How to record an acoustic guitar

[SteveB]

Interesting thread. Some good tips here. 

[T.C. Elliott]

I use the BR-900 and generally record DI (direct in from my acoustic-electric) and with a large diaphragm condenser  pointed more or less at the joint (but being such a room mic it picks up everything.)  I then mix to taste. The DI is often noticeable for the mechanical treble sound so mixing in the warmer and muddier condenser works well. Generally I'll set the level on the condenser track then increase the DI track until there is sparkle but no harshness.

On G&G (guy/gal and guitar) tracks I usually use the haas effect for the guitars and leave the vox straight up the middle. If you are doing a more full arrangement (more than two instruments) you can still use the haas effect but only on one instrument. I've never used it on anything other than guitars of various stripes.

*The Haas Effect is:
1- Choose a mono track. Pan it to one extreme.

2- Duplicate the track. Pan it to the opposite extreme.

3- Slide the duplicated track back by 20 to 30ms. (use your ears to decide exactly where, and momentarily switch your monitors to mono, to hear the amount of phase cancellation)

4- Lower the level of the original track, until the two tracks are about equal in strength, so that neither track is dominant.
Your 'narrow' mono track has now become huge, filling the aural landscape. It's a great effect for either lead instruments or supporting background tracks. In any one section of music, I usually limit its use to one instrument in the arrangement, either a lead solo instrument OR a supporting instrument that I want to 'surround' the main focus instrument, ie lead vocal, lead guitar, etc. When you use the Haas effect, it tends to allow room in the middle of the panorama for other instruments, while at the same time it 'feels' like the entire panorama is 'filled'.

[bruno]

Have been struggling with this for some time - the best results I've found (for me - so far) are two microphones, one pointed to the bridge (not at the sound hole) and one at the 12th fret. You then pan hard left and hard right. That works for me - however am for ever fiddling!