how to mix acoustic guitar
mixing tip #015 - how to mix acoustic guitar using stock plug-ins only
Hallojis! This week, we’re talking about mixing acoustic guitar.
DISCLAIMER (I can already hear the other audio engineers fuming over their keyboards): there is no one single formula for mixing acoustic guitar. The changes you make should be driven by how you want the instrument to sit in the mix. My suggestion below will be a SIMPLE, generic workflow geared towards the DIY musician looking to improve their acoustic guitar sound.
All good? Let’s dive in!
1. Insert an EQ.
On this EQ, engage a high-pass filter. Roll off the low frequencies below ~80 Hz. This is going to help us get rid of unwanted bass frequencies that result from things like tapping the strings with your hand.
2. Insert a Compressor.
Use a soft knee (~ 9:1), a gentle ratio (~ 2.7:1), a short to moderate attack (~ 5 ms), and a medium release (~ 200 ms). Next, play your track and adjust the threshold until you’re averaging about 3 to 6 dB of gain reduction. Finally, turn up the make-up gain a few dB. With this compressor, we’re controlling the peaks and evening out the overall volume level of the signal.
Pro Tip: the ultimate audio debate— EQ first, or compressor first? My personal opinion is EQ first to roll off the lows, then compress, then EQ again. This is because when you add make-up gain in the compressor, it’s turning up the volume of the whole signal. Low frequencies can tend to muddy a mix, so ideally you don’t want those being boosted.
3. Insert another EQ.
This is where we’ll shape the sound to fit in our mix. In general you want to treat at least two areas:
around 150 Hz - this is where the boominess / woofiness / muddiness of the acoustic lives; cut 1-3 dB here.
upper frequencies (it depends) - this is where the brightness / sheen of the acoustic lives; boost 1-3 dB here to taste.
Check out the video for more. Stay well, shine bright.
