How to Get a Great Live Acoustic Guitar Sound Through a PA System

If you play the acoustic guitar, you might occasionally find yourself playing through a PA system rather than a guitar amp. There are many reasons that you'd do this; you might not own an acoustic guitar amp, or
you might not feel like lugging it to every gig. Whatever the case, playing through a PA system is an acceptable way to amplify your acoustic guitar, but only if you know what you're doing--even if you only know a bit of what you're doing.

Here's some tips for improving the sound of your acoustic guitar when you're playing through a PA system.

Know your equipment. First of all, if your acoustic guitar has a simple pickup, know how it works and how it sounds. Some pickups are heavy on bass, while others get a tinny sound. If you don't have an onboard EQ, you'll need to learn to tell the sound guy which areas of your guitar to accentuate or to cut. If you're running the PA system yourself, this is even more important.

Some acoustic guitarists prefer to use a DI box (direct input box) before plugging in to a PA system. This can help the sound of the acoustic guitar, and can aid in providing an amplified signal for the PA. However, it's not absolutely necessary.

Whatever you have to work with, know how it works, and try to work in some time for experimentation, particularly if you're plugging your acoustic guitar through a PA system that you've never worked with before.

Use your controls. It's important to use your controls when you're on stage. Don't ignore EQ. Every acoustic guitar should use some EQ to improve its sound, and for this, you'll need someone standing in the audience to give you feedback.

If you have a guitar with EQ on its pickup, your job is a bit easier. Otherwise, have the person in the audience tell the sound guy what to do.

I recommend investing in a feedback buster for your acoustic guitar. This is a little piece of plastic or rubber that covers the sound hole. It will improve the guitar's tone and drastically reduce the feedback in the PA system.

Consider miking the guitar. Some PA systems and rooms don't work well with acoustic guitar pickups, so be ready to improvise. A single directional microphone like an SM57 can be used to get a great sound through a
PA, especially in a quiet room, and may sound far superior to a lukewarm pickup. Again, experiment, and you'll quickly learn what works and what doesn't work with your acoustic guitar and PA system.

Beginner’s Guide to Guitar Amplification

 

How does the Acoustic Guitar Work

It is believed that the acoustic guitar has been in existence as early as the 14th century. The acoustic guitar that we know today has been modified since then to produce more and more melodious sounds. It is a 6 stringed instrument made up of superior quality wood. The following are the parts of the guitar that have a key role in the working of the acoustic guitar and are responsible in making it sound as melodious as possible.

The Body of the Guitar

The hollow body of the guitar is also often called as the box of the guitar. The body of the acoustic guitar is essentially hollow and has a round hole in its front. This hole and a good shape of the body ensures a good sound. A dented, broken or a cracked body hampers or distorts the sound. The body of the guitar has a specific shape, though, with the help of modern technology various shapes are possible. The conventional shape of the body resembles an English '8' and this shape is known to produce the best sound. The sound box, or the body of the guitar, and sound hole transfer the sound to the air and amplify it so that the human ear is able to hear the sound.

The Neck of the Guitar

The neck of the acoustic guitar contains the frets. The fret board is used to hold down the strings to produce notations. The end of the fret board contains the head of the guitar and also the tuning keys, The tuning keys are used to put tension on the strings in such a manner, that the six strings of the guitar when played (in the open form, without pressing the strings) give the notations; E, A ,D ,G, B and E. The fret board is a part of the guitar's neck and has frets attached on to it. It is used to produce different notations. The standard notations that are produced with the help of the fretboard are A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F,F#, G, G#.

The Sound Board

A sound board is an alignment of the head of the guitar, the fretboard and the sound hole. One end of the strings are attached to the tuning keys or the pegs. The second end is attached to the bridge of the guitar. A saddle of the guitar gives the strings the required elevation and keeps them from touching the body of the guitar.

The Production of Sound

Sound is produced by the guitar when the strings are plucked, either with the fingers or with the plectrum. The plucking of the strings causes the string to vibrate. These vibrations are transferred to the sound board and the along the whole length of the strings. The vibrations travel to the end that is fixed on the bridge. On the way, the saddle absorbs the vibrations and they are transferred to the bridge, and then to the interior of the body or the sound box. The air inside the sound box absorbs the vibrations and ultimately, the amplified notation floats out of the sound hole. This process takes place with the every notation. Guitar players hold down the strings in various different combinations on the fret board to produce multiple notations and different sounds.

The development of electronics within the guitars have promoted the use of electric guitars. However the basic principle of working remains the same. The only difference is that the notations are produced when the vibrations are passed to the sound box in the case of the acoustic guitar, while in the case of the electric guitar, the vibrations are passed to a magnetic field which produces the music.
How to Get a Great Live Acoustic Guitar Sound Through a PA System