Recording Acoustic Guitar: Complete Techniques

Acoustic guitar recording captures the instrument’s natural resonance, projection, and harmonic complexity. Unlike electric guitar, the acoustic sound exists in the room—the recording challenge is translating this three-dimensional experience to recorded media. Understanding microphone selection, placement, and environmental considerations enables professional acoustic guitar capture.

Microphone Selection

Small-diaphragm condensers excel at acoustic guitar recording. Their transient response and extended high frequencies capture the instrument’s detail. The Neumann KM184, AKG C451, and similar designs are industry standards.

Large-diaphragm condensers offer alternative character. The fuller sound adds warmth and body. The Neumann U87 and AKG C414 work well for acoustic guitar.

Ribbon microphones provide smooth, natural acoustic tone. The rolled-off high frequencies reduce harshness from bright guitars. The Royer R-121 captures warm, vintage-flavored acoustic tones.

Matched pairs enable stereo recording. Using identical microphones maintains consistent character across the stereo image. Mismatched pairs may cause tonal inconsistency between channels.

Single Microphone Placement

The 12th fret position captures balanced acoustic tone. Pointing at where neck meets body provides blend of body resonance and string clarity. This starting position works for most applications.

Distance affects perspective significantly. Closer placement emphasizes detail and proximity effect bass. Farther placement captures the instrument as a whole. Six to twelve inches provides a typical range.

Angle adjustments shape tone. Angling toward the soundhole increases bass and body resonance. Angling away toward the neck emphasizes string clarity and reduces boominess.

Avoiding the soundhole directly prevents excessive bass buildup. The soundhole projects low frequencies prominently. Positioning away from this area prevents muddy recordings.

Stereo Microphone Techniques

XY configuration provides mono-compatible stereo. Two microphones angled at 90-135 degrees with capsules nearly touching create natural width. This technique suits most acoustic recording.

Spaced pair creates wider stereo image. Two microphones placed 12-36 inches apart capture different perspectives. Phase alignment requires attention for mono compatibility.

ORTF configuration balances width and compatibility. Microphones positioned at 110-degree angle with 17cm capsule spacing creates natural stereo. This technique originated with French broadcasting.

Mid-side recording offers variable stereo width. A cardioid microphone faces the source while a figure-eight captures sides. Decoding during mixing enables width adjustment.

Room Acoustics

The recording environment significantly affects acoustic guitar capture. Reflective rooms add ambience but may cause problems. Absorptive spaces provide control but may sound dead.

Room treatment balances reflection and absorption. Some reflection adds natural ambience. Too much reflection creates muddiness. Strategic absorption controls problem frequencies.

Recording position within the room matters. Corners amplify bass. Center positions may have phase issues. Finding a position that sounds good requires experimentation.

Ambient microphones capture room contribution. Placed farther from the instrument, they record the space’s acoustic character. Blending ambient signals adds depth.

Guitar Preparation

Fresh strings significantly impact acoustic tone. The brightness and sustain of new strings improves recordings. String age matters more for acoustic than electric guitar.

Intonation affects pitch accuracy audibly. Without distortion to mask pitch issues, acoustic guitar reveals intonation problems clearly. Setup optimization before sessions prevents problems.

Instrument condition affects resonance. Properly humidified guitars resonate better. Dry or damaged instruments may sound dull or have problematic resonances.

Squeaks and noise become audible in acoustic recordings. String lubricant reduces finger noise. Technique adjustments minimize unwanted sounds.

Recording Level Considerations

Acoustic guitar dynamics require careful level management. The difference between soft fingerpicking and hard strumming is substantial. Recording levels must accommodate the full range.

Conservative levels prevent clipping. Peaks around -10 to -6 dBFS provide safety margin. The full dynamic range of acoustic playing needs headroom.

Compression during recording can help. Light compression evens dynamics without removing expression. This technique commits to the compressed sound but provides more consistent levels.

Processing and Mixing

High-pass filtering removes unnecessary bass. Frequencies below 80-100 Hz typically add rumble without musical content. Filtering cleans up the low end.

Presence range around 3-5 kHz adds clarity. Acoustic guitars can sound dull without this range. Appropriate emphasis helps articulation.

Low-mid reduction around 200-400 Hz addresses boxiness. This range often accumulates in acoustic recordings. Surgical cuts clean up muddiness.

Compression shapes acoustic dynamics for mixing. The wide dynamics of acoustic guitar may need control for consistent presence. Light compression maintains expression while evening levels.

Reverb adds space appropriately. The recording environment already contains ambient information. Additional reverb should enhance rather than obscure the natural sound.

Common Challenges

Body resonance can overwhelm string clarity. Moving the microphone toward the neck reduces body emphasis. EQ cuts in the low-mid range address this issue.

Harsh high frequencies need taming. Ribbon microphones or EQ cuts reduce harshness. Microphone angle away from the strings can help.

Handling noise transfers through microphone stands. Isolation mounts reduce this problem. Avoiding floor vibrations during recording helps.

Breathing and movement create noise. Awareness of these sounds during recording prevents distracting artifacts. Some editing may remove unwanted sounds.