Tambourines

acidrock

GO PACKERS!
I've gotten reasonable sucess recording vocals/guitars and bass but for some reason tambourines just kick my ass.
Do you have any suggestions/technique recommendations to help me out?
THANKS!
 
What's your exact problem? I record them without any problem.
Just see that yoy got a decent tambourine (not a cheap one with annoying bells), because there really is a difference! Just try in a music store several tambourines and you will hear the difference!

Once you got a good one you just got a put a mic in front of it :D always worked for me.
 
Yeah, you definitely need a good one. I don't know how you're going about it, but you can't be too close to the mic and will get the best results with a condenser. I've found lately that a single Behringer ECM8000 workks great in a quiet room, about 7 feet off the floor. I usually have the guy with the tamb play it sitting down, a couple feet away from the mic, with the mic point down toward the floor - not at the tamb.
 
I use the ECM the same way as vurt. I havent recored a tambourine yet but it works well on shakers. The omni gives the percussion a nice sense of space and keeps it back in the mix.
 
I wishI had your problems:):)

Really though. I think a decent small or med diaphram condensor would do the trick. And I would stay just a bit back from the mic to make it more consistant. On shakers and tamborines angle is everything as far as I have seen. So mess around a bit.

Later

F.S.
 
I agree with the consensus: problems with recording tambourines are usually because the mic is TOO CLOSE! Put a tambuorine right next to your ear, and hear some of the weird overtones you get. That's what a close mic is hearing too.
 
Thanks,I'm going to try these techniques.I'm just looking to get a better sound than I have been getting.
I've got a shaker,a guiro and two tambourines but oddly enough the best percusion sound I've been getting is from this huge dried bean that was a souvenier from a trip to Antigua.
I'm recording this stuff on top of loops/midi drums to add a little life to the tracks.
 
Do this

Aim a SD right on the tamb..check level so your not overloading.....
Carefull for proximity effect on the mic.......DONT GET TO CLOSE....
keep about 8-10 inchs......better to record in a dryish spot ( not to dry but beware of a slap back) of the room unless you want some verby sound.....

What your looking for is Depth ( use the distance to help you).
A good spot in the room for a bit of ring and resonation.
Look for a good clean strike and not a heavy Thump.
If you have no choice then Eq the thumpyness out.
 
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