Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

[treyhaislip]

Looking to mic an acoustic guitar (no amp, just the guitar) and wanted some suggestions (right now I'm leaning towards the Shure SM81 but like what I've read about some of Rode's offerings.)

Would like a mic than is great for recording an acoustic guitar but could be used for other things as well (drums, vocals, possibly an amp.)

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Like many Shure mics it's an industry standard. But like many Shure mics there may be better sounding options for the same money. The thing about Shure mics is that they just always seems to work...like forever if treated with a modicum of care. That's a biggie for many $$$$$$ reasons. It's a small diaphragm condenser so it will work well on acoustic guitars and as an overhead mic on a trap kit. SDC's generally have better off axis frequency response than large diaphragm condensers making them more useful to pick up a wider area. The trade-off is they tend to be a bit more noisy than their LDC cousins.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Like many Shure mics it's an industry standard. But like many Shure mics there may be better sounding options for the same money. The thing about Shure mics is that they just always seems to work...like forever if treated with a modicum of care. That's a biggie for many $$$$$$ reasons. It's a small diaphragm condenser so it will work well on acoustic guitars and as an overhead mic on a trap kit. SDC's generally have better off axis frequency response than large diaphragm condensers making them more useful to pick up a wider area. The trade-off is they tend to be a bit more noisy than their LDC cousins.

Thanks! When you say "more noisy" are we talking significant enough to be an annoying buzz in the back ground?

 

[everdrone]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

consider that using condenser mics will pick up the room and if untreated room youll have frequencies bouncing all over the walls

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

consider that using condenser mics will pick up the room and if untreated room youll have frequencies bouncing all over the walls

Excellent point, thanks

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

I like using two mics on an acoustic. I used to do an SM57 and a $200 AKG condenser on my classical guitar.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

I like using two mics on an acoustic. I used to do an SM57 and a $200 AKG condenser on my classical guitar.

Have you used those with amps or drums?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

I can speak for the 57...a standard on guitars and snares. Cheap condensers never really sound great to me, but for blends or even for a drum room mic they can serve the purpose.

Keep in mind when you introduce a second mic on a single source, you get to play the phase game!

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Thanks! When you say "more noisy" are we talking significant enough to be an annoying buzz in the back ground?

Any modern mic of reasonable quality will have a low self noise figure that really only comes into play when recording quite passages from a good distance thus necessitating a lot of gain from the mic pre-amp. I was just pointing out some of the general differences between SDC and LDC mics. For recording "pop" music in the usual studio setting self noise is rarely a problem. Acoustic guitars make a good deal of volume and of course drums...fa-gett-a-bout-it.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Have you used those with amps or drums?

I've never recorded drums at all. I used the SM57 on amps. The condenser, I would use for room ambience but not directly on the amp.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

How about a ribbon mic?

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Thank you everyone for the great info so far. I've researched a ton on this (very interesting topic, especially the rabbit trails on sound proofing and treating a room for acoustics) and articles go back and forth on which one is better and so forth. At this point, I personally am just going to have to go through with trial and error.

Still need to do more research on the types of mics...trying to wrap my head around them. lol

 

[everdrone]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

ya that sounds like a good idea

if you use a condenser mic but have bad acoustics its not gonna matter how good the mic is really

but ya ribbon mic or something else or treating the room might be a compromise thats worth it

Im gonna try recording my acoustic with my Shure SM7b sometime in the future, I like to think about other fancy mics and stuff though

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Ribbons are cool, but if you want a bright jangly tone then don't go that route. ribbon mics tend to be smoother/ darker.

Everdrone - an acoustic with an sm7b eh? Hope you got a preamp with lots of gain!

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

For recording acoustic guitar, you simply cannot go wrong with an Earthworks.

 

[Liko]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Thank you everyone for the great info so far. I've researched a ton on this (very interesting topic, especially the rabbit trails on sound proofing and treating a room for acoustics) and articles go back and forth on which one is better and so forth. At this point, I personally am just going to have to go through with trial and error.

Still need to do more research on the types of mics...trying to wrap my head around them. lol

There's a lot of connoisseurship in mic selection, just as there is in guitar choice. A novice won't hear the difference between a $500 microphone and a $5000 microphone, but there are differences. Beyond a certain basis of quality, it comes down to user/listener preference.

Also much like guitar choice, there are some values to be had but a lot of "you get what you pay for". Personally I wouldn't venture too far below $250 for a single large diaphragm or stereo SDC pair. There are people who won't touch anything less than Neumann, but that's a very expensive brand to fall in love with.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

I got back to thinking about this acoustic guitar microphone thing

I am gonna try using what I have, my shure sm58 and shure sm7b to see if what I have satisfies me

but if not I am looking at the cheapest condenser mic that would suit my needs for my ovation bright 1776 acoustic.

this Behringer B-2 pro looks promising since it is a dual diaphram and had cardioid and I am never gonna treat my room for sound so cardioid configuration would help some for a condenser mic. not sure when or if Im gonna get it though:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHB2PRO?siid=67738

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

That is a crazy amount of bang for the buck; remember that if you test the omni pattern, you should move the mic 25% closer to the source than the other patterns.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

Rhode M5 matches pair. One at the bridge, one at the 12th fret. Killer on drums too.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Mic Recommendations For Acoustic Guitar

AudioTechnica AT2020... good bang for the buck.

I've got one, and a few Rodes, and a few others you can sample, next time you're over.


Sent from my iPad using a bunch of electrons, copper, and probably some fiber optic cable