Time for a new mic?

Dude you're just suffering from GAS :eek: Gear Acquisition Syndrome...

You are a bad ass songwriter, musician and singer and a new mic may give you something but it ain't something you need IMO ..You're Vocals are REALLY good, You're tunes are REALLY good...maybe someone that really knows their shit doing a final mix and mastering on them might make them sound "better" but you are putting out a pro product already...You don't "NEED" a better mic...You need an fricking agent and a record deal damnit!

I've tried to tell him that in pms. If I remember correctly it just annoyed him and he got pissed at me. :D

I think he likes to post in the mp3 forum instead of the show off forum because he gets more attention there.
Gee, im just a a poor helpless musician with lousy gear, so i just mix on headphones.... oh... and I have a shit mic. please evaluate my mixes. Lol :D
In actuality the stuff is real good. Like I told him before, it's radio ready. Market that shit!

Do it before that genre goes out of fashion. :D

Be a rock star for real, instead of playing one on the forum.

Haha! I'm gonna get nasty pms now.
:D
 
Be a rock star for real, instead of playing one on the forum.

Been there, lived that life. No desire to pursue again, I'd rather have a guaranteed income and complete control over my art. I have my reasons, like I said, I've been down that road.

I suppose somewhere in that angst-filled sarcasm there's some kind words. Thank you.
 
I suppose somewhere in that angst-filled sarcasm there's some kind words. Thank you.

You're welcome. :)
No angst here. It's all complimentary of your talents. Myself and others have told you that, and that something should be done with that talent more than just putting up songs here.
Thats all. :D

Back to mics.
Recently I picked uo a rhode NT1 (not the NT1 a)
While it's not the most high end mic of all time, it's proving to be an incredibly versatile mic that works well on many sources.A reluable workhorse. Kind of like the 57 of condensers.
Inexpensive, and good with very low self noise. Oh, and I like that they are made in Australia.

Since you recently picked up monitors, getting a better mic seems logical. You upped the end of the recording chain, might as well up the beginning of it also.
 
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...record a vocal track, and audition the different mic settings

I mean, it's just changing the EQ is all. It's still the same mic capturing the same sounds via the same mechanisms and circuitry. What's underneath the mic doesn't change...just the processing. A little more high end, a little less, etc. Wouldn't really be the same as capturing the sound with those mics. But, then again, I use amp sims. :)
 
Go for the sm7. Why wait till you’re too old to sing, wondering if a bit of money got in the way of being more satisfied with your art? It’s true nobody cared whether prince used an sm58 or a u47, but prince cared and ultimately that’s all that matters.
 
... wondering if a bit of money got in the way of being more satisfied with your art?

I've never let that get in the way of my gear lust. :)
I'm happy to admit that I'm a gearoholic...or gear slut, if you will.
I've heard all the arguments... "it's just a hobby", "it's only a home studio", "I can get by without buying expensive pro gear", "high-end gear is just about hype, I can do the same with plugins" ...etc...and it hasn't stopped me from tossing down crazy money on audio gear, both software and hardware. :D
I just spent a LOT on new audio gear the last couple of months...and I have ZERO regrets.

Yes...you are right, it's about personal satisfaction more than anything else...so get it and do it while you can.
Money is only paper and plastic until you spend it.

So I would go out and get a high-end mic, just because it would be a pleasure to have at least one...and heck, if you got a decent enough voice, it's almost sinful to "downgrade" it with something cheap. (See how easy I can talk myself into buying gear. :p)

ADK Mics have a whole new line of really sweet stuff...but it's going to run in the $1k-$2k range. They also have some more budget-friendly models too.

ADK Microphones | Z-mod
 
If you guys heard my music, then all the better. I have new monitors, which I'm loving, and I think the weak link now is my $99 condenser mic. I believe I've made good use of it, and I usually get comp's on my vocals, but I wonder if a better mic would make it all the better.

I'm thinking SM7B...? Untreated room, though I use heavy padding in my walk-in closet...lots of blankets/comforters, pillows, and stuffing things into corners and on walls, when I sing in there.

Thoughts?

I pretty much exclusively use an sm7b. Whether is a screamer metal guy, country guy, rapper or a Brittany Spears wannabe. It just seems to work so well for everything.

I tried the NT1a and hated it for vocals from the minute I plugged it in. And my room is treated quite well. But that is just my opinion. Great for hole on acoustic guitar tho. And drum 'room' mic.

And I also agree, you are quite the bad ass mofo. Wish you lived close, we could just trade mics and try things...

Here a sample of NT1a on acoustic and SM7b on vocals for the country guy: LINK
 
Yes...you are right, it's about personal satisfaction more than anything else...so get it and do it while you can.
Money is only paper and plastic until you spend it.

So I would go out and get a high-end mic, just because it would be a pleasure to have at least one...and heck, if you got a decent enough voice, it's almost sinful to "downgrade" it with something cheap. (See how easy I can talk myself into buying gear. :p)

ADK Mics have a whole new line of really sweet stuff...but it's going to run in the $1k-$2k range. They also have some more budget-friendly models too.

ADK Microphones | Z-mod

ADK is a pretty cool company and the owner is a very nice guy...I do own an older ADK st51 which is similar to their Vienna of today but @ 10 years old now...It's awesome but I still love my sm57's...then again I am NOT the person to talk to about how to get the best recordings...I just like how it sounds in the real world.
 
...and heck, if you got a decent enough voice, it's almost sinful to "downgrade" it with something cheap.

Does it seem like a good choice for my application/situation? Rock vox with untreated room (but lots of padding/blankets in a walk-in closet). Reflection shield. Pop filter. etc. Scarlett 2i2
 
There's so many good mics out there nowadays.
One problem is choice overload. I've recently gotten into MAD ( I like the way that looks, very descriptive of the insanity) All the good stuff at various price points is enough to get your head spinning. To make matters worse, now I'm also into mic modding. :D

But for years and years prior to the net, I was totally happy with, and got great results with my handful of 57s, 58s, a pair of Teac pencil condensers, an AKG C 414, and occasionally borrowing an AKG kick mic. Oh, and my pop filter was a bent clothes hanger with a stocking. :D

Nowadays there's LOTS of choices. Will anyone ever again be happy with what they've got and just make some music?

Probably not. Lol :D
 
ADK is a pretty cool company and the owner is a very nice guy...

I've spoken with Larry several times over the years...he just emailed me the other day to a question I sent to the tech about a PS for my ADK tube mic.
I almost hate to admit it that I own a half-dozen ADK mics (just couldn't resist buying them), but they're the older models, though my ADK tube (TT/CE) is still my #1 vocal mic, which I bought about 15 years ago. I do lust after some of their new "Z Mod" mics, but I'm not shelling out $2k for mic any time soon. The TT/CE cost me plenty even back when I got it. It's been the design foundation for many of these new models that have come recently...which are some sweet mics...the Custom Shop stuff. Of course, you can grab a Vienna or Hamburg (I have both of the original models, but they were upgraded), and they sound fantastic, without breaking the bank.

Does it seem like a good choice for my application/situation? Rock vox with untreated room (but lots of padding/blankets in a walk-in closet). Reflection shield. Pop filter. etc. Scarlett 2i2

Well...that's something you have to decide on...are you buying a mic to fit the room, and to minimize acoustic issues...or one that will be best for your singing.
I'm sure the SM7b can work for you...but it's just not the first thing I would grab for vocals, though if it was in my mic locker, I wouldn't hesitate to try it out on a singer. It just has that warm/mellow vibe, which makes most voices sound that way...it's the ultimate announcers mic for that reason, along with the EV RE.

I think the question is, are you forever going to be recording in an untreated room...or is there a plan to keep upgrading your situation?
I mean...you can make any mic "work"...in which case why even bother to get a new one...but if you want to step it up, don't go half-way, since the right mic will stay with you for many years...something lesser you will only want to replace again.

TBH...I'm probably not the best person to give audio gear buying advice because my tastes tend to always be more robust than my budget...
...but I never let that get in the way. :p
 
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For those of us who are musicians trying to be recording engineers and producers, recording especially recording ourselves can a brutally painful and an illusive beast. No matter how incredible you think it sounds when you play it back.... sometimes...it really is....unfortunately many times it isn't. So we start looking around for why... probably more times than not it is as simple as looking in the mirror...there's the problem...dang! But as one who started trying to capture the magic on a Teac stereo reel to reel some 45 years ago, and had the opportunity to spend at least a few evenings recording at Wally Heider and few other amazing analog studios in LA "back in the day" what an incredible evolution has come about in the last 15 years......Computers, DAWS n Plugins Oh my!

Trust me the silliness will not stop with a single new Mic but as Miro implied ....why not if you have some of that stuff we call money laying around. You can't take it with you.

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I just stumbled upon a recording movie that I think may very well be one of the best I have ever seen...now I'm still high on emotion as I write this and I haven't finished watching yet....It's called Sound City , it was produced by Dave Grohl and it's about a studio of the same name here in So Cal that was / I guess still is a mere 40+ miles from my shack. I probably had heard of it but was oblivious to what it was or what was happening there....I have to say it cut to the bone as I watched and knew that I had missed out on a very magical studio right there in my own back yard....I was in an amazing band in the late 70's and timing would have been perfect for us to walk into that damn place had we known what was happening there and the possibilities therein...c'est la vie Frickin hind sight is 20/20.

I encourage anyone interested in recording to watch this movie and listen for the nuggets...You'll walk away inspired to capture lightening and put it in a bottle.

I found it on Amazon so as a prime member it was free...There is actually about 18 hours of videos HERE that make up this 1 hour plus movie that can be purchased for $8 ...Below is an Amazon review that does a better job of explaining what the movie covers.... Dig it dudes!

Dana Sciandra
February 7, 2013

When you think of where some of rock's greatest and most memorable albums were recorded, chances are that Sound City is not what you have in mind.

Located in a run down neighborhood in Van Nuys California, Sound City's dilapidated appearance looks better suited to the production of meth, not music.

This is the story that Foo Fighter's front-man and first-time director, Dave Grohl, sets out to tell about this unlikely rock landmark that changed the face - and more specifically, the sound - of music.

And Grohl would know, as Sound City is where Nirvana recorded their seminal album, "Nevermind," before it exploded onto the scene and transformed the rock landscape forever.

** "This Place is a Dump." **

Sound City opened its doors in 1969 to an inauspicious beginning. It was not until 1975, when Fleetwood Mac recorded their heavily praised self-titled album there (a serendipitous and well documented story in the movie), that the tiny studio landed on the rock map and began attracting artists who wanted to come and record there.

Overwhelmingly throughout the documentary, artists' recollection of their first impression of the studio was that it was a complete dump... many nearly refusing to record there as a result.

However, what Sound City lacked in polish, flash or even clean furniture... it more than made up for with something that no other studio at the time had.

** The Neve Console **

The Neve console was designed and manufactured by Neve Electronics for high-end recording studios during the 1970s and was the last of the "80 series" hand-wired analog mixing consoles.

It was a custom-built beast that could record and produce a unique and organic sound that could not be replicated by other studios. It was this sound that attracted such artists as Tom Petty, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Nice Inch Nails, Nirvana, REO Speedwagon, Metallica, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, The Arctic Monkeys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac and even Barry Manilow (go figure).

The Neve console features prominently in the telling of Sound City's story, as it was also the catalyst for the creation of the film. When Grohl learned that the famed studio would be closing its doors, he purchased the console to ensure its place in rock history and installed it in his own studio.

Which leads me to one of my favorite parts of the film.

** Jam Session **

After Grohl dismantled, moved, cleaned (not an easy task according to Dave) and reassembled the famed Neve console, he invited back many of the artists whose careers were launched at Sound City.

The result was one of my favorite sections of the film, as the likes of Trent Reznor, Stevie Nicks, Josh Homme, Paul McCartney and Rick Springfield tried to recreate the sound and vibe of the famed studio by recording the film's soundtrack.

I particularly loved this part of the film because I find it amazingly inspirational to see the creative and collaborative process between truly talented musicians. Just the portion between Reznor, Homme and Grohl is a reminder of what true artists actually are... and quite frankly made me resent the manufactured, auto-tuned and over-produced-pop crap that passes as "music" today.

Later, you are treated to Paul McCartney (whom I have never been much a fan of during his post Beatles / Wings career), but I developed a new-found appreciation for him after this documentary. Again, witnessing the collaborative nature of real musicians is a sight to see... and hear.

Which leads me to my next topic.

** Digital Killed The Analog Star **

One of the major reasons that Sound City eventually went under, was due in large part to the introduction of digital recording and audio editing programs such as Pro Tools.

Nowhere in the film does Grohl levy an indictment against digital recording (nor is it my intent to do so in this review), but rather makes the point that because of it, the music industry is unlikely to see another Sound City emerge or thrive again.

In a time when you can easily record, manipulate and produce music from your bedroom, the days of artists creating a truly organic musical experience in the studio is quickly dwindling. In fact, it is my opinion that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters are one of the only bands remaining who proudly carry and wave the `rock banner' above a sea of mediocre and short lived musical acts that no one will remember in 10 years.

In the beginning of the documentary, you learn to appreciate the inherent challenges (and benefits) of recording on tape. Many artists had to play straight through a song, even if it meant dozens of takes in order to get it right and match the sound, since editing in those days is not what is is today.

Nowadays, you can record an entire album without having any band members present. Each member can come in, record their individual parts and call it a day... since it can all be mixed together later or "fixed" in post. This disconnect and dependence on technology is what the film truly laments and is what Sound City was able to provide.

Every artist featured in the film remarked about the unique sound that the space at Sound City produced, especially for drums and vocals... one that they were never able to replicate at another studio. This, coupled with the Neve console and the audio engineers who ran it over the years, is what combined to produce some of the most memorable recordings in history.

I venture to guess that what was considered a unique sound at Sound City, would be filtered, flattened or processed out by something like Pro Tools today.

If you consider yourself a music fan, it should be required viewing for you to see this movie. For a first-time director, Dave Grohl does an outstanding job and the film is paced perfectly.
 
Tldr

:) I've seen Sound City, though I don't remember it too well. Not a Grohl fan, honestly.

I REALLY Liked Nirvana...Grohl was just one lucky mofo who got to go along for the Cobain ride but who knows maybe without him on the business side they might never of made it...don't really know...

I think he did a very cool job on the movie and it was awesome that he chose to do the project as it really shared some very cool inside ideas and perspectives of some very successful artist on the art of recording.
 
agree with Tae. YOUR STUFF IS DAMN GOOD. if you're looking for a better mic, there are really good options in the under 200 dollar range. my first go to is the shure sm 58. depends on the singer and you're pretty good. mxl v67 a good cheap large diaphragm condenser
 
agree with Tae. YOUR STUFF IS DAMN GOOD. if you're looking for a better mic, there are really good options in the under 200 dollar range. my first go to is the shure sm 58. depends on the singer and you're pretty good. mxl v67 a good cheap large diaphragm condenser

I think I have a 58 laying around. I had a lot of trouble giving it enough gain though - it was super quiet, even with the interface cranked.
 
I think I have a 58 laying around. I had a lot of trouble giving it enough gain though - it was super quiet, even with the interface cranked.

So get a decent 1073 clone preamp man. I am surprised you don't already have one. That would be my recommendation for you now if gain is an issue. Plus they just sound great...

My Vintech X73i is my sweet channel. The UR824 interfaces give me the gain I need, but not as sweet as the Neve clone does.

I must ask why you have issue with the 58. It should not need as much input gain as a SM7b.

What interface are you using? I thought it was a US 1800. ??
 
So get a decent 1073 clone preamp man. I am surprised you don't already have one. That would be my recommendation for you now if gain is an issue. Plus they just sound great...

My Vintech X73i is my sweet channel. The UR824 interfaces give me the gain I need, but not as sweet as the Neve clone does.

I must ask why you have issue with the 58. It should not need as much input gain as a SM7b.

What interface are you using? I thought it was a US 1800. ??
If you can't drive an SM58, you'll definitely need a preamp for the SM7b.

I have to say I like my GAP 73 (w/Carnhill transformers). But, there are a lot of options out there. I agree you might look at something like that before a new mic, because it seems like you have some decent mics already.

Again, just spend some money and order a couple different ones and try them. If you send everything back, consider it tuition paid.
 
I think I have a 58 laying around. I had a lot of trouble giving it enough gain though - it was super quiet, even with the interface cranked.

FEThead is an inline pre that gives 20db of gain without any dedicated power supply needed. They're great. Drive ribbon mics nicely, too.
 
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