Recording Acoustics in stereo, untreated room

bermudianbrit · July 2022

Hi all,

I would like to up my acoustic recording game. I am in a completely untreated (and small) room, though I do put a duvet up behind me when recording. The plan is to sort out a proper music room in time, but it won't be for a while.

Recordings are fingerstyle or resonator, and acoustic guitar is basically always the main focus, hence the desire for stereo.

I am reliably informed that small diaphragm mics capture less room sound, and I like the idea of a stereo acoustic image...to date I've just used a Rode NT1 to record acoustic.

I'd like to invest in a reasonable set of stereo SDC mics and would welcome the colective wisdom of the group. Budget is around £500. Options I'm considering are:

1. Warm Audio WA84 (these are on sale at Andertons right now otherwise they wouldn't be in that price range).

2. Shure SM81

3. SE Electronics SE8

4. Rode NT5

Any preferences or suggestions?

Thanks

Matt

Danny1969 · July 2022

Generally with acoustics it's common practice to use a small condenser near the fretboard, 12th fret or near and a larger condenser for a fuller sound captured near the sound hole, then pan that a little.
I did a lot of acoustics with sm81's and an SE LDC ... can't remember the model though, before they were made in China though.

If the room isn't great sounding and you can't treat it then you might be better off with a Shure SM7 or similar detailed condensor and an SM81 or similar.

spark240 · July 2022

I use the NT5 ...no issues

Stuckfast · July 2022

bermudianbrit said:

I am reliably informed that small diaphragm mics capture less room sound

Not sure who informed you of this but there's nothing reliable about it, it's total nonsense.

The ratio of direct sound to room sound that's captured by any mic is basically a function of two things: the directionality of the mic, and its distance from the source. That goes for all types of mic.

If the room sounds bad your best bet is to record somewhere else. If you can't or won't do that, the next best thing is to use a mic designed for very close-up miking -- something like an SM57 would be as good as anything -- and do a LOT of experimenting to find the best position. You probably won't get a very natural sound but you may well find a sound you like.

Danny1969 · July 2022

Generally small diaphragm mics pick up less low frequency than a larger condenser but any condenser is more sensitive than a moving coil dynamic mic because the sound only has to move the very light capacitor plates, not a moving coil assembly.

I never had any luck with an SM57 for acoustics, they have that upper mid hump which always sounded a bit lo fi to me and they don't pick up the high sparkle of an acoustic .. which has loads more high frequency content than an electric guitar.

The SM7B though does work on acoustics though but it is 4 times the price

bermudianbrit · July 2022

agree on the sm57. Maybe add an SDC to my Rode NT1 and mess with positioning a bit?

JonnyBgoode · July 2022

bermudianbrit said:

agree on the sm57. Maybe add an SDC to my Rode NT1 and mess with positioning a bit?

Yes. Cant go wrong with the Rode NT5 or SM81.

I recorded my debut CD (nylon strung) in a small room with crap acoustics. Close miking to limit room pickup as mentioned above, and careful placement/judicious EQ to correct the proximity effect.

Whitecat · July 2022

I'd do an LDC & SDC combo as well. Grab one of those C214s that Andertons also has on offer because the price is crazy good for a mic that in theory should be a lifer, and then pair it with the SDC of your choice. The room will be your biggest hitch but there are ways to work around that, although you may need to spend more money (mic screens, for example).

bermudianbrit · July 2022

Jimbro66 · July 2022

Like Danny1969 I've never had satisfactory results miking acoustics with SM57s. Mine is used just for miking up amps.

However, I've found the Shure Beta 57A to work really well with resonator guitars - for recording and live work. I prefer it to condenser mics for that job. For acoustic guitars I've been using a NT1+M5 combination for decent sound on a budget.

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Recording Acoustics in stereo, untreated room

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