You’re at the right place if you’re looking for the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. It’s time to step up your entire studio or home recordings!
Face it – the preamp isn’t showcasing the guitar’s live sound as it should. You need an excellent microphone that will capture lush tonal qualities with lingering slide to the string along with different emotions whilst playing especially if you have invested in a high-quality acoustic guitar with a great set of strings and superior tonewoods.
Don’t fret! We’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up some of the best mic recording acoustic guitar and vocals available on the market. These guitars will meet all your musical needs and ensure your unique style and qualities are well preserved throughout the recording process.
Best Mic for Recording Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
If you are not getting the best results from the onboard preamp system, our recommendations of the mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals will come in handy. They will help bring out best tone wood qualities along with providing equally quality recordings and exceptional playing style.
At this point, you are curious to know and learn about the best microphones for recording acoustic guitars and vocals. We got you covered!
Condenser microphones are hands down the best when it comes to recording acoustic and vocals since you can place then closer to the source of sound. These microphones provide a cardioid pattern that eliminates unnecessary sound interference and background noise. You might have heard about side-address mics since most condenser microphones fall in this category.
Ribbon microphones are equally best suited for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. They offer excellent sonic qualities since they are quite sensitive to subtle timbre and notation changes. However, they fall on the higher side of the pricing spectrum.
For more focused sounds, directional mics come highly recommended. However, these mics will not give you the vibe like that of a cardioid polar pattern since they tend to home in specific areas.
Ultimately, dynamic mic is the only microphone that is not designed to cater to acoustic musical instruments. But they work just fine if you run out of options. The SM57 breaks the mould in terms of what dynamic mics can and can’t do since its an all-rounder option.
You get the drift? Okay, let’s now look at the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals, shall we?
Best Mic for Recording Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
Let’s first explore the standard industry options and finalize with the comprehensive ones. These microphones are specially designed to give you the best when it comes to acoustic guitar recordings factoring in cardioid polar patterns along with frequency response and max SPL just to mention a few.
Let’s get started!
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Shure KSM44A Large Dual Diaphragm Microphone
Shure KSM44A Diaphragm is a worthy investment since it’s a three-in-one microphone hence its price point. It’s relatively expensive! With this mic, you’ll get an exceptional detailed sound and switchable polar pattern setting owing to its non-existent crossover distortion and dual diaphragms since it employs Prethos Advanced Preamplifier Technology.
The cardioid, omnidirectional polar patterns and selectable bidirectional allows you to capture a range of sonic qualities. If you’re looking to enjoy roomier sounds of the guitar, cardioid polar patterns or explore a close-mic technique through omnidirectional or bidirectional patterns, you can do all that thanks to the built-in switch.
The gold layered Mylar diaphragms and one-inch dual condenser element allows you to create excellent recordings both in the studio and at the comfort of your home. Plus, they provide incredible detail that you’ll not lose on the stage, which makes it a great choice for performing and open-mic night musicians. What’s more, every little detail is captured in the high quality.
In addition, this mic comes with a three stage built-in pop filter that helps reduce breath noises and plosives. The internal shock mount, on the other hand, eliminates handling noise and that’s why its one of the best mics for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. If you’re looking for an essential studio mic with a great sound then Shure KSM44A is the way to go.
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Shure KSM32 Condenser Microphone
Just as the name suggests, Shure KSM32 is also part of the famous Shure KSM microphones collection. These microphones are specially designed to give recording artists top-notch sonic clarity without compromising on durability. This makes it an excellent choice for guitarists looking for something that can hold through a few bumps and knocks here and there.
Shure KSM32 is best suited for acoustic guitar recording and vocals since it offers linear frequency response ranging from 20Hz to about 20kHz. This typically means that this microphone provides transparent and incredible sound that allows the guitar’s tonewoods sonic qualities to take the centre stage.
This microphone additionally comes with an ultra-thin built-in gold layered low mass Mylar diaphragm that responds remarkably well to fingerpicking style. This, in turn, ensures your playing dynamics are accurately captured. The cardioid polar pattern provides extra clarity that rejects unnecessary background noise.
Shure KSM32 has a low frequency switchable filter that helps eliminate background noise along with counteracting the proximity effect that often occurs when close-milking. If you usually hit the chords a bit hard or you are naturally a hard player, the switchable attenuator will come in handy. This microphone records different levels of sound pressure up to 154Db which is technically louder than the engine of a jet.
In addition, the sound pressure can be attenuated at high levels for distortion-free sound. However, you’ll need a lot of effort getting an acoustic guitar to play that loud. Shure KSM32 is an excellent choice for those looking for the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals to serve them for years to come without the need of upgrading.
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Neumann TLM 102 Condenser Microphone
Neumann TLM is one of the best condenser microphones for recording acoustic guitar and vocals under $500. It’s best suited for guitarist working on a budget and looking to invest in a great acoustic guitar that will serve them for years to come without the need for an upgrade. This microphone has a 20Hz to a 20kHz frequency response that makes it stand out from the rest.
In addition, Neumann TLM has an extra 6kHz for improved presence when it comes to the overall mix. This microphone will breathe new life into your acoustic guitar. You need uninterrupted clarity and total silence with acoustic guitar recording and that’s where the built-in transformer less circuit comes into play. The transformer less circuit helps ensure less self-noise.
This microphone also comes with an elastically suspended capsule eliminating the need for a shock mount whilst recording. That’s why it’s among the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. What’s more, it can handle sound pressure pretty well up to a maximum of 144Db without any distortion creeping in the mix.
Neumann TLM is best suited for heavy-handed guitarists and an excellent choice for all round studio mic. What makes it have an edge over its counterparts is the fact that its relatively cheap.
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Shure PGA27 Large Diaphragm Side-Address Condenser Microphone
Unnecessary bottom-heavy boom and lack of presence owing to the proximity effect is one of the most common problems that musicians usually face especially when recording. And that is where Shure PGA27 Condenser Microphone comes into play. This microphone helps fix this problem and that’s why it sits firmly among the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals.
The best thing about this microphone is that it has an engineer-friendly design. Shure PGA27 has been specially engineered to handle everything ranging from electric guitars, drums to vocals and anything else you throw its way. However, it takes the cake when it comes to recording acoustic guitars. The glorious high-frequency boost not only brings definition but also overall presence into the mix.
In addition, Shure PGA27 helps solve the proximity effect with the three-position roll-off switch. This, in turn, stops low frequency from creeping in whilst ensuring the retention of top-notch treble qualities. The attenuation switch allows users to capture loud sound sources as well as it provides a maximum of up to 13db SPL when the pad is off and 145db when the pad is on. You’ll be good to go with almost all sound sources.
At around $200 or thereabout, comes a side-address cardioid condenser microphone uniquely designed to see you through life in terms of mixing an acoustic guitar. You’ll love everything about it!
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AKG C414XL II Condenser Microphone
If budgeting for double mics in a studio setting doesn’t sit well with your finances and you’re looking for a microphone with different polar patterns, then AKG C414XL II is the way to go. It’s typically a four-in-one microphone as it features five different polar patterns that you can choose from including cardioid, figure of eight, hyper cardioid, omnidirectional and wide cardioid.
You can check out this guide if you’re not conversant with polar patterns and don’t understand why you need to factor them in when making a purchase. The selectable polar pattern feature lets you record the acoustic guitar in different scenarios. Get the detail using the cardioid polar pattern or figure of eight in the bathroom to get ethereal reverb sound in the recording.
This microphone comes with an in-built overload warning audio peak hold LED. The warning audio alerts you anytime you play too loud which comes in handy when home recording because you only need to check the mic before you start to record. You don’t have to deal with distorted mixes anymore.
The three bass switchable filter is equally useful when recording acoustic guitar. This is because it helps eliminate the proximity effect along with rejecting unwanted background noise especially when you’re singing. For this reason, you won’t speak of any boomy sound.
Live performers operating acoustic open-mic nights are bound to appreciate how the bass-cut filter eradicates stage vibration along with max SPL. This means that you’ll be well covered for different environments if you need the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. It also works remarkably well when it comes to switching to acoustic amplifier.
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Aston Microphones Origin Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Aston Microphones Condenser Microphone is relatively new on the market as compared to its counterparts on our list. However, it has gained traction over the last couple of months and is currently the go-to microphone for home studio owners and audio engineers looking to a budget-friendly option to suit their musical needs.
This microphone features a one-inch hand-selected evaporated gold capsule that was engineered in unison by some of the most renowned sound recording artists, producers and engineers. What’s more, it provides vintage style sound to the recordings and a more sympathetic, warmer tonality without necessarily coloring anything.
Aston Microphones provides gradual lower frequency lift for both body and depth along with a low-cut filter to let you take out any booms creeping in. It has a tank-like build with an integrated bob filter that makes it an excellent choice for players looking for a top tier microphone they can use to record acoustic guitar and vocals.
In addition, this microphone comes with a wave form mesh head for shock absorption to help protect the capsule in case you knock or drop it. This means that its indestructible. Aston Microphones Origin Condenser Microphone is now a household name in the industry when it comes to recording acoustic guitar and vocals.
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AKG C214 Large Diaphragm Microphone
AKG C214 is a uniquely designed side-address condenser microphone specially crafted to withstand tough recording schedules. According to our research, it’s hands down the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals owing to the fact that it lets you enjoy a significant amount of gain especially before distortion starts creeping in thanks to the wide dynamic range up to a maximum of 156db.
With this microphone, you get to enjoy sonic clarity regardless of how hard you sing or play. Plus, it comes with a 20db pad if you want to go louder than it already is. It additionally features a low-cut switch that addresses and filters out low-end boom. The cardioid polar pattern, on the other hand, eliminates unwanted background noise.
In addition, AKG C214 Diaphragm Microphone is always road-ready as it features scratch resistant finish and metal die-cast body. The internal suspension components protect the large diaphragm element in the microphone to reduce background noise especially from a bump or knock. This microphone is an excellent choice for those who record higher output sources with an acoustic guitar.
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Aston Starlight Cardioid Microphone
Aston Starlight comes with a perfectly designed capsule along with a sintered metalhead to provide precise audio recordings. The microphone has a gold sputtered capsule with a well-rounded and balanced sound which provides top tier budget-friendly recording. Plus, you get three different distinct voicings that include vintage, modern and hybrid mode.
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Audio Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Audio Technica is the best mic for recording acoustic guitar and vocals under $100. The cardioid polar pattern helps eliminate unwanted background noise while the max SPL provides enough headroom for you to record acoustic guitars of different levels. The mic has a low mass diaphragm that provides high-quality extended frequency response for its price.
The extended frequency response means that users get the same tonal nuances and clarity whether you choose to record an acoustic guitar, spoken word vocals or brass instruments. If you’re planning on starting a home recording studio, then Audio Technica is an excellent choice to help you get started.
Conclusion
It’s important to choose the best mic for recoding acoustic guitar or vocals to suit your musical needs when creating an Electric Layland or home studio. You’ll get better results when you invest in the right microphone that’s why an industry standard one comes highly recommended especially if you can dig deeper into your pockets.
