Microphones!: A Highly Subjective View of Some Mics that Get the Job Done | Tape Op Magazine

Usually, within the recording journal world, you may decide up a present situation and discover opinions of merchandise which have simply come on to the market and should price LOTS of cash.  Right here at Tape Op we’re not solely behind the occasions however we’re additionally fairly broke.  What follows is an inventory of mics that I have been utilizing with some common ideas concerning the mics and their sounds.  And they need to all be accessible for lower than $250, okay?  This is not a complete checklist of each mic you could find on the market or a (very) educated scientific treatise on how diaphragms work — it is just a few ideas for y’all.

SHURE SM 57

In case you’re recording music and you do not have one in all these what’s fallacious with you?  Most likely each skilled studio and each 4 trackin’ geek has a few of these mics laying round.  57’s, the rugged workhorses of the mic world, have dictated to our ears the way in which we expect guitar amps ought to sound on so many recordings it is virtually scary.  I take advantage of them lots, and the next methods may be utilized to simply about any kind of mic.  On guitar amps, attempt utilizing two, side-by-side, pointing on the candy spots simply to the perimeters of the dome within the middle, and mixing the indicators collectively onto one channel.  In case you’re mic’ing a two speaker amp, like a Fender Twin, put one on every speaker for a fuller tone vary.  For drums, 57’s are the usual snare mics.  I attempt to angle down  1½” above the rim in a approach that picks up the facet and backside of the snare so you possibly can hear its crispness.  I attempted mic’ing from the facet of the snare however the high-hat leakage and wimpiness of the assault made me cease.  On toms, get them the place they’re pointing in midway to the middle for a great slapping sound.  I normally EQ the rack tom up a bit at 3K  and the ground tom round 4-5K, with a low finish increase on each.  I like loud toms, and this works properly.  If you would like a pointy, tapping kick drum sound throw a 57 in there too.  Do not level proper on the spot the place the beater hits otherwise you’ll most likely get a blown-out mic sound.  Slightly off-center and a variety of EQ increase on the low finish can garner a nice kick tone.  For vocals, you possibly can attempt a 57.  They appear kinda lifeless and dry to my ears, however I’ve had some takes that got here out simply nice.  Fancier preamps can convey out a variety of character within the mic at this level however that is an entire ‘nother topic.

PZM

In case you noticed situation #1 of Tape Op, you may bear in mind a prolonged article on the fun of PZM’s and the modifications one can do to them.  All I normally use them for within the studio is as stereo overhead mics for the drum equipment.  They’ve a pleasant, clear excessive frequency sound that picks up cymbals actual properly and the truth that they’re proof against section cancellation permits the opposite mics on the equipment to come back up as loud as wanted with out inflicting bother.  Proper now, they’re mounted on small sheets of particle board and suspended on previous cymbal stands so I can transfer them across the room and steadiness out the degrees of the cymbals that they’re selecting up.  I roll off the low finish and pull again the very best excessive finish a bit too.  This appears to offer a great image of the cymbal motion, whereas additionally constructing a stereo picture of the drum equipment (which I believe provides lots to the drum sound basically).  I typically attempt to use them as ambient mics for acoustic guitar or ethnic percussion tracks however more often than not they’ve generated an excessive amount of inner hum to be actual helpful.  The unhappy half is that Radio Shack, the most cost effective place to get these mics, has stopped carrying them this 12 months.  Preserve your eyes open for used ones I assume.

CROWN CM 700

This mic, which appears lots like a Magazine Gentle, is definitely considerably new and got here out final summer season.  Somebody traded me this one for recording time, however I believe they checklist at $300, so you must be capable of discover one for somewhat over $200.  It is price each penny.  This mic is a cardioid condenser, and it in some way has all of the readability of a condenser mic with the power to deal with excessive sound stress ranges (SPL).  It additionally has a inbuilt bass-tilt change, which may be set for flat, roll-off, or low-cut and rolls off round 200 Hz. …