Acoustic GTR Mixing Tricks Tips

I use a small diaphragm condenser for "strummy" acoustic tracks, and an LDC for tracks with more note picking in it. I also use the comp feature occasionally. Say I do 5 takes of a track. I usually pick the best one, then the second best take, and put one left, one right. That way I get true stereo because the tracks are different, but almost the same. It would probably be better to rehearse a completely different second track, but this saves a lot of time, and I use it as if it's only one stereo acoustic track, and add other tracks as needed.

I'm sure there are some more experienced cats here who can offer better suggestions. I like to print with the WA76 compressor, usually with the lowest levels, just to handle the outer edges, it helps the track sit better.

you could key the acoustic guitar tracks compressors with the vox to duck em just a bit, this way you can leave them with a little more beef on em that would otherwise step on the vox.

hope this helps 

I read this SOS article about Paper Airplane, which was a great read. Thanks for the reference Jerome.

All I can say is trying to imitate that sound you better bring your wallet.  For tracking, he went to a great old Nashville room with lots of wood paneling, used vintage mics-KM54's, U67/U49's- used his "favorite preamp" which probably isn't cheap (1073? Cranesong Flamingo?), then into  Cranesong STC8 and Gates Sta level compressors. The mixing parts sound like an advertisement for as many plugin makers as possible, but it seems like the heavy lifting was done in the tracking phase. Didn't hurt to have the best players in the world playing the best instruments either.

He did mention building "huts" for the players to prevent mic bleed, which is something all of us mere mortals can do. The article does make me want to get an STC8 compressor for acoustic recording. Vintage mics and a truly great room are a dream....

In the end, it's a great player in a great room, is basically the sound we're all trying for, the gear really isn't that big a deal, as there are so many fine options, once you're in the high end.


I was in a well treated room, and plugged my mic directly into a vintage refurbished Neve board as a test around six months ago, no effects at all, all that sucker needed was a little reverb and it was done.

Thanks for your reply Jerome. Did you do anything inside the room-i.e. rugs, baffles etc- to get a sound you were happy with. My tracking room is pretty live. The more I back off the mics the more reflections I'm dealing with.

I've never tried two LDC's using the 3-1 rule. I've got a Neumann U87ai, a Peluso 2247SE and a Peluso P12. So, I'll check it out along with trying polar patterns to get them right. Thanks for the tip. I did find his method of panning the body mic far L with the neck mic in the center-with mirror image panning for the second guitar- interesting.

2 more cents, the mentioning of the room cannot be overstated, you simply cannot hide from the room, it's very under considered IMO, the only thing that sounds worse than carpet or drywall, is carpet AND drywall(dishonorable mention to a low ceiling 8) 
  I'm also a fan of LDC's, i like to place them 1.5 to 2.5 feet off the guitar in a GREAT and quiet room, you just cant beat that sound ime. Also a cool trick is to slightly skew the phase between 2 different mic's, it gives some movement to the track and creates excitement.

It depends on the source. Baritone's get the 2247SE. Tenors get the U87ai or the P12.

Room makes A LOT of difference in acoustic recordings.

A medium sized room, ceilings as tall as possible, wood walls if possible, concrete floor if possible, low stool/ chair. The medium size, lots of wood, and a concrete floor will give you lots of good room interference IME.

hope this helps

This is what i'd try, put those gobos wood side into the room on the smaller dimension of 12', to make the room longer(than wide) in the long direction, and more of a rectangle shape, then squat/walk around the room while playing the guitar, look for a spot where it pops, (it will to some degree somewhere) it should be more toward the center/than tight up against a wall, then get what ever carpet may be under your chosen tracking position out of there, also absorb the ceiling directly over where you choose to track, use a chair that gets your thighs parallel to the ground, this should go a long way to helping you get close. I'd also consider putting any diffusion on the floor and out to the corners of wall/floor with a slight tilt at a little steeper than 45*, the don't seem to work to well as compared to a flat soft wood wall at the same level as the guitar.. 

I hope this makes some sense man, let me know if i can clear any of what i said up for you?

btw, ime, The only thing that would make this not work would be a dead guitar? Also, the only thing that sounds worse than drywall or carpet, is drywall AND carpet 8), plaster is only slightly better IMO.

let me know how you make out bud

Something like this might work www.oceanwaystudios.com/studios/studio-a