Acoustic Guitar

How To Make Any Acoustic Guitar Louder (10 Ways)

By · 13 min read

How To Make Any Acoustic Guitar Louder (10 Ways)

Playing the acoustic guitar is incredibly engaging, but you probably want your audience to hear the same tones that you do. If you don’t know how to increase the guitar’s volume, you might not be able to put your talent on display. Fortunately, there are several methods to make your favorite instrument sound much louder.

To make any acoustic guitar sound louder, use an amplifier or attract a clip-on microphone. You can also increase the action, change the nut, bridge, and saddle, or install a pickup. Larger strings and picks will produce louder sounds, too.

Throughout this article, you’ll find out multiple ways to make your acoustic guitar sound louder, what modifications you can try, and why the space you play in matters so much.

Related: how to reduce string noise on an acoustic guitar and how to make an acoustic guitar sound warmer.

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If you want to find out what my recommended guitar gear is, then here is what I recommend on Amazon:

Make any acoustic guitar louder

Use an Amplifier

Amplifiers are the best way for you to increase your acoustic guitar’s sound. If your guitar has an audio port, you can connect it to most amplifiers. Always check the desired amplifier to know if it includes the necessary cables and fits your guitar. Not all amplifiers are made the same, so it’s important to know what’s right for your instrument.

Here’s a list of three things you should know before choosing an amplifier:

  1. Larger amplifiers tend to be louder. If you want to produce more noise, check the speaker size and dB output. If you want to slightly increase the sound, you don’t need a huge amp. The good news is that almost every amplifier has volume controls to help you find the right output.
  3. Some amplifiers have many more settings than others. Many amps only have volume controls, while others include bass, treble, gain, and so on. Make sure you find the right amp based on your personal preference. You can also find amps that connect to MIDI devices and computers.
  4. You can get a solo amplifier or one with multiple inputs. If you only want to play by yourself, you don’t need more than a solo amp. However, it’s worth getting a two-port amp if you want to sing with your acoustic guitar. The amp picks up microphones, too. Why not play your whole show through one amp?

The Fender Acoustasonic 15 Amplifier (available on Amazon.com) is a classic amp made by one of the most reputable brands in the industry. It comes with a five-year warranty, two input ports, and multiple settings to adjust the treble, bass, volume, and more. You can take this lightweight 13-pound amp with you wherever you go without a problem.

Improve the Guitar’s Action

Your acoustic guitar’s action directly impacts the tone, volume, buzzing, and more. My New Microphone explains you can make minor truss rod adjustments to increase the action, thus improving the volume. You only need a little bit of an adjustment to make a massive difference in the volume.

Try this method:

  1. Use an allen key to turn the adjustment nut under the base of the fretboard in the sound hole. It’s easier to adjust the action without the strings on the guitar. However, you can slide the key between or around the strings if you don’t want to remove them. A small ¼-inch turn is often enough to improve the action.
  3. Place a ruler on the low E string, then turn the adjustment nut until the string is around 2.8mm. The high E string should be about 2.0mm, but it can be slightly higher. If the neck looks bowed or the strings buzz, you’ll have to reduce the action by turning the allen key the opposite way.
  4. Strum your guitar and make sure there aren’t any buzzes or hums. These are often signs of bad strings, high action, low action, and other problems. It could also mean the action adjustments shifted the nut, bridge, or saddle. Reducing the action by 0.1mm could be enough to reverse these issues.

Plug the Guitar into a Computer With Speakers

If your guitar has an audio jack (much like the amplifier example), you can plug it into most computers. Consider using an adapter or an audio interface. Using an AI with a DAW (digital audio workstation) is an excellent way to make your acoustic guitar louder. You can use DAWs like Garage Band or Audacity.

Plug the guitar into a computer with speakers

Here’s how it works:

  1. Plug your guitar into an audio interface. An audio interface is a middleman between your instrument and a computer. Make sure the AI has to correct input ports for your guitar. It should also have MIDI, USB, or USB-C outputs that connect to the desired device for optimal quality.
  3. Connect the audio interface to your laptop or desktop computer. You might need to open a digital audio workstation, though it’s not necessary with every computer. If you do, try Audacity or Garage Band since they’re both free and beginner-friendly. Don’t plug in headphones because they’ll reduce the sound output.
  4. Turn up the volume on your computer or plug in speakers for more volume. You can determine your guitar’s volume with a PC, laptop, or speakers. If your guitar has volume controls on board, you can use them to alter the output sound. Some acoustic guitars have treble and bass controls, too.
  6. Play your acoustic guitar. Pick a couple of strings and adjust the volume as necessary. Use your digital audio workstation to change the way it sounds. Make sure you have the playback feature activated to let sound come out of the internal or external speakers; otherwise, you’ll record everything without knowing what it sounds like.

Attach a Clip-On Mic

Clip-on microphones are great because they’re out of the way, portable, and easy to amplifier your acoustic guitar. Six String Acoustic highly recommends using a clip-on mic if you want an affordable solution for your quiet acoustic guitar. Clip the mic near the sound hole, strum the instrument, and adjust the volume as needed.

The Audio-Technica