Microphone Placement (Acoustic Guitar)

Acoustic Guitar

When it comes to recording acoustic guitar, you will need a large diaphragm condenser microphone such as the AKG C414 and a large diaphragm condenser such as the SE1000.

For the best results on a one-mic set up would be to position the mic, 40 cm away from the guitar and at around the 12^th fret mark. The mic should be positioned just slightly higher than the neck of the guitar and pointing downwards towards the direction of sound.  This will give a good tonal sound to the recording of the acoustic, though this is not the only way that it can be recorded. For best results you should consider the use of two microphones.

So for the best results when recording an acoustic guitar, it would be to use two microphones. The use of two mics will allow for full pick up of the tonal rages from the guitar. The first mic should be placed as described before

Health and Safety in the Studio.

Health and Safety

In the Control Room
Some things that will need to be taken into consideration, health and safety wise, when in the live room would be things like, volume of speakers, electrical hazards, trip hazards as well as food and drink consumption.

• Volume of speakers can be harmful to your health if they are up too loud, this can cause adverse effects on your hearing as well as temporary hearing impairment shortly after using the studio. To avoid this, keep the volume at a reasonable level and monitor the amount of time spend in the control room. 
•  Electrical hazards are going to be things such as AUX cables, feed cables, speakers, the sound card, desk and mac. When turing on the equipment there is an order of which to do so. First it is the mixing desk then the sound card and finally the Mac and speakers. This is to avoid any loud pops and or faults or damage to the equipment.
• Trip hazards will be things such as cables, wiring, the talk back mic stand and things to that affect. To ensure no one trip over any of the mentioned equipment then its should be secured properly and out of the way. Cables and wires should be placed out of walking zones and as close to the relevant equipment as possible. The talk back mic stand should be off to one side completely out of the way as well as any bags or coats.
• As far as food and drink is concerned it should not be in or consumed in either the live or control room. This is to avoid spillages or drops. Either could cause mess and multiple problems or damage to the equipment in either area of the studio.

In the Live Room
As with the control room there are multiple health and safety considerations to be looked at. Such as volume of instruments, electrical hazards, trip hazards, over crowding and again food and drink consumption.

• Like with the volume of speakers in the control room, the volume of the headphones and instruments can have an adverse affect on your hearing

In General

Microphone Placement (Vocals)

Vocals

For recording vocals, you will need one condenser mic, a prop shield and a good set of headphones.

The condenser mic used, should be a large diaphragm condenser (such as the SE Electronics SE1000). The mic will be set up to accommodate for the vocalists height,  by lengthening or shortening the mic stand so that the mic sits level with the vocalists mouth.

The prop shield is added for the reduction of pops on plosive sounding consonants like ‘P’ and ‘B’ and should be positioned about 3 inches from the mic and the singer 6 inches away. However with use of a cardioid-pattern mic the singer can be closer. This will allow you to take advantage of it proximity effect if you want a more low-end weight to the sound.

Microphone Placement (Drum Kit)

Drums

First of all for recording a drum set, you will need a full set of dynamic microphones and condenser microphones.

KICK
For the kick drum, as it is there to help establish the primary rhythmic pattern of a song, a low frequency response mic should be used and can then be boosted through the desk. The mic should be placed in close proximity (between 1-6 inches away) facing the beater head from the outside of the kit.  Though the proximity of the beater to the kick drum will all depend on the amount of background noise or room noise that is heard when testing the recording through the sound desk. However if you want less ‘slap’ the mic can be placed just inside the hole on the kick drum.

SNARE

For the snare, as it is the most piercing drum on the kit and also has little or no sustain as it is a transient drum. The mic is to be placed on the top head at the edge of the drum with a cardioid or super cardioid dynamic microphone. This will pick up the most frequencies and by far the most rich sound. However, if you wanted that raspy sound of the actually snare underneath the drum, you could also place a dynamic min underneath on a stand. This will pick up that more rough sounding tone.

HI-HATS

Then the hi-hats, as they are primarily for shot high frequency bursts to keep in time (though can be opened to produce a more loose, grungy sound) rarely need a separate mic as the overheads will provide enough response to record them. If necessary, the mic will need to be placed out of the way of the puff of air that occurs when the hi-hats close and within 4 inches to the cymbals. Sometimes it may be necessary to mic under and over the hi-hat. This will help you pick up a more whole sound from the hats. Ensuring that the mic's are placed far enough away as to not be contacted by the opening hats, but close enough so as that they don't pick up an excessive amount back ground noise.

TOMS

On to the toms, an individual directional dynamic mic can be used on the top head near the edge on each drum. They can then be panned to make some spatial imaging for the listener. However a simpler set-up could be one mic set up just above and directly between the two hi set toms on the kit. Though the best response will come from individual mic's on each tom.

OVER-HEADS
When recording a kit, it can sometimes be easier to use a single set of over head mic's. These two condenser mic's will be placed over either side of the kit, directly opposite to one another but at the same height. This will ensure that the same quality of sound is picked up. In some cases, you may find that the availablility of mic's is better and that you wanted to use two sets of over heads.  

Drum Kit Microphone Placement diagram