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Mic'ing acoustic live when you can't choose mics?

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 1:05 am
by Will
What's the best approach for getting the acoustic guitar sound into the PA when you've only got one mic, not of your choosing, and only a few seconds to set up?

One place I was playing had a handheld condenser - that worked great as long as you didn't get it too close too the soundhole. I just floated it around the 12th fret and pointed it at the body.

The other places just have regular cardioid or hyper-cardioid dynamics - how do you get a good signal strength into these without the sound getting boomy? Soundhole area has plenty of volume, but too much bass. Going closer to the neck makes the volume too low. What about the top behind the bridge, since this is the part that acts like a speaker?

Ideas?

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:19 am
by porterhaus
If it is a condenser mic, I would try pointing it at the neck/body joint and slightly away from the sound hole. Condenser mics are very sensitive. So, 2 to 3 feet away should work well, unless the room is very noisy.

If it is a dynamic mic, I would try pointing it at the bridge and slightly away from the sound hole. Also, get as close to the dynamic mic as you comfortably can (without worrying too much about bumping it).

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:26 pm
by paul_
Its not going to be a condenser mic 2-3 feet away in a live setting, porter.
You should experiment yourself with the placement of dynamics on your acoustic. There's no rule for all guitars, you would assess the instrument itself right off the bat in a studio mic'ing situation so it's best to learn how it responds to different methods of mic placement and where the sweet spots are. I get someone else to play my guitar then walk around them with one ear pointed at the guitar and the other plugged with my finger, listening at the soundhole, 12th fret, behind bridge, off to the side, etc...

Or you could just mic it up a lot at home and listen back to what sounded best, I suppose... the ear trick will give you more honest results because equipment won't be a variable. Find where your guitar sounds brightest and darkest while mic'd, keep the two best positions in mind so you'll be ready for mics geared either way.