How should I mic up an acoustic guitar?

Question

I want to record me playing my acoustic guitar. What type of microphone should I use for this, a dynamic or condenser type? Are there any tips for where the mic shpould be positioned in relation to the sound hole?

Alternatively, it is acceptable to just plug it in (it is an electro-acoustic) straight into a recording interface?

Answer 1

The mic you use depends on your budget. A dynamic mic (eg the SM57/58) do good jobs at the lower end of the price scale. Condenser mics however capture a wider range of frequencies during recording so therefore sound slightly better, although this is based on the preference of the player. They are more expensive however, with some going up to and beyond £1500. For a good, cheaper condenser mic that still does a good job I would recommend the Rode NT5.

When it comes to recording, position the mic about 30-40cm away from the guitar, at about the level with of the lower end of the fretboard (near the sound hole). Angle the microphone body towards the sound hole from it's position. You can experiment with what gets the sound that you want, moving the mic around. Trying different mic techniques can also be interesting. I have known people to place one mic pointing at the fretboard, and one down at the sound hole, to give an interesting stereo effect.

And yes, plugging the output cable from an electro-acoustic into an audio interface is absolutely fine. From there, inside the software, you can change the EQ, put effects and reverb and whatnot on the recording.

Note however that the output from an electro-acoustic sounds different from a mic-recorded acoustic guitar. Sometimes you just want that background strumming (particularly with twelve-strings) sound that electro-acoustics don't always produce.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 2

I would say a condenser mic at a reasonable distance from you; something like a Rode NT1A is a good and reasonably priced solution for this; and will pick up vocals really well at the same time.

Here is an example I found on Youtube with the search nt1a acoustic guitar

And yes it is acceptable to just plug the electro acoustic into a recording interface, you can do a lot with VST's to make the guitar sound as if it were being played live.