How to Record BETTER Acoustic Guitar Parts

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[Celticsaint]

Your xy technique has proved to give me the best acoustic guitar tracks I’ve ever done. Thanks again.

[scottvaughn]

Great vid. Great teacher! This goes without saying but in the interest of other beginners watching - if you add a capo, you can’t just start playing the same chord shapes - you need to transpose the chords to accommodate the key shift. Easy enough to do, but worth mentioning I thought.

[chuckdavis]

I don't record but man, I could listen to you all day. Great voice, great teaching.

[pmfmusicpublishing]

I love putting a capo'd version up the middle and then open L&R... really widens the image....love the video Joe.

[wireman]

Love your passion. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos you are a excellent teacher.

[bj]

Earlier this year I played three takes of an acoustic strumming song in G: one straight, uncapoed. A second in E with capo on 3rd fret, and a third in D with capo at fret 5.

Besides the voicing, I also varied the strum pattern. The E version (medium-high voicing) was open whole-note strum on beat 1, panned about 10 L. The other two were eighth notes with accents at 1, ‘2 and’, and 4. Those two takes were panned full L and R. I started the first verse with just the E take, and brought the other two in, 4 measures apart, at the chorus. Verse 2 used all three tracks throughout.

Finally, I tracked all three takes with two mics — one at the bridge and one at the 14th fret — and mixed each take about 20 points between the pan (L100 and L80, R 100 and R 80). Six tracks in all. That kind of drove me crazy with separate EQ on each track.

I must say it’s a full sound. With just the guitars it sounds quite nice. It might be a little crowded with piano, bass, lead and background vocals, and solo electric fills. I’m trying to decide if I like it. Next time I’m just going with one mic per take to keep things simple.

I’ll try this and other doubling effects again now that I have a J-45 and a second guitar in Nashville tuning.

[raymondlooi]

Love this simple but sounds sweet idea! In fact, just wondering how would you mix/position them to get a Big Guitar sound without phase issue?

[frankchiafari]

Agreed 100 percent. I love doubling. Another fantastic tip. 👍

[andreamaddalone]

Very good!! The pick is also incredibly important, sometimes changing pick you get more than changing guitar.

[adamwasthefirstman]

Pretty darned cool! I really love doubling acoustics and have to admit I never thought of putting open down the middle and doubling capoed left and right. I'll be trying it this week. Maybe even with a capoed left and nashville strung right!

[DennisAnthonis]

Excellent tutorial my friend! Succinct but with specific and detailed instruction. I like how you avoided specific DAWs and software since what you teach can be applied to all. Big thumbs up. 👍 Subbed you.

[AdirBin]

I want this exact video with more tips like that! Maybe tips that are bit more advanced. It was really informative. Thanks!

[jeremythornton]

Great video. Another trick I've used is to double your tracks but also use different mics.

[mojotabledancers]

Excellent video. I love simple but effective tips!

[whereismymind]

Very nice video full of advices ! As always you are incredibly helpful Joe !! Thank you so much !

[swingset]

Good tips, all things I do a lot. Another is to play a staccato part over top of it to usher in a new verse or bridge. Same notes, just articulated high or using open strings & triads, etc. Really drives an acoustic track.

[gavinjtube]

Very inspiring video. This is giving me lots of ideas. Thanks so much!

[TheFeelButton]

Love doubling! Or tripling even and I keep a high strung acoustic for that 12 string sound 🏋️‍♂️ Good stuff Joe!

[rickymolina]

Key concept, adds variation, interest and depth. I noticed that you got the metronome goin' while recording - that's so key to the process. Also, for variations, viewers may want to check out the Nashville open tuning or hook up Jam Origin's Midi 2 to an electric - which opens the sound palette wide to VSTs and sample libraries. I've found Jam Origin's audio to midi plugin to be superior to Fishman's Triple Play e.g. if anyone's interested in that stuff. Thanks again.

[kintubeats]

amazing stuff Joe, and so well explained