For suggestions on mic placement, check out this excellent article. Moving the mic a few inches can dramatically change the sound. Find a spot where the acoustic guitar sounds balanced and even. For best results, have the player throw on a strap and walk around the room while strumming. Corners are generally no good, as bass tends to build up there (which will lead to a boomy, muddy recording).

Find the right spot in the room for the player.

They tend to sound brittle and unnatural. And if you start with a good recording, you’ll often need little-to-no EQ in the mix. Yes, this article is about acoustic guitar EQ. But the truth is, the decisions you make while recording are much more important. In fact, many of them (such as moving a microphone) will have a similar effect as EQ. It will help guide you towards the right acoustic guitar EQ decisions, every time. The key is to ask yourself-what function does the acoustic guitar play in my mix? Is it a featured instrument, or does it just provide rhythmic support? What other tracks do I need it to fit with? If you’re mixing an acoustic guitar in a sparse ballad, you’ll make completely different decisions than if you were working on an uptempo, modern rock track.Ĭonsider how the acoustic guitar fits within the rest of your mix. This means that your EQ decisions will (and should) vary based on what the rest of the tracks in your mix sound like. There is no one-size-fits-all formula to acoustic guitar EQ. However, the goal is always the same-to try to make the acoustic guitar sound great within the rest of your mix. Implement everything I cover here, and you’ll be well on your way to EQing acoustic guitar like a top-tier mixer! 1. The following guide will help you get started. While mastering the art of acoustic guitar EQ is undoubtedly tricky, it’s crucial if you want to achieve a studio-quality sound. And don’t even get me started on the string squeaks and fret buzzing… It’s exceptionally difficult to EQ an acoustic guitar.įor starters, the instrument produces a range of frequencies that extend from the deepest lows to the highest highs.

Eq audacity