When it comes to making an acoustic guitar sound its best, most engineers will tell you that a series of fancy microphones in just the right place is best. In a live setting, however, you do not usually have that luxury. So how do you make an acoustic sound great live?
To create the best live sound on your acoustic guitar, invest in a good quality guitar, choose the right pickup, use high-quality strings, adjust your EQ, use a preamp, play with dynamics, practice good technique, and experiment with effects pedals. These factors can help to improve your live guitar sound.
There is so much to talk about when it comes to making acoustic guitars sound good live, so we have lots of ground to cover! In this article, we’ll be showing you how to recreate that angelic acoustic sound in a live stage setting.
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How To Create the Best Live Sound On Your Acoustic Guitar?
Creating the best live sound on your acoustic guitar can be a combination of several factors including the quality of your guitar, the type of pickup you use, the type of strings you use, and the way you play. Here are some tips to help you create the best live sound on your acoustic guitar:
- Use a good quality guitar: The quality of your guitar can have a significant impact on the overall sound. Invest in a good quality acoustic guitar that suits your playing style.
- Choose the right pickup: There are different types of pickups available for acoustic guitars, including magnetic and piezoelectric pickups. Experiment with different pickups to find one that best suits your needs.
- Use high-quality strings: The type of strings you use can also affect the overall sound. Choose high-quality strings that are appropriate for your playing style.
- Adjust your EQ: When playing live, it’s important to adjust your EQ to suit the venue and the sound system. Experiment with different settings to find the best sound.
- Use a preamp: A preamp can help to boost the signal from your pickup and provide additional tone shaping options.
- Use effects pedals: Effects pedals can help to enhance your sound and provide additional tone shaping options. Experiment with different pedals to find ones that work well with your guitar and playing style.
- Play with dynamics: Use different techniques, such as fingerpicking, strumming, and plucking, to create different tones and dynamics.
- Practice good technique: Good technique can help to improve your sound and make it more consistent. Practice regularly and work on developing good habits.
Overall, creating the best live sound on your acoustic guitar requires a combination of skill, equipment, and technique. Experiment with different options to find the ones that work best for you, and always strive to improve your playing and sound.
Tips To Get The Best Live Sound On Your Acoustic Guitar
Tip 1. Choose Between a Pickup or Mic
As mentioned in the intro, a mic is probably the best way to make your acoustic sound like it does when you play it at home. However, there are numerous issues with trying to mic an acoustic for a live show. For example, many guitarists like to sway back and forth or dance onstage, which results in huge volume variances if you are playing through a mic. Plus, you often don’t have time to find the right setup for a mic during a live soundcheck.
Pickups have come a long way in recent years, and it is now possible to get a very natural sound through them while playing live! In the following section, we will see which type of pickup you have will determine the initial sound and the types of interventions you will need to make to get that perfect sound.
Types of Pickups
There are many different options when it comes to pickups for an acoustic guitar. These days, most good acoustics will come with a built-in pickup, but it is always possible to switch out the built-in pickup for an aftermarket pickup. Which kind of pickup you have will also determine what you need to do to the signal to get that perfect natural sound on stage, so it is important to know the differences between pickups and know which type is on your guitar.
1. Magnetic/Soundhole Pickup
This type of pickup is also used on electric guitars and can often make acoustics sound a lot more like electrics than you might want. They work by using magnets to detect the vibration of the strings, creating an electrical signal which is then sent to the DI box. One big benefit of magnetic pickups is that they avoid the problem of ‘transients,’ which are short, high-amplitude sounds at the beginning of the waveform.
These days, magnetic pickups are the most common type found on new acoustic guitars, much to the dismay of many sound engineers. While there are benefits to a magnetic pickup, they only pick up the sound of the strings and none of the sound of the body, which is where the real magic happens. While the sound can be tampered with to be more natural, magnetic pickups often result in a tinny, electric sound.
2. Piezoelectric Pickup
This is another very common type of pickup, which uses piezoelectric crystals to sense the pressure coming from the strings. Very futuristic! Piezo pickups give you a bright and clear sound with plenty of attacks. One benefit is that there is almost no chance of feedback since the pickups only get sound from the strings and not the body of the guitar. On the downside, you get the infamous ‘piezo quack.’
This is a terrible sound that results from the non-linear way in which a piezo picks up the vibrations. The way to get rid of it is through EQ. Cut between 0.8 and 1.6 kHz in order to do away with that awful nasal tone. If you do not have time to do any EQ before a live show, turning up the guitar and then playing more gently will also help to get rid of the dreaded quack.
3. Internal Microphone
This is precisely what it sounds like; a small microphone placed inside the body of the guitar. As you can probably guess, this results in the most natural sound since it picks up the resonance of the whole guitar rather than just the strings. You may also guess that these pickups are the most prone to feedback for exactly the same reason. Mic pickups often come paired with piezo pickups since they are not very powerful by themselves.
This combination can give you the best of both worlds! You can have the bright and clear sound of a piezo with the natural tones of a mic. Unfortunately, you might have some EQ work to do. Between removing the piezo quack and trying to avoid feedback, your sound guy might have their hands full trying to find the perfect balance.
Tip 2. Position Your Microphone Properly
Some older acoustic guitars do not have a pickup installed at all. While it is always possible to install one, some guitarists are too scared to take any chances with the tone of their vintage classics by drilling holes in the side. If that is you, don’t worry! You can probably get a better sound by playing through a stage mic anyway. There are, however, a few downsides to this method. As mentioned before, swaying and dancing can be problematic with a mic setup!
The standard method for micing an acoustic onstage is to aim the microphone at the place where the neck meets the body. This is known as the ‘sweet spot.’ Of course, if you are looking to experiment with tone, you can try out a few different configurations to see what tone you like the best. One issue with doing this live is that you almost never have time to experiment. Soundchecks are always a rushed and panicky experience!
When it comes to distance, the mic should sit about 12-16 inches away from the sweet spot. Of course, this will likely change over the course of the show as you become more energetic during the faster songs. For this reason, sound engineers are never happy to see an acoustic guitar without a pickup coming their way because it means they will have to be constantly adjusting levels and avoiding feedback! (You may also enjoy: How To Make Your Acoustic Guitar Sound Better In Audacity)
The standard mic for live acoustic performance is the Shure SM81. Not only is it reasonably priced, but it also sounds (and looks) very sleek indeed. For a much more expensive option, the Neumann KM 184 is almost impossible to beat for sound quality. The Sennheiser MD 421 II Cardioid Dynamic Mic is another great choice if you want to get the best sound out of your acoustic while performing live!