In this video from the Fix It In Under A Minute series, we show how to record an acoustic rhythm guitar part using an Audio Technica AT4047 large diaphragm condenser microphone.

Setup The Mic

James starts by placing the mic in its shock-mount and plugging it in. He then inverts the mic on the stand to allow better positioning near the guitar.

Mic Placement

To get a good, full yet bright sound which will work well for a rhythm track, James positions the mic about 6 inches (15 cm) in front of the 12th fret of the guitar. There are no rules when it comes to positioning the mic but this is a common starting point. If you want more body in the sound try moving the mic closer to the instrument’s sound hole, but be careful. Get too close to the sound hole and you can end up with a boomy sound with little definition that will be hard to EQ and “fix”.

Let us know how you record acoustic guitar, what mics you have had great results with and where you place the mic or mics.