Most nylon-string guitar players know that the guitar sounds best not for themselves, but for their listeners who are seated directly in front of the sound hole, preferrably a few meters back. When you’re shopping for a new guitar, it’s always best to take along a friend who also plays, so you can hear what the guitar sounds like from the front. For similar sound reasons, many luthiers include small sound holes in the top left side of the guitar, so that the player can hear the guitar similar to how listeners hear it.
Acoustic guitars by their very nature interact with their environment. They sound great in certain environments -- for example, environments that naturally provide just a bit of reverb and natural amplification. And they sound quiet and lifeless in other situations -- for example, outdoors or in small crowded venues with lots of bodies absorbing the sound.. Nylon strings are even more sensitive to their surroundings, as they are generally quieter and depend on subtleties in tone for interpretations.
I’ve always opted for a mic (a Shure SM57), which I can place a short distance away from the guitar. In classical guitar, a mic is really the only option for picking up the varieties in tone that we create with changes in finger angle and hand position. But mics are far from perfect. They are bulkier and less convenient, more prone to feedback, and pick up ambient noise much worse than pick-ups do.
Do other nylon-string players use pick-ups that work well for them? How well do they capture the subtleties of tone and dynamics that we want from classical guitar? Has anyone found a pick-up that works almost as well as a mic? What do other players (students, teachers, etc.) think on this subject in general?
Hi Leah,
great topic here! I think that the subject should be divided into 2 different scenarios: live and studio
in the studio condenser mic make the guitar sound magical, but we are in a controlled environment so no much problem when it comes to feedback loop, noise and wind.
in a live situation the same microphones may turn into a real nightmare, just because of their very sensitive perception to details. Here explained why some players end up on dynamic mics (like the 57 or the 58) but dynamic mics don't compliment acoustic guitar much, especially the most demanding players. I remember Paco used a Brüel & Kjær (now DPA) 4011 in live situations, still incredible to me that he was able to interact with such a microphone in live situations. I made positive experience with high fidelity piezo for the acoustic but for classical guitar I would recommend a stunning contact microphone (you can just lay it on the top) called OMNIA from Heart-Sound.
hope this helps.
Gabriele
Hi Gabriele, I agree the topics of mics for recording and performing are totally separate. You have so many more good options in a studio setting, without the complications. The Omnia contact mic sounds interesting, that it just sits on top of the guitar. Thanks for the recommendation!
You're welcome Leah,
I hope you'll get a chance to try it
cheers
Gabriele