AT4050 on my acoustic

[chrisharris]

I'm just posting this for the next guy that does a search for "AT4050" and "Acoustic." Sound files always help me, and I'll keep this one on my server.

My new (used) mic got here today. It's never a good idea for me to formulate opinions about a piece of gear as soon as I get it, but just from the quietness alone, I can tell me and this mic are going to get along just fine.

I can never tell very much from listening to single lines of anything during mic tests, and besides...having a couple of tracks is always helpful to me to judge things like buildup of floor noise and such, so I recorded 3 tracks. There's nothing on the tracks or the bus...all I did was normalize the stereo file.

Anyway, this is a Larrivee D03R into the AT4050 and into a presonus firebox.


http://betteroffdad.com/MP3/AT4050.mp3

[Guitarer]

Sounds good. Quiet, and plenty of clarity. I'd love to hear a clip of how it performs on vocals.

[Dogman]

That sounds really good man....

[cusebassman]

Did you apply any processing at all to that track (EQ, etc.)? Sounds very good.

Also, what was the mic positioning?

[chrisharris]

Originally Posted by cusebassman

Did you apply any processing at all to that track (EQ, etc.)? Sounds very good.

Also, what was the mic positioning?

No processing...unless panning counts, lol. After I mixed it down, I normalized it, which increased the volume of the track about 3db, but no compression, no EQ, no verb...no nada.

as far as placement...it was about 8-10 inches away, pointed around the 16th or 17th fret. Maybe closer to the soundhole...not sure. It was in that space where when you move it half an inch further away, most of the body drops out of it.

Man, I was SHOCKED at how much floor noise I've been dealing with in the past...I always thought all that noise was coming either from the preamp or the computer or the room itself. Being an idiot, I never even considered the mic being the source of noise. My AKG and my MXL sound freaking BROKEN after plugging this thing in. That, I think, will be the biggest difference this mic brings to my recordings.

I'm almost scared to try it on a vocal, because I like it so much on the guitar that I'm afraid the sibilance is going to decapitate me or something, lol....but I'm gonna' my daughter to sing a line or 2 this evening.

Thanks for listening.

[Guitarer]

Originally Posted by chrisharris

No processing...unless panning counts, lol. After I mixed it down, I normalized it, which increased the volume of the track about 3db, but no compression, no EQ, no verb...no nada.

as far as placement...it was about 8-10 inches away, pointed around the 16th or 17th fret. Maybe closer to the soundhole...not sure. It was in that space where when you move it half an inch further away, most of the body drops out of it.

Man, I was SHOCKED at how much floor noise I've been dealing with in the past...I always thought all that noise was coming either from the preamp or the computer or the room itself. Being an idiot, I never even considered the mic being the source of noise. My AKG and my MXL sound freaking BROKEN after plugging this thing in. That, I think, will be the biggest difference this mic brings to my recordings.

I'm almost scared to try it on a vocal, because I like it so much on the guitar that I'm afraid the sibilance is going to decapitate me or something, lol....but I'm gonna' my daughter to sing a line or 2 this evening.

Thanks for listening.

Well, I'm really more interested in hearing it on male vocals, but that'd be nice too

[XLR]

Sounds excellent. The basic sound has soul, which is the thing I think is missing in many artificially produced gtr sounds... samples, variax, etc. Relating to other mic's... it's well balanced. The highs are clear without being edgy, which is a defining thing for any mic on ac gtr, IMO.

[punkin]

Originally Posted by Guitarer

Well, I'm really more interested in hearing it on male vocals, but that'd be nice too

Just wait until you hear his kid sing. It won't be a fair test...she can make any mic sound good.

The guitar sound great Chris.

[JMarcomb]

sounds really nice chris.. has a lot of body to it and the highs arnt too crispy. pretty smooth. really like the tone of your acoustic

im sure that mic and jaimee will get along well.. either that or a u47

[chrisharris]

Originally Posted by punkin

Just wait until you hear his kid sing. It won't be a fair test...she can make any mic sound good.

Man, thank you.

jmarcomb wrote: "im sure that mic and jaimee will get along well.. either that or a u47

Thanks for listening. Well here's a quicky.

THERE IS NOTHING ON HER (lead) VOCAL EXCEPT FOR REVERB. NO EQ, NO COMPRESSION, NO DE-ESSERS...NOTHING.

*please see below for additional disclaimers*

http://www.betteroffdad.com/MP3/free.mp3


















*Disclaimers* - I got the mic and really wanted to record something. I took NO time mic'ing the guitars, which is why one of them is too clicky, and another one is too boomy. I know for a fact I can do better on the guitars, and I could have helped these tracks with EQ, but I didn't want to use EQ on anything for this test. Also, I DID compress the background vocals because enveloping would have taken forever. I enveloped the lead vocal manually.

[innobidova]

You and your daughter have produced some lovely sounds. I've been out of the loop for a while, and this makes me want to pick up my AT4050 and do something again. Thank you very much for this thread.

Edit: Also, if anyone's interested, go here and listen to what I've recorded with the AT4050. "Mind" was done with a Dean Performer and some effects. It was used for vocals on both songs. Actually, it was used on all the vocals ever done by my ex band. Listen to "Memory Confounded and This". It's the last song we ever did, and probably the best recording I've done. Also check out the acoustic, vocals, and mono drum overhead on "Accidents Happen".

[JMarcomb]

sounds excellent on her voice.. nice match with her range..smooth

its cool to hear how her vocal control has developed from just a few years ago

thanks for posting that

[Gorty]

Originally Posted by chrisharris

Anyway, this is a Larrivee D03R into the AT4050 and into a presonus firebox.


http://betteroffdad.com/MP3/AT4050.mp3

Very nice. This is one audio sample that helped me in my decision to buy my AT4050. I am determined to get similar results. Thanx Chris.

Yeah this is the thread I was referring to.

What kind of guitar do you have Gorty? Chris obviously has a nice sounding guitar that is complimented (especially in the low-mids) by the AT4050. Just curious what kind of guitar you have and how you're miking it up. I have tons of experience with miking acoustics (that's all I do ) so maybe I can help if you ever want to PM me.

[Gorty]

Originally Posted by danny.guitar

Yeah this is the thread I was referring to.

What kind of guitar do you have Gorty? Chris obviously has a nice sounding guitar that is complimented (especially in the low-mids) by the AT4050. Just curious what kind of guitar you have and how you're miking it up. I have tons of experience with miking acoustics (that's all I do ) so maybe I can help if you ever want to PM me.

The acoustic that I have used to test my AT4050 is a Fender 12 string, I'm using it strung as a 6 string at the moment. A very full sounding guitar over 20 years old, solid top! I will play around with some mic placements etc and see how I go danny!

[guitar junkie]

Is that the D 03R from Larrivee?

I know in the past Chris has said how much he liked that guitar...

[Gorty]

Originally Posted by chrisharris

Anyway, this is a Larrivee D03R into the AT4050 and into a presonus firebox.

Originally Posted by guitar junkie

Is that the D 03R from Larrivee?

I believe so!

[HeyHeyMyMy]

Wow, she has a fantastic voice.

[JPXTom]

All the samples you posted are amazing...im adding thism ic to my list..along with a firebox...any pre besides the firebox's?