One of the instruments I use a lot when I record is my acoustic guitar. I have a Yamaha 12 string that sounds beautiful. I use it on the majority of the songs I record. I also have a pair of AKG C 1000 S condensor microphones. These are a great microphone to use in the home studio to record voice, acoustic guitar, cello, piano, organ, etc. Using a regular dynamic vocal microphone will not be sensitive enough to create a good signal to noise ratio. I'd recommend a decent capacitor (condenser) microphone like the AKG C 1000 S for recording vocals and acoustic instruments.

The next thing to consider is where you will be recording. Set up your microphone, crank the levels, put on some headphones and without  playing a note, what do you hear? You should hear nothing at all. If you hear your computer fan, or the air conditioner, or the street outside...you need to find another space or consider soundproofing. You don't want any outside noises bleeding in on your acoustic guitar tracks.

Also, since you will be recording an acoustic guitar, you want a room that sounds very "Live." Meaning a room without carpet or soft textures. Bathroom, kitchen, or basements are a good place to get that live sound. Consider using a room with wooden floors and walls if you have one. If you don't, the basement, kitchen or bathroom will work. Experiment in each room to see which sounds most reflective. Tile bathrooms are a great place to record.

Once you've found a room that you like. The next step is positioning your microphone. Microphone position is the key to great sound. There are a few methods that work well. Using only your headphones, your mic and your guitar, experiment to find that sweet spot. Depending on the microphone and the guitar, you can find different spots that sound better than others.

Place the microphone about 2 feet from where the neck and the body meet. Placing the microphone a fair distance from the instrument works well to capture some of that resonant air coming from the instrument. If you mic the guitar inside of these 2 feet then the mic position is very critical and the smallest movement in the mic position can create an extremely different sound.

Move the microphone around, ever so slightly, and play a little and listen very carefully. Where does it sound the best? Does it sound muddy? Does it sound tinny? Do I hear the TV in the next room? The trick is to get the best possible sound from the microphone without picking up any extra noise.

If you have the resources, record your guitar in stereo. Get two condensor microphones. Make sure they are the exact same microphones. This is what they call a stereo pair. Set them both up, adjust the recording level on both mics so it is very hot (but not too hot). Point them across each other at a 90 degree angle, and keep the heads of the microphones very close.

Work on one microphone at a time. Meaning the second microphone's recording level should be set to zero until you get the first microphone set up. Note the level of the first mic, set it to zero and get the second mic to set up. Then put the first microphone back to the level it should be and play a little. Adjust any levels as needed. Make sure you get the levels as hot as you can without going into the red.

Another method is to place a mic at an angle to the sound hole between one inch and six inches above or below the sound hole. Use your headphones to find the exact spot for your microphone and guitar. Take the second microphone and place it at an angle and point it at the bridge. Again, adjusting it as needed to get the best posible sound for your equipment.

Another method that sometimes works well is, place a mic at an angle to the sound hole between one inch and six inches above or below the sound hole. Use your headphones to find the exact spot for your microphone and guitar. Take the second microphone and place it about 3 feet away from your guitar. Really crank the level up on this microphone. This way you'll have one mic close up and one far away. This works nice to add some "room" to your recording.

Are you seeing a pattern here? Set up the mics, play, listen, adjust, and repeat. Experimentation is the key word. These are just some of the techniques that I like to use. The best way is to experiment, experiment, experiement. Use your headphones, mics and guitar and try as many different placements as you can before you record a single note. You'll discover what works best for you and your equipment.

Find what works best for you, and keep doing it. The more time and effort you put into finding the best sound, the better your end result will be. Heck, if it's something good, post it here so we can all learn. We all need as much help as we can get in the home studio!!

Good luck!

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