vocals and other instruments. I am just picky about the guitar sound and think it may be the inexpensive mics we are using. We are looking to upgrade them, and just want some tips on which way to look. Perhaps the preamp as well.

Be back soon with the info on the mics we are using. Thanks again!!

[rick-slo]

Can you post a link to an example(s) of some recording of an acoustic guitar you like the sound of?

[Doug Young]

Rebecca, the other thing that might get you better suggestions is to post a sound sample of what you're talking about. Words are hard to interpret, one person's "muddy" is another's "warm and full", and one person's "bright and clear" is another's "shrill and thin".

Edit: Rick beat me to this suggestion :-)

[Rodger]

Hi Rebecca... I've experienced the same thing you're describing. I used several sets of small diaphragm mics in different orientations and was never happy with the results. The sound always sounded "thin." That's the best way I can describe it. I began using 2 AT4033's and got the sound I was looking for: full range, deep bass, sparkly trebles and clear midrange. It usually doesn't take long to position the mics. It couldn't hurt to try the large diaphragm mics, assuming that since it's a family member you might get to experiment "off the clock."

Good luck!

[Sage97]

Lots of quality advice and follow up questions here Rebecca.

I have to say that I am so glad to see 10 posts already without the hyperboles like "the absolute best mic that blows everything out of the water." Maybe it only works with guitar or amps or strings. If I had any experience with pro recordings, I'd ask my own questions.

Sure would like to hear your recordings one of these days. Let me know when your CDs are ready. Good luck and have fun.

[alohachris]

Aloha Becca,

It's probably not the mic(s) that are used, but the miking techniques.

If the engineer's new studio has the great room treatment expected of a pro, perhaps you can experiment with incorporating different miking placement & patterns with your acoustic guitar that incorporate some of the room:

- M-S, close X-Y plus spaced pair farther out, a close mic'ed S/D with an L/D mic 4 feet out, Ortff, Blumlein, one just off the neck joint pointing in towards the soundhole & one pointing down from over your shoulder at the bridge - in addition to close-miked, matched pairs of S/D's.

Yes, using good condenser mic's matched with the right preamp is important. That's why pro studio's invest so much into great mic & pre lockers - to have the right tools for the right guitar, music & applications, etc..

However, it is room treatment, the space itself & the skill of the player & engineer that create the largest variables of recorded sound, especially for vocals & acoustic guitar.

Change the strings as well.

The only "right" anything in this equation is what's right for your ears. Trust them, Rebecca. But experiment with different mic placements some more, starting with X-Y & M-S.

alohachris

[alohachris]

duplicate post

[Rejoice Music]

Such a wealth of information here from you all - thank you so much!

I have enjoyed reading all this info and have forwarded most of it to my engineer, as I am his first acoustic fingerstyle guitar project. Hopefully we will both grow and learn a lot from this (and maybe buy new mics as well!)

Doug, I enjoyed listening to you play on Youtube; Ernie, it is nice to hear from you again; alohachris, you made some great points there; and Larry, you are always so knowledgeable and a great contributor here - thank you all again!

(P.S.) I should say WHEN, I know....but I feel more comfortable saying IF....we finish this album, I will definitely let you all know.

[Herb Hunter]

It is more probable that microphone placement and room acoustics are the cause of your dissatisfaction than the choice of whatever small-diaphragm microphones are being used.

If you want the recording to sound more like your guitar actually sounds, I wouldn't expect the AT4033 to yield the best results. It exaggerates frequencies between 5 kHz and 8 kHz in a way that Audio-Techinca characterizes as "a strong up-front presence". This may make some voices sound better than they really are but it renders an inaccurate recording.

If the recording engineer is inexperienced, he may benefit from this microphone primer based on discussions with recording engineer/producer/composer Harvey Gerst:

http://yourfriendpaul.com/MicPrime/M...onePrimer.html

[Cue Zephyr]

Oktava MK-012, yes, that.
I'd say it's one of the cheapest great sounding small diaphragm condensers with a neutral sound.