Jan 03, 2025 / guitar ~ acoustic ~ music-production ~ singer-songwriter
Seven Ways to Record a Singer-Songwriter Performing Vocals and Acoustic Guitar

As a hobbyist singer-songwriter, I've spent three decades exploring the art of recording acoustic tracks. After analysing insights from over 40 experienced recordists in the Massdog Music Home Studio community (370,000+ members), I've discovered patterns in what really works - and what doesn't.

Let's explore the most proven approaches, ranked by their effectiveness based on community validation and real-world success.

1. The Guide Track Method (Most Endorsed)

Endorsed by 9 community members, including several top contributors

This emerged as the most validated approach across all skill levels. For a clear demonstration of this technique in action, check out Alex Biggs' comprehensive tutorial, which walks through the entire process step by step.

"I always start with a guide track, which never appears on the actual release, of me singing along to my acoustic guitar. I then record the guitar part by playing along to the guide, then add the vocal." - Phil Matthews

The method's strength lies in combining the best of both worlds: capturing your natural performance energy while maintaining clean, separate tracks for mixing. Multiple producers specifically noted how this approach preserves the emotional authenticity of the performance while allowing professional-quality mixing.

Key Steps:

  1. Record a complete performance with both guitar and vocals
  2. Use this as your reference track
  3. Record guitar separately while listening to the guide
  4. Record vocals as the final layer
  5. Remove the guide track

2. The Track-by-Track Recording Approach

Validated by 6 community experts

This traditional studio method remains popular for good reason. Before diving in, watch Miguel Weissman's insightful video on avoiding common overthinking pitfalls with this method.

"Record guitar first and then do the vocals so you have control over the vocals and instrument. That's how professional studios do it." - Nick Boyd

Key Steps:

  1. Set up microphone(s) for guitar recording
  2. Record the guitar part, focusing on a clean performance
  3. Re-position microphone(s) for vocal recording
  4. Record vocals while listening to the guitar track
  5. Review and potentially re-record any sections that need work

However, an important caveat emerged from the discussion: while this method offers maximum control, it may not suit everyone. As Michael Harvey notes, "some artists deliver their best performances all at once" - which leads us to our next approach.

3. The Performance-First Method

Supported by 5 community experts

This approach prioritises capturing the magic of a live performance. For a masterclass in this technique, watch Gillian Welch and David Rawlings' World Cafe performance, recorded with a single AKG 414 in figure-8 pattern - a perfect example of how simplicity can yield stunning results.

"The best way is whatever gets the best performance from the artist. Never allow technical/engineering issues to dictate what should be done." - Mark Gifford

For performers who thrive on the interplay between their voice and guitar, this method often produces the most authentic results.

Key Steps:

  1. Find a comfortable performance position
  2. Practice the song several times before recording
  3. Focus on delivering a complete, emotionally authentic take
  4. Accept that some minor imperfections may be worth keeping
  5. Record multiple complete takes rather than trying to piece together perfect sections

It can be implemented in two ways:

3a. Capture two performers with a single mic in Figure-8

Perfect for those with minimal equipment:

"It only took 2 minutes to find the sweet spot, nice vocal with just the right amount of guitar. Both sounded great and the client was thrilled." - Cousin Steve

Key Steps:

  1. Choose a large-diaphragm condenser microphone if available
  2. Start with mic positioned at the same height as your mouth, about 2 feet away
  3. Point the mic where your voice and guitar naturally meet
  4. Do test recordings and adjust position until balance is right
  5. Mark the floor position and mic height when you find the sweet spot

3b. Capture guitar and vocals with a stereo ribbon mic

For those with more advanced equipment, this technique is beautifully demonstrated in Gordon Davies' cover of "Bittersweet Symphony", which uses a stereo ribbon mic in Blumlein configuration:

"Place the mic(s) with the capsules at 90 degrees to each other (One capsule pointing at your mouth, the other at the guitar) the null points of each will give you the max amount of separation." - Gordon Davies

4. The Room-First Approach

A fundamental principle endorsed across methods

Before considering complex mic techniques, multiple experts emphasized the importance of your recording space:

"The magic of Sun Studio is the mostly untreated room they record in." - Carl Smith

Key Steps:

  1. Test different spots in your room by playing and singing
  2. Listen for unwanted reflections or resonances
  3. Try corners first (they often sound better for acoustic instruments)
  4. Consider basic acoustic treatment if needed (blankets, cushions, etc.)
  5. Once you find the best spot, mark it for consistency

This foundation often matters more than expensive equipment.

5. The Vocal Mic + Acoustic Mic + DI Approach

Combining pickup and microphone signals

This method leverages both the acoustic guitar's built-in pickup system and traditional microphones for a fuller sound:

"I DI the guitar and mic the vocal with a Beta57 on separate tracks as a guide. Build the band on top of that. Then go back and mic the acoustic with a mic to suit its tone." - Brendan Read-Jones

For an excellent example of sophisticated multi-source recording, listen to Manchester Orchestra's acoustic version of "I Know How To Speak". They used an SM7B for vocals (about 3" away) and two large-diaphragm condensers on the guitar, demonstrating how multiple sources can create a rich, full sound while maintaining clarity.

Key Advantages:

  • Blend of direct and acoustic sound
  • Backup options if one source has issues
  • More control during mixing
  • Can emphasise either natural or processed tone

Key Steps:

  1. Connect acoustic guitar's pickup to audio interface through a DI box
  2. Set up microphone(s) for the guitar
  3. Check phase relationship between pickup and mic signals
  4. Record both sources to separate tracks
  5. During mixing, experiment with balance between DI and mic signals
  6. Consider using different mic positions to complement pickup sound

6. The Vocal Mic + Electric Guitar DI Method

Clean, consistent signal path

Using an electric-acoustic guitar with DI offers unique advantages, as noted by Per Sahlström who "uses DI from an electric guitar with a stage condenser for vocals, noting minimal bleed issues." For a practical example of this approach, check out Cheap Motel by Andrew Wall, which demonstrates the clean, professional sound achievable with this method.

Key Advantages:

  • Zero bleed from vocals
  • Consistent sound regardless of room
  • Perfect for layering with other instruments
  • Ideal for less-than-perfect recording spaces

Key Steps:

  1. Connect guitar directly to audio interface or through DI box
  2. Set input gain for peaks around -12dB
  3. Record a test to check for any buzz or interference
  4. Add subtle EQ and compression during recording if needed
  5. Consider double-tracking for fuller sound
  6. Pan double-tracked parts slightly left and right

7. The Vocal Mic + Acoustic Pickup Method

Combining traditional and contemporary approaches

This approach integrates multiple recording techniques for maximum flexibility, as beautifully demonstrated in the Party of Two (One Last Wish) recording shared by Wade Jackson, which combines a large diaphragm condenser and piezo pickup for a rich, full sound.

"My choice of vocal mic is the EV re-20 used very close which gives remarkable isolation without all the proximity effect." - Bryce Chicoine

Key Steps:

  1. Set up both close and room mics for the guitar
  2. Add DI if available
  3. Position vocal mic with attention to rejection patterns
  4. Record all sources simultaneously
  5. Keep all recordings, even if you don't plan to use them all
  6. Blend during mixing to taste

Practical Recommendations

Before diving into any of these methods, watch Electrical Audio's How-To: Recording Acoustic Stringed Instruments shared by Nivek Ekzem, which provides excellent foundational knowledge for all these approaches.

Based on your setup:

If you have one microphone:

  • Start with the Single Mic Setup
  • Focus on room placement and mic position
  • Consider the Guide Track Method for more control

If you have two or more microphones:

  • Try the Figure-8 Pattern Method
  • Experiment with the Modern Hybrid approach
  • Still consider using the Guide Track Method for complex arrangements

If you're building larger arrangements:

  • Definitely use the Guide Track Method
  • Consider adding a click track if needed
  • Remember you can always simplify it later

Equipment Guide: What The Pros Use

In this section, we'll examine specific gear choices, illustrated by real-world examples from our contributors' recordings. For instance, the Manchester Orchestra acoustic session demonstrates the effectiveness of combining an SM7B for vocals with carefully placed large-diaphragm condensers for guitar.

Microphones

The most frequently mentioned microphones include:

For All-in-One Recording:

  • AKG 414: A versatile workhorse, especially good in figure-8 pattern for isolation (as demonstrated in the Gillian Welch recording)
  • AT-4033: Praised for its ability to capture both guitar and vocals naturally
  • Neumann U87: The gold standard for both vocal and room recording

For Vocals Specifically:

  • Shure SM7B: Favored for its excellent isolation properties, as demonstrated in the Manchester Orchestra recording
  • EV RE-20: Praised for close-mic vocal recording with minimal proximity effect
  • Sennheiser MD431: Recommended for its good off-axis rejection

For Guitar Recording:

  • DPA 4099: Excellent for close-miking acoustics
  • Royer SF12: Stereo ribbon mic, perfect for Blumlein technique (as heard in Gordon Davies' recording)
  • AT825: Great for capturing room sound

Guitar Equipment

Pickup Systems:

  • Baggs saddle transducer: Mentioned by several pros for clean DI recording
  • Bill Lawrence pickup: Used successfully in hybrid setups
  • Internal piezo systems: Popular when blending with microphone signals

Direct Input Equipment:

  • Neve DI box: Favored for its clean, professional sound
  • Sound Devices MixPre3: Mentioned for portable recording setups

Notable Microphone Techniques

Throughout our community examples, several microphone techniques stood out:

  1. Figure-8 Pattern Usage
    • Demonstrated excellently in the Gillian Welch recording
    • Maximises separation between guitar and vocals
    • Particularly effective with AKG 414s
  2. Blumlein Pair Setup
    • Two figure-8 mics at 90° angles
    • Creates natural stereo image
    • Example: Gordon Davies' "Bittersweet Symphony" cover
  3. XY Pairs for Guitar
    • Provides excellent mono compatibility
    • Popular with small-diaphragm condensers
    • Great for capturing full range of acoustic guitar
  4. Mid-Side Recording
    • Offers flexibility in stereo width
    • Maintains perfect mono compatibility
    • Particularly useful when recording in smaller rooms

Additional Resources

Our community members have shared several excellent resources that provide deeper insights into these recording techniques. Here's a curated collection of the most valuable demonstrations and tutorials:

Tutorials and Demonstrations

Professional Examples

Microphone Setup Analysis for Guitar and Vocal Recording

Single Microphone Setups

  • Large-diaphragm condenser (AT-4033)

    • Technique: Single mic positioned at sweet spot between guitar and vocals. Focus on finding perfect placement for natural balance.
    • Example: Cousin Steve's radio show recording - Simple one-mic setup that went straight to broadcast

  • AKG 414 (figure-8 pattern)

Two Microphone Setups

  • Large-diaphragm condenser for guitar, Stage condenser for vocals

    • Technique: DI from electric guitar with stage condenser for vocals to minimize bleed
    • Example: Per Sahlström's method - Focuses on clean separation with minimal bleed

  • Two figure-8 pattern condensers

    • Technique: Uses null spots of figure-8 pattern mics for separation. One mic toward guitar with null at vocal position, other vice versa.
    • Example: Charles Meserole's technique - Particularly effective for mid-side in small rooms

  • C414XLII (cardioid) + AT825 stereo

    • Technique: Room-based setup with close mic 2ft from mouth, stereo mic pair 6.5ft away and 6ft high
    • Example: Damian Panitz's method for natural room sound capture

Three Microphone Setups

  • Vocal mic, soundhole mic, pencil condenser

    • Technique: Classic studio approach: One mic for vocals, one at guitar soundhole (panned left), one pencil condenser down neck (panned right)
    • Example: Harry King's traditional studio method for maximum separation and control

  • Two hyper-cardioid mics + internal guitar mic

    • Technique: Three-source recording with two external mics plus internal guitar mic. Manages leakage through careful placement.
    • Example: Gherardo Infunti's triple-mic approach

  • SM7B for vocals, 2 LDCs on guitar

Four Microphone Setup

  • EV RE-20 (vocals), 3 ADK mics (2 lollipop, 1 Munich seven) + Neve DI
    • Technique: Complex multi-mic setup with close-miked vocals, multiple guitar perspectives, and DI blend
    • Example: Joey Stuckey's EP recording setup

Key Insights

  1. Single-mic setups can be highly effective with proper placement and high-quality condensers
  2. Two-mic setups offer a good balance of separation and simplicity
  3. Figure-8 pattern microphones are particularly useful for their null point rejection
  4. More complex setups (3-4 mics) tend to be used in professional studio contexts

Notes on Implementation

  • The success of any setup depends more on proper mic placement and room acoustics than the number of mics used
  • Each additional microphone introduces potential phase issues that need to be managed
  • More complex setups provide more mixing options but require more expertise to execute well
  • The choice of setup should be influenced by the performer's comfort and ability to deliver their best performance

Final Thoughts

The data shows that while equipment quality matters, technique and comfort matter more. The most endorsed methods all prioritize capturing authentic performances over technical perfection. As demonstrated in the various examples above, from Gillian Welch's minimalist approach to Manchester Orchestra's multi-mic setup, there's no single "right way" to record acoustic guitar and vocals - the best method is the one that captures your performance most effectively.

Remember what Jelmer Knisper wisely noted: "Just take the guitar and your guts and play. This has nothing to do with recordings or advice from people who know how other people do it in a pro studio. This is you who wants to play. So, play."

You may also like...

blog comments powered by Disqus