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Which guitar position, classical or folk, produces greater volume? We are doing a science experiment and can not find good resources.

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closed as unclear what you're asking by Alexander Troup, Dom, Dr Mayhem Apr 20 at 20:00


Do you mean TYPE of guitar (steel or nylon string) or playing position? –  Bob Broadley Apr 19 at 19:02
Please clarify your question. –  seseorang Apr 20 at 6:31
For a proper scientific experiment, it's best not to use hearsay or others' opinions. You should get actual guitars and mics (even mobile phones would do), and log results.Hence, your resources will be guitars/players/mics. –  Tim Apr 20 at 9:02
Hi Sally - as has been asked, can you edit your question to describe what you are asking. Both Carl and guitarsean have answers which may be right, but without some clarity in your question it is difficult to know. –  Dr Mayhem Apr 20 at 20:01

2 Answers 2

Wait: is your experiment intended to answer this question? What exactly do you need to know?

It might be very helpful to take a highly directional microphone and place it at a set of points on a hemisphere about the guitar's surface (plus a highly repeatable plucking mechanism to ensure the source sound pressure is constant). Alternatively, mount a microphone at one position and rotate the guitar about two axes.

Either way, this is not an experiment easily performed.

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was the term 'axes' deliberate ?! –  Tim Apr 20 at 10:52

Do you mean position of the picking hand, fret hand note position, or position of the mic relative to the guitar? A guitar played with a pick will be louder than fingers. Plucked or strummed closer to the bridge will seem louder due to added brightness. A mic placed parallel to the sound hole and as close as possible will be the loudest mic position, but frankly will also sound awful. Acoustic guitars are almost never mic'd straight on to the sound hole. Common mic placements to start with are slightly behind the bridge at a 45 degree angle and aimed at the 12th fret, also at a slight angle (so the mic diaphragm is not parallel to the guitar).

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