Downside Up

AGCurry said:
This makes some sense to me, because as the ribbon sags, the tension of it would tend to increase. ??
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AGCurry,

I found it very interesting and made some experiments. I measured the tuning frequency of the ribbon in both, vertical and horizontal positions.They were nearly identical. In any case the tuning frequency difference of about 10-15Hz would result in about 1 db cut. I think the explanation of "better bass" in tilted ribbon mic is in worse vertical polar response of longer ribbons on high frequencies. Harvey, could you confirm if I answered the first part of my question?

I am still wondering about second part--RCA mic.
 
Marik said:
AGCurry,

I found it very interesting and made some experiments. I measured the tuning frequency of the ribbon in both, vertical and horizontal positions.They were nearly identical. In any case the tuning frequency difference of about 10-15Hz would result in about 1 db cut. I think the explanation of "better bass" in tilted ribbon mic is in worse vertical polar response of longer ribbons on high frequencies. Harvey, could you confirm if I answered the first part of my question?

I am still wondering about second part--RCA mic.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would be more correct to say "treble rolloff", as opposed to "more bass" when a ribbon mic is tilted. As far as the actual reasons, I'm gonna talk to Wes Dooley and Stephan Sank and see if they'll add a better explanation of the roll off, right here on the mic forum.
 
Michael Jones said:
Could I have another peek in your bag Harvey? ;)
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Well, another cool trick is using a "Nashville 6 string" (or "hi-strung 6"), which is a guitar with the high 6 strings of a 12 string guitar. Adds sparkle without getting in the way of the vocals, or adding mud. We string it like this:

E = .008 <--Normal tuning
B = .012 <--Normal tuning
G = .008 <--This is highest note of all the open strings
D = .012 <--This is two notes below the normal high E string
A = .017 <--This is two notes below the normal high B string
E = .021 <--This is one octave below the normal high E string
 
Harvey Gerst said:
Well, another cool trick is using a "Nashville 6 string" (or "hi-strung 6"), which is a guitar with the high 6 strings of a 12 string guitar. Adds sparkle without getting in the way of the vocals, or adding mud. We string it like this:

E = .008 <--Normal tuning
B = .012 <--Normal tuning
G = .008 <--This is highest note of all the open strings
D = .012 <--This is two notes below the normal high E string
A = .017 <--This is two notes below the normal high B string
E = .021 <--This is one octave below the normal high E string
Click to expand...

I keep one of my guitars strung up this way permanently. It adds a nice shimmer to whatever tracks I use it on. Things get even more interesting when you capo or used a drop d tuning. Something to try, if you haven't already: Capo at the second fret, all but the low E string. I've heard this called a "Dropped E" tuning. You get the advantages of the great open D (E) chord, but can still play a G (A) chord using normal fingerings, which is one of the things I hate about dropped D.
 
"Dublin Blues" by Guy Clark is a great example of the technique. Of course, you need a capo that doesn't wrap around the neck.
 
And here's a reply from Wes Dooley about tilting long ribbon mics:

"Harvey, on six hours sleep I'll not try to get deep into this at the moment.
But,

Whenever the path from the sound source to the two major ribbon axis is not
straight on, then the interaction between a sound's wavelength and the ribbon mic's geometry becomes destructive, as Lou Burroughs pointed out when you have several mics open and all pickup the same sound source. Especially at shorter wavelengths, it is easy to get destructive interference that way.

Another relevant Burroughs insight is his about the additive and subractive effects you get when you mic a stage show. The direct sound and the floor bounce are almost at the same level, and their phasy combination is not desireable. After realizing that, my standard down-stage mic technique on musicals, was to use EV mic mice with my KM84s."
 
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