![Playing a classical guitar Classical-Guitarist](https://api.sageaudio.com/storage/article/uploads/2014-06-Classical-Guitarist1-e1412721220166.png)
One of the most difficult instruments to record is the classical guitar. It has an extensive dynamic and tonal range, and on top of that, a good performance is often full of the nuanced, detailed expression of the musician. Beethoven even reportedly once called the classical guitar a “miniature orchestra in itself.” , According to Guitarable.com
A decent classical guitar recording has to have sensitivity to capture the detailed softer notes, while simultaneously capturing the fullness of the dynamic expression without peaking. Because the strings are nylon, they are able to resonate much quieter than the steel or brass ones used on an acoustic guitar.
Multiple Inputs
Because of this, it’s best to use at least two sources when recording. Positioned in front of the guitar, 6-12 inches from the soundhole, you need either a large diaphragm condenser mic or a ribbon mic. This will capture the dynamic variance, presence and the deeper tones of the instrument’s range.
For your second input, you’ve got a few options. You can use the guitar’s internal pickup (if it has one). Or you can use one or two small diaphragm condenser “pencil” mics placed nearer to the neck. This goal of this source is to capture the brighter tones and the details of the performer’s expression.
An alternative to this set up is to use a stereo pair of LDC or SDC mics. Usually set up two to three feet apart and one to two feet straight ahead of the guitar works well. If you’re using a pair of SDCs, you also try the standard XY array.
Mixing
The goal when mixing is to capture both the warm mids and lows of the guitar while still getting the details and rich bright notes. A nice blend of the two will make the fullness of the instrument come alive. Your primary track will be your LDC or ribbon, which the direct pickup input or the pencil mics add brightness, sensitivity and color.
As when working with any recording with multiple recordings on one track, it’s important to watch out for phase cancellation.
Once you’ve got a nice blend between the the two or three recordings of your track you’ll likely want to add a little reverb to recreate the feel of the instrument’s natural resonance, unless your recording space provided enough naturally.
The classical guitar is an incredibly beautiful and expressive instrument. By following these tips for recording it, you’ll be on right track for translating that beauty to your mix.
So, Why A Membership?
Let’s face it — trying to create professional mixes without the correct knowledge, tools, services, and network is like playing a concert with a broken instrument to an audience of no one.
That’s where the Sage Audio membership comes in — the membership gives you everything you need to create professional mixes consistently.
The membership is the secret to your success — it’s the difference between the 1,929,999,999 of poor-sounding mixes and the .00000002% of mixes that make people say 'WOW!"
There are 7 unique value-points included in your Sage Audio membership.
Let’s go over each one so you can decide if the membership is right for you.
1. Sage Audio University
- SAU Flagship Mixing Course: 23-video in-depth mixing course that reveals the little-known secrets of mixing and matches the needs of the new music industry.
- SAU Flagship Mastering Course: 19-video in-depth modern mastering course that dives into every nuance of making professional-sounding masters.
- SAU Pre-Mastering Course: Concise pre-mastering course that details the latest industry standards for preparing your mixes for mastering.
- SAU is designed for every experience level, ranging from budding mixing engineers to advanced engineers. The techniques and concepts taught can be applied to any DAW to create industry-leading mixes without expensive software or plugins - and free plugin alternatives are suggested throughout each course.
- Each SAU course includes Start-to-Finish session walkthrough lessons for multiple genres so you can follow along with your preferred genre.
- SAU Certification Document, which can be downloaded and showcased on your website and social channels.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
2. Private 1-on-1 Mentorship
- The Sage Audio private 1-on-1 Mentorship gives you direct access to us for advanced mixing feedback, in-depth discussions, and customized guidance that's tailored to your specific needs.
- Unlimited private access to us for advanced mixing feedback, where we provide detailed suggestions for improvement.
- Unlimited private access to us for in-depth discussions to help you improve every aspect of your mixes and masters.
- Customized guidance that’s tailored specifically to your needs.
- Fast communication so you can improve your skills quickly.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
3. Unlimited Mixing Feedback
- Unlimited professional mixing feedback directly from us so you can consistently improve your skills and create professional mixes.
- Mixing feedback is invaluable, and the Sage Audio membership gives you continual direct access to us for real-world feedback so you can improve every aspect of each of your mixes while you're in the process of mixing.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
4. 50 Free Mastered Songs Per Year
- 50 free mastered songs per year with your own dedicated professional mastering engineer so you can get all your mixes sounding like professional songs.
- You get your own dedicated Sage Audio mastering engineer to create custom masters that are specific to you and sound exactly how you want.
- Unlimited revisions with your dedicated mastering engineer. As a standard of our service, we are not happy until you are happy with the sound of your masters.
- All masters are delivered as commercial, industry-standard high-resolution 24-bit HD WAV masters so they will sound clean and clear on every platform.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
5. Community
- The Sage Audio community is a tight-knit community of passionate audio engineers who can provide you with additional real-world mixing feedback, meaningful discussions, networking, collaborations, and more.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
6. 70+ GB of Curated Sage Audio Downloadable Content
- 36 multitrack sessions spanning multiple genres for mixing practice.
- 57 un-mastered mixes spanning multiple genres for mastering practice.
- 62 Recommended Free Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 39 Recommended Paid Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 71 Sage Audio custom plugin presets to improve your mixes and masters.
- Sage Audio Membership Badge to showcase on your website, social channels, and portfolio.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
7. 800+ Video Catalog
- Access 700+ in-depth Sage Audio mixing and mastering videos - curated and organized into categories so you can easily take a deep dive into all aspects of audio engineering with thousands of hours of concise, expertly crafted Sage Audio videos to continually improve your skills at your own pace.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >