5 Minutes To A Better Mix II: Punchy Acoustic Guitar - Part 14 of 31

One thing that bums me out is when you’ve recorded a great acoustic guitar track that then disappears in the mix. That’s not what you want. You want a punchy acoustic that cuts through to the listener with clarity. The way to get it? Compression.

It’s All In The Attack And Release

Compression is your friend when it comes to acoustic guitars, but it can also suck the life out of them. The key is to play around with the attack and release settings of the compressor so you’re not cutting off the transients. Once you get this right, you’ll get a nice upfront acoustic sound.