I've been getting all fancy and using an M/S technique plus a room mic to record my dreadnought for the rhythm guitar track. I'm cutting some of the bass on the close mics (1' away) to keep it clean. I'm listening back and thinking this may be overkill. I can see wanting as much detail as possible for a guitar solo, but maybe the rhythm (combination of strumming and bass runs between phrases) might sit better and cleaner in the mix with a little less going on, if you get my drift. I've also considered recording two rhythm tracks and panning them 100% opposite each other.
Comments? Advice?

By "a little less going on," I assume you mean cutting back on mics as opposed to the complexity of the part, yes?

Recording two seperate rhythm tracks and panning them will give you a pretty lush sound that I'd dig. Just not sure it'd be appropriate for the sound you're after.

What if you just used the cardioid from the M/S recording for most of the track, and then brought up the Fig 8s for the solo?

quote:

By "a little less going on," I assume you mean cutting back on mics as opposed to the complexity of the part, yes?

I mean less detail, noise, etc. Sort of a less is more approach when it comes to what subset of frequencies and sounds from your guitar rhythm you need to blend it in well with the rest of the music...achieved through cutting back on mics. For example, pick noise. It's cool to say, "Man I captured that guitar down to the pick clicking against the strings", but maybe that and the squeaky noises from my hand changing chords or whatever is not really good for the mix as a whole.

I've never thought I wanted less detail on the acoustic guitar.

Unless the music's sparse, though...you definately want the solo in mono.

I've always hated finger squeaks & string noise ... but a nice 1K pick click in strumming parts helps articulation of the rhythm (my fave strumming pick scratch: studio version of "Freebird").

mud