Tillie Doyle
Panning is a critical process in mixing audio for a good-sounding final product. It involves placing sounds on different sides of the stereo field to create a stereo image, giving each instrument space to breathe and ensuring that everything can be heard clearly. When panning acoustic guitar mics, it is important to create distinct tones for each guitar and ensure they are tightly synchronised. There are several panning techniques available, including the XY technique, mid-side technique, and the use of stereo mic arrays. The specific panning approach chosen will depend on the desired effect and the number of guitars and other instruments involved.
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What You'll Learn
The importance of panning acoustic guitar mics
Panning acoustic guitar mics is a critical process in creating a good-sounding mix. It involves placing the mics on different sides, with one guitar in the right speaker and the other in the left. This technique enhances the stereo image, making the guitars sound more powerful and full while also creating space for other instruments.
When panning acoustic guitar mics, it is essential to create distinct tones for each guitar by using different guitars, pickups, amps, or settings. This ensures that the overall sound is superior to using guitars with identical sound characteristics. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure flawless recording, with both guitars tightly synchronized to achieve the full potential of the mix.
The specific panning positions can vary depending on the number of guitars and the desired effect. For example, placing one dynamic mic hard left at 7 o'clock and the ribbon mic at 9 o'clock can create a powerful sound. If a room mic is added, panning it to the complete opposite side at 5 o'clock can provide "natural" reverb. When panning electric and acoustic guitars together, placing them opposite each other helps differentiate their tonality and create space.
It is important to experiment with different pan positions and ensure that the guitar is the loudest thing in the mix. Additionally, checking the mix in mono is crucial to ensure that the panning has not negatively impacted the sound. Panning acoustic guitar mics is a creative process that can enhance the overall listening experience and make the mix sound more natural, bigger, and fuller.
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How to create a stereo image
To create a stereo image when miking an acoustic guitar, you will generally need a two-mic setup. There are several different techniques for achieving this.
One common method is the XY technique, also known as a coincident pair. This involves placing two small diaphragm condenser mics (ideally a matched pair) close together, with one mic above the other, nearly touching. The ends of the mics should then be split apart at roughly 90 to 120 degrees, forming a "V" shape. Keeping the capsules focused on the 12th fret, you can experiment with moving the mics further away to capture more of the room, or slightly left or right to emphasise particular frequencies. This technique is popular because it mimics the positioning of human ears, resulting in a natural-sounding stereo image.
Another technique is the mid-side method, which involves using a figure-8 mic for the mid-side recording and a cardioid mic on top. You can record the guitar using your preferred mic placement, then make two copies of the track. Pan one to the right and apply a high-pass filter to make this the "fretted string" sound. Then, pan the other track to the left and apply a low-pass filter to make it the "guitar body" sound. Keep the original track in the centre and mix to taste.
Additionally, you can experiment with different mic placements to capture the desired sound. One option is to place one mic near the "money spot" by the 12th fret, and the other by the bridge. Another option is to position the mic above the sound hole, about 12 to 16 inches away, to achieve a fuller sound with more power. Alternatively, placing the mic behind and below the bridge, angled towards the player's hand, will produce a similar effect while picking up slightly less bass and fretted string detail.
When panning the mics, you can go for a traditional stereo setup by panning the mics fairly wide apart to achieve a balanced stereo image. However, if a stable stereo image is important, you may want to keep the microphones panned closer to the centre of the panorama. Additionally, consider the type of music being played. For instance, if the guitar is accompanying a vocal part, you might want to pan the mics fairly centrally to avoid the guitar line distracting from the vocals.
Finally, while a two-mic setup is ideal for capturing the depth and accuracy of an acoustic guitar, you can also add spaciousness to mono tracks by utilising stereo processing techniques.
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The 'money spot' for acoustic guitar recording
The "money spot" for acoustic guitar recording is an area just off the sound hole, moving towards the neck. This position provides a balanced tone that is not washed out by bass and enables the microphone to pick out more fretted string detail. This is the most reliable way to capture a pleasing sound that is true to the tone of the instrument.
The microphone should be placed about 6 to 12 inches away from the strings, aimed at the 12th fret of the guitar. This technique produces a detailed and balanced sound. The microphone can also be placed around 12 inches away, aimed at the bridge, which provides a brighter tone.
The placement of the microphone is crucial to achieving the desired sound. It is important to experiment with different locations and techniques to find what works best for the specific guitar and the song. The shape and sound of the room also affect the recording, so choosing the right spot is crucial.
Additionally, the type of microphone used can impact the sound. Condenser microphones are commonly used for acoustic guitars as they can pick up a lot of detail across the full frequency spectrum. However, there are no rules, and experimenting with different microphones and setups is part of the engineering process.
By following these guidelines and experimenting with different techniques, you can achieve a wide range of sounds and create a unique and immersive recording of an acoustic guitar.
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Different panning techniques
Panning is critical for a good-sounding mix. It creates a stereo image, making the sound more powerful and full. It also leaves space for other instruments and vocals.
- Hard panning: This involves panning the guitar hard left and hard right in the stereo field. This can be done with double-tracked instruments, where the same part is recorded twice. This technique creates a wide and spacious sound.
- Opposition panning: When panning electric and acoustic guitars in the same mix, placing them opposite each other in the stereo field can help differentiate their tonality and create space. For example, panning one guitar at 7 o'clock (hard left) and the other at 5 o'clock (hard right).
- Centre panning: For guitar solos, it is recommended to pan the microphones fairly close to the centre of the panorama, especially if the solo carries the main melodic content. This enhances definition and ensures the guitar doesn't distract from the vocals in mono listening conditions.
- Mono auxiliary track: Creating a mono auxiliary track for reverb and panning it directly on top of the guitar position can simulate the sound of a mic'd guitar amp. This is useful when using guitar plugins that lack reverb.
- Balanced panning: Instead of hard left and hard right panning, a more balanced feel can be achieved by panning instruments slightly to the left and right. For example, a guitar panned slightly left will complement a keyboard panned slightly right.
- Creative panning: This involves using effects such as reverb or delay to create interesting sonic pictures and tell stories with the music. For example, using Universal Audio's EP-34 Tape Echo plug-in to create vintage tape delay effects.
It's important to experiment with different pan positions and ensure that the guitar is the loudest thing in the mix. Additionally, when using multiple guitars, create different tones for them by using different guitars, pickups, amps, or settings to make the audio experience more superior.
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Phase-matching and phase-cancellation
Panning guitars is a critical aspect of creating a good-sounding mix. While panning guitars, it is important to ensure that the guitars have distinct tones to create a superior audio experience. This can be achieved by using different guitars, pickups, amps, or settings for each guitar. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure flawless recording with tight synchronization between the guitars.
To achieve proper phase-matching, it is recommended to listen to both signals in mono through a single speaker. Flip one of the signals out of phase and move the microphones around until maximum cancellation is achieved in the lower frequencies. Alternatively, listen for the reinforcement of frequencies that need to be cut out. Once this is achieved, flip the signals back into phase. It is important to note that phase differences are crucial for some stereo miking techniques, and phase issues only become a problem when they sound bad.
Another technique to deal with phase-cancellation is to use acoustic treatment, which involves mounting panels on the walls that absorb sound waves and convert them into heat. This prevents sound waves from reflecting off the walls and back into the microphone, resulting in clearer and less muddy recordings. Additionally, it is recommended to keep performers and microphones at least a few feet away from room boundaries and other large reflective surfaces to minimize phase cancellation issues.
When using a single microphone for an acoustic guitar, phase cancellation can still occur if the guitarist rotates the instrument, changing the relative distances between the guitar and the microphone. This results in a constantly shifting tonal balance that can be challenging to mix. In such cases, it is crucial to experiment with different microphone positions and techniques to find the best sound.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to pan acoustic guitar mics, depending on the genre of music or recording technique. One common method is to use two mics placed on either side of the performer, a few feet away and facing them, with one mic panned left and the other panned right. This creates a stereo image and gives the guitar a full and powerful sound.
The "money spot" is an area just off the sound hole, towards the neck of the guitar. Placing a mic here provides a balanced tone that isn't washed out by bass and captures more fretted string detail.
Most sound engineers use condenser mics for acoustic guitars because of their higher sensitivity. However, for certain types of guitars, dynamic mics may be a better fit. The MXL CR89 is a popular large-diaphragm condenser microphone for recording acoustic guitars.
Moving the microphone about 12 to 16 inches away from the sound hole will result in a slightly fuller sound.
The mid-side recording technique involves using a single cardioid mic placed directly on top of a figure-8 mic. The cardioid mic is pointed at the instrument, while the figure-8 mic is perpendicular to it. In post-production, the figure-8 track is duplicated and panned to create a "widening" effect between the speakers. This technique adds definition and detail to acoustic guitar recordings.
