Boomy acoustic guitar :(

S

solo.guitar

New member
Some notes on my guitar seem to be more 'boomy' than others. For example, playing an Am chord sounds pretty bad, but playing C, or G sounds okay.

Does anyone else have this problem?

I posted a short sound clip of what it sounds like.

Is there anything that can be done about this besides changing mic placement?

Here's the MP3:

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=4809
 
Does the guitar sound that way or does it just record that way?
I imagine you probably just need to adjust your mic placement.
 
I guess it just records that way. I've tried pointing the mic further away from the soundhole but then I don't get the fullness of the guitar.
 
If you can, double mic it. One at the sound hole a few feet back and another pointed at the 12th fret, also a few feet back. Then EQ to taste.

What mic are you using?

Have you tried sticking the mics up by your ears so the mics "hear" what you hear? Just an idea...
 
I only have one mic, a small condenser which is actually pretty decent and has good detail.

I'd rather not have to resort to EQ because I usually make it sound worse, or less natural.

Do you think it could be something with the guitar? My friend comes over sometimes and brings his guitar and it never has any 'boomyness' to it.
 
Things that can make an ac gtr sound boomy:

1. a guitar that's actually boomy
2. a small room that's got unnatural emphasis on lows and low-mids - they often tend to ring and build up if the room’s not treated
3. sitting too close to a corner of the room
4. mic'ing the soundhole with a cardioid
5. mic'ing so close that you get too much proximity effect with a cardioid

Tim
 
Maybe it's my room. It's not treated. Or maybe it's a combination of both, my guitar might just be a little naturally 'boomy' and the room just emphasizes that.

I've read an article by Ethan about room treatment but I'm still kind of lost because it's a little different for every room.

Would putting up standard bass traps in the corners be a good start? I also notice some 'ringing' on the high notes when playing chords. I'm guessing I'll need some high-frequency absorbers or something? Where would they go?
 
DO NOT POINT THE MIC DIRECTLY AT THE SOUNDHOLE!
The majority of the sound of an acoustic is actually the vibrating of the top (which gets started by the strings vibrating, and then having that vibration transmitted to the top via the saddle/bridge.) Most people think that the sound "shoots" out of the soundhole. All the comes right out of the soundhole is alot of boominess (as you have discovered).

Unfortunately, the room sound is probably a big part of getting a good acoustic sound (in addition to mic placement/selection).

Good luck!
 
gordone said:
DO NOT POINT THE MIC DIRECTLY AT THE SOUNDHOLE!
The majority of the sound of an acoustic is actually the vibrating of the top (which gets started by the strings vibrating, and then having that vibration transmitted to the top via the saddle/bridge.) Most people think that the sound "shoots" out of the soundhole. All the comes right out of the soundhole is alot of boominess (as you have discovered).

Unfortunately, the room sound is probably a big part of getting a good acoustic sound (in addition to mic placement/selection).

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I had the mic about 15 inches away from the 12th fret. I've tried pointing the mic towards the head of the guitar and away from the soundhole and it does help the boomyness but it also doesnt give as much of a full sound as the 12th fret.

I may just wait until I get a stereo pair of mics and mic it that way.

Thanks for the replies
 
Sometimes, when all else fails, you just have to roll off some of the low end.

With a single mic, I usually get good results 18" - 24" straight out from the neck joint.
 
The clip sounds like the guitar's got a naturally boomy low A, and the room is probably contributing.

tdukex said:
Sometimes, when all else fails, you just have to roll off some of the low end.
Click to expand...
I’d do that if all the bass notes were boomy, or the track was going in a mix where you want a thinner tone. In this instance though, where he's getting boominess only on the bass note of that A minor chord, as a quick fix I'd use a multiband compressor myself. But it'd be better to retrack it and avoid the uneven bass.

Tim
 
Another thing to try is to aim the mic just below the treble side of the bridge, aimed away from the soundhole. I get good results from that position.
 
Yeah Tim I think the A note is naturally boomy. There's also a B note that's naturally boomy (I think B3) up by the 7th fret. What causes this? Is there no way to fix it by changing something on the guitar...like the action, or something? Or does it have to do with the resonance of the body? :confused:
 
solo.guitar said:
Yeah Tim I think the A note is naturally boomy. There's also a B note that's naturally boomy (I think B3) up by the 7th fret. What causes this? Is there no way to fix it by changing something on the guitar...like the action, or something? Or does it have to do with the resonance of the body? :confused:
Click to expand...
A lot of guitars are like that - a pitch here and there is louder than the rest. You might change the guitar's sound a bit with different strings.

It's one of the characteristics of truly great guitars that they're loud and evenly balanced, note to note. For recording I'd suggest finding an ac guitar that's balanced, even if it's got a low volume.

Or get to know the multiband compressor or MB limiter really well. :D That'll take down those boomy bass notes if you set it just right. Of course they'll sound a little unnatural too.

Tim
 
someone posted earlier and I think it might ahve been lost.

try putting the mic over your shoulder by your left ear, pointing toward the guitar. Then it will hear what you hear, if you like it, the mic ought to also.

To help deal with room issues, sit in front of an open closet full of clothes and play witht he mic facing out of the closet. If that doesn;t work, try to turn so the mic faces more into the closet. Some of that might help, try palm muting if it suits the song. I hate boomyness and end up doing that alot myself.

daav
 
Thanks Tim, I was planning on getting a new acoustic soon anyway. I've been using this one for the last 5 years, and it's the first, and only acoustic I've ever had.

I may mess around with the MBC just for practice, and maybe I'll be able to get a decent sound with it.

One more thing, Tim. Can you recommend any good guitars for recording? Of course I'll go to the shop to try them out before I buy, but I'd like to have some in mind before I go.

Thanks again for the replies.
 
daav said:
someone posted earlier and I think it might ahve been lost.

try putting the mic over your shoulder by your left ear, pointing toward the guitar. Then it will hear what you hear, if you like it, the mic ought to also.

To help deal with room issues, sit in front of an open closet full of clothes and play witht he mic facing out of the closet. If that doesn;t work, try to turn so the mic faces more into the closet. Some of that might help, try palm muting if it suits the song. I hate boomyness and end up doing that alot myself.

daav
Click to expand...

Thanks Daav, the only problem is I have my computer in the closet to avoid noise issues, so recording into the closet would bring in too much noise. :(

I've tried the 'over the shoulder' technique and it did sound a lot less boomy, and more clear/even sounding, but my room isn't treated, and the guitar sounded too 'distant'.

Mic placement is a bitch.
 
the way i place mics to get a great sound on acoustic .. is with a matched pair of rode nt5's and i put one directly on the 12th fret and one near the players head ( a little above ) and then usually make the 12th fret mic louder. but the 2 mics together sound great!
 
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