# How do you RECORD classical GUITAR like a PRO with BEST budget MICROPHONES?



## michals231

Dear guitar friends,
If you are wondering how to record your guitar on a computer with the best BUDGET but in a PRO way - check out this tutorial. I'll show you which microphones you can use and how it works. I hope you can have value form this short video.

I am also very curious what are your experiences and ideas?

Have a great week and see you next time!


----------



## burnabyguitar

I have a problem with Zoom and those microphone. They automatically adjust the volume which is bad (your piano parts are lost, or suddenly the volume drops, etc), but if you disable that feature, the volume become so low and you have to make it super super close to the guitar (with noise like your breath and the movement of your body) - how did you resolve that problem?


----------



## Nate Miller

I use small diaphram condenser mic and Ableton. I set the mic to be pointed at the sound hole and fairly close to the guitar compared to how you have your zoom h4 set away from you a bit. I use a bass drum mic stand. They are perfect for guitar because they are just short boom stands. If I'm recording in a space that has good natural "reverb" I will set a second large diaphram condenser mic about 10 or 12 feet away to get the sound in the room. I have alot of pro audio gear from a lifetime of playing, so since I have condenser mics, why not use them is how I look at it.

But those zoom recorders are good, too. I've had an H1 and an H4 over the years. They are really handy for recording rehearsals and jam sessions.

these days the quality of recordings you can make at home and on a budget is outstanding.


----------



## Viajero

Hi, Michals,
For any musician his/her sound, for me, is a direct reflection of an important part of their artistry. However, I've recently discovered that most Classical Guitar recordings add significant "reverb" to the recordings which can dramatically affect the real skills and sound of the performer. As a Classical Guitarist, one of the main focuses of my musical life has been to develop a personality that includes technique, personal sound, and interpretation. So, how do you use reverb in a recording, and is its use a fair representation of a performer's actual sound? I also encourage others to respond. Thanks in advance . . . 
Viajero


----------



## Nate Miller

Personally, I don't like alot of reverb in my recordings. I may use a touch of plate reverb in the final mix, but thick reverb hurts the sound of the guitar, I think. It doesn't sound like me anymore, it sounds like somebody else playing at the top of a stairwell or something. 

I had a duet with a violinist that I recorded, though, and she liked alot of reverb. I noticed alot of recordings I have of violin sonatas does use a good bit of reverb, too, but I had to remix all our stuff we recorded because my "light reverb" philosophy went over like lead bricks.

so it must be a personal preference. I think I'm more in your camp, though, with the sound of my guitar. Light verb or dry with just the natural reverb of the room that gets picked up by the mics, that's how I like it.


----------



## Viajero

"I think I'm more in your camp, though, with the sound of my guitar. Light verb or dry with just the natural reverb of the room that gets picked up by the mics, that's how I like it. . . " Nate Miller

Hi, Nate,
Yes, however, then how do we really know a guitarist's sound unless he/she is playing with a dry microphone in a suitable room? Over the years, I have played with other guitarists who were consummate musicians but had a weak, thin sound. Much of this is really a personality trait, I believe, since he/she is playing from their "spiritual" core. And, it is not really disingenuous when we hear them on an engineered recording when their true sound has been electronically enhanced? I've been thinking about this lately since Covid has finally ended and I'm starting to look for suitable gigs again.
Viajero 

P.S. I remember attending one of Segovia's concerts in Miami in '77/'78 at a small auditorium near Coral Gables. When he entered the stage, he went to his chair, sat down, and stared at the audience until there was perfect silence. I believe the auditorium held between 300-500 seats and he played without any amplification. He was in his 80's. It was a magical night.
V


----------



## Nate Miller

Viajero, you are right about how some guitarists sound thin. There's alot of things that go into it, including how thick thier nails are, but it's a fact. I really think that volume is what separates the greats from the rest of us. I saw Segovia at age 90 in the early 80s on his last tour of America, and I can second what you said about his volume. Segovia got more sound out of a guitar than anybody I ever saw.


----------

