The best microphone for recording classical guitar

[kris]

Does anyone have experience with classical guitar recording microphones?
Best
Kris

[fep]

You can compare mics recorded in a very controlled environment at the Audio Test Kitchen site. They have some steal string acoustic guitar examples but unfortunately no classical guitar samples.

[gitman]

There is no BEST mic for any type of guitar and the mic alone is just one element in a chain of devices.
Before you invest in anything you should seek answers for these questions :

- What goal do I want to achieve with my recordings ?
- What is my budget ?
- Is the room I plan to use for recording really suitable ?
- In what category is the rest of my equipment ?
- Am I experienced in the field of audio recordings and can I work with an extensive DAW/EQ's/Compressors etc. ?
- Is the sound quality of my guitar on par with a $ 500/$1000/$3000 microphone ?
- Am I as a player able to perform to the best of my ability in a recording situation, produce the best possible tone with my guitar ?
- Am I willing and able to set up and organize the recording situation in such a way that allows me to make objective decisions re mic-placement,
room acoustics, etc. ?

You can make very good sounding recordings with a simple USB mic plugged directly into your computer, at a cost of maybe € 200,- or go All Out and spend
€ 2000 to 3000 for a stereo pair of Schoeps mics and a Neve preamplifier and you still would need a comparable AD-converter. All that would be useless if the room
that you're recording in is not set up accordingly, acoustically treated. It is def. a bottomless pit and you could spend several 1000's easily before finding out that
you know somebody who has a dedicated recording studio that he rents out for a reasonable fee.... which could save you a lot of money and grief.

In general an acoustic guitar of any type is best recorded with one or two small-diafragme condenser microphone(s). There too many types and brands to list and if you ask
10 engineers you'll get 12 different opinions....

[kris]

I was thinking about buying:
Condenser Studio Microphone The Shure SM81
or two in a pair
AKG C 1000 S Mk4

[gitman]

For my own recordings I use a matched pair of OKTAVA MK 012 mics which I bought new for € 300,-
A friend who produces his own acoustic guitar based music at home owns 2 Microtech-Gefell M300 mics for € 850,- a piece - he once tested out my Oktava's
and the difference is marginal - depending on the post-recording sound treatment (eq, reverb, compression etc.) you cannot hear a difference.

[kris]

For my own recordings I use a matched pair of OKTAVA MK 012 mics which I bought new for € 300,-
A friend who produces his own acoustic guitar based music at home owns 2 Microtech-Gefell M300 mics for € 850,- a piece - he once tested out my Oktava's
and the difference is marginal - depending on the post-recording sound treatment (eq, reverb, compression etc.) you cannot hear a difference.

OKTAVA MK 012 looks interesting.
Thanks for the help.

[ronjazz]

My first CDs were recorded with a pair of Neumann KM 184 small diaphragm mics. Excellent results. Later projects were done with a mid-side rig containing 3 mics, but it was too complicated to understand so I left it to the engineer. Great sound, especially in a jazz group context with an acoustic flamenco guitar.

[skykomishone]

Gitman has good advice above!
Also, i think this tread would fit better in the
'Recording and Music Software' section of the forum.
Just a suggestion.
Great topic. I've spent beaucoup bucks over the years on mics, DAWs, s/w, boards, etc, and still struggle with the technology. It's easy to waste money on this stuff. With what I've accumulated and don't use, i could have bought another fabulous guitar! O well!
Good luck!

[kris]

You can compare mics recorded in a very controlled environment at the Audio Test Kitchen site. They have some steal string acoustic guitar examples but unfortunately no classical guitar samples.

Thanks for info.
Best
Kris

[John A.]

I was thinking about buying:
Condenser Studio Microphone The Shure SM81
or two in a pair
AKG C 1000 S Mk4

The SM81 works well with classical guitars (a friend of mine has one and gets good results with it).

John

[Jimmy blue note]

Pair of U87's in figure 8 array off axis about 4 feet in front in a wood room if you want to capture the reflected sound of the air in the room (recommended).
That's what I've had good luck with.
My opinion since you asked.
Good luck!

[feet]

i use it with steel string acoustic, but the sm81 is a studio legend. i pair mine with a fathead ii ribbon mic for stereo acoustic recordings. 81 on the 12th fret, fathead on the body. it's what people that can't afford 184s use

[Tricky Fish]

There is no BEST mic for any type of guitar and the mic alone is just one element in a chain of devices.
Before you invest in anything you should seek answers for these questions :

- What goal do I want to achieve with my recordings ?
- What is my budget ?
- Is the room I plan to use for recording really suitable ?
- In what category is the rest of my equipment ?
- Am I experienced in the field of audio recordings and can I work with an extensive DAW/EQ's/Compressors etc. ?
- Is the sound quality of my guitar on par with a $ 500/$1000/$3000 microphone ?
- Am I as a player able to perform to the best of my ability in a recording situation, produce the best possible tone with my guitar ?
- Am I willing and able to set up and organize the recording situation in such a way that allows me to make objective decisions re mic-placement,
room acoustics, etc. ?

You can make very good sounding recordings with a simple USB mic plugged directly into your computer, at a cost of maybe € 200,- or go All Out and spend
€ 2000 to 3000 for a stereo pair of Schoeps mics and a Neve preamplifier and you still would need a comparable AD-converter. All that would be useless if the room
that you're recording in is not set up accordingly, acoustically treated. It is def. a bottomless pit and you could spend several 1000's easily before finding out that
you know somebody who has a dedicated recording studio that he rents out for a reasonable fee.... which could save you a lot of money and grief.

In general an acoustic guitar of any type is best recorded with one or two small-diafragme condenser microphone(s). There too many types and brands to list and if you ask
10 engineers you'll get 12 different opinions....

This. Figure out your budget and what you are trying to achieve. Then learn how to use the equipment you‘ve got (mic placement, room location, etc).

I went for the lowest-cost usb stereo-condenser that I could find in my local music shop (Shure MV88 for circa AUD$240). Plugs directly into my iphone and I’m delighted with the quality for the price:

Recorded in my living room.

[Rob MacKillop]

I use a Rode NT4 stereo mic. I'm not saying it's the best, but in its price range, it seems to be the best.

[kris]

I will buy expensive classical guitar.
I would like the microphone to pick up the nuances of the guitar's sound.
I have experience recording guitar with a piezzo pickup.

[kris]

I use a Rode NT4 stereo mic. I'm not saying it's the best, but in its price range, it seems to be the best.

I remember your recording of Ramirez guitar...great sound.
Thanks
Kris

[kris]

This. Figure out your budget and what you are trying to achieve. Then learn how to use the equipment you‘ve got (mic placement, room location, etc).

I went for the lowest-cost usb stereo-condenser that I could find in my local music shop (Shure MV88 for circa AUD$240). Plugs directly into my iphone and I’m delighted with the quality for the price:

Recorded in my living room.

Really nice sound.
Thanks for info
Kris

[fep]

What I've learned from spending time on Audio Test Kitchen listening to a lot of mics...

1) The differences between good mics is very subtle, almost imperceptible. Mostly it can be summed up with differences in a frequency chart which can be duplicated/adjusted with an eq.

2) Price varies widely, a $300 mic can sound just as good as a $3,000 mic.

Find a very reputable and expensive mic, the kind used in expensive studios, A-B test it with $100, $200, & $300 mics on Audio Test Kitchen. You may be surprised by what you find.

[christianm77]

I use a Rode NT1-A; a perfectly decent budget condenser mic that a lot of people use.

[kris]

Nice sound!
Thanks for info
Kris

[guido5]

I have an old friend who gets amazing results from the P-84. They take the classic small diaphragm design and update them with modern componentry and amazing attention to detail. The CEMC6 is a more affordable but still super quality alternative...

Peluso P-84

Peluso CEMC-6 Stereo Kit Microphone

[Flat]

+1 on a pair of the OKTAVA MK 012 mics. Great value, imho.

[Jabberwocky]

I like the Line Audio CM4 and OMNI1. They are electrets.

Line Audio Design - Made in Sweden

Don't neglect the microphone preamp. Line Audio makes a good one for not much coin.

[Alter]

If recording with a piezo as mentioned above (or if you have an electric godin type nylon string), you can get excellent mic tones without a mic by using classical guitar impulse responses as an effect in your DAW software. It is a day to night difference when recording piezo, and very practical and easy to do (say in Reaper, you use the built in reaverb effect to load them).

For mics, i agree that the better the quality you strive for, the more important every block in your sound chain becomes. No real point in looking at mics higher than 300$ unless you aim to upgrade the other links as well at some point (interface, preamps, monitors, room treatment, recording and mixing knowledge, etc..).

The Rode line seems to be popular. I have a pair of sdc NT5 ones, and a ldc NT1-A, i like them after trying a few others as well.

[kris]

I used piezo Schatten HFN-C For Nylon String Classicals about 20 years ago.It was great piezo pick up like good quality mic.