Recording and mixing an instrument such as an acoustic guitar can be as simple or as complex as you like but most important of all we need to get the sound right at the source to set us up for a good recording. Here at our Manchester recording studio , we have learnt the hard way in our early days, so remember - record a bad sound at source and you are starting on the wrong foot and leaving yourself open to a headache of a mix!
First off, if you have a selection of guitars or access to a number of different acoustics, then make sure you utilize your resources. Choosing the right guitar with the best sound for what you need will save you a lot of time later on when mixing. Think about what role the acoustic is going to play in the track; is it to be placed into a loud and busy mix and be heard through it's top end, or is it the absolute main focus of the track? All of these kinds of questions help us understand what we need form the guitar itself but not only that, it will help your decision in step two now you know what you need form the guitar - choosing you microphone(s) and placement.
Today we'll talk through two of our favorite microphone placements, but don't let this stop you being creative and finding a better way to record your acoustic guitar. Use these ideas as a good place to start and go ahead and tweak away!
The ‘XY' Technique
The first is the popular ‘XY' placement. This involves two pencil condenser microphones crossed over at the 12th fret. They will both be aimed at the 12th fret and at an approximate 90 degree angle against each other. Move this placement up and down the fret board and sound hole to find the best sounding point. Remember, every guitar is different and no mic position will be applicable for two different guitars. The microphones should be around 6 inches away from the guitar, but again, use this as a guide and play about with the distance.
When mixing these signals, pan them left and right for a stereo feel, panning harder for a widest stereo image.
Stereo Technique
The second microphone involves, again, two condenser microphones, however, this time we will need a large diaphragm condenser and a pencil condenser. The large diaphragm condenser will be position facing the bridge of the guitar at around 6 inches away and the pencil condenser at the same distance but at the 12th fret. This allows us to capture a good rich low end from the bridge and bright clarity from the 12th fret. The large condensers can be great for capturing low end due to their structure and size. Like the other technique, spread these signals using your pan tool in your chosen DAW. The great thing about this technique is that you can now balance the low end of your acoustic guitar by bringing in the bridge microphone until you are happy with the sound against your 12th fret position.
Single Large Diaphragm Condenser
For the times where the stereo sound isn't necessary, placing a large condenser approximately 6 inches away from the guitar around the 12th fret can still give great results. The reason we recommend the large diaphragm over the pencil is because in the mixing stage, you have the option to keep or cut the rich and full low end that a large diaphragm condenser offers. Remember, when using this technique, it is important to find the point of perfect balance between the low and muddy sound the bridge can offer, to the clarity and sometimes thin sound the neck can give. You have less room for correction, compared to a stereo technique, when mixing.
Be wary of either side of your frequency ranges
A common problem when mixing acoustic guitars is the control on either the top or low end. Managing harsh top and low end can be achieved with a simple compressor. However, before we continue, we must stress; don't over compress. Keep the ratio below 5:1:1 and make sure you're threshold is only cutting up to 3 to 4 dB maximum. Over compression on an acoustic guitar takes away the dynamics from what can be a beautiful sounding instrument. Always listen back to the guitar in the mix and take some time away, to come back with fresh ears and a fresh outlook.
Use these three techniques and feel free to explore and experiment to achieve the sound you desire. Remember to make the right choices at the very beginning and most of all, have fun doing what can be a very satisfying recording experience.
Showing posts with label acoustic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acoustic. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 December 2016
Friday, 23 December 2016
5 Effective Ways To Record Acoustic Guitar
The acoustic guitar is an essential instrument in a wide range of musical genres including Pop, Rock, Folk, and Country. It is also one of the most common instruments to record, as it is the foundation and backbone of many songs.
Whether the guitar needs to fit in the context of an entire band or solo as the instrument behind a vocal, the tone plays a significant role in the success of a mix.
In order to end up with a good tone for the acoustic guitar at the end of a mix, it is important to properly capture the initial performance.
Many times it's sufficient to throw up a single microphone on the guitar and capture a mono signal. In other cases the acoustic guitar needs to fill out more space in the stereo field.
However, it's not always obvious to decide how the performance should be captured and panned.
Some acoustic instruments, like drums and piano, have a natural stereo width due to their physical size and how they are typically heard.
As an example, it is logical to pan hi-hats to one side and the floor tom to the other side. It is also reasonable to pan the piano based on the musician's perspective with the lower notes on the left and the higher notes on the right.
Because there is no obvious convention as to how the acoustic guitar should be captured and panned, an audio engineer has many options. Here are five ways an acoustic guitar can be captured in stereo.
1) Vertical X/Y at the 12th Fret
When miking an acoustic guitar, a good place to start is placing the mic(s) close to the 12th fret.
This location provides a good tonal balance between low and high frequencies. It also provides a good balance between the rhythmic, percussive clarity for the instrument's strumming and the tonal sustain of the strings.
One way to use two mics to capture an acoustic guitar is to place both mics near the 12th fret.
By using an X/Y configuration, one mic can be angled toward the low strings on the guitar and one mic can be angled toward the high strings. In this case, the lower notes on the instrument will be captured at a higher amplitude in the first mic and the higher notes on the instrument will be captured at a higher amplitude in the second mic.
This technique can be a way to capture a stereo image of an acoustic guitar that resembles an acoustic piano with lower notes panned left and higher notes panned right.
If you already have a piano panned this way in your mix, you could flip the panning on the guitar so that the opposite is happening with the acoustic guitar. This is a good way to balance both low frequencies and high frequencies across the stereo field with multiple instruments.
2) Horizontal X/Y at the 12th Fret
This miking technique is a modification of the vertical X/Y at the 12th fret.
Rather than pointing one mic at the low strings and one mic at the high strings, in this technique one mic is angled toward the instrument's sound hole while the other mic is angle up the neck.
The microphone pointed toward the sound hole will capture a signal with a louder low frequency response. The microphone pointed up the neck will capture a signal with a quieter low frequency response.
This is another method to capture a performance where the spectral balance differs across the stereo field, and can compliment another instrument like piano.
In this case, lower strings and higher strings are not spread across the stereo field. Rather, the spectrum for all strings is spread across the stereo field.
3) Horizontal M/S at the 12th Fret
This technique is conceptually a combination of the previous two techniques.
One uni-directional microphone is positioned toward the neck at the 12th fret and one bi-directional microphone is positioned near the sound hole.
The bi-directional microphone should be rotated so that the front and back are perpendicular to the body of the guitar. A Mid-Side matrix is set up with the bi-directional microphone so that the front captures more of the low strings while the back captures more of the high strings.
Between the two microphones, the uni-directional microphone will capture lower frequencies at a lower amplitude than the bi-directional microphone. Therefore, blending between the two mics allows for control over the spectral balance of the captured performance.
The two signals created from the bi-directional microphone can be used to have more amplitude of the low strings on one side of the stereo field and more amplitude of the high strings on the opposite side.
Depending on the desired tonal balance, the position of the mics could be swapped so the bi-directional mic is near the 12th fret and the uni-directional near the sound hole.
4) Ambient Spaced Pair
One reason to choose a miking technique for the acoustic guitar is to have a spectral balance of tone across the stereo field. Another reason to use a stereo miking technique is to use the stereo field to add spatial depth to the instrument. This can be accomplished by using a balance of close and distant mics.
One version of this would be to use a single close mic near the 12th fret of the guitar and a spaced pair of ambient room mics.
The close mic can be panned to the center of the stereo field. Then the spaced pair of microphones can be panned left and right.
Mixing more of the close mic will push the acoustic guitar up-front in the mix.
Mixing more of the spaced pair will add depth and push the acoustic guitar back in the mix.
This technique can work well if you have a studio with a good room sound.
In many situations, other instruments are given preference to the best room in the studio while the acoustic guitar is recorded in an isolation booth. Whenever possible, spend the extra time to overdub the acoustic guitar in the best room.
5) Player's Perspective
The motivation for miking techniques used with drums and piano comes from the common way that these instruments are perceived.
A similar concept can be applied to the acoustic guitar.
In this technique, microphones can be placed in proximity to the physical location where the performer will be hearing the instrument.
One microphone can be placed near the left ear of the performer and one microphone can be placed near the right ear of the performer.
In this case, the performer's head acts as a baffle or gobo between the microphones to increase the difference in the captured signal. The captured signals by the microphones should provide a natural stereo image because they will be similar to the signals captured by the performer's ears.
Conclusion
In summary, recording an acoustic guitar can be a very creative process for an audio engineer.
There are many different options for capturing the sound of the instrument.
When it comes to stereo miking techniques, don't hesitate to experiment with different possibilities to achieve a tonal and spatial balance across the stereo field.
Eric Tarr
Eric Tarr is a musician, audio engineer, and producer based in Columbus, Ohio. Currently a Professor of Audio Engineering Technology at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
Whether the guitar needs to fit in the context of an entire band or solo as the instrument behind a vocal, the tone plays a significant role in the success of a mix.
In order to end up with a good tone for the acoustic guitar at the end of a mix, it is important to properly capture the initial performance.
Many times it's sufficient to throw up a single microphone on the guitar and capture a mono signal. In other cases the acoustic guitar needs to fill out more space in the stereo field.
However, it's not always obvious to decide how the performance should be captured and panned.
Some acoustic instruments, like drums and piano, have a natural stereo width due to their physical size and how they are typically heard.
As an example, it is logical to pan hi-hats to one side and the floor tom to the other side. It is also reasonable to pan the piano based on the musician's perspective with the lower notes on the left and the higher notes on the right.
Because there is no obvious convention as to how the acoustic guitar should be captured and panned, an audio engineer has many options. Here are five ways an acoustic guitar can be captured in stereo.
1) Vertical X/Y at the 12th Fret
When miking an acoustic guitar, a good place to start is placing the mic(s) close to the 12th fret.
This location provides a good tonal balance between low and high frequencies. It also provides a good balance between the rhythmic, percussive clarity for the instrument's strumming and the tonal sustain of the strings.
One way to use two mics to capture an acoustic guitar is to place both mics near the 12th fret.
By using an X/Y configuration, one mic can be angled toward the low strings on the guitar and one mic can be angled toward the high strings. In this case, the lower notes on the instrument will be captured at a higher amplitude in the first mic and the higher notes on the instrument will be captured at a higher amplitude in the second mic.
This technique can be a way to capture a stereo image of an acoustic guitar that resembles an acoustic piano with lower notes panned left and higher notes panned right.
If you already have a piano panned this way in your mix, you could flip the panning on the guitar so that the opposite is happening with the acoustic guitar. This is a good way to balance both low frequencies and high frequencies across the stereo field with multiple instruments.
2) Horizontal X/Y at the 12th Fret
This miking technique is a modification of the vertical X/Y at the 12th fret.
Rather than pointing one mic at the low strings and one mic at the high strings, in this technique one mic is angled toward the instrument's sound hole while the other mic is angle up the neck.
The microphone pointed toward the sound hole will capture a signal with a louder low frequency response. The microphone pointed up the neck will capture a signal with a quieter low frequency response.
This is another method to capture a performance where the spectral balance differs across the stereo field, and can compliment another instrument like piano.
In this case, lower strings and higher strings are not spread across the stereo field. Rather, the spectrum for all strings is spread across the stereo field.
3) Horizontal M/S at the 12th Fret
This technique is conceptually a combination of the previous two techniques.
One uni-directional microphone is positioned toward the neck at the 12th fret and one bi-directional microphone is positioned near the sound hole.
The bi-directional microphone should be rotated so that the front and back are perpendicular to the body of the guitar. A Mid-Side matrix is set up with the bi-directional microphone so that the front captures more of the low strings while the back captures more of the high strings.
Between the two microphones, the uni-directional microphone will capture lower frequencies at a lower amplitude than the bi-directional microphone. Therefore, blending between the two mics allows for control over the spectral balance of the captured performance.
The two signals created from the bi-directional microphone can be used to have more amplitude of the low strings on one side of the stereo field and more amplitude of the high strings on the opposite side.
Depending on the desired tonal balance, the position of the mics could be swapped so the bi-directional mic is near the 12th fret and the uni-directional near the sound hole.
4) Ambient Spaced Pair
One reason to choose a miking technique for the acoustic guitar is to have a spectral balance of tone across the stereo field. Another reason to use a stereo miking technique is to use the stereo field to add spatial depth to the instrument. This can be accomplished by using a balance of close and distant mics.
One version of this would be to use a single close mic near the 12th fret of the guitar and a spaced pair of ambient room mics.
The close mic can be panned to the center of the stereo field. Then the spaced pair of microphones can be panned left and right.
Mixing more of the close mic will push the acoustic guitar up-front in the mix.
Mixing more of the spaced pair will add depth and push the acoustic guitar back in the mix.
This technique can work well if you have a studio with a good room sound.
In many situations, other instruments are given preference to the best room in the studio while the acoustic guitar is recorded in an isolation booth. Whenever possible, spend the extra time to overdub the acoustic guitar in the best room.
5) Player's Perspective
The motivation for miking techniques used with drums and piano comes from the common way that these instruments are perceived.
A similar concept can be applied to the acoustic guitar.
In this technique, microphones can be placed in proximity to the physical location where the performer will be hearing the instrument.
One microphone can be placed near the left ear of the performer and one microphone can be placed near the right ear of the performer.
In this case, the performer's head acts as a baffle or gobo between the microphones to increase the difference in the captured signal. The captured signals by the microphones should provide a natural stereo image because they will be similar to the signals captured by the performer's ears.
Conclusion
In summary, recording an acoustic guitar can be a very creative process for an audio engineer.
There are many different options for capturing the sound of the instrument.
When it comes to stereo miking techniques, don't hesitate to experiment with different possibilities to achieve a tonal and spatial balance across the stereo field.
Eric Tarr
Eric Tarr is a musician, audio engineer, and producer based in Columbus, Ohio. Currently a Professor of Audio Engineering Technology at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
Wednesday, 21 December 2016
5 Stereo Mic Techniques For Acoustic Guitar (Or ANY Acoustic Instrument)
If you record acoustic guitar , then chances are you've either played around with stereo recording or at least thought about it. But maybe you're not sure which techniques to use and the pros and cons of each.
I think I can help.
I've recorded acoustic guitar more than any other instrument, so I've spent countless hours of quality time with my guitar and a pair of microphones. And I've gotten pretty good at getting great acoustic guitar tone.
What is stereo recording?
Stereo recording is simply using two microphones to capture a two-channel stereo” image of the source. By panning the signals left and right, you can create a sense of space and width and depth, simply by using two microphones instead of one.
Stereo mic techniques can be applied to any acoustic instrument - drum overheads, piano, cello, upright bass, choirs. I've used these same stereo techniques on all these instruments.
So even if you don't record acoustic guitar, keep reading. These techniques apply to all kinds of recording situations, and it's good to be familiar with them.
Mono recording (using only one microphone) is still very useful. There are plenty of times where I'll simply use one microphone on acoustic guitar, especially if it's for a bigger production where the guitar is playing a minor role. If the guitar is a big focus of the song, then I'll probably stereo-mic it.
Check out these two articles for more on stereo vs. mono recording:
1. XY
XY is oftentimes my go-to stereo technique. Why? Because it doesn't lend itself to phase issues. Phase issues can occur when multiple microphones pick up the same source. If the microphones are in different locations, then there's a chance they'll pick up the sound at different times.
Imagine taking two identical tracks in your DAW and delaying one by a few milliseconds. (Go try it if you've never done it.) What happens? Things start sounding thin. That's what happens when your two mics are out of phse.
With the XY technique, the mics are essentially at the same point in time, so any signal will hit both microphones at roughly the same time. It essentially gets rid of phase issues.
Pros - stereo image without any phase issues
Cons - not as wide” of an image as other techniques
2. ORTF
ORTF (it stands for some French phrase) is essentially taking the XY technique and flipping them outwards instead of inwards. The idea here is to create a recording that sounds very close to how the human ears hear.
The mics are approximately at the same distance and angle as our ears. On headphones, this technique sounds incredible. It's as if you're sitting in front of the guitar listening yourself. (For specific specs on ORTF, click here. )
Pros - realistic stereo field
3. Spaced Pair
Spaced pair is just like it sounds. You set up two microphones spaced out, facing the instrument. Spaced pair is the most susceptible to phase issues. I almost never get it right the first time. It requires a lot of attention and listening to get it right.
Spaced pair can give you a huge, wide sound, but only if you get the two mics in phase. The way I normally go about making sure they're in phase is to listen to the mics in mono. I'll pan both tracks to the center, and move the mics around until the mono signal sounds nice and full. If the sound is missing a lot of bass and sounds phasey, I know the mics aren't in phase yet.
Oftentimes just moving one mic a few inches will fix the problem. Once the mono signal sounds full and huge, you're ready. The stereo signal will be enormous. Be careful, though. If the guitarist moves or rotates a bit, you might be back out of phase again.
Pros - very wide sound
Cons - very susceptible to phase issues, center” isn't as clear
4. Over-the-Shoulder
Over-the-shoulder is a technique I've only used occasionally. Essentially you put a mono mic in front of the guitar and another mic over the neck pointing down. While this isn't a true” stereo technique, a lot of engineers use this as their default setup for recording acoustic guitar.
I find it to be a bit fickle. The front mic captures the body of the instrument, while the shoulder mic only captures the higher-end sound and pick noise. That means I can't really pan these very wide without it sounding funny.
It can give an interesting stereo image with lots of fret noise, if that's what the song needs.
Guitarists tend to like this technique because it sounds a lot like the guitar sounds to their ears when they're playing it.
Pros - if shoulder mic doesn't work, you can still use the front mic as a mono mic; grabs more finger/fret noise and air”
Cons - not really a L/R stereo technique, tends to capture a lot of pick noise, phase issues are still a concern
5. Mid-Side
Mid-side is the most complex technique, but it's pretty cool. The setup is one cardioid (or omni) microphone pointed at the guitar and another figure-8 microphone facing perpendicular to the first mic.
The mid mic gets recorded to its own track. The side mic gets recorded to TWO separate mono tracks (record the same signal to two tracks), panned left and right. Flip the phase on one of the tracks.
This allows you to adjust the width of the recording. The more you bring up the side tracks, the wider the sound. The more you bring up the mid mic, the more mono” the sound.
What's great about this is you can change the width after-the-fact. If you're mixing and wish the track was wider, you can make it happen. You can't do that with any other technique.
Like the XY technique, mid-side doesn't tend to have many phase issues, because the mic capsules are so close together. If your room is noisy or not very well treated acoustically, then this technique might not be for you, as the sid mic is picking up everything to the left and right of the guitar (your room).
Pros - very little phase issues, mono-compatible, adjustable width
Cons - more complex/confusing to set up, having too many choices may bog you down later, harder to ‘commit' to a sound
I think I can help.
I've recorded acoustic guitar more than any other instrument, so I've spent countless hours of quality time with my guitar and a pair of microphones. And I've gotten pretty good at getting great acoustic guitar tone.
What is stereo recording?
Stereo recording is simply using two microphones to capture a two-channel stereo” image of the source. By panning the signals left and right, you can create a sense of space and width and depth, simply by using two microphones instead of one.
Stereo mic techniques can be applied to any acoustic instrument - drum overheads, piano, cello, upright bass, choirs. I've used these same stereo techniques on all these instruments.
So even if you don't record acoustic guitar, keep reading. These techniques apply to all kinds of recording situations, and it's good to be familiar with them.
Mono recording (using only one microphone) is still very useful. There are plenty of times where I'll simply use one microphone on acoustic guitar, especially if it's for a bigger production where the guitar is playing a minor role. If the guitar is a big focus of the song, then I'll probably stereo-mic it.
Check out these two articles for more on stereo vs. mono recording:
1. XY
XY is oftentimes my go-to stereo technique. Why? Because it doesn't lend itself to phase issues. Phase issues can occur when multiple microphones pick up the same source. If the microphones are in different locations, then there's a chance they'll pick up the sound at different times.
Imagine taking two identical tracks in your DAW and delaying one by a few milliseconds. (Go try it if you've never done it.) What happens? Things start sounding thin. That's what happens when your two mics are out of phse.
With the XY technique, the mics are essentially at the same point in time, so any signal will hit both microphones at roughly the same time. It essentially gets rid of phase issues.
Pros - stereo image without any phase issues
Cons - not as wide” of an image as other techniques
2. ORTF
ORTF (it stands for some French phrase) is essentially taking the XY technique and flipping them outwards instead of inwards. The idea here is to create a recording that sounds very close to how the human ears hear.
The mics are approximately at the same distance and angle as our ears. On headphones, this technique sounds incredible. It's as if you're sitting in front of the guitar listening yourself. (For specific specs on ORTF, click here. )
Pros - realistic stereo field
3. Spaced Pair
Spaced pair is just like it sounds. You set up two microphones spaced out, facing the instrument. Spaced pair is the most susceptible to phase issues. I almost never get it right the first time. It requires a lot of attention and listening to get it right.
Spaced pair can give you a huge, wide sound, but only if you get the two mics in phase. The way I normally go about making sure they're in phase is to listen to the mics in mono. I'll pan both tracks to the center, and move the mics around until the mono signal sounds nice and full. If the sound is missing a lot of bass and sounds phasey, I know the mics aren't in phase yet.
Oftentimes just moving one mic a few inches will fix the problem. Once the mono signal sounds full and huge, you're ready. The stereo signal will be enormous. Be careful, though. If the guitarist moves or rotates a bit, you might be back out of phase again.
Pros - very wide sound
Cons - very susceptible to phase issues, center” isn't as clear
4. Over-the-Shoulder
Over-the-shoulder is a technique I've only used occasionally. Essentially you put a mono mic in front of the guitar and another mic over the neck pointing down. While this isn't a true” stereo technique, a lot of engineers use this as their default setup for recording acoustic guitar.
I find it to be a bit fickle. The front mic captures the body of the instrument, while the shoulder mic only captures the higher-end sound and pick noise. That means I can't really pan these very wide without it sounding funny.
It can give an interesting stereo image with lots of fret noise, if that's what the song needs.
Guitarists tend to like this technique because it sounds a lot like the guitar sounds to their ears when they're playing it.
Pros - if shoulder mic doesn't work, you can still use the front mic as a mono mic; grabs more finger/fret noise and air”
Cons - not really a L/R stereo technique, tends to capture a lot of pick noise, phase issues are still a concern
5. Mid-Side
Mid-side is the most complex technique, but it's pretty cool. The setup is one cardioid (or omni) microphone pointed at the guitar and another figure-8 microphone facing perpendicular to the first mic.
The mid mic gets recorded to its own track. The side mic gets recorded to TWO separate mono tracks (record the same signal to two tracks), panned left and right. Flip the phase on one of the tracks.
This allows you to adjust the width of the recording. The more you bring up the side tracks, the wider the sound. The more you bring up the mid mic, the more mono” the sound.
What's great about this is you can change the width after-the-fact. If you're mixing and wish the track was wider, you can make it happen. You can't do that with any other technique.
Like the XY technique, mid-side doesn't tend to have many phase issues, because the mic capsules are so close together. If your room is noisy or not very well treated acoustically, then this technique might not be for you, as the sid mic is picking up everything to the left and right of the guitar (your room).
Pros - very little phase issues, mono-compatible, adjustable width
Cons - more complex/confusing to set up, having too many choices may bog you down later, harder to ‘commit' to a sound
Thursday, 1 December 2016
Acoustic Guitar Recording Techniques
How to Mic Six-Strings Like a Pro
Three stereo miking secrets guaranteed to make your acoustic guitar tracks shine
Ask five engineers how they approach recording acoustic guitar, and you may very well get five different answers, if you get any at all, that is. While many factors influence an engineer's choice of recording techniques - the character of the instrument, the style of music, the player's personal tonal and dynamic signature, and the recording environment - some engineers prefer to keep their approaches a trade secret. But despite all the possible permutations of instrument, style, player, room, and ego, for most seasoned engineers the real secret to recording an acoustic guitar is stereo miking - plain and simple.
Sure, if it's just "spaciousness" you're after, you could record an acoustic guitar in mono and fold in some enthusiastic stereo processing. Or if you're hankering for a dramatically textured sound, you could try combining a microphone with an acoustic guitar pickup. If depth and accuracy are what matter most, however, you'll find that stereo recording with two microphones is an exceptionally reliable way to record full-bodied, realistic-sounding acoustic guitar tracks.
Let's take a look at three of the most popular techniques, and also examine the questions of microphone choice and mono-compatibility. As you'll find, stereo recording can be a complex art, since the interaction between the two mics will determine many aspects of the sound - including tone, image, and mono-compatibility. But like any art, you'll also find that practice makes perfect. So whip out those mics, pull out that guitar, and give these tips a try: You'll hear the difference.
Three Surefire Techniques
In most cases, you'll want to use a pair of cardioid (unidirectional) mics placed close to the instrument. Close-miking - approximately six to 12 inches from the guitar - is used in most pop and other contemporary recordings that feature acoustic guitar.
Cardioid mics are generally best used for close-miking guitar because they exhibit less bass proximity effect (or bass boost) than other directional types when placed close to the sound source. And we all know that acoustic guitars can sound boomy if miked incorrectly.
Let's explore three common approaches to stereo miking and acoustic guitar. Each of these techniques has been used on countless hit records. Be sure to check out the corresponding audio links, and of course, consider these as starting points for your own creativity. After you've mastered each one, feel free to experiment with your own variations on each method.
Spaced Pair, Version A
Two mics are placed apart from each other at the same approximate height, one pointing at the 12th fret of the guitar and the other at the bridge.
With this approach - as with any miking technique that uses two or more mics that are spaced apart from one another - always be sure to follow the "3-to-1 rule." According to this rule, the distance between two mics should be at least three times the distance between each mic and the sound source. This keeps phase cancellations to a minimum, resulting in a smoother sound that also translates well to mono. So, for instance, if you've got each mic seven inches from the guitar, the 3-to-1 rule mandates that you spread the two mics at least 21 inches apart from each other. (One of a few exceptions to the 3-to-1 rule is with the X-Y technique, as described below.)
Spaced Pair, Version B
Our second technique is a variation on the spaced pair. As in the setup above, one mic points to the 12th fret. The second mic, however, is hung from a mic stand at the performer's ear level, pointing down at either the bridge or at the strings just behind the soundhole. For example, if the performer is right-handed, this second mic would be placed over her right shoulder. (Once again, be sure to follow the 3-to-1 rule.)
You can also move this ear-level mic slightly out in front of the performer and angle it back towards the guitar (versus pointing straight down at the floor), for a brighter sound. This technique usually yields a more open - but thinner - sound than the simple spaced pair on a horizontal plane. Check out the links to hear the difference.
If you're not getting the sound you want with a spaced pair placement, try moving one or both microphones slightly to improve the timbre. Because spaced pair placement is subject to phase interference, moving one mic only an inch or two can dramatically change the sound. To learn more about how phase affects the timbre of stereo guitar tracks, go to the mono-compatibility link below.
The X-Y Technique
X-Y, or coincident-pair, is the no-brainer approach to stereo miking. If you follow these steps precisely, and are willing to move the mics around a bit to find the sweet spot, you'll find it's hard to make a bad recording. (That's assuming, of course, that your room, your mics, and the instrument - and, while we're making a checklist, the guitarist - are half-way decent.)
Place the two mics close together so that their capsules are almost touching. The rear ends of each mic are spread apart at an angle of a roughly 90 to 120 degrees. The result looks like a wide V shape, with one mic's capsule positioned directly above the other.
(The 3-to-1 rule doesn't apply to the X-Y technique because the two capsules are so close that sound waves arrive at both at essentially the same time, minimizing objectionable phase cancellations.)
To start, try placing the two mics opposite the 12th fret of the guitar. If you have a really nice sounding room to record in, try backing the mics up to a distance of one to two feet from the guitar. This will capture more room tone and yield a more natural sound. While the best-sounding position can depend upon the guitar, the room, or the mics, typically, placing the mics around seven inches in front of the guitar's 12th fret will tend to de-emphasize midrange frequencies. That's because one mic will be pointing in the direction of the bassy soundhole, and the other towards the top of the neck, an area rich in high frequencies.
As you experiment, you'll find that the X-Y miking produces a much narrower stereo image than the spaced-pair techniques. But you'll also hear how X-Y lends a smoother, warmer, and more natural sound to acoustic guitar.
Choosing the Right Mics
By definition, stereo miking requires a pair of microphones. Certain types of recording situations - such as chamber orchestra, or an acoustic jazz trio - demand extreme accuracy, and in these cases, it's highly desirable to have a matched pair of microphones. This means more than just two of the same model; it also calls for two mics that have been factory-certified to produce virtually identical frequency response. (Some, though not all, manufacturers sell matched-pair mics.)
Fortunately - unless you're, say, capturing an audiophile-quality classical guitar recording - you won't need a matched pair to record acoustic guitar tracks. In fact, you might not even need to use two of the same model of microphone (though if you do you'll get a more consistent timbre in each channel than if you had used two totally different mics). That said, rules are meant to be broken, so feel free to experiment by mixing and matching mic models. And like any musical instrument, every mic has its own sonic character, so try to get your hands on as many different models as possible and experiment.
Generally speaking, condenser mics are the right choice for acoustic guitar. As a group, they offer a far more detailed and realistic sound than dynamic mics. But before you choose a specific condenser, first decide what kind of sound you want. Small-diaphragm condensers (those with a diaphragm smaller than one-inch in diameter) generally offer a better transient response than their large-diaphragm cousins, producing a less colored, more detailed sound. For pop and country productions where guitar tracks will be tucked into dense arrangements with drums and bass guitar, small-diaphragm mics are often the best choice.
Many engineers consider the AKG C480B ($987 with the CK61-ULS capsule), Neumann KM184 ($729) and DPA 4011 ($2,190) to be among the best small-diaphragm condensers on the planet. (All list prices are in US$.) All three sport cardioid (unidirectional) patterns - meaning they tend to reject any sound that isn't directly in front of them - and sound awesome on acoustic guitar. (Cardioid response is also required for most stereo miking techniques, in order for the resulting recording to have a "left-to-right" soundstage.) AKG's C480B is a modular mic, meaning that you can interchange various capsules - each offering a different polar pattern - with the mic body that holds the internal preamp. This mic features a 70Hz high-pass (low-cut) filter, useful for rolling off unneeded low frequencies when recording acoustic guitar.
The Neumann KM184 exhibits an inherent low frequency roll-off at 200Hz, delivering guitar sounds free of low-end "boominess." DPA's 4011 mic - known prior to 1998 as the Brüel & Kjær (B&K) 4011 mic - features a 1dB roll-off in the midrange frequencies along with a 1dB rise between 10 and 15kHz. The result is a crisp, though not overly bright sound. This 4011 has treasured place in many mic lockers (including my own). Check out these links to hear the DPA 4011 on a Guild M20 acoustic guitar, with various mic placements.
There are plenty of other small-diaphragm, cardioid condensers on the market, many of which offer decent performance for a lot less scratch. Some better-known alternatives that other enginneers report good results with include Shure's SM81 ($530), AKG's C1000S ($297), and Audio-Technica's AT3528 ($259).
Large-diaphragm mics - those featuring diaphragms at least one inch in diameter - can also provide outstanding results when recording acoustic guitar. All other things being equal, these mics tend to offer a slower transient response than their small-diaphragm counterparts. This causes a slight de-emphasis in high-frequency detail and tends to give them a rounder, warmer sound - just the ticket for traditional jazz recordings and lean guitar/vocal arrangements. (It's this warmth that makes large-diaphragm mics so popular with vocals.)
The Lawson L47MP Tube Condenser ($1,995) sounds great on acoustic guitar for these applications. I've also used the Manley Reference Gold Tube Condenser ($5,500) with excellent results. On a budget but craving that large-diaphragm condenser sound? Some mics I have used with great results include the Rode NT2A, Studio Projects C3, and the Shure KSM32.
And what about a dedicated stereo microphone? These mics - such as Shure's VP88 and Rode NT5 - typically have a pair of cardioid capsules mounted in one housing. While they may be useful in certain applications, they're actually less flexible than a pair of independent mics - since their diaphragms are physically fixed relative to one another. In other words, if you want to try some of that mic-above-the-bridge, mic-above-the-fingerboard stuff, or any other interesting variations, you'll want a pair of mono mics.
Mono-Compatibility, EQ & Compression
Stereo-Miked Acoustic Guitar Tracks and Mono-Compatibility
When stereo tracks are collapsed to mono, the result can sound dramatically different from the original tracks. This is not only true of the listener's perception of the width of the stereo image and the discrete placement of different elements in a mix: Conversion to mono can also significantly change the timbre of individual instruments, especially if certain stereo miking techniques were used to record the original. (In rare cases, the instrument could even disappear from a mix, should the left and right signals be far enough out-of-phase to cancel each other out when combined to mono.)
True, in the last couple of decades - with AM radio's diminishing role as a music medium - mono-compatibility has become less of an issue. And in fact, some engineers prefer not to compromise their stereo tracks or limit their recording techniques to cater to the lowest common denominator. Still, many engineers choose to play it safe - ensuring that their miking (or other processing) techniques won't sound terrible if played back in mono. However you feel about this issue, you'll be able to make more informed choices on how to record if you know what the sonic repercussions will be for mono playback. So what exactly happens to stereo acoustic guitar tracks when they are collapsed to mono? The answer depends on what miking technique you use to record.
Spaced pair techniques generally pick up a high degree of uncorrelated signal for each track. That is, many frequency components on the left-panned track are more or less out-of-phase with corresponding frequencies on the right-panned track. (This still applies even if you use the 3-to-1 rule for mic placement.)
This is because each of the sound waves emanating from the guitar will arrive at each mic at a different time. Due to that time difference the mic will pick up the wave at a different phase of its cycle. When the stereo signal is collapsed to mono, the constructive and destructive interference of these out-of-phase components combine to emphasize and de-emphasize their corresponding frequencies. The resulting timbre can be markedly different from your carefully crafted stereo tracks and can play havoc with your mix. You might be able to compensate with EQ, but this might exacerbate the problem.
Tracks recorded with an X-Y technique are far less prone to phase problems. Since the capsules are placed so close together, the sound reaches both mics at roughly the same time. As a result, tracks recorded in X-Y stereo are much more mono-compatible than those recorded with a spaced pair.
A Word on EQ and Compression
Aside from the occasional use of a microphone's passive high-pass (bass roll-off) filter, I prefer not to add equalization to the signal I'm recording. You can never tell in advance exactly how yet-to-be-recorded tracks will interact with the guitar you're recording, so any processing you add during recording is just a guessing game. Since you'll probably need to make subsequent adjustments in timbre (and possibly dynamics) at mixdown, you should avoid processing the signal twice. Your tracks will sound more pristine if you hold off adding processing until you have a complete picture of how the tracks will fit together. Instead, if you're not getting the sound you want during soundcheck, move the mics around until the timbre sounds right.
If you want to experiment with EQ as you're tracking, you can record the music dry and add EQ on the monitor returns. This way, you can hear the results of the EQ without committing to it.
Though many engineers will compress an acoustic guitar during tracking, I usually don't like to do so. As with other broadband, percussive instruments, guitar can easily cause a compressor to pump (cause audible changes in level) if it's not set up exactly right. Once these amplitude modulation artifacts are on tape, they are all but impossible to remove. For this reason, I compress acoustic guitar tracks at mixdown - when I have multiple opportunities to get it right. For the money, the best compressor I have ever come across is the highly celebrated FMR Audio RNC Compressor At only $175, it simply can't be beat. In fact, it easily holds it's on with other compressors in the $1000 price range. The RNC, coupled with the FMR Audio RNP Preamp , has tracked some of the smoothest acoustic guitar I've recorded.
Three stereo miking secrets guaranteed to make your acoustic guitar tracks shine
Ask five engineers how they approach recording acoustic guitar, and you may very well get five different answers, if you get any at all, that is. While many factors influence an engineer's choice of recording techniques - the character of the instrument, the style of music, the player's personal tonal and dynamic signature, and the recording environment - some engineers prefer to keep their approaches a trade secret. But despite all the possible permutations of instrument, style, player, room, and ego, for most seasoned engineers the real secret to recording an acoustic guitar is stereo miking - plain and simple.
Sure, if it's just "spaciousness" you're after, you could record an acoustic guitar in mono and fold in some enthusiastic stereo processing. Or if you're hankering for a dramatically textured sound, you could try combining a microphone with an acoustic guitar pickup. If depth and accuracy are what matter most, however, you'll find that stereo recording with two microphones is an exceptionally reliable way to record full-bodied, realistic-sounding acoustic guitar tracks.
Let's take a look at three of the most popular techniques, and also examine the questions of microphone choice and mono-compatibility. As you'll find, stereo recording can be a complex art, since the interaction between the two mics will determine many aspects of the sound - including tone, image, and mono-compatibility. But like any art, you'll also find that practice makes perfect. So whip out those mics, pull out that guitar, and give these tips a try: You'll hear the difference.
Three Surefire Techniques
In most cases, you'll want to use a pair of cardioid (unidirectional) mics placed close to the instrument. Close-miking - approximately six to 12 inches from the guitar - is used in most pop and other contemporary recordings that feature acoustic guitar.
Cardioid mics are generally best used for close-miking guitar because they exhibit less bass proximity effect (or bass boost) than other directional types when placed close to the sound source. And we all know that acoustic guitars can sound boomy if miked incorrectly.
Let's explore three common approaches to stereo miking and acoustic guitar. Each of these techniques has been used on countless hit records. Be sure to check out the corresponding audio links, and of course, consider these as starting points for your own creativity. After you've mastered each one, feel free to experiment with your own variations on each method.
Spaced Pair, Version A
Two mics are placed apart from each other at the same approximate height, one pointing at the 12th fret of the guitar and the other at the bridge.
With this approach - as with any miking technique that uses two or more mics that are spaced apart from one another - always be sure to follow the "3-to-1 rule." According to this rule, the distance between two mics should be at least three times the distance between each mic and the sound source. This keeps phase cancellations to a minimum, resulting in a smoother sound that also translates well to mono. So, for instance, if you've got each mic seven inches from the guitar, the 3-to-1 rule mandates that you spread the two mics at least 21 inches apart from each other. (One of a few exceptions to the 3-to-1 rule is with the X-Y technique, as described below.)
Spaced Pair, Version B
Our second technique is a variation on the spaced pair. As in the setup above, one mic points to the 12th fret. The second mic, however, is hung from a mic stand at the performer's ear level, pointing down at either the bridge or at the strings just behind the soundhole. For example, if the performer is right-handed, this second mic would be placed over her right shoulder. (Once again, be sure to follow the 3-to-1 rule.)
You can also move this ear-level mic slightly out in front of the performer and angle it back towards the guitar (versus pointing straight down at the floor), for a brighter sound. This technique usually yields a more open - but thinner - sound than the simple spaced pair on a horizontal plane. Check out the links to hear the difference.
If you're not getting the sound you want with a spaced pair placement, try moving one or both microphones slightly to improve the timbre. Because spaced pair placement is subject to phase interference, moving one mic only an inch or two can dramatically change the sound. To learn more about how phase affects the timbre of stereo guitar tracks, go to the mono-compatibility link below.
The X-Y Technique
X-Y, or coincident-pair, is the no-brainer approach to stereo miking. If you follow these steps precisely, and are willing to move the mics around a bit to find the sweet spot, you'll find it's hard to make a bad recording. (That's assuming, of course, that your room, your mics, and the instrument - and, while we're making a checklist, the guitarist - are half-way decent.)
Place the two mics close together so that their capsules are almost touching. The rear ends of each mic are spread apart at an angle of a roughly 90 to 120 degrees. The result looks like a wide V shape, with one mic's capsule positioned directly above the other.
(The 3-to-1 rule doesn't apply to the X-Y technique because the two capsules are so close that sound waves arrive at both at essentially the same time, minimizing objectionable phase cancellations.)
To start, try placing the two mics opposite the 12th fret of the guitar. If you have a really nice sounding room to record in, try backing the mics up to a distance of one to two feet from the guitar. This will capture more room tone and yield a more natural sound. While the best-sounding position can depend upon the guitar, the room, or the mics, typically, placing the mics around seven inches in front of the guitar's 12th fret will tend to de-emphasize midrange frequencies. That's because one mic will be pointing in the direction of the bassy soundhole, and the other towards the top of the neck, an area rich in high frequencies.
As you experiment, you'll find that the X-Y miking produces a much narrower stereo image than the spaced-pair techniques. But you'll also hear how X-Y lends a smoother, warmer, and more natural sound to acoustic guitar.
Choosing the Right Mics
By definition, stereo miking requires a pair of microphones. Certain types of recording situations - such as chamber orchestra, or an acoustic jazz trio - demand extreme accuracy, and in these cases, it's highly desirable to have a matched pair of microphones. This means more than just two of the same model; it also calls for two mics that have been factory-certified to produce virtually identical frequency response. (Some, though not all, manufacturers sell matched-pair mics.)
Fortunately - unless you're, say, capturing an audiophile-quality classical guitar recording - you won't need a matched pair to record acoustic guitar tracks. In fact, you might not even need to use two of the same model of microphone (though if you do you'll get a more consistent timbre in each channel than if you had used two totally different mics). That said, rules are meant to be broken, so feel free to experiment by mixing and matching mic models. And like any musical instrument, every mic has its own sonic character, so try to get your hands on as many different models as possible and experiment.
Generally speaking, condenser mics are the right choice for acoustic guitar. As a group, they offer a far more detailed and realistic sound than dynamic mics. But before you choose a specific condenser, first decide what kind of sound you want. Small-diaphragm condensers (those with a diaphragm smaller than one-inch in diameter) generally offer a better transient response than their large-diaphragm cousins, producing a less colored, more detailed sound. For pop and country productions where guitar tracks will be tucked into dense arrangements with drums and bass guitar, small-diaphragm mics are often the best choice.
Many engineers consider the AKG C480B ($987 with the CK61-ULS capsule), Neumann KM184 ($729) and DPA 4011 ($2,190) to be among the best small-diaphragm condensers on the planet. (All list prices are in US$.) All three sport cardioid (unidirectional) patterns - meaning they tend to reject any sound that isn't directly in front of them - and sound awesome on acoustic guitar. (Cardioid response is also required for most stereo miking techniques, in order for the resulting recording to have a "left-to-right" soundstage.) AKG's C480B is a modular mic, meaning that you can interchange various capsules - each offering a different polar pattern - with the mic body that holds the internal preamp. This mic features a 70Hz high-pass (low-cut) filter, useful for rolling off unneeded low frequencies when recording acoustic guitar.
The Neumann KM184 exhibits an inherent low frequency roll-off at 200Hz, delivering guitar sounds free of low-end "boominess." DPA's 4011 mic - known prior to 1998 as the Brüel & Kjær (B&K) 4011 mic - features a 1dB roll-off in the midrange frequencies along with a 1dB rise between 10 and 15kHz. The result is a crisp, though not overly bright sound. This 4011 has treasured place in many mic lockers (including my own). Check out these links to hear the DPA 4011 on a Guild M20 acoustic guitar, with various mic placements.
There are plenty of other small-diaphragm, cardioid condensers on the market, many of which offer decent performance for a lot less scratch. Some better-known alternatives that other enginneers report good results with include Shure's SM81 ($530), AKG's C1000S ($297), and Audio-Technica's AT3528 ($259).
Large-diaphragm mics - those featuring diaphragms at least one inch in diameter - can also provide outstanding results when recording acoustic guitar. All other things being equal, these mics tend to offer a slower transient response than their small-diaphragm counterparts. This causes a slight de-emphasis in high-frequency detail and tends to give them a rounder, warmer sound - just the ticket for traditional jazz recordings and lean guitar/vocal arrangements. (It's this warmth that makes large-diaphragm mics so popular with vocals.)
The Lawson L47MP Tube Condenser ($1,995) sounds great on acoustic guitar for these applications. I've also used the Manley Reference Gold Tube Condenser ($5,500) with excellent results. On a budget but craving that large-diaphragm condenser sound? Some mics I have used with great results include the Rode NT2A, Studio Projects C3, and the Shure KSM32.
And what about a dedicated stereo microphone? These mics - such as Shure's VP88 and Rode NT5 - typically have a pair of cardioid capsules mounted in one housing. While they may be useful in certain applications, they're actually less flexible than a pair of independent mics - since their diaphragms are physically fixed relative to one another. In other words, if you want to try some of that mic-above-the-bridge, mic-above-the-fingerboard stuff, or any other interesting variations, you'll want a pair of mono mics.
Mono-Compatibility, EQ & Compression
Stereo-Miked Acoustic Guitar Tracks and Mono-Compatibility
When stereo tracks are collapsed to mono, the result can sound dramatically different from the original tracks. This is not only true of the listener's perception of the width of the stereo image and the discrete placement of different elements in a mix: Conversion to mono can also significantly change the timbre of individual instruments, especially if certain stereo miking techniques were used to record the original. (In rare cases, the instrument could even disappear from a mix, should the left and right signals be far enough out-of-phase to cancel each other out when combined to mono.)
True, in the last couple of decades - with AM radio's diminishing role as a music medium - mono-compatibility has become less of an issue. And in fact, some engineers prefer not to compromise their stereo tracks or limit their recording techniques to cater to the lowest common denominator. Still, many engineers choose to play it safe - ensuring that their miking (or other processing) techniques won't sound terrible if played back in mono. However you feel about this issue, you'll be able to make more informed choices on how to record if you know what the sonic repercussions will be for mono playback. So what exactly happens to stereo acoustic guitar tracks when they are collapsed to mono? The answer depends on what miking technique you use to record.
Spaced pair techniques generally pick up a high degree of uncorrelated signal for each track. That is, many frequency components on the left-panned track are more or less out-of-phase with corresponding frequencies on the right-panned track. (This still applies even if you use the 3-to-1 rule for mic placement.)
This is because each of the sound waves emanating from the guitar will arrive at each mic at a different time. Due to that time difference the mic will pick up the wave at a different phase of its cycle. When the stereo signal is collapsed to mono, the constructive and destructive interference of these out-of-phase components combine to emphasize and de-emphasize their corresponding frequencies. The resulting timbre can be markedly different from your carefully crafted stereo tracks and can play havoc with your mix. You might be able to compensate with EQ, but this might exacerbate the problem.
Tracks recorded with an X-Y technique are far less prone to phase problems. Since the capsules are placed so close together, the sound reaches both mics at roughly the same time. As a result, tracks recorded in X-Y stereo are much more mono-compatible than those recorded with a spaced pair.
A Word on EQ and Compression
Aside from the occasional use of a microphone's passive high-pass (bass roll-off) filter, I prefer not to add equalization to the signal I'm recording. You can never tell in advance exactly how yet-to-be-recorded tracks will interact with the guitar you're recording, so any processing you add during recording is just a guessing game. Since you'll probably need to make subsequent adjustments in timbre (and possibly dynamics) at mixdown, you should avoid processing the signal twice. Your tracks will sound more pristine if you hold off adding processing until you have a complete picture of how the tracks will fit together. Instead, if you're not getting the sound you want during soundcheck, move the mics around until the timbre sounds right.
If you want to experiment with EQ as you're tracking, you can record the music dry and add EQ on the monitor returns. This way, you can hear the results of the EQ without committing to it.
Though many engineers will compress an acoustic guitar during tracking, I usually don't like to do so. As with other broadband, percussive instruments, guitar can easily cause a compressor to pump (cause audible changes in level) if it's not set up exactly right. Once these amplitude modulation artifacts are on tape, they are all but impossible to remove. For this reason, I compress acoustic guitar tracks at mixdown - when I have multiple opportunities to get it right. For the money, the best compressor I have ever come across is the highly celebrated FMR Audio RNC Compressor At only $175, it simply can't be beat. In fact, it easily holds it's on with other compressors in the $1000 price range. The RNC, coupled with the FMR Audio RNP Preamp , has tracked some of the smoothest acoustic guitar I've recorded.
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Acoustic Guitar Techniques
Recording The Acoustic Guitar
While the acoustic guitar remains one of the most simple instruments by design, it also remains one of the hardest to get a great sound on in the studio. It's really not brain surgery, but knowing some of the basic laws of physics doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, I skipped school that day and didn't learn my physics, so I had to learn how to get a great acoustic guitar sound one mistake at a time. After making those mistakes, I sat down and formulated these laws which are considered to be the Ten Commandments of recording the acoustic guitar (by me anyway).
For the sake of argument I'm going to assume that if you're reading this, you own a 4 track, or an 8 track recorder, a fairly small console, some basic outboard equipment, and you don't own any $2,000 microphones. If you own 13 foot long console and a 48 track digital machine, you can skip this article because you probably know what I'm about to tell you.
Rule 1 • A condensor mic will almost always sound better than a dynamic mic for acoustic guitars. There are several condensor mics that are currently on the market in the $350 price range that sound great on acoustics.
Rule 2 • New strings will always sound better for recording than old.
Rule 3 • Skinny strings sound brighter than fat ones (can you believe I get paid to write crap like this?!)
Rule 4 • The sound you get has a great deal to do with the dynamics of the player.
Rule 5 • Get down on your knees and position your ear as if it were the microphone while somebody else is playing the guitar. Move your ear around to find "sweet spots". You'll learn more from that, than you will by reading this article. Don't try it with an electric guitar!
Rule 6 • If you have somebody that is assisting you on the session, have them move the mic around what you think will be the sweet spot while the player is practicing the part he or she is about to lay down. Have your assistant wear headphones so you can communicate with him while the moving of the mic is taking place.
Rule 7 • A limiter/compressor will almost always help you get a better sound.
Rule 8 • Don't believe everything you read. I only have seven commandments, not ten.
Let's get right to it. If the sound you want to get is a country/pop, strummed sound similar to the Eagles "Lyin' Eyes", here's the formula: Place the microphone about 6 to 8 inches from the guitar's sound hole, but angle the mic toward the area where the fretboard and the sound hole meet. If you point the mic directly into the sound hole, it will be very full - probably much too full, and very boomy. Use a compressor/limiter to knock down any peaks (3:1 ratio), and set the threshold a little lower to give it a slightly "squashed" or tighter sound. Set the threshold higher to just limit the peaks and give a more open sound. You may need to EQ out some boominess. If so, try rolling off some bottom (100Hz), or cutting a couple of db at 300Hz. To add some "silk" on the top end, try something in the 8-10K range, but be careful, to much will add noise to the track. Positioning the mic so it angles toward the pick will give more attack-less sweetness.
For that John Cougar Mellenkamp sound, try medium gauge strings, a little more compression, and try adding a little EQ around the mids - lets say 700Hz-1.2K. That will give you a sound that is a little more "woodsy" (a highly technical term).
"Ya, well what about Melissa Ethridge," you say. Try this on for size. Use a guitar with a built-in pick up and a microphone to boot. You will undoubtedly get some phase anomalies, but that's part of the sound. Experiment with moving the mic closer and farther. That will affect the phase relationship of the two sound sources. Sooner or later, you'll hit on something that will put a smile on your face. You can pan the two signals left and right to get a broad stereo sound, but make sure that if you check the sound in mono, that there's still some signal left. Keep an eagle ear on Mr. Phase, he can be a tricky bugger.
And now ladies and gentlemen, for the most often heard acoustic guitar sound at the 1993 Grammys it's that Eric Clapton classical/gut string guitar! Piece of cake. Once again, use a condensor mic, but place it about ten inches away from the guitar. As a matter of fact, try placing it about 3 to 4 inches up the neck, but aim it at the players picking fingers. This angle will reduce boominess by virtue of the mic's cardioid polar pattern producing a natural roll off when it's aimed off-axis, while simultaneously delivering the attack of the fingers. Try and say that three times in a row! The added distance will pick up some of the guitar body's resonance. A compressor/limiter is a must for this case because of unexpected peaks. A 4:1 ratio is a good place to start, but set the threshold fairly high so that the most of the guitar's natural dynamics are left in tact.
When mixing acoustics guitars for rock or alternative tracks, you will usually have an electric guitar or two in the track as well. My personal preference is to pan the acoustic and electric across from each other. Send one full left, and the other full right. You'll quickly discover that the electric will overpower the acoustic and the most effective way to even them out is to compress the acoustic a little bit more than what you may have already done going to tape so you can bring the acoustic's level up high enough to compete with the electric.
Another simple but effective trick is to have the acoustic and electric guitars play parts that counter each other rhythmically (giving them each their own space), and have them each play in a different octave. That will give you a full sounding track that remains open and airy at the same time. You can also make an acoustic guitar sound bigger or more rock-like by panning the original to one side and a delayed signal (short delays are best) of the same guitar to the other side. That effect can be taken one step further by using the pitch change option on your delay to "de-tune" one of the guitars just a pinch (one cent is a good place to start). The delay will provide the brain with the psychoacoustic information it needs to perceive the guitar as bigger, while the pitch change will make it appear "fatter."
Funny how fatter is always better in the world of recording, but not in the case of the human body. Just a tangential observation must be time to go.
While the acoustic guitar remains one of the most simple instruments by design, it also remains one of the hardest to get a great sound on in the studio. It's really not brain surgery, but knowing some of the basic laws of physics doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, I skipped school that day and didn't learn my physics, so I had to learn how to get a great acoustic guitar sound one mistake at a time. After making those mistakes, I sat down and formulated these laws which are considered to be the Ten Commandments of recording the acoustic guitar (by me anyway).
For the sake of argument I'm going to assume that if you're reading this, you own a 4 track, or an 8 track recorder, a fairly small console, some basic outboard equipment, and you don't own any $2,000 microphones. If you own 13 foot long console and a 48 track digital machine, you can skip this article because you probably know what I'm about to tell you.
Rule 1 • A condensor mic will almost always sound better than a dynamic mic for acoustic guitars. There are several condensor mics that are currently on the market in the $350 price range that sound great on acoustics.
Rule 2 • New strings will always sound better for recording than old.
Rule 3 • Skinny strings sound brighter than fat ones (can you believe I get paid to write crap like this?!)
Rule 4 • The sound you get has a great deal to do with the dynamics of the player.
Rule 5 • Get down on your knees and position your ear as if it were the microphone while somebody else is playing the guitar. Move your ear around to find "sweet spots". You'll learn more from that, than you will by reading this article. Don't try it with an electric guitar!
Rule 6 • If you have somebody that is assisting you on the session, have them move the mic around what you think will be the sweet spot while the player is practicing the part he or she is about to lay down. Have your assistant wear headphones so you can communicate with him while the moving of the mic is taking place.
Rule 7 • A limiter/compressor will almost always help you get a better sound.
Rule 8 • Don't believe everything you read. I only have seven commandments, not ten.
Let's get right to it. If the sound you want to get is a country/pop, strummed sound similar to the Eagles "Lyin' Eyes", here's the formula: Place the microphone about 6 to 8 inches from the guitar's sound hole, but angle the mic toward the area where the fretboard and the sound hole meet. If you point the mic directly into the sound hole, it will be very full - probably much too full, and very boomy. Use a compressor/limiter to knock down any peaks (3:1 ratio), and set the threshold a little lower to give it a slightly "squashed" or tighter sound. Set the threshold higher to just limit the peaks and give a more open sound. You may need to EQ out some boominess. If so, try rolling off some bottom (100Hz), or cutting a couple of db at 300Hz. To add some "silk" on the top end, try something in the 8-10K range, but be careful, to much will add noise to the track. Positioning the mic so it angles toward the pick will give more attack-less sweetness.
For that John Cougar Mellenkamp sound, try medium gauge strings, a little more compression, and try adding a little EQ around the mids - lets say 700Hz-1.2K. That will give you a sound that is a little more "woodsy" (a highly technical term).
"Ya, well what about Melissa Ethridge," you say. Try this on for size. Use a guitar with a built-in pick up and a microphone to boot. You will undoubtedly get some phase anomalies, but that's part of the sound. Experiment with moving the mic closer and farther. That will affect the phase relationship of the two sound sources. Sooner or later, you'll hit on something that will put a smile on your face. You can pan the two signals left and right to get a broad stereo sound, but make sure that if you check the sound in mono, that there's still some signal left. Keep an eagle ear on Mr. Phase, he can be a tricky bugger.
And now ladies and gentlemen, for the most often heard acoustic guitar sound at the 1993 Grammys it's that Eric Clapton classical/gut string guitar! Piece of cake. Once again, use a condensor mic, but place it about ten inches away from the guitar. As a matter of fact, try placing it about 3 to 4 inches up the neck, but aim it at the players picking fingers. This angle will reduce boominess by virtue of the mic's cardioid polar pattern producing a natural roll off when it's aimed off-axis, while simultaneously delivering the attack of the fingers. Try and say that three times in a row! The added distance will pick up some of the guitar body's resonance. A compressor/limiter is a must for this case because of unexpected peaks. A 4:1 ratio is a good place to start, but set the threshold fairly high so that the most of the guitar's natural dynamics are left in tact.
When mixing acoustics guitars for rock or alternative tracks, you will usually have an electric guitar or two in the track as well. My personal preference is to pan the acoustic and electric across from each other. Send one full left, and the other full right. You'll quickly discover that the electric will overpower the acoustic and the most effective way to even them out is to compress the acoustic a little bit more than what you may have already done going to tape so you can bring the acoustic's level up high enough to compete with the electric.
Another simple but effective trick is to have the acoustic and electric guitars play parts that counter each other rhythmically (giving them each their own space), and have them each play in a different octave. That will give you a full sounding track that remains open and airy at the same time. You can also make an acoustic guitar sound bigger or more rock-like by panning the original to one side and a delayed signal (short delays are best) of the same guitar to the other side. That effect can be taken one step further by using the pitch change option on your delay to "de-tune" one of the guitars just a pinch (one cent is a good place to start). The delay will provide the brain with the psychoacoustic information it needs to perceive the guitar as bigger, while the pitch change will make it appear "fatter."
Funny how fatter is always better in the world of recording, but not in the case of the human body. Just a tangential observation must be time to go.
Saturday, 12 November 2016
All About Mic Placement For Home Recording Acoustic Guitar
There are many types of microphones, but the most popular type for recording acoustic guitar is the cardioid condenser mic. Inexpensive models such as the Audio-Technica AT2020 or AT2021 start at under $100. If your budget allows, consider popular models like the Shure SM81 or Neumann KM 184. High-end mics can easily cost thousands of dollars. Cardioid mics are usually best for home recording, because they pick up sound primarily from the front and reject sound from the rear, reducing noise and limiting the effect of poor room acoustics. When choosing a mic, be sure it works with the rest of your gear. Condenser mics use XLR cables and require phantom power, which can be supplied by your preamp or computer interface. You can use dynamic mics, which don't require power, but condensers are usually preferred for recording guitar, because they're significantly more sensitive and accurate.
Stereo recording with two mics is a popular way to record acoustic guitar, but you might begin by experimenting with a single microphone. A mono recording often works well when mixed with other instruments, but even if you're recording solo guitar, it's useful to learn how to use one mic before moving on to stereo. A good initial location is the spot where the guitar neck joins the body, about a foot away from the guitar. One way to fine-tune the placement is to listen to headphones while you move the mic around, but headphones can be misleading. You'll probably get a more realistic idea of the sound by recording a short example, and listening back through your speakers.
You can make substantial changes to the way your guitar sounds on the recording simply by moving the mic small distances. You can also try entirely different mic locations—other good starting spots are behind or below the bridge and centered in front of the guitar, but raised above the soundhole. (Directly in front of the soundhole almost never works.)
The distance between the mic and the guitar also has an effect on the sound. In an ideal acoustic environment, you might get a great sound with the mics as much as three feet away.
But in home recording, you often have to place the mics much closer to eliminate undesirable effects of the room. Cardioid mics have a characteristic known as proximity effect” that creates a deeper, bassier sound as you move the mic closer to a sound source. The effect generally begins at about 16 inches. As you move closer, the sound will be more direct and have more bass. Experiment to see what distance works best in your room and with your guitar. You can also experiment with the angle of the mic. For example, turning a mic in toward the soundhole should produce more bass, while turning it away will produce less.
If the guitar is to be featured prominently in your final mix, you may want to record in stereo, using two mics. One common setup, known as X/Y, uses two mics placed so that the capsules are as close together as possible, and angled at 90 degrees. For X/Y miking you can try the same locations we discussed for mono. There are mic holders designed specifically for X/Y that allow you to place both mics on one stand, which allows for easier positioning.
You can achieve a more spacious sound with a technique known as spaced pairs.” There are many variations to this approach, but a common starting point is to place one mic where the neck joins the body and a second mic near the lower bout behind the bridge (see photo). There are many other common mic patterns, but few hard-and-fast rules, so don't be afraid to experiment
Stereo recording with two mics is a popular way to record acoustic guitar, but you might begin by experimenting with a single microphone. A mono recording often works well when mixed with other instruments, but even if you're recording solo guitar, it's useful to learn how to use one mic before moving on to stereo. A good initial location is the spot where the guitar neck joins the body, about a foot away from the guitar. One way to fine-tune the placement is to listen to headphones while you move the mic around, but headphones can be misleading. You'll probably get a more realistic idea of the sound by recording a short example, and listening back through your speakers.
You can make substantial changes to the way your guitar sounds on the recording simply by moving the mic small distances. You can also try entirely different mic locations—other good starting spots are behind or below the bridge and centered in front of the guitar, but raised above the soundhole. (Directly in front of the soundhole almost never works.)
The distance between the mic and the guitar also has an effect on the sound. In an ideal acoustic environment, you might get a great sound with the mics as much as three feet away.
But in home recording, you often have to place the mics much closer to eliminate undesirable effects of the room. Cardioid mics have a characteristic known as proximity effect” that creates a deeper, bassier sound as you move the mic closer to a sound source. The effect generally begins at about 16 inches. As you move closer, the sound will be more direct and have more bass. Experiment to see what distance works best in your room and with your guitar. You can also experiment with the angle of the mic. For example, turning a mic in toward the soundhole should produce more bass, while turning it away will produce less.
If the guitar is to be featured prominently in your final mix, you may want to record in stereo, using two mics. One common setup, known as X/Y, uses two mics placed so that the capsules are as close together as possible, and angled at 90 degrees. For X/Y miking you can try the same locations we discussed for mono. There are mic holders designed specifically for X/Y that allow you to place both mics on one stand, which allows for easier positioning.
You can achieve a more spacious sound with a technique known as spaced pairs.” There are many variations to this approach, but a common starting point is to place one mic where the neck joins the body and a second mic near the lower bout behind the bridge (see photo). There are many other common mic patterns, but few hard-and-fast rules, so don't be afraid to experiment
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Recording Acoustic Guitar — Joff Winks
Over the years I've had many opportunities to record guitars and so consequently have gained a fair amount of experience in this particular corner of the audio engineering world, some of which I'd like to share with you in this blog.
I'm going to focus on a few of my preferred techniques for recording acoustic guitar as I've found this subject can be quite challenging at times and I've received numerous requests for assistance from friends regarding the recording of their instruments.
The first thing to mention about the acoustic guitar is that despite sharing approximately the same fundamental tonal range as its electric counterpart, E2 to C6/D6 on 20/22 fret instruments respectively; the overall frequency range produced by the acoustic instrument is much wider, electric guitars being limited by their pickup, amplifier and speaker design.
Typically the electric guitar exhibits few frequencies above 5khz, whereas the acoustic instrument produces frequencies that can happily exceed 10khz, exhibiting a complex array of harmonics and overtones that contribute much to the instruments timbral character. It is therefor vital to choose the correct microphone for the job.
Condensers are usually the mics of choice when recording acoustic guitar as they capture a wide range of frequencies, are moderately flat across the frequency spectrum from 20hz to 20khz and are much more sensitive than dynamic designs. So abandon your trusty SM57 for this task.
I've found through experimentation that small diaphragm designs work better than the larger capsule offerings as they behave a little better off axis and are easier to place discreetly in front of the guitar. Recently I've been using a pair of Rode NT5s, which are a pencil design and have a cardioid polar pattern. However, I've had fabulous results with the famous Neumann KM184 and AKG C451s. As you can see form the photograph below I've got the mics in their elastic suspension mountings. This radically reduces any mechanically transmitted frequencies travelling through the mic stand, ensuring that the recording is as clean as possible. If your mics didn't come with mounts you can always purchase a universal type that should work just as well.
If you're unsure about the term cardiod or the various properties of different microphone polar patterns you might want to buff up your knowledge by clicking here
So now you've got the mics where do you put them?
Most of the problems recording an acoustic guitar begin with trying to mic the sound hole. I've heard many examples of this method but have never obtained a balanced recording using this technique. The frequencies emanating directly from the sound hole don't accurately represent the complex array of frequencies that constitute the overall timbre. You may have noticed from your own guitar that many of the high frequencies seem to come from the neck and face of the instrument. Indeed if you listen carefully you'll find all sorts of resonant areas other than the sound hole. So lets rethink miking the instrument at the sound hole.
Mono Recording
Now, what I'm about to suggest might sound a bit weird but if you haven't tried this before take a leap of faith and trust me. You won't regret it!
You'll want to position the mic at a working distance of between 6″ to 10″ from the top shoulder of the guitar just above where the neck joins the body. This is usually fret 14 on modern steel string instruments. The further back the mic is from the guitar the more room” sound you'll be capturing, conversely the closer the mic is to the source the less room sound will be captured. It's really important to keep in mind, when working with any directional mic, the bass proximity effect” that occurs in close mic situations. That is, the closer the mic gets to the source the more exaggerated the bass frequencies become. So try to resist the temptation to mic the instrument too closely if you want to maintain a natural, balanced recording.
I would suggest starting with the mic on axis to the guitar and making a series of recordings as you progressively move the mic off axis. It's possible to obtain more bass frequencies by angling the mic towards the sound hole and brighter frequencies by angling the mic along the neck of the guitar. Proceed methodically and take notes of where the mic is for each test recording that you make. This way you can review your recordings to find the mic position that really works for your instrument and room.
Stereo Recording
If you want to progress to a stereo technique it's actually quite a simple process and can work wonders in post production!
I've always favoured the XY coincidental (intensity dependent) stereo technique for acoustic guitars over a spaced pair configuration as the phase coherence is much better. Although
I've also had great success with the less commonly used MS set up. I do want to write a blog concentrating on MS as I think it has much to offer but is beyond the scope of this blog.
Before I continue if you are unfamiliar with stereo mic techniques or the term phase you'll want to click here
For this stereo technique you'll need two mic stands an XY mic clip or a stereo mounting bar and a matched pair of mics. Our central concern is to position the mic capsules between 90 and 130 degrees to one another so that they are overlapping forming a cross. The central point between the two mics should face the guitar at roughly the same working distance as before and aiming towards the top shoulder of the instrument. The mics need to be panned hard left and right for the stereo image to become apparent.
It's still important to observe the same working methodology as for the mono mic technique to obtain a natural balanced stereo recording.
The XY stereo technique offers some great advantages over the mono version. In post production it allows the guitar to sit at the edges of the mix, clearing the centre of the stereo image for vocals or lead instruments. It's also very mono compatible and as such translates well to small speaker systems with limited separation between speakers or mono systems… yes they still exist!
Below is a photo illustrating a similar XY configuration but this time using a stereo mounting bar. I find that this is very useful as it eliminates the need for two mic stands.
In conclusion here's an example of a nylon strung, classical guitar recorded with the above stereo technique. I've applied some compression to bring out the inner detail and processed
the recording with EastWest's Spaces reverb plugin.
I'm going to focus on a few of my preferred techniques for recording acoustic guitar as I've found this subject can be quite challenging at times and I've received numerous requests for assistance from friends regarding the recording of their instruments.
The first thing to mention about the acoustic guitar is that despite sharing approximately the same fundamental tonal range as its electric counterpart, E2 to C6/D6 on 20/22 fret instruments respectively; the overall frequency range produced by the acoustic instrument is much wider, electric guitars being limited by their pickup, amplifier and speaker design.
Typically the electric guitar exhibits few frequencies above 5khz, whereas the acoustic instrument produces frequencies that can happily exceed 10khz, exhibiting a complex array of harmonics and overtones that contribute much to the instruments timbral character. It is therefor vital to choose the correct microphone for the job.
Condensers are usually the mics of choice when recording acoustic guitar as they capture a wide range of frequencies, are moderately flat across the frequency spectrum from 20hz to 20khz and are much more sensitive than dynamic designs. So abandon your trusty SM57 for this task.
I've found through experimentation that small diaphragm designs work better than the larger capsule offerings as they behave a little better off axis and are easier to place discreetly in front of the guitar. Recently I've been using a pair of Rode NT5s, which are a pencil design and have a cardioid polar pattern. However, I've had fabulous results with the famous Neumann KM184 and AKG C451s. As you can see form the photograph below I've got the mics in their elastic suspension mountings. This radically reduces any mechanically transmitted frequencies travelling through the mic stand, ensuring that the recording is as clean as possible. If your mics didn't come with mounts you can always purchase a universal type that should work just as well.
If you're unsure about the term cardiod or the various properties of different microphone polar patterns you might want to buff up your knowledge by clicking here
So now you've got the mics where do you put them?
Most of the problems recording an acoustic guitar begin with trying to mic the sound hole. I've heard many examples of this method but have never obtained a balanced recording using this technique. The frequencies emanating directly from the sound hole don't accurately represent the complex array of frequencies that constitute the overall timbre. You may have noticed from your own guitar that many of the high frequencies seem to come from the neck and face of the instrument. Indeed if you listen carefully you'll find all sorts of resonant areas other than the sound hole. So lets rethink miking the instrument at the sound hole.
Mono Recording
Now, what I'm about to suggest might sound a bit weird but if you haven't tried this before take a leap of faith and trust me. You won't regret it!
You'll want to position the mic at a working distance of between 6″ to 10″ from the top shoulder of the guitar just above where the neck joins the body. This is usually fret 14 on modern steel string instruments. The further back the mic is from the guitar the more room” sound you'll be capturing, conversely the closer the mic is to the source the less room sound will be captured. It's really important to keep in mind, when working with any directional mic, the bass proximity effect” that occurs in close mic situations. That is, the closer the mic gets to the source the more exaggerated the bass frequencies become. So try to resist the temptation to mic the instrument too closely if you want to maintain a natural, balanced recording.
I would suggest starting with the mic on axis to the guitar and making a series of recordings as you progressively move the mic off axis. It's possible to obtain more bass frequencies by angling the mic towards the sound hole and brighter frequencies by angling the mic along the neck of the guitar. Proceed methodically and take notes of where the mic is for each test recording that you make. This way you can review your recordings to find the mic position that really works for your instrument and room.
Stereo Recording
If you want to progress to a stereo technique it's actually quite a simple process and can work wonders in post production!
I've always favoured the XY coincidental (intensity dependent) stereo technique for acoustic guitars over a spaced pair configuration as the phase coherence is much better. Although
I've also had great success with the less commonly used MS set up. I do want to write a blog concentrating on MS as I think it has much to offer but is beyond the scope of this blog.
Before I continue if you are unfamiliar with stereo mic techniques or the term phase you'll want to click here
For this stereo technique you'll need two mic stands an XY mic clip or a stereo mounting bar and a matched pair of mics. Our central concern is to position the mic capsules between 90 and 130 degrees to one another so that they are overlapping forming a cross. The central point between the two mics should face the guitar at roughly the same working distance as before and aiming towards the top shoulder of the instrument. The mics need to be panned hard left and right for the stereo image to become apparent.
It's still important to observe the same working methodology as for the mono mic technique to obtain a natural balanced stereo recording.
The XY stereo technique offers some great advantages over the mono version. In post production it allows the guitar to sit at the edges of the mix, clearing the centre of the stereo image for vocals or lead instruments. It's also very mono compatible and as such translates well to small speaker systems with limited separation between speakers or mono systems… yes they still exist!
Below is a photo illustrating a similar XY configuration but this time using a stereo mounting bar. I find that this is very useful as it eliminates the need for two mic stands.
In conclusion here's an example of a nylon strung, classical guitar recorded with the above stereo technique. I've applied some compression to bring out the inner detail and processed
the recording with EastWest's Spaces reverb plugin.
Sunday, 14 August 2016
Recording Acoustic Guitar At Home
Acoustic recording techniques to get you started
A well-produced acoustic guitar is one of recorded music's greatest treats. While many acoustics do come with pickups built in so they can be played through an amplifier or into a desk or DAW, the true beauty of an acoustic guitar comes in its unplugged, stripped back nature. Steel or nylon strings, causing air to reverberate around a big wooden body; it's so simple, yet when done properly the results can be breathtaking.
If you're new to recording, particularly recording acoustic instruments, then there are few things you should know which will help you achieve some amazing tones. For starters, recording an acoustic guitar is an entirely different experience to recording an electric. Yes, there are microphones involved (unless you play directly into a DAW) and you will have to have some understanding of room ambience, but whereas electric guitars and amplifiers can be tweaked endlessly to suit a room or particular sound, recording an acoustic guitar requires a bit more care and attention.
With that in mind, let's look at some of the basic techniques involved in recording acoustic guitar at home. As with any recording, experimentation and trial and error is part of the fun but the following theories will at least point you in the right direction to get some great sounding results.
Guitar setup
First and foremost, you'll want to make sure your guitar is fully set up and ready for recording, ideally in advance of the actual planned session. As with any performance tool, be it a guitar or a car, regular maintenance is essential to ensure it's operating at its fullest potential. A new set of strings, installed 24 hours earlier, will make a world of difference to the instrument's sound, while checks for any fret or string buzzing will remove potentially nasty surprises from your recording. Steel strung acoustic guitars in particular have a nasty habit of producing a high pitched squeaking sound as your fretting fingers move across the fretboard. This particular sound is nigh on impossible to remove afterwards in the mix so a dab of GHS Fast Fret to lubricate the strings will pay off in the run long.
Fret buzz can be slightly more tricky to deal with on an acoustic guitar, but not impossible. However, if the buzzing is noticeable to you, it'll certainly be noticeable to your listeners so it's well worth having a guitar tech cast their eye over the guitar prior to recording.
Room choice and setup
Assuming the guitar is in fine fettle, we can take a look at the space in which we'll be recording. There are no hard and fast rules here; for a big, warm open sound with plenty of natural reverb, find a good sized room without too many hard surfaces in it. Hard surfaces, like wooden floors or large mirrors, can result in the sound waves produced by the guitar bouncing around too much which can confuse your microphones and cause unwanted frequencies clogging up your mix. We go into more detail about acoustic treatment here Sofas, cushions, even duvets dotted around the room can help, although don't get too comfy as there's work to be done!
If, on the other hand, you're looking for something more intimate, perhaps for a singer/songwriter approach, a smaller room will help achieve that but the same principles around sound deflection stand true here.
Once you've decided on the right room, try playing the guitar in different locations; at the centre of the room, near the corners, facing different ways. It's all fair game as you try and find that perfect sound, and remember - whatever you hear will be picked up by the microphone so it's important to rule out any areas where the sound is dead and lifeless, if nothing else.
Mic choice and placement
With the guitar all set up, and the room chosen and laid out how you want it, we can start examining the different microphone techniques to help you get the sound you're looking for.
As outlined above, there are no rules here - if it sounds good, it is good - but there are certain things which top recording artists and producers come back to which are worthy of your attention.
When recording acoustic guitar, it is almost always preferable to use a condenser microphone. Condensers are generally better at picking up the subtle changes in dynamics in acoustic guitar playing than other types of microphones, which can make the end result a much more accurate representation of what was recorded. It's possible to to get some great sounds using just one microphone, but for the best results we'd definitely recommend using two condensers.
Without getting too deep into the technical side of sound production, your acoustic guitar will tend to produce fuller, bass-heavy sounds nearer the headstock side of the soundhole, and more treble-orientated sounds at the bridge side. Generally, you'll want to choose one of the sides and have that as your ‘main' sound. A word of warning though; pointing your main mic directly over the soundhole will result in an oversaturated low-end sound which can be hard to rectify at the mixing stage.
In terms of which combination of microphones to use, many recording engineers advise using small diaphragm condensers close to the guitar's body as they are able to pick up tiny transients better than those with larger diaphragms. However, conversely, a large diaphragm is a superb choice for placing slightly further away from the body to pick up a bit of room ambience. You'll need to be aware of phase cancellation here, which is essentially where the same sound wave hits the different microphones at slightly different times causing the recorded sound to be, if not completely cancelled, then certainly noticeably affected.
For more information on this you should read up on the ‘3 to 1 ratio' which is a way of combatting the nasty side effects of phase cancellation. There's a great article here if you want to learn more.
You can experiment with different microphone placements, but always do it with the aim of finding the perfect spot. Headphones are your friend here, so make sure you have an extra-long headphone cable extender so your forays around the recording space aren't cut short prematurely. The same rings true with a single mic setup - spend the time finding that perfect spot where the sound is rich and balanced, both to your naked ear and also through headphones. You should, however, also keep in mind that the performer will need to be able to play the instrument without worrying about hitting a mic during the perfect take. It's a balancing act but one you'll definitely overcome with a bit of patience.
Dawsons has a great range of short and wide diaphragm condenser microphones to suit the needs of anyone recording acoustic guitar at home. The excellent Shure PGA181 is made precisely for acoustic instrument recording, and is small enough that it won't interfere with your performance. At the higher end of the price range, you may consider a two-mic combination consisting of the Sontronics STC1S small diaphragm condensers, which come in a pair, or using one of those in conjunction with a larger diaphragm model like the SE Electronics SE4400A to achieve a wonderfully balanced, accurate representation of your desired sound.Home recording is loads of fun, and with a little bit of preparation you can achieve some amazing results. Good luck!
A well-produced acoustic guitar is one of recorded music's greatest treats. While many acoustics do come with pickups built in so they can be played through an amplifier or into a desk or DAW, the true beauty of an acoustic guitar comes in its unplugged, stripped back nature. Steel or nylon strings, causing air to reverberate around a big wooden body; it's so simple, yet when done properly the results can be breathtaking.
If you're new to recording, particularly recording acoustic instruments, then there are few things you should know which will help you achieve some amazing tones. For starters, recording an acoustic guitar is an entirely different experience to recording an electric. Yes, there are microphones involved (unless you play directly into a DAW) and you will have to have some understanding of room ambience, but whereas electric guitars and amplifiers can be tweaked endlessly to suit a room or particular sound, recording an acoustic guitar requires a bit more care and attention.
With that in mind, let's look at some of the basic techniques involved in recording acoustic guitar at home. As with any recording, experimentation and trial and error is part of the fun but the following theories will at least point you in the right direction to get some great sounding results.
Guitar setup
First and foremost, you'll want to make sure your guitar is fully set up and ready for recording, ideally in advance of the actual planned session. As with any performance tool, be it a guitar or a car, regular maintenance is essential to ensure it's operating at its fullest potential. A new set of strings, installed 24 hours earlier, will make a world of difference to the instrument's sound, while checks for any fret or string buzzing will remove potentially nasty surprises from your recording. Steel strung acoustic guitars in particular have a nasty habit of producing a high pitched squeaking sound as your fretting fingers move across the fretboard. This particular sound is nigh on impossible to remove afterwards in the mix so a dab of GHS Fast Fret to lubricate the strings will pay off in the run long.
Fret buzz can be slightly more tricky to deal with on an acoustic guitar, but not impossible. However, if the buzzing is noticeable to you, it'll certainly be noticeable to your listeners so it's well worth having a guitar tech cast their eye over the guitar prior to recording.
Room choice and setup
Assuming the guitar is in fine fettle, we can take a look at the space in which we'll be recording. There are no hard and fast rules here; for a big, warm open sound with plenty of natural reverb, find a good sized room without too many hard surfaces in it. Hard surfaces, like wooden floors or large mirrors, can result in the sound waves produced by the guitar bouncing around too much which can confuse your microphones and cause unwanted frequencies clogging up your mix. We go into more detail about acoustic treatment here Sofas, cushions, even duvets dotted around the room can help, although don't get too comfy as there's work to be done!
If, on the other hand, you're looking for something more intimate, perhaps for a singer/songwriter approach, a smaller room will help achieve that but the same principles around sound deflection stand true here.
Once you've decided on the right room, try playing the guitar in different locations; at the centre of the room, near the corners, facing different ways. It's all fair game as you try and find that perfect sound, and remember - whatever you hear will be picked up by the microphone so it's important to rule out any areas where the sound is dead and lifeless, if nothing else.
Mic choice and placement
With the guitar all set up, and the room chosen and laid out how you want it, we can start examining the different microphone techniques to help you get the sound you're looking for.
As outlined above, there are no rules here - if it sounds good, it is good - but there are certain things which top recording artists and producers come back to which are worthy of your attention.
When recording acoustic guitar, it is almost always preferable to use a condenser microphone. Condensers are generally better at picking up the subtle changes in dynamics in acoustic guitar playing than other types of microphones, which can make the end result a much more accurate representation of what was recorded. It's possible to to get some great sounds using just one microphone, but for the best results we'd definitely recommend using two condensers.
Without getting too deep into the technical side of sound production, your acoustic guitar will tend to produce fuller, bass-heavy sounds nearer the headstock side of the soundhole, and more treble-orientated sounds at the bridge side. Generally, you'll want to choose one of the sides and have that as your ‘main' sound. A word of warning though; pointing your main mic directly over the soundhole will result in an oversaturated low-end sound which can be hard to rectify at the mixing stage.
In terms of which combination of microphones to use, many recording engineers advise using small diaphragm condensers close to the guitar's body as they are able to pick up tiny transients better than those with larger diaphragms. However, conversely, a large diaphragm is a superb choice for placing slightly further away from the body to pick up a bit of room ambience. You'll need to be aware of phase cancellation here, which is essentially where the same sound wave hits the different microphones at slightly different times causing the recorded sound to be, if not completely cancelled, then certainly noticeably affected.
For more information on this you should read up on the ‘3 to 1 ratio' which is a way of combatting the nasty side effects of phase cancellation. There's a great article here if you want to learn more.
You can experiment with different microphone placements, but always do it with the aim of finding the perfect spot. Headphones are your friend here, so make sure you have an extra-long headphone cable extender so your forays around the recording space aren't cut short prematurely. The same rings true with a single mic setup - spend the time finding that perfect spot where the sound is rich and balanced, both to your naked ear and also through headphones. You should, however, also keep in mind that the performer will need to be able to play the instrument without worrying about hitting a mic during the perfect take. It's a balancing act but one you'll definitely overcome with a bit of patience.
Dawsons has a great range of short and wide diaphragm condenser microphones to suit the needs of anyone recording acoustic guitar at home. The excellent Shure PGA181 is made precisely for acoustic instrument recording, and is small enough that it won't interfere with your performance. At the higher end of the price range, you may consider a two-mic combination consisting of the Sontronics STC1S small diaphragm condensers, which come in a pair, or using one of those in conjunction with a larger diaphragm model like the SE Electronics SE4400A to achieve a wonderfully balanced, accurate representation of your desired sound.Home recording is loads of fun, and with a little bit of preparation you can achieve some amazing results. Good luck!
Saturday, 13 August 2016
Tips For Recording An Acoustic Piano (Part I)
The Close-Miked Grand
In a world of sampled instruments and midi sequencing, recording an acoustic grand piano is not a task for the faint of heart. Most engineers can rely on an instrument package, like Garritan's Authorized Steinway” or Ivory”, for nice sounds. However, when a piano needs to be the primary focus of a mix, or when you have a very serious player in the studio, you will need a well-maintained acoustic grand to make the best possible recording. Miking a grand can be a daunting task, but in this first of 3 articles, I hope I can ease your mind by explaining a few techniques and tricks that can help you record a great close-miked piano.
The Close-Miked Sound and When To Use It
The piano sound you will most often hear in pop music and in jazz is the close-miked sound. Not only does it help eliminate bleed if the piano is recorded in the live room with the rest of a band, but it also gives the mix engineer a wide range of choices to help what usually is the physically largest instrument fit into the mix. There is very little room in the sound, and the room that does exist is most likely faked with a hardware or software reverb. A variety of miking techniques can be used to achieve different sounds from percussive to balanced, from narrow to wide, and from bright to mellow. The closeness of mikes is what makes the sound both the easiest to achieve, and yet also makes choosing an appropriate technique very difficult. As this sound is the most commonly sought after in the studio, it makes a perfect starting place for us.
A Brief Anatomy of A Piano
Before we begin talking about sound and how to record the sound of a piano, we must first understand how that sound is produced and naturally amplified by the diagram to the left illustrates a few of the most important parts on the inside of a piano.
Depressing the keys of the piano starts a very complex lever in motion, resulting in the hammer striking the string, which in turn results in the sound we hear. Hammers are located below the dampers, as you can see in the diagram. They are covered in a semi-soft felt that provides a variety of tones depending on the speed at which the hammer hits the strings and also the age and use of the instrument. In general, the faster a hammer hits a string, the more its felt is depressed upon contact, creating a harder surface and a brighter and louder tone. That tone then resonates through a precisely crafted soundboard, the wooden bed that runs the entire length and width of the instrument. The bridge, as seen in the diagram, is not just a point at which strings are connected, but on many good instruments, the length of string beyond the bridge is capable of vibrating and can help produce extra overtones and in general a ‘bigger' sound.
There are plenty of resources to learn about the whole mechanism inside the piano , but I think the above points are the most valid for starters. Now let's dig into some more meaty information.
Close Miking Techniques And a Few Pros And Cons of Each
As there are quite a few techniques we will cover here, we will organize them by starting with the techniques that are used nearest to the hammers, moving toward the bridge and tail of the piano as we go. Keep in mind that all of these techniques use microphones ‘under the lid' of the piano, very close to the strings themselves.
1) The Percussive Rock Piano
This technique highlights the percussive nature of the instrument by placing mikes nearly on top of the strings over where the hammers strike. It is useful for very busy rock mixes where the piano needs to be heard but doesn't need much depth. You can place mikes in XY, ORTF, and AB spaced pair (allowing a variety of stereo widths), and you can also feel free to use pretty much any polar pattern, except figure-8. Always keep in mind that a true omni will accurately hear down to the lowest bass the instrument can produce, while many cardioids have some sort of roll-off. Also, true omnis will not exhibit the proximity effect, while cardioids will. The distance from the strings that the mikes are placed will determine how percussive the sound is: the closer, the more percussive; the further, the more balanced. By ‘close' I mean as close as just a few inches from the strings, and moving further away from there.
2) The Wide Stereo, Balanced Piano
This technique can provide a warm yet detailed tone, but will always create a wide stereo image. Again using cardioid or omni mikes, place one mike over the upper treble section of the instrument and place one mike over the lower bass section of the instrument. The mike over the high strings will be closer to the keyboard, while the bass mike will be closer to the tail of the instrument. Again, distance can vary from just a few inches to sometimes as much as a foot from the strings. In this case, the closer the mike the more detailed the sound, while the further the mike the more accurately you can capture the entire range of the instrument.
3) The Mono, Or Small Stereo, Balanced Piano
Working just inside the crook of the piano, (the place where the curve of the frame makes the piano narrower at the tail than at the keyboard) an XY, M and S, or a simple mono mike can be used to get the most balanced representation of the instrument while maintaining a good sum to mono when necessary. In this case, you probably won't want to get too close to the strings so that you can be sure to capture the entire instrument. I suggest using cardioids here to help eliminate unwanted room sound. Try and aim the mike or your array toward the place where the lid connects to the frame while staying at least a good foot or two away from the strings. The sound isn't quite as detailed, but the stereo choices available during mix make this a good ‘go-to' technique.
4) The Mellow Piano
The further you move toward the tail of the instrument, the warmer the tone you can capture off the soundboard. Feel free to experiment with distances and miking techniques; there isn't one I'd necessarily recommend here. For an extremely warm sound, try miking the underside of the soundboard. You might need at least one mike on the upper side to capture enough detail to make the sound useable.
5) The Most Balanced And Natural Piano
If we move our mike arrays just outside of the frame of the piano we can still get a close sound and probably the best natural balance of the instrument. For this technique, I like to use an AB pair, spaced only 1 or 2 feet apart, near the crook of the piano but at least two or three feet away from the frame of the instrument. Be sure to get your array high enough that the microphones can ‘see' all of the strings in the instrument. As this technique captures the most room, it might not fit a busy rock mix, but instead could be better for solo jazz or similar.
As the mikes are moved away from the hammers and toward the tail of the piano, the warmth of tone increases while the percussiveness decreases. Even in the 5th technique I describe, while the crook of the piano might provide the most balanced tone, you may want to move your array toward the keyboard or toward the tail depending on the type of sound you are going for. I almost always use omnis to record a piano due to their ability to accurately capture the entire range of the instrument, but don't be afraid to try and skillfully use the proximity effect of cardioids for some interesting sounds. If you're recording jazz, microphones like Schoeps, DPA, Earthworks, and Sennheiser MKHs are usually the best. They provide great frequency response and transparency, which is expected in the genre. With rock and pop material, feel free to use anything you can dream up to achieve the desired sound. Tube mikes, through a tube pre, and to tape can turn a banging pianist into the perfect fit for a track. Yet, transparent can also still be the way to go. Use your ears to help you determine what technique is best!
If you're very interested in the subject, check out this article at SoundOnSound
In a world of sampled instruments and midi sequencing, recording an acoustic grand piano is not a task for the faint of heart. Most engineers can rely on an instrument package, like Garritan's Authorized Steinway” or Ivory”, for nice sounds. However, when a piano needs to be the primary focus of a mix, or when you have a very serious player in the studio, you will need a well-maintained acoustic grand to make the best possible recording. Miking a grand can be a daunting task, but in this first of 3 articles, I hope I can ease your mind by explaining a few techniques and tricks that can help you record a great close-miked piano.
The Close-Miked Sound and When To Use It
The piano sound you will most often hear in pop music and in jazz is the close-miked sound. Not only does it help eliminate bleed if the piano is recorded in the live room with the rest of a band, but it also gives the mix engineer a wide range of choices to help what usually is the physically largest instrument fit into the mix. There is very little room in the sound, and the room that does exist is most likely faked with a hardware or software reverb. A variety of miking techniques can be used to achieve different sounds from percussive to balanced, from narrow to wide, and from bright to mellow. The closeness of mikes is what makes the sound both the easiest to achieve, and yet also makes choosing an appropriate technique very difficult. As this sound is the most commonly sought after in the studio, it makes a perfect starting place for us.
A Brief Anatomy of A Piano
Before we begin talking about sound and how to record the sound of a piano, we must first understand how that sound is produced and naturally amplified by the diagram to the left illustrates a few of the most important parts on the inside of a piano.
Depressing the keys of the piano starts a very complex lever in motion, resulting in the hammer striking the string, which in turn results in the sound we hear. Hammers are located below the dampers, as you can see in the diagram. They are covered in a semi-soft felt that provides a variety of tones depending on the speed at which the hammer hits the strings and also the age and use of the instrument. In general, the faster a hammer hits a string, the more its felt is depressed upon contact, creating a harder surface and a brighter and louder tone. That tone then resonates through a precisely crafted soundboard, the wooden bed that runs the entire length and width of the instrument. The bridge, as seen in the diagram, is not just a point at which strings are connected, but on many good instruments, the length of string beyond the bridge is capable of vibrating and can help produce extra overtones and in general a ‘bigger' sound.
There are plenty of resources to learn about the whole mechanism inside the piano , but I think the above points are the most valid for starters. Now let's dig into some more meaty information.
Close Miking Techniques And a Few Pros And Cons of Each
As there are quite a few techniques we will cover here, we will organize them by starting with the techniques that are used nearest to the hammers, moving toward the bridge and tail of the piano as we go. Keep in mind that all of these techniques use microphones ‘under the lid' of the piano, very close to the strings themselves.
1) The Percussive Rock Piano
This technique highlights the percussive nature of the instrument by placing mikes nearly on top of the strings over where the hammers strike. It is useful for very busy rock mixes where the piano needs to be heard but doesn't need much depth. You can place mikes in XY, ORTF, and AB spaced pair (allowing a variety of stereo widths), and you can also feel free to use pretty much any polar pattern, except figure-8. Always keep in mind that a true omni will accurately hear down to the lowest bass the instrument can produce, while many cardioids have some sort of roll-off. Also, true omnis will not exhibit the proximity effect, while cardioids will. The distance from the strings that the mikes are placed will determine how percussive the sound is: the closer, the more percussive; the further, the more balanced. By ‘close' I mean as close as just a few inches from the strings, and moving further away from there.
2) The Wide Stereo, Balanced Piano
This technique can provide a warm yet detailed tone, but will always create a wide stereo image. Again using cardioid or omni mikes, place one mike over the upper treble section of the instrument and place one mike over the lower bass section of the instrument. The mike over the high strings will be closer to the keyboard, while the bass mike will be closer to the tail of the instrument. Again, distance can vary from just a few inches to sometimes as much as a foot from the strings. In this case, the closer the mike the more detailed the sound, while the further the mike the more accurately you can capture the entire range of the instrument.
3) The Mono, Or Small Stereo, Balanced Piano
Working just inside the crook of the piano, (the place where the curve of the frame makes the piano narrower at the tail than at the keyboard) an XY, M and S, or a simple mono mike can be used to get the most balanced representation of the instrument while maintaining a good sum to mono when necessary. In this case, you probably won't want to get too close to the strings so that you can be sure to capture the entire instrument. I suggest using cardioids here to help eliminate unwanted room sound. Try and aim the mike or your array toward the place where the lid connects to the frame while staying at least a good foot or two away from the strings. The sound isn't quite as detailed, but the stereo choices available during mix make this a good ‘go-to' technique.
4) The Mellow Piano
The further you move toward the tail of the instrument, the warmer the tone you can capture off the soundboard. Feel free to experiment with distances and miking techniques; there isn't one I'd necessarily recommend here. For an extremely warm sound, try miking the underside of the soundboard. You might need at least one mike on the upper side to capture enough detail to make the sound useable.
5) The Most Balanced And Natural Piano
If we move our mike arrays just outside of the frame of the piano we can still get a close sound and probably the best natural balance of the instrument. For this technique, I like to use an AB pair, spaced only 1 or 2 feet apart, near the crook of the piano but at least two or three feet away from the frame of the instrument. Be sure to get your array high enough that the microphones can ‘see' all of the strings in the instrument. As this technique captures the most room, it might not fit a busy rock mix, but instead could be better for solo jazz or similar.
As the mikes are moved away from the hammers and toward the tail of the piano, the warmth of tone increases while the percussiveness decreases. Even in the 5th technique I describe, while the crook of the piano might provide the most balanced tone, you may want to move your array toward the keyboard or toward the tail depending on the type of sound you are going for. I almost always use omnis to record a piano due to their ability to accurately capture the entire range of the instrument, but don't be afraid to try and skillfully use the proximity effect of cardioids for some interesting sounds. If you're recording jazz, microphones like Schoeps, DPA, Earthworks, and Sennheiser MKHs are usually the best. They provide great frequency response and transparency, which is expected in the genre. With rock and pop material, feel free to use anything you can dream up to achieve the desired sound. Tube mikes, through a tube pre, and to tape can turn a banging pianist into the perfect fit for a track. Yet, transparent can also still be the way to go. Use your ears to help you determine what technique is best!
If you're very interested in the subject, check out this article at SoundOnSound
Thursday, 14 July 2016
Stereo Miking Techniques For Recording Acoustic Guitar
The Three Techniques
All three of the following techniques have been used on countless hit records. You should familiarize yourself with all of them and then experiment with each to achieve your desired tone. In most situations, you'll want to use a pair of unidirectional, condenser mics placed close to the instrument (approximately 6 to 12 inches away). Mics with a cardioid polar pattern are generally best for an acoustic guitar because they exhibit less "bass-boost" from proximity effect than other directional types when placed close to the sound source.
Acoustic guitars will exhibit a "boomy" sound if miked incorrectly. Experiment with different mic combinations to achieve the sound you're after.
Spaced Mics - Setup 1
For this setup, two mics are spaced apart from each other at the same approximate height. My preference for the first mic is a small diaphragm condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret of the guitar to capture higher frequencies and string dynamics. For the second mic, I use a large diaphragm condenser aimed at the bridge or slightly behind it, to capture the lower frequencies and body characteristics of the acoustic guitar. When using this technique, remember to follow the Rule of 3:1,” where the distance between the two mics is at least three times the distance between each mic and the acoustic guitar. (For example, if Mic A is 6” from the twelfth fret, Mic B should be at least 18” away from Mic A.) This will help keep phase cancellations to a minimum and provide a smoother sound that will translate well to mono should you decide to do that later.
Spaced Mics - Setup 2
This technique is primarily a variation on the previous spaced mics setup. The first mic is still a small diaphragm condenser pointed at the twelfth fret. The second mic, however, is positioned on a mic stand around the performer's ear level, pointing down either at the bridge or at the strings just in front of the bridge. For a right-handed player, the mic will be positioned over the right shoulder. It should be placed out in front of the guitar and the performer and angled back towards the guitar (as opposed to pointing at the ground). This setup will yield a brighter sound that is thinner, but more open sounding than the first setup. Keep the Rule of 3:1” in mind, but experiment with the mic placement slightly to improve the timbre.
X-Y Stereo Mics
X-Y, also known as a coincident pair, is probably the easiest and most reliable method for recording acoustic guitar. It is hard to get a bad or unnatural-sounding recording with this setup for several reasons. First, the mics are positioned similarly to how our own ears hear an acoustic guitar. Second, you do not need to be as concerned with the phase issues apparent in the other setups because the capsules are so close to each other. Last, because the sound waves arrive at roughly the same time to both mics, and phase issues are minimized, the resulting tracks will be highly mono-compatible, if so desired. To start, place two small diaphragm condenser mics (a matched pair is ideal) so that one capsule is above the other (nearly touching) and the back ends are split apart roughly 90 to 120 degrees, forming a V-shape. Keep the capsules focused on the 12th fret, but feel free to move the mics further away to capture more of the room, or slightly left or right of the 12th fret to emphasize particular frequencies. I find that about 7 inches back from the 12th fret often yields the sweet spot between the bass frequencies from the sound hole and higher frequencies from the neck, and in effect de-emphasizes the midrange frequencies. This setup will create a narrower stereo image than the other two setups discussed, but will make up for it with a warmer, more natural sound.
EQ, Compression
While some engineers like to add compression and EQ to acoustic guitars when recording, others prefer to add those touches after the fact and only as needed. It's hard to know just how an acoustic guitar track will sit in a mix, and hey, that's what all of these wonderful UAD Powered Plug-Ins are for anyway! In the end, and once again, there are no rules. So, have fun experimenting with these stereo pair recording techniques for acoustic guitar and stay tuned for more tips next month with Studio Basics.
All three of the following techniques have been used on countless hit records. You should familiarize yourself with all of them and then experiment with each to achieve your desired tone. In most situations, you'll want to use a pair of unidirectional, condenser mics placed close to the instrument (approximately 6 to 12 inches away). Mics with a cardioid polar pattern are generally best for an acoustic guitar because they exhibit less "bass-boost" from proximity effect than other directional types when placed close to the sound source.
Acoustic guitars will exhibit a "boomy" sound if miked incorrectly. Experiment with different mic combinations to achieve the sound you're after.
Spaced Mics - Setup 1
For this setup, two mics are spaced apart from each other at the same approximate height. My preference for the first mic is a small diaphragm condenser mic pointed at the 12th fret of the guitar to capture higher frequencies and string dynamics. For the second mic, I use a large diaphragm condenser aimed at the bridge or slightly behind it, to capture the lower frequencies and body characteristics of the acoustic guitar. When using this technique, remember to follow the Rule of 3:1,” where the distance between the two mics is at least three times the distance between each mic and the acoustic guitar. (For example, if Mic A is 6” from the twelfth fret, Mic B should be at least 18” away from Mic A.) This will help keep phase cancellations to a minimum and provide a smoother sound that will translate well to mono should you decide to do that later.
Spaced Mics - Setup 2
This technique is primarily a variation on the previous spaced mics setup. The first mic is still a small diaphragm condenser pointed at the twelfth fret. The second mic, however, is positioned on a mic stand around the performer's ear level, pointing down either at the bridge or at the strings just in front of the bridge. For a right-handed player, the mic will be positioned over the right shoulder. It should be placed out in front of the guitar and the performer and angled back towards the guitar (as opposed to pointing at the ground). This setup will yield a brighter sound that is thinner, but more open sounding than the first setup. Keep the Rule of 3:1” in mind, but experiment with the mic placement slightly to improve the timbre.
X-Y Stereo Mics
X-Y, also known as a coincident pair, is probably the easiest and most reliable method for recording acoustic guitar. It is hard to get a bad or unnatural-sounding recording with this setup for several reasons. First, the mics are positioned similarly to how our own ears hear an acoustic guitar. Second, you do not need to be as concerned with the phase issues apparent in the other setups because the capsules are so close to each other. Last, because the sound waves arrive at roughly the same time to both mics, and phase issues are minimized, the resulting tracks will be highly mono-compatible, if so desired. To start, place two small diaphragm condenser mics (a matched pair is ideal) so that one capsule is above the other (nearly touching) and the back ends are split apart roughly 90 to 120 degrees, forming a V-shape. Keep the capsules focused on the 12th fret, but feel free to move the mics further away to capture more of the room, or slightly left or right of the 12th fret to emphasize particular frequencies. I find that about 7 inches back from the 12th fret often yields the sweet spot between the bass frequencies from the sound hole and higher frequencies from the neck, and in effect de-emphasizes the midrange frequencies. This setup will create a narrower stereo image than the other two setups discussed, but will make up for it with a warmer, more natural sound.
EQ, Compression
While some engineers like to add compression and EQ to acoustic guitars when recording, others prefer to add those touches after the fact and only as needed. It's hard to know just how an acoustic guitar track will sit in a mix, and hey, that's what all of these wonderful UAD Powered Plug-Ins are for anyway! In the end, and once again, there are no rules. So, have fun experimenting with these stereo pair recording techniques for acoustic guitar and stay tuned for more tips next month with Studio Basics.
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