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© Shure Incorporated. Used with permission.
About Shure's Microphone Techniques for Studio Recording
This one of Shure's Educational Publications. This article is reprinted with the permission of Shure Incorporated and is not under the GNU Free Documentation License 1.2. It is protected from alteration and is provided as is.
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There is a PDF version of this guide available on Shure's Website.
Acoustic String and Fretted Instruments
Experimentation with mic placement provides the ability to achieve accurate and pleasing sound reproduction on these complex sound sources. It is also an opportunity for exploring sound manipulation, giving the studio engineer many paths to the final mix. Whether you are involved in a music studio, a commercial studio, or a project studio, you should continue to explore different methods of achieving the desired results. The possibilities are limited only by time and curiosity.
Acoustic Guitar (Also Dobro, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Ukelele)
When recording an acoustic guitar, try placing one mic three to six inches away, directly in front of the sound hole. Then put another microphone, of the same type, four feet away. This will allow you to hear the instrument and an element of room ambience. Record both mics dry and flat (no effects or EQ), each to its own track. These two tracks will sound vastly different. Combining them may provide an open sound with the addition of the distant mic. Giving the effect of two completely different instruments or one in a stereo hallway may be achieved by enhancing each signal with EQ and effects unique to the sound you want to hear.
Try the previously mentioned mic technique on any acoustic instrument. Attempt to position the mic in different areas over the instruments, listening for changes in timbre. You will find different areas offer different tonal characteristics. Soon you should develop “an ear”for finding instruments’ sweet spots. In addition, the artist and style of music should blend with your experiences and knowledge to generate the desired effect.
Microphone Placement Charts
Acoustic Guitar
Various microphone positions for acoustic guitar.
© Shure Incorporated. Used with permission.
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| 8 inches from sound hole (see diagram position #1)
| Bassy
| Good starting placement when leakage is a problem. Roll off bass for a more natural sound (more for a uni than an omni).
|
| 3 inches from sound hole (see diagram position #2)
| Very bassy, boomy, muddy, full.
| Very good isolation. Bass roll-off needed for a natural sound.
|
| 4 to 8 inches from bridge (see diagram position #3)
| Woody, warm, mellow. Mid-bassy, lacks detail.
| Reduces pick and string noise.
|
| 6 inches above the side, over the bridge, and even with the front soundboard. (see diagram position #4)
| Natural, well-balanced, slightly bright.
| Less pickup of ambiance and leakage than 3 feet from sound hole.
|
| Miniature microphone clipped outside of sound hole.
| Natural, well-balanced
| Good isolation. Allows freedom of movement.
|
| Miniature microphone clipped inside sound hole.
| Bassy, less string noise.
| Reduces leakage. Test positions to find each guitar's sweet spot.
|
Banjo
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| 3 inches from center of head
| Bassy, thumpy
| Limits leakage. Roll off bass for natural sound.
|
| 3 inches from edge of head.
| Bright.
| Limits leakage.
|
| Miniature microphone clipped to tailpiece aiming at bridge.
| Natural
| Limits leakage. Allows freedom of movement.
|
Violin (Fiddle)
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| A few inches from side
| Natural
| Well-balanced sound.
|
Cello
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| One foot from bridge.
| Well-Defined
| Well-balanced sound, but little isolation.
|
All String Instruments
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| Miniature microphone attached to strings between bridge and tailpiece.
| Bright
| Minimizes feedback and leakage. Allows freedom of movement.
|
Acoustic Bass:(Upright Bass, String Bass, Bass Violin)
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| 6 inches to 1 foot out front, just above bridge.
| Well-defined
| Natural sound.
|
| A few inches from f-hole.
| Full
| Roll off bass if sound is too boomy.
|
| Wrap microphone in foam padding (except for grille) and put behind bridge or between tailpiece and body.
| Full, "tight"
| Minimizes feedback and leakage.
|
Harp
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| Aiming toward player at part of soundboard, about 2 feet away.
| Natural.
| See Stereo Microphone Techniques section for other possibilities.
|
| Tape miniature microphone to soundboard.
| Somewhat constricted
| Minimizes feedback and leakage.
|
Grand Piano
© Shure Incorporated. Used with permission
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| 12 inches above middle strings, 8 inches horizontally from the hammers with lid off or at full stick. (Diagram position #1)
| Natural, well-balanced.
| Less pickup of ambience and leakage than 3 feet front. Move microphones(s) farther from hammers to reduce attack and mechanical noises. Good coincident-stereo placement. See Stereo Microphone Techniques section for other possibilities.
|
| 8 inches above treble strings, as above. (Diagram position #2)
| Natural, well-balanced, slightly bright.
| Place one microphone over brass strings and one over treble strings for stereo. Phase cancellations may occur if the recording is heard in mono.
|
| Aiming into sound holes. (Diagram position #3)
| Thin, dull, hard, constricted.
| Very good isolation. Sometimes sounds good for rock music. Boost mid-bass and treble for more natural sound.
|
| 6 inches over middle strings, 8 inches from hammers, with lid on short stick. (Diagram position #4)
| Muddy, boomy, dull, lacks attack.
| Improves isolation. Bass roll-off and some treble boost required for more natural sound.
|
| Next to the underside of raised lid, centered on lid.(Diagram position #5)
| Bassy, full.
| Unobtrusive placement.
|
| Underneath the piano, aiming up at the soundboard. (Diagram position #6)
| Bassy, dull, full.
| Unobtrusive placement.
|
| Surface-mount microphone mounted on underside of lid over lower treble stirngs, horizontally, close to hammers for brighter sound, futher from hammers for more mellow sound. (Diagram position #7)
| Bright, well-balanced.
| Excellent isolation. Experiment with lid height and microphone placement on piano lid for desired sounds.
|
| Two surface-mount microphones positioned on the closed lid, under the edge at its keyboard edge, approximately 2/3 of the distance from middle A to each end of the keyboard. (Diagram position #8)
| Bright, well-balanced, strong attack.
| Excellent isolation. Moving "low" mic away from keyboard six inches provides truer reproduction of the bass strings while reducing damper noise. By splaying these two mics outward slightly, the overlap in the middle registers can be minimized.
|
| Surface-mount microphones placed vertically on the inside of the frame, or rim, of the piano, at or near the apex of the piano's curved wall.(Diagram position #9)
| Full, natural.
| Excellent isolation. Minimizes hammer and damper noise. Best if used in conjunction with two surface-mount microphones mounted to closed lid, as above.
|
Upright Piano
© Shure Incorporated. Used with permission
| Microphone Placement
| Tonal Balance
| Comments
|
| Just over open top, above treble strings. (Diagram position #1)
| Natural (but lacks deep bass), picks up hammer attack.
| Good placement when only one microphone is used.
|
| Just over open top, above bass strings. (Diagram position #2)
| Slightly full or tubby, picks up hammer attack.
| Mike bass and treble strings for stereo.
|
| Inside top near the bass and treble strings. (Diagram position #3)
| Natural, picks up hammer attack.
| Minimizes feedback and leakage. Use two microphones for stereo.
|
| 8 inches from bass side of soundboard. (Diagram position #4)
| Full, slightly tubby, no hammer attack.
| Use this placement with the following placement for stereo.
|
| 8 inches from treble side of soundboard. (Diagram position #5)
| Thin, constricted, no hammer attack.
| Use this placement with the preceding placement for stereo.
|
| Aiming at hammers from front, several inches away (remove front panel) (Diagram position #6)
| Bright, picks up hammer attack.
| Mike bass and treble strings for stereo.
|
| 1 foot from center of soundboard on hard floor or one-foot-square plate on carpeted floor, aiming at piano (soundboard should face into room.)
| Natural, good presence.
| Minimize pickup of floor vibrations by mounting microphone in low-profile shock-mounted microphone stand.
|
