10 Ways To Use Acoustic Imaging

For a long time, acoustic players have struggled when trying to amplify the natural sound of their acoustic guitar live. Simple EQ or compression, never seemed enough to recreate the warm natural tones of their instrument.

Direct recording of electric guitars took a big leap forward when guitarists and sound engineers started applying Impulse Responses to more accurately capture the dynamics of real speaker cabinet.

Now similar technology can be applied to acoustic guitar, and offers some excellent results. Here are a few ways you can get started right now:

The latest and greatest from the engineers at Hotone. The Omni AC offers numerous acoustic models, XLR out, presets and settings to accept both acoustic and electric.

One of, if not the first company to produce an IR based acoustic pedal, the Fishman DI comes with a compressor, EQ and Tuner, making it possible for it to be the one pedal you need for your acoustic gig.

The Zoom AC-3 has a unique approach, allowing you to select both the input and the output instrument, allowing you to transform one instrument into another.

Less is more when it comes to the TC Electronic Body Rez. A single knob controls the blend between the dry guitar and the effect.

Xvive take a similar approach, but this time the single knobs selects between different presets.

Already have a pedal that can load custom speaker IRs? You might also be able to load acoustic IRs and achieve some good results.

Want to record pristine acoustic guitars without spending tons on expensive mics? Using IRs in your DAW might be the solution you're looking for.