Acoustic Guitar | 10 Ways to Record, Mic Shootouts, Positions, and More

Recording acoustic guitar can be very challenging, and this episodes shows you many ways to approach the recording of acoustic guitar.

In this episode, I give three steps to recording acoustic guitar that can be used in any style of music or recording. It's a simple way to ask your self basic questions that help you decide how you should record acoustic guitar.

The first question is "What scenario do you have for recording acoustic guitar?" Do you have a guitarist that sings at the same time that they play the acoustic guitar?

Depending on how they answer that question will determine your microphone set up and how you will have to set up those microphones.

Element two is to ask yourself what area around the guitar sounds best. In the video I show how I move around the front of the guitar and listen for the best spot. You can also use a microphone to sweep around the front of the acoustic guitar to help find the best location for the microphone too.

Element three of recording acoustic guitar is to ask yourself what is the role of the acoustic guitar in the song and in the mix.

You have to remember that we are building our mix as we record sounds, and now is the time to decide how the acoustic will work in the mix as other instruments come in around it. Does the acoustic have the priority for the song, or is it just a opening instrument that starts off the song? These are the types of questions that you have to be asking and then make a decision to get the appropriate sound.

The acoustic guitar is played by Jonathan Calhoun who will have original music available shortly.