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Electric guitarists have never had it so good when it comes to recording – there's a whole host of great amp and effects modelling software programs available that allow you to have access to a virtual dream rig for recording – and at a bargain price to boot. But for recording acoustics it's a very different story – it's old-school.

Preparations

For optimum and more full-bodied results when capturing your guitar's acoustic tone, there's still nothing that rivals mic'ing it. Before we get to that, let's be prepared – correct action on your guitar is a must to ensure there's minimal buzzing on your recording, and if you're layering different acoustic tracks the subtlety of a thin plectrum is also beneficial.

Be aware of loose clothing, belt buckles and buttons that could knock on the guitar – this can be picked up by the mic. Also the room you're playing in is very important – hard floors and surfaces can provide a natural 'live' sound.

Experiment – if you're playing in a carpeted room you could try laying a square of hard material where you're playing – or even setting up in the bathroom and running your cables out from there. This is where recording on a laptop is real advantage, because you can take it anywhere.

Setup 1: Mic at the 12th fret

Firstly, your choice of mic is of paramount importance. We'd recommend using one of the many inexpensive condenser mics from the likes of SE, Shure, Rode, Audio-Technica, Samson and Sontronics.

You can get a reasonable result from a normal dynamic mic, but they lack both the sensitivity and frequency response to get the best from your acoustic sound.

Secondly, we're not going to just mic sound from the guitar's soundhole – the results would be too bassy. Both low-end and high-end tone emanates from your acoustic, but from different places. The low-end is mainly around the soundhole area while the higher end sounds will be around the area of the 12th fret.

This is usually the position for a one-mic recording set-up, with the mic around 40cm from the guitar, positioned at a height slightly higher than the neck and pointing down towards the 12th fret. Listen through headphones and check your monitors to make slight adjustments as required to get the best results – the variable factors of room, individual guitar, playing style and mic type will come into play. Usually the further away you place the mic from the guitar, the more room ambience (reverb) will come into play.

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