The Best Way to Record Fingerstyle Guitar

PRESONUS MICS: imp.i114863.net/5bbz1L
RECORDING CHEAT SHEET: www.RecordingCheatSheet.com
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[@refractivemusic5766]

So nice to have the focus on recording finger style instead of pick

[@MartimDurao]

FINALLY YOU ARE THE 1ST GUY THAT GIVES A TOP SHOT OF THE MIC POSITION EVER!!!! FINALLY

[@KirbyJane]

You're making my life so easy. Most pages just cover guitar tones for electric amp mic'ing, or for basic acoustic strumming. I so appreciate you doing this in-depth specifically for fingerstyle, and really explaining what/why it works! Love your channel, as well as your demos with presonus.

[@chrissouthern9596]

Thanks Joe. I’ve been recording this way since getting the Lewitt 040 match pair a few weeks ago, plus a handy stereo mic stand. A new world of acoustic guitar sound for me. I hadn’t really thought about the difference moving closer and further away would make, so that is really helpful. Incidentally, the same set up works amazingly for recording my wife’s cello. Happy to recommend the 040’s

[@Adamanthon]

Your videos are simply amazing. Thank you for your work and great video!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Love that overhead shot Joe! Excellent advice I’m sure will help my finger style recordings

[@michaeltablet8577]

Great video! I have always had phase issues and this is just what I needed. Thank you!

[@keiljazz]

As someone who does not play or frequently record guitar, but who just scored a fingerstyle client, I thank you for the timely bend in my learning curve!

[@sseltrek1a2b]

another fantastic video...thanx, Joe...

[@ndujamz]

Great video as usually. Thanks Joe. Shout out from South Africa.

[@NaveedandtheNavlets]

Omg my next project is very fingerpicking heavy and you uploaded this at the perfect time. Thanks Joe! I've also been binge watching your videos and have learnt a whole bunch of stuff over the past 3 weeks. Here's to hoping my next song sounds a lot cleaner and punchier than the muddy mixes I have released. Cheers!

[@tjeff51]

Great info. I watch a lot of videos on recording, and I think you did a great job of explaining the positions of the mics.I will apply it to my next recording.

[@tanukibrahma]

Beautiful sound!

[@murphyalvin1893]

Just discovered your channel, great content. Looking forward to watching more of your videos!

[@KevinQualls]

Thanks, Joe! Awesome as always, Bro!

[@J3.16-]

Awesome guitar playing ❤️

[@rapptor123456789]

Great video! Looking forward to more of these microphone recording videoes!

[@marcotrosi]

+1

[@trevorharmonguitar]

When I heard “position it over the soundhole”, I did *not* expect it to sound the way it did! Also, thank you covering the way that ORTF vs XY collapse down to mono, that comparison was excellent.

[@VelocityRecordingStudio]

Awesome video joe!

[@JulianFernandez]

nice one. thanks, Joe!

[@HoneyOnOurTongues]

What a perfect video for me to find! I've got the same guitar and have a fingerstyle song in open D that starts on the same note. Great opportunity for me to compare and contrast the recording I've got with yours and these two approaches. XY has pretty much been my standard, as it seems less easy to mess up than the others! Thanks!

[@joaogoncalves32]

Joe, i am a Brazilian fan! You are amazing and many things you teached have made a lot of improvement in my sound. God blass you. Hope sometime you could do a presencial workshop. Thank youuuuu! Regards

[@pshap12]

Looks good - will try this. The guitars on "Rain" sound terrific and really like the song!

[@mka917]

Awesome Joe

[@Ar2rqa]

Whoa. Trying to record my first acoustic song and so far this seems to be the most comprehensive explainer on how to it right! Also, love your vibe, man. Instant sub!

[@jamielandsborough1899]

Thanks Joe! ❤️

[@GurowngSarep]

great Joe...Thanks bro...Blessed one ya

[@GuitarLone]

Thanks for the video, gonna try this out :)

[@rjb7569]

Joe... U B the best! Been following your tips and Presonus information for years now. Good stuff!

[@troiguestmusic1742]

Thank you sir.

[@billa6348]

Your video should be required viewing for "How to" KZbin video aspirants. I wish I had entered "fingerstyle" into my search term sooner. I learned more about recording guitar with two microphones in the last 12 minutes than in all the other videos and papers on recording guitar, combined. You are concise, demonstrably informative (You don't just tell us, you show us) and likeable. Thank you. I am a fan new subscriber.

[@shanealec]

Great video, good A/B comparisons 👍

[@mcbryant2]

I do the XY when recording fingerpicking, but I generally put it over the 12th fret, I'm going to have to try out the sound hole! Can't wait!

[@resslerartstudios]

Blackbird and Little Matha (Allman Bros) is my go to testing byw cheers!

[@john-acellera]

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏

[@RedSoilStudioMaleny]

Great video Joe. Now I need to go buy some xy mics...oh and a stonking ole Gibson acoustic...

[@dawmix]

A cool sidebar between the lines information is how spacing of mics and color the sound, too far away mic in a live performance, so overall this is good info for this and more,. Thanks Joe.

[@jamminjay317]

Joe, I took your advice. I purchase two of these mics from Sweetwater. They arriving today. I am a finger picker player. Can’t wait record with them. Thanks 🤩

[@williamb6845]

Thanks Joe. that's really cool. Aiming one mic at the 12th frett just wasn't working for me..

[@rcballerini7483]

Joe, thanxs a lot for this video, it helped me so much!!! I play a traditional brazilian instrument called "viola caipira", which is very similar to a 12 string guitar, but with 10 string. And I use nails (about 5-7 mm nail) - it adds lots of volume and top end compared to "fleshy fingertype stile". Not as loud as a pick, but I would say 12 dB louder than "naked fingers" on the mid-highs and highs. Also the instrument delivers a little more mid and high frequencies compared to an 12 string acoustic guitar. For these reasons, it seem to me that I'll try some sort of mixed approach, like using XY pairs and backing up a little more - about 40 centimeters, maybe little more...

[@dreambeliever3652]

Very good. Ty

[@J.Michael1]

Thank you!

[@octaviohenrique.n]

that was cool! Awesome channel and videos! Thanks! Clear boxiness and muddy thing going on from the cut in the frequencies due to phase when monoing the spaced pair, that almost didn't happen at all with the xy. What about if you use this phase correction plugins? (or doing it manually) Could take away this disadvantage of the spaced pair? I often find lack of tone xy'ing, and end up doing different mic spaced pairs panned 100% L/R gives me a fuller tone... (even tracking with the best summed sound, i always try to match the phase after tracking too). I always use one in the "neck" (around the 12th fret) and the other one where it sounds better, usually more to the body catching more low end, but it's really harder to place the mikes with great sinergy this way than xy

[@xldsyt]

Joe, thanks much for this tip! I'm a GIRATS guy. Loads of trial and error has given me good results on my strummed guitar tones. I've worked hard on finger style without much success ... UNTIL NOW!! Tried it this morning and...YAHDANGHOOIEEEE!!!

[@arthurzatarain8062]

I get good results with X-Y mics recorded into two mono tracks rather than a single stereo track. This allows separate EQ and comp for each mic. I pan the mics L and R at variable volumes into the bus channel to get a stereo mix if desired. I can also switch the bus to mono and pan the composite mix anywhere in the L-R field. I find this much more useful then using a single stereo track.

[@Jeronimo365]

Great tutorial, really simple and clear. I had a listen to Rain, very nice, and similar to my own project. As a newbie recordist, can I take it that if I’m using multiple guitars, 2-4 on most tracks, including a Nashville and a base, that XY is probably the best way to go as I don’t need to worry too much about width? Thanks from UK. 👍😎

[@patbreacadh]

Love your acoustic sound... and playing! Great stuff! Incidentally, what is the LD condenser you are using for spoken word. Is that a Studio Projects C3?

[@darrylweller6143]

Awesome

[@andreashnida5661]

Bought those Presonus PM-2 Mics yesterday from Thomann. I've been checking them out for the last couple of hours now using an audient evo 8 and my old trusty sixstring. they are freakin phoenomenal for their price. Thank you for the recommendation. Hadn't heard about them yet.

[@thewhitedude11]

Great video! I was wondering what adaptor/stand you used for the xy recording? Would love to pick one up! (also, thanks to you, I'm a proud owner of the studiolive 32sc so thank you for all of those videos as well)

[@fabieng8657]

great thx !

[@jasonlogan5622]

Great video. Exactly the explanation of the science and demonstration of the technique I need. Getting good acoustic sounds is something I have struggled with; I have gotten a good sound by accident while messing around then tried to replicate it with a more orthodox setup and found myself with a pick-clicky boomfest

[@jasonlogan5622]

Question: are you using particular outboard pre's, or are you just tweaking the ones on your interface?

[@obidavekenobe]

whenever you record in stereo, you are going to have some phase issues to some degree. you can’t escape it; there are physical properties at play. this is what makes stereo recording interesting and adds that sense of life the sound. phase is a natural phenomenon we can use to achieve a certain tonal quality or immerse the listener in the music. effects like choruses, phasers, and flangers depend on phase.

[@davidscanlan]

I spent Weeks chasing down an ORTF guitar track that was great when solo'd in my headphones but somehow messed up my whole mix. Eventually I just recorded it mono, but in the future I'm totally going XY, what a beautiful sound!

[@NMPIN]

Here me out, Behringer C2s with the low cut engaged and a couple of $10 laser pointers, the ones that beep incrementally and and have a little levelling bubble, taped onto each mike to provide consistent points of reference. Level, orient one axis between the G and D strings at the twelfth fret the other dead centre sound hole, level again. If you put a crosshaired square of paper over the sound hole while setting up it's more effective. I set up to 3 incriments which is 300mm Sweeping the sound hole mike backwards or forwards of the default setting is like pick-up selection. Now for warmth and body 2 SM57s one 100mm (4 inches?) From the centre of the scratch plate the other mirrored at the hip of the lady. There are no rules but common sense and constants.

[@john2477]

I once recorded a flute player sitting in a swivel chair with a friend of mine spinning her around (until she got dizzy). Single mic on a high boom. Sounded very cool! 😎

[@henry__49]

Now you could loop it and she won't get sick! Ha.

[@HomemadeSongwriter]

Very helpful video Joe! I’ve recorded finger style using the xy on my Zoom h4n - would you say that getting 2 individual mics works better for this technique? Love the cut capo btw!

[@bcain5823]

Great video. I am currently using a Zoom R8 as my audio interface and a single small condenser mic straight in; no preamp. I use Reaper as my DAW. I haven't been very pleased with the reproduction from my acoustic and was wondering if you are using a mic preamp on those matching mics? If so, what kind? I'm looking for a good low-cost preamp, dual channel if I can find one.

[@resslerartstudios]

Nice open E tuning riff!

[@Mark-lp8vs]

PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO TUTORIAL ON HOW TO PROCESS ACOUSTIC GUITAR FINGERSTYLE!🙏

[@behindthefirehouse7427]

Hi Joe! This is a great tip. Thanks for sharing your experience. I notice, when you are close to xy mics they are still pointing at the guitar body. When you move further away they point past the body of the guitar. Is it worth adjusting the mic angle from approx 90deg. to a lesser angle, say 60 or perhaps even 45deg. in order to ensure that the membrane is pointing at the source?

[@everestwitman]

Really enjoyed this video, Joe. I'm curious how you feel about AB stereo recording vs XY or ORTF for this situation? Would this still have trouble collapsing to mono?

[@hersheybell8444]

Joe that was great - I've been playing around with more finger style and this is timely. QUESTION: Can you comment on your capo placement - looks like you only have the bottom 4 strings capo'd? Tx.

[@baileygotbeats]

Maybe like recording live into studio one and convert/ edit it with MIDI to change some sounds to mute, open, etc

[@HGrayMusic]

Man great stuff! What are your thoughts on recording an acoustic song with one acoustic guitar part and one vocal, with one performance (singer-songwriter type situation) that has softer, more intimate fingerpicking parts and harder strumming parts within the one guitar part. Recording two different parts costs too much in terms of the full performance and journey of the song (at least that is what I am feeling about it in this situation.) Would you split the mic placement difference to some extent between the approach you would take for a strum-heavy part and a finger style part, record as if the whole thing is finger style and balance the harder strumming parts best you can, record like a strum-heavy part and pull out the finger style parts to balance best you can… thoughts? For mics all I have are two Blue Spark cardioid condensers or some 57s and 58s I use for gigging. I suppose recording direct via Line is another option, although as far as I have ever been able to achieve trying this and based on what the internet studio guides like yourself tend to say, a dissatisfying option.) Appreciate your content big time!

[@PresetsDiscovery]

What brand/weight strings are you using on your guitar? Awesome video as always!

[@MikeHilbun]

Joe, what is that GORGEOUS song you were playing? I must know! Great video, and I just ordered the mics. Shout out from South Louisiana, big PreSonus fan here!!

[@obidavekenobe]

pro tip: try rotating your X-Y setup 90 degrees, so the mics are aligned vertically. i think that’ll offer more forgiveness when your guitar player moves around. it worth playing around with to get that sound your looking for that fits into the music🙂 try moving your mic setup closer and hire up on the neck further from the sound hole but your still picking up the strings vibrations.

[@BenZitoMusic]

Joe, I have 2 questions for you. 1) can we do the XY with 2 different mics? and 2) if you have long fingernails on your right hand which makes a more "scratchy" sound would you move the mics more towards the neck or just cut fingernails😁? Thanks for all you have done! I have learned more from you more than anyone else on the web!

[@DjBydLo]

Amazing video Joe, the X/Y is far more natural also in stereo. At the end an ORTF stereo miking makes things wider than they really are, it sounds like two guitar players playing almost the same at almost perfect timing. Weird. And the X/Y picks the whole instrument and is Mono compatible. THERE IS ONE PROBLEM TO ME: the squeek might come very loud. That can be tamed using some Deeser or plug ins like Izotope RX. I normally prefer using Spaced Pair configuration, not mono compatible, but if i need a mono signal i can use only the 12th fret (pointin to the 17fret) mic, so it makes the squeeky things to be of axis. Althought the X/Y is to me more natural. Using non squeeking strings helps very much too.

[@blakesaupe129]

This was extremely informative. However is have a situation. I only have one mic (SM57) and one audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo). I don't have the budget to buy another microphone, and even if I did, I would have to buy another audio interface since mine only has one xlr input. Do you have any tips on how to get a decent sound with just one? It's not ideal situation but it's what I'm working with.

[@Sadtaste]

Please make a tutorial on how to make acoustic guitar DI sounds like it is mic up🙏

[@stevelongmusic880]

Thanks Joe! Question for you on this, I have a StudioLive 16R I use for my interface. When using this technique, is it better to record both mics on separate channels or combine them on the the same channel (not sure if there is a way to do that with the 16R)?

[@VelocityRecordingStudio]

I know this is a stretch but have you ever though about doing a video on what you think will happen with home studios in the next few years? I know with 2020 shut down all year and the stimulus packages rolling out the music industry as a whole if going to be filled with new players, producers! Hopefully it’s the beginning of a music renaissance period!

[@andreaswood6371]

Great Video! Would love to see how to mix fingerstyle guitar with eq, compressor, reverb and limiter in studio one...Best wishes, Andreas

[@HomeStudioCorner]

EQ only. None of the others.

[@coreymihailiuk5189]

This is very helpful! Most would suggest completely avoiding pointing a microphone at the sound hole. But as evidenced by what you are doing, it can be done to very good effect.

[@nordvikstudio7577]

Hi Joe! Really nice videos. Question; how much preamp do you use. Got these PM-s and find that I have to crank it way up almost to the point that it gets harsh/distorted. I would love to back them down a bit for a warmer sound but then the levels are too low. 🤷🏻‍♂

[@KaraokeSantai10]

Nice,,

[@TimLuxter]

Really well explained Joe. I must admit I avoid stereo mics at all times, I never feel like the pros outweigh the cons. I always feel that recording it twice is a better option. It gives better width and is easier to manage too. As a rule, if I’m reaching for a measuring tape, it’s time to start over haha. That said, the xy pattern like you explained has got to be the safest bet in stereo miking. Love these latest videos mate!

[@hannibalinos]

is there a difference between using, this way of recording, for fingerstyle and pick ?

[@tonystrignert]

XY is it Thanks 💖

[@jasper_north]

Consider GO MIXER PRO X by Roland...no software and clapping...Plug n Play. Did you ever try it??

[@john-acellera]

What if you only have one large diaphram mic, what’s the best way to record fingerstyle? Thank you 🙏🙏🙏

[@baileygotbeats]

Interested in buying a guitar but I just want a bass guitar to start with! How can I use studio one to create these scrums with the new tool editor I can not figure out how to use the keys functions in settings, I added them but nothing happened. 🤯

[@jameskeller238]

Just started into my own recording and mixing currently recording through my audiobox96 and it sounds pretty good. Will this make that big of as difference?

[@timswed5149]

I've been recording a grand piano with a stereo mic pair and have been putting them on their own mono tracks and panning one left and the other right. Would you say there is a difference between that and recording them on a stereo track? Also been adjusting the trims separately to make the meters more even, since I can't move the piano! can I rotate the mics as a pair in relation to the piano to equalize the levels between them?

[@SalilSardana]

It's amazing how you have set up the gain to peak around -9 and there's no noise! If I record X-Y with my vanguard v4 and rode nt2-a (both LDC's) and gain set up to peak around -9 on my RME babyface pro-fs, I get awful amount of noise floor creeping in. How come your monitoring/recording is so clean and without noise? Thanks in advance, good sir 🙃

[@SalilSardana]

Sir I'd really really appreciate a response please 🙏🏻

[@VRados]

Very helpful explanation and well designed comparisons! Would Mid-Side mic'ing give you all the options? Adjust the width as needed, and make the track "skinny" if you're going to bounce it to mono? Love to see that technique added to this comparison. Thanks Joe!

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Yeah, similar idea, but I've found the figure-8 mic picks up so much room, and since we're in home studios with noisy and imperfect environments, I'd rather the mics be pointed at the guitar.

[@VRados]

@@HomeStudioCorner That's me! I've got those Presonus SDC mics and a budget ribbon for the figure 8. I'm going to do my own comparison test. Thanks again!

[@piktormusic2538]

Thanks for the great tips. I am going to give this a try, but I am wondering if you think that this is also an appropriate technique for nylon string guitar.

[@HomeStudioCorner]

aboslutely

[@Hrcak1]

I have microphone and guitar but how i connect it to PC, what device I need? Thanks

[@resslerartstudios]

So what see I is one stereo channel L/R, but two mics need two channel inputs, could you clarify that? And ill watch again...and is that a presonus Mic in front of you? Ok, I watched again. All I saw was one AG channel and a stereo input channel. So my question is. If Mic 1 is plugged into input 1 and Mic 2 is plugged into input 2 (I use the 1824), how did you record the single stereo track? Did you run the two mic signals through a bus? Could you show us the mic set up for this lesson? Thanks Joe!

[@Anonymous.android]

Immediately googled those earthworks mics, you weren’t kidding when you said they were expensive!

[@menelik23dedon]

how much you charge joe,??? I need a country chorus riff or two

[@versavise]

How important is a matched pair? I have a pretty decent SDC mic (sE8). Can I just get another one of those? For around the same price I can get a matched pair of the next model down, but the specs aren't as good.

[@bobshepard3108]

Ok what tuning is that?😊

[@robertbartelmes7623]

...Joe ... good/ effective demo ... Bart

[@bjornjaydejuras3102]

what mic are u using

[@AlecBoyd]

Joe, you should try Blumenthal mic placement

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Blumlein?

[@DoctorMandible]

Between the presonus shirt and the multiple mentions of presonus mics and the purchase links in the description... I can't help but feel like this video has a mysterious unnamed sponsored.

[@JesseABLewis]

Thank you for this. Does each mic get its own channel? It looks like you have both mics going to the same channel. Is this done by routing in the DAW? Sorry for the noob question haha. Love your videos ❤

[@HomeStudioCorner]

It’s a stereo channel

[@JesseABLewis]

@@HomeStudioCorner thanks for your reply! But how do you get two mics to go into only one stereo channel. I use Ableton as my DAW and I think it’s only possible to send each mic to its own channel and unify them using a bus/group? In your Daw can you send multiple mic inputs to one channel? Sorry to bug you again

[@JesseABLewis]

Oh is it just as simple as setting the input to 1/2 ? that way both inputs 1 AND 2 both go to the same channel!? If so, Im dumb haha!!! (although would recording the mics to their own channels and then sending them to a guitar bus be the same thing? only with additional options for processing each mic differently?)