Skip to main content
Description

Recording acoustic guitar using Zoom R16

Hi, I'm working on recording acoustic guitar and vocals using my zoom R16 track recorder. transferring them to Cubase 5 then editing, mixing mastering etc... My issue is getting my Acoustic Guitar to sound like it does when I play it live or through my fishman solo amp. I've tried all kinds of mics, room treatments, set up etc...

Recording acoustic guitar - hear my breathing etc

So I cut a track of acoustic guitar using a stereo pair of RODE M5's . And I can hear my mouth sounds and breathing. My room is not ideal - there's noise anyway but the mouth sounds. Bla! I'm about 2 feet from the mics and about 18 to 20 inches above them and have my head cocked to the side breathing away from them. (So maybe 36 inches away).

Recording Acoustic Guitar and room acoustic

Somewhere in this is my quote of the day,

recording an acoustic guitar in a poorly treated room is like recording it in two bad rooms in one shot.
The acoustic guitar body is a room in itself, which is effected by the room it is being playing in.. Care to word it better, be my guest! Its a good one to remember.

;)

Budget Microphones for Recording Acoustic Guitars

Forums

I don't have much of a budget but I want something better or rather more suited than the AT-3035 which I use for vocals. I hear good things about the SM-57 (my budget is about the cost of one, or $100) but not sure if that extends to Micing an acoustic guitar. I'd like to blend my pickup with it to get a nice mix of a sound.

How low can you go(on the levels when recording acoustic guitar)

I am Micing an acoustic guitar with 2 condensor mics(not the greatest, but fair), using an ART Tps II 2 channel preamp, and a Korg D888. In the past I felt I have recorded with the levels too loud, not peaking, but with the gain high enough that it creates a guitar tone that is far from what I desire. I have found at lower levels the tone is more natural and warmer.