I hope this inquiry is not considered too amateurish to engender a considered response. I have reviewed postings on your site and obviously many of you are quite sophisticated in the record end of music. I am not.
I am an amateur piano player. On occasion I carry my 20 year old 2-head Nakamichi 500 cassette tape deck (which has 3 mic inputs for left, right and blend) to my living room and plug my one Nakamichi mic (model 300, battery operated cardioid electret condenser)into the blend mic slot (to give me sound in both channels) and record some of my ramblings. I monitor off of headpohones. My Nakamichi mic has gone on the fritz and no parts available. I want to replace it with 1 mic costing no more than $200 (or 2 mics costing no more than $200).
As mentioned my recording is done in my living room (carpeted) on an upright console acoustic piano which is against a wall. Room is about 14 x 20 but piano is near entryway so it's more open to the left of the piano than to the right. Ceiling is about 8 feet high. Blinds are metal-no curtains. Several upholstered pieces in the room.
I want a mic that either requires no power or one that uses a AA battery-I do not want to get involved with phantom power.
I think I want a cardioid pattern (but welcome your comments). House and room are pretty quiet.
Have done some research on web. Considering Shure SM 57 (primarily because of price-I could buy 2 for stereo recording) or Shure BG4.1. I see in your postings other brands mentioned in the $150-$200 range.
Given my record setup and price limit, what mic do you recommend and why? Will there really be that much difference recording in stero as opposed to mono?
I am an amateur piano player. On occasion I carry my 20 year old 2-head Nakamichi 500 cassette tape deck (which has 3 mic inputs for left, right and blend) to my living room and plug my one Nakamichi mic (model 300, battery operated cardioid electret condenser)into the blend mic slot (to give me sound in both channels) and record some of my ramblings. I monitor off of headpohones. My Nakamichi mic has gone on the fritz and no parts available. I want to replace it with 1 mic costing no more than $200 (or 2 mics costing no more than $200).
As mentioned my recording is done in my living room (carpeted) on an upright console acoustic piano which is against a wall. Room is about 14 x 20 but piano is near entryway so it's more open to the left of the piano than to the right. Ceiling is about 8 feet high. Blinds are metal-no curtains. Several upholstered pieces in the room.
I want a mic that either requires no power or one that uses a AA battery-I do not want to get involved with phantom power.
I think I want a cardioid pattern (but welcome your comments). House and room are pretty quiet.
Have done some research on web. Considering Shure SM 57 (primarily because of price-I could buy 2 for stereo recording) or Shure BG4.1. I see in your postings other brands mentioned in the $150-$200 range.
Given my record setup and price limit, what mic do you recommend and why? Will there really be that much difference recording in stero as opposed to mono?