There are a few ways to approach microphone placement on an
acoustic guitar. The most commonly used method is to place an
electret or small diaphragm condenser mic a few inches from the
12th fret and second mic, usually a large diaphragm condenser
somewhere in between the sound hole and the bridge. I have also
this second mic placed at the bottom of the guitar facing the
bottom strap peg and even sometimes on the back of the guitar. This
however is not the only way to get a good sound.
If you happen to own a microphone capable of a figure 8 polar
pattern as well as one with a cardioid pattern you can do what is
known as a mid-side technique. This is more commonly used on pianos
but can be used in any situation where you’re looking for a more
spacious and ambient sound. This works especially well when you
want to capture a vocalist playing acoustic guitar in a very simple
live off the floor manner, when the goal is to make a recording
that sounds like the performer is in the room with you. To achieve
this simply take your figure 8 pattern microphone that is facing
your subject and turn it 90 degrees. Then take your second
microphone and aim it directly at your subject and make your
recording with each mic on its own mono channel. Take the figure 8
track and make a copy of it. Pan the original track hard left and
the copy hard right. Next invert the phase on the copy track. Leave
the other microphone’s track panned center and viola! This might
not be the ideal way to record all the time but I think you’ll
agree its definitely a cool sound to use when it’s
appropriate.
Another method is the old XY axis, using two microphones that have
a cardioid pattern placed one atop the other forming an X. This
produces a very nice stereo image and can be adjusted to be more or
less ambient simply by placing the microphones closer (more direct)
or further away for a more ambient sound.
And hey experiment! Try placing microphones out in your room. Try
hanging a PZM mic on a wall or blu tack it to a window and play
into the window! I really feel that this sort of experimentation is
what is sorely lacking in today’s plugin, preset-centric, over
compressed, dynamic lacking music world!
But perhaps I am the only one,......
Tags: Recording, Acoustic Guitar
08/07/09 03:26 Filed in:
Getting
Sounds
Physical Effects - Electric Stings on an Acoustic
Guitar
In this era of plugins and virtual everything music is starting to
have a certain sameness about it. As a recording engineer I love to
tell/hear stories about interesting things that were done to
achieve a cool sound. I think this is part of the recent resurgence
of classic rock and metal. I would love to hear about wacky things
you’ve done to get cool sounds, so let me start the ball rolling by
giving you one of my favorites.
Once you start to progress as a recordist you will find that start
recording things the way you want them to eventually sound. Many
times acoustic guitars are recorded in stereo and panned hard left
and right, with very little bass. Sometimes there’s very little
tone in the sound as all, what you end up with more of the sound of
the pick on the strings. One of the ways you can get a sound like
this right off the bat without having to use EQ is to string up an
acoustic guitar with electric guitar strings.
First of all, it renders the guitar easier to play, but you end up
with a great stringy sound with very little bass. However the sound
is natural and does sound strange or effected like your typical
acoustic guitar with all the bass viciously carved out with an
equalizer!
I have a bunch more of these little tricks to share with you, so
stay tuned!
Tags: electric strings, Acoustic Guitar