Mic Archive

Instrument

Acoustic guitar

Also called acoustic guitar.

Range
E2–E6
Overtones to
about 2.1 kHz
Peaks up close
up to 94 dB SPL
Sources
10 (5 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

28 setups from 10 sources, 5 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.

On stage

Clip-on

  • DPA 4099 CORE+ maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • condenser, miniature (miniature mic clipped outside the sound hole)1 source, 0 independent

Named, no placement given

The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes

Studio and stage

Close

  • DPA 4006ES (earlier version of the DPA 4006A) maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • DPA 4011ES (earlier version of the DPA 4011A) maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • DPA 4061 maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • Shure PGA81 maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • Shure SM571 independent source
  • Shure SM81 maker's advice2 sources, 1 independent
The 6 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close DPA 4011ES (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)
    close
    Directional 4099 CORE+ or 4011ES focuses on the instrument and isolates it from other sources (paraphrase).1
  • Close DPA 4006ES (earlier version of the DPA 4006A) or DPA 4061
    close, gooseneck
    An omni like the 4006ES or 4061 can sit close without proximity-effect bass loss (paraphrase).1
  • Close Shure SM81
    close, 12th fret
    "The Shure SM81 is an iconic mic for recording acoustic guitar that's proved itself over decades." (its pick 1)3
  • Close Shure SM57
    close, strummed parts
    Pick 4 in MusicRadar; a dynamic suits "a strident strummer", rejecting handling noise (paraphrase).3
  • Close Shure SM81
    close
    SM81 is the first of two "Recommended Acoustic Guitar Microphones" on Shure's page.4
  • Close Shure PGA81
    close, budget
    PGA81 is the second of two "Recommended Acoustic Guitar Microphones" on Shure's page.4

Studio

Close

Main pair or array

Distant

The 19 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close 2 × Neumann KM 184
    close or pair, 12th fret
    "If money is no object... an Octo Set of Neumann KM184s"; KM184 stereo set is its pick 3 for acoustic guitar.3
  • Close 2 × Beyerdynamic M 160 or AKG C451 B
    close or pair
    Listed as pick 2 in MusicRadar's best acoustic guitar mics. ... Pick 6 in MusicRadar's best acoustic guitar mics.3
  • Close sE Electronics Voodoo VR2
    close, studio
    Pick 5 in MusicRadar's best acoustic guitar mics.3
  • Close Rode M3 or Aston Origin
    close, budget
    Pick 7: a "quality condenser mic... at a price point more suited to a good dynamic mic". ... Pick 8 in MusicRadar's best acoustic guitar mics.3
  • Close Aston Origin or Audio-Technica AT5045 or Neumann U 47 FET or Rode NTR or Sontronics Aria or Neumann TLM 102
    close
    MusicTech recommendation: "On guitars, it sounded instantly usable." ... "Excels on acoustic instruments and vocals and is an outstanding all-round instrument recording mic option." ... "Using the Neumann individual notes in a chord were easy to distinguish." ... "Recording acoustic instruments presents no difficulties." ... "Impressive detail resolution for capturing delicate acoustic-guitar picking." ... "One of Neumann's own recommendations for recording acoustic guitar."5
  • Main pair or array 2 × Aston Starlight
    single or stereo pair
    "Bright and lively. The bottom end was present, but not flabby."5
  • Close 2 × sE Electronics sE5
    pair
    "The sE5s captured plenty of detail, presenting a natural-sounding guitar with plenty of body and detail."5
  • Close Sennheiser MK 8
    close or stereo
    "Ably held its own against more expensive makes."5
  • Close Audio-Technica AT2020 or Shure PGA27
    close, budget
    "A very impressive and flexible mic for the price." ... "One of Shure's own recommendations, specific to acoustic guitar."5
  • Main pair or array Rode NT4
    stereo pair
    "An easy and relatively cheap way to get a great stereo recording."5
  • Main pair or array 2 × Audio-Technica AT4021
    stereo pair
    Tutorial used a pair of AT4021s for stereo configurations.6
  • Main pair or array 2 × Audio-Technica AT4050
    stereo pair or mono
    Tutorial used a pair of AT4050s for stereo and an AT4050 for a mono position.6
  • Close Shure SM57
    mono, neck position, aggressive parts
    "Sometimes, a condenser microphone is not the most appropriate choice"; a Shure SM57 used at the neck position for aggressive rhythm parts.6
  • Close Rode NT1 Signature
    mono, 12th fret
    "We recommend a large-diaphragm condenser like the NT1 Signature Series for a rich, detailed sound" (single-mic technique).7
  • Main pair or array 2 × Rode NT5
    stereo pair, X-Y or spaced (matched pair)
    For two-mic techniques: ideally small-diaphragm condensers such as the NT5 (available as a matched pair).7
  • Close Royer R-122 MKII
    close, 8-12 in off the 12th fret (backward)
    "When single miking an acoustic guitar, a great position is 8 to 12 inches off the 12th fret, with the mic aimed at the soundhole."8
  • Close omni (omni, close)
    close, no proximity effect
    Keith Olsen: "Acoustic guitar sounds terrible with a cardioid mic too close to it"; he suggests an omni.9
  • Main pair or array 2 × condenser, cardioid, X-Y pair (crossed cardioid pair near the 12th fret)
    stereo pair, off the 12th fret
    Chuck Ainlay uses X-Y, one capsule at the fretboard, one at the hole, off the 12th fret; Bob Bullock 4-6 in.9
  • Distant 2 × Oktava MK-012
    spaced pair, about 4 ft up, guitar duo (omni pair)
    Cheap small-diaphragm omnis used as a spaced pair to record two guitarists; "remarkably good" result (paraphrase).10

Range

E2 to about E682.4 Hz – 1.32 kHz

Standard tuning E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4; notated an octave above sounding. Top note depends on frets: B5 (19, classical), C6 (20, most acoustics), D6-E6 (22-24, electric).

Low stringsE2–F#3full, boomy; wound strings
MiddleG3–D#4warm
HighE4–E6bright; thin high up the neck

Boundaries follow the open strings (E2-D3 wound, G3 up plain on steel-string); an estimate, not a standard division.

Overtones reach about 2.1 kHz (the highest harmonic within 40 dB of the strongest, at a moderate level; louder playing reaches higher)11.

The sound

A plucked string starts with many harmonics, which die away faster than the fundamental; where along the string it is plucked sets which harmonics are weak.

Where the sound goes

Not a point source. Panels and the air cavity both radiate; the air resonance is around 100 Hz and booms if a close mic sits on-axis with the sound hole; the body and air resonances carry further than the string and pick noise, and high frequencies from the strings are shadowed by the player's arm and body (Senior). DPA: "many sound sources on the acoustic guitar".9,1

Recording it

Sound On Sound's engineers split between a few inches (Bob Bullock, Frank Filipetti) and two to three feet (Steve Albini, Jim Scott), with omnis for close work (Keith Olsen) and an X-Y pair off the 12th fret (Chuck Ainlay, Bob Bullock 4-6 in apart). Large-diaphragm condenser at the bridge plus a small-diaphragm at the 12th fret is the common two-mic split. MusicRadar warns that side-address large diaphragms are hard to aim.9,5,3

Playing techniques

Frequency areas

How loud

Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.

Playing level
80–90 dBat 1 m; acoustic guitar secondary12
Peaks
90–94 dBabout 0.45-0.6 m from the guitar; Forum readings with phone dB-meter apps: classical guitars 'capable of producing sound in the 90dB range' at 2 ft / 450 mm (A major chord, harmonics, Lagrima); peaks over 92 dB, possibly 94 dB, plucking open strings hard at about 45 cm (converted resonator guitar)13
Sound power
59–88 dB(Z)sound power level Lw (dB re 1 pW), not a sound pressure at a distance; Modern guitar, single notes over the whole range played as soft and as loud as possible by a professional Berlin player, anechoic chamber TU Berlin, 32-mic spherical array; FAST time weighting for the plucked transients14

No source found at 1 m. Search results were forum posts with phone-app readings (about 60-80 dB), which I did not use.

Sources

  1. DPA Mic University: How to mic an acoustic guitarmanufacturer · dpamicrophones.com
  2. Shure: Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcementmanufacturer · 2007 · music.arts.uci.edu
  3. MusicRadar: Best acoustic guitar micsmagazine · musicradar.com
  4. Shure: How to Choose the Best Mics for the Guitarmanufacturer · shure.com
  5. MusicTech: The Ultimate Guide To Recording Everything - Acoustic Instruments (2017)magazine · musictech.com
  6. Production Expert (Audient): 5 Essential Tips For Recording Acoustic Guitarmagazine · production-expert.com
  7. Rode: Three Simple Techniques for Recording Better Acoustic Guitarmanufacturer · rode.com
  8. Royer Labs: Recording Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Ukulele, Cello & Other Stringed Instrumentsmanufacturer · royerlabs.com
  9. Sound On Sound: How To Record A Great Acoustic Guitar Sound (Mike Senior, 2010)magazine · soundonsound.com
  10. Sound On Sound: Session Notes - Recording Acoustic Guitars (Mike Senior)magazine · soundonsound.com
  11. University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios, Musical Instrument Samples (steel-string guitar), as trimmed/normalised in tonejs-instruments; own FFT analysisgithub.com
  12. Bollsen: Earplugs for Guitaristsretailer · 2026 · bollsen-hearingprotection.com
  13. Classical Guitar Delcamp forum: guitar loudness measurements thread (2020)forum · 2020-02 · classicalguitardelcamp.com
  14. JASA: Sound power and timbre as cues for the dynamic strength of orchestral instruments (Weinzierl, Lepa, Schultz, Detzner, von Coler, Behler)Stefan Weinzierl et al. · academic · 2018-09 · depositonce.tu-berlin.de
  15. iZotope: EQ Cheat SheetNick Messitte · magazine · 2023 · izotope.com
  16. Sonicbids: EQ Cheat Sheet, Mixing Frequencies for Every Instrumentmagazine · 2026 · sonicbids.com