6 Ways To Record Acoustic Guitars Like A Pro (DI, Solo Mic, Spaced Pair, XY, Mid/Side, Blumelein)

In this video, Austin shows you 6 different ways to record acoustic guitar that can each give you a specific tone, stereo field, and vibe. Austin breaks down how to record different micing techniques like XY, spaced pair, mid/side, blumlein, and mono micing, as well as capturing DI for acoustic guitars.
---
Shop Our Samples, Presets, and MIDI Packs!
makepopmusic.com
Explore Our Start-To-Finish Production Course!
bit.ly/3hWTpYI
Follow Our "Next In Pop Playlist":
bit.ly/49gHcUI
---
Follow us on Instagram -
/ makepopmusic
Listen To Our Podcast! - rss.com/podcasts/thesoundtable
Join Our Facebook Community - bit.ly/3nXYJe0
Follow us on TikTok - tinyurl.com/4k5c25vf
---
Listen to some of my work!
www.austinhull.com
/ austinhull23
www.tiktok.com/saucetinhull
spoti.fi/3Z8GaEI
---
Use The Affiliate Links Below To Shop My Gear
www.makepopmusic.com/studio-gear
DAW: Cubase 13 Pro - bit.ly/47zT3eK
Monitors: ATC SCM25 Mk 2 - bit.ly/atc-scm25
Subwoofer: Dynaudio 18S - bit.ly/mpm-dynaudio18s
Interface: RME UFX ii - bit.ly/mpm-ufxii
Interface Controller: RME ARC-USB - bit.ly/mpm-arcusb
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations - bit.ly/mpm-artista
Main Microphone: Lauten Audio LT-386 Eden - bit.ly/3tEExop
Other Microphones:
Lewitt LCT1040 - bit.ly/47wEM2o
Lauten Audio LA-320 - bit.ly/mpm-la320
Lauten Audio LA-220 - bit.ly/mpm-la220
Lauten Audio LA-120 - bit.ly/mpm-la120
Slate ML-1 - bit.ly/mpm-ml1
Shure SM7B - bit.ly/mpm-sm7b
Advanced Audio 251 - bit.ly/mpm-251
JZ BH-2 - bit.ly/mpm-bh2
JZ V11 - bit.ly/mpm-v11
Voiceover Mic: Lauten LS-208 - bit.ly/mpm-ls208
Compressor: AudioScape 76D - bit.ly/mpm-76d
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61 (Discontinued)
Keyboards:
Arturia Polybrute - bit.ly/mpm-polybrute
Roland Juno DS88 - bit.ly/mpm-DS88
Roland Juno 106 (Vintage)
Guitars:
Fender American Professional Stratocaster - bit.ly/mpm-strat
Gibson Les Paul Studio - bit.ly/mpm-gibson
Taylor 214 CE Plus - bit.ly/mpm-214ce
Preamps:
Heritage Audio HA81A - bit.ly/47x1IyK
Audient ASP800 - bit.ly/3NUB23S
Auto-Tune Unlimited - bit.ly/3krYaWI
Camera: Sony A7iv
Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.4
Camera Lights: Aperture Amaran 100Xs
---
Timestamps
Intro 0:00
Mic Placement and Proximity For Tone 0:55
XY Stereo Micing 2:39
Spaced Pair Micing 5:36
Recording With One Microphone 7:34
Getting A Stereo Sound With One Mic 8:20
Mid/Side Micing 10:02
Blumlein Micing 13:23
Recording Acousitc DI 15:23
Examples Of All Methods 17:20
Outro 19:30

[@PianoDentist]

If you have an electro-acoustic, you can always record the DI as well as using mic'd options and record to separate tracks in the same take. Then you can blend between them, or throw some spacial fx on one or either track.

[@aggie0157]

This! Some of the best advice I’ve ever heard was to always arm everything you have up regardless of what where in the room or what you are recording. You never know what cool sounds you might find and hard drive space is dirt cheap

[@stevenswisher4339]

Just a tip for those doing this. If u have a built in tuner it will not record audio DI if the Turner is on

[@ShiningHourPop]

You could also feed it into a clean amp sim and blend the two. George Martin used to record John Lennon’s acoustic with a mic for clarity and blend in an AC30 for body.

[@ThomasPenninger]

Yooo love that you immediately did that video after we were all suggesting it after last week‘s video!

[@henryhuynh2099]

Thanks. I thought this was the best presentation I’ve seen so far. Wish it existed when I was figuring it all out.

[@josiaharteaga3270]

Amazing video. Thanks for making it!

[@PseudoSignal]

Awesome synopsis man. Haven't tracked an acoustic in a while so this was the perfect video to refresh my memory. Subscribed 🤘

[@jkeeley603]

Love the video Austin! Professional tracking/mix engineer here, really appreciate a producer like yourself going over techniques like this. Just wanted to mention ORTF and NOS are also great techniques for recording acoustic guitar if you have a stereo pair of small diaphragm condensers. Both sound wider than XY but are much more natural sounding than using a spaced pair or MS.

[@mjm3879]

Thank you- excellent mid/side explanation

[@7PastMidnight]

Yesss!!! I asked for this in the Noah Kahn video!!! Thank you

[@KaranRao9918]

Blumelein is my Favourite one, Thank you for this video and lots love from India. 🎸❣

[@barryzito5721]

This is super dope. I believe Blumlein is XY with figure 8 pattern (perhaps not Mid/Side)

[@aleksamrkela831]

Very comprehensive and easy to understand! It was also helpful for me, personally, to back the mic away to a bit of a distance where it isn't roomy, because nobody listens to a guitar with their ear up against the soundhole. :D

[@GuyXVIII]

I haven't recorded acoustics in ages and this video is so good at explaining these methods! I do remember using a mix of DI for the punch and definition without the sound-hole boominess, and a condenser about 1 meter away (or far enough to sound "ambient"). maybe threw an sm57 on the 12th fret, can't really remember, but sounds like something I would do :D

[@ferccino]

Hey Austin, a video about recording and tips using hardware synths (like the Juno in the background) would be neat! Maybe what preamps or what earcandy you use constantly while tracking hardware like this. Excellent content

[@Antosha9791]

Austin, THANKS A BUNCH, VERY USEFUL

[@ShiningHourPop]

Thanks for this. Very informative. The thickness of a guitar pick can make quite a difference in the sound. Simple and cheap too!

[@MakePopMusic]

100% People don’t pay attention to pick thickness enough.

[@lionshade4596]

Austin, You are the best.

[@BobbyDoesMusic]

Love all this! I like to use DIs when I'm demoing/writing for the sake of speed and ease, but I hate the sound. Something that helps is putting an acoustic IR and a little room reverb on the DI tracks. I have a couple of the Taylor IRs from 3 Sigma. They're not a perfect substitute, but they're a lot better than a bone dry DI.

[@SarahSpencerMusic]

This is nice, this is my exact guitar :) Perfect!

[@yWal011]

Thank you so much!🙌🏽

[@progreggae]

@MakePopMusic on a DI track you can add acoustic IR in DAW, same thing is fishman aura pedal, its just adds an IR to your DI signal to make it sound more real, but benefit of using an IR is you can make your guitar sound like different guitar model (small/big body etc.)

[@nicok5630]

Great stuff - also depends how much of the instrument body noise - tapping etc - you need / want to capture. The mid side is good for that as deeper percussive sounds will be centred.

[@rodrinies]

hellooo how are youu? Hope you're doing great, so today i'm here craving you an updated video on how to mix a pop music ;) , not only the vocals but the whole mix

[@jguk1977]

EXAMPLES: XY- 17:23 & 18:27 Spaced Pair - 17:31 & 18:35 Solo Mic Mono - 17:39 & 18:43 Solo Mic Double Tracked - 17:47 & 18:51 Mid/Side - 17:55 & 18:59 Blumlein - 18:03 & 19:07 DI Mono - 18:11 & 19:15 DI Double Tracked - 18:19 & 19:23

[@samiran193]

Hey Austin, Great video. Thanks for this. 1. Can you please let us know at what gain stage level we should start recording an acoustic guitar ? 2. Do you prefer different type of acoustic guitars over different type of playings. Eg, which guitar will be more suitable for strumming over intimate playing. Thanks for your time.

[@StephanBouwman]

Woah, never seen a Blumlein setup with a center mic before and the phase flip. Pretty much only used Blumlein as a stereo setup.

[@biebs_shreds]

Thanks for listening to the comments on the Noah Kahan video and making this tutorial! Super helpful

[@SheetFiber]

I like the XY sound for arpegio, but for strumming I prefer the spaced pair.

[@lunara.]

all your videos are so informative and helpful, it would be nice to see anything from ariana’s new album

[@jeffo466]

Hey Austin, can you make a video about fake guitars in the future? Like for example a lot of us producers don't have access to real guitars or don't know how to play, but there are so many kontakt libraries and VST plug-ins that emulate guitar. Like a video going through options and how to make them sound as realistic as possible. Could be a dope idea for a video.

[@MakePopMusic]

Yeah I can work on that. I’m in the process of making a new course that uses a ton of guitar and bass and in the course I show how to replicate every live part with a plugin.

[@ariczair]

That'd be great 👍 even as someone with 15 years of playing guitar and bass, I still break out Ample midi sometimes. Can get tricky going b/t the two

[@thenickisonfire]

I’d like a video about how to give synths and keyboards the best sound (effects, compressors, mix in general)

[@producerman10030]

Nice and of course double track with a Nashville tuning guitar.

[@PianoDentist]

yeah, or use a 12 string, if you have one 😀

[@Arlha]

Nice

[@Tommydmartin]

Which microphones are you using for your xy position?

[@MakePopMusic]

Lauten Audio 120s. Same as spaced pair! Mono mic was the Lauten LS208 Mid side and blumlein were Lewitt LCT 1040 on bottom and Lauten Eden on top at 90 degrees.

[@Tommydmartin]

@@MakePopMusic thank you for the response 🙏

[@jarek_]

Blumelein sounds the best IMHO

[@MakePopMusic]

Yeah blumlein sounds nuts!

[@oliverkim3745]

First here🤭🤭🤭

[@MakePopMusic]

Happy Friday! :D

[@wearethegraes]

2nd. It’s quiet here.

[@MakePopMusic]

Invite all of your friends