Acousti micing : card or omni

flatfinger

flatfinger

Use every dam bit!
OK guys,
I've been using the search function on this and many other forums so please don't beat me up cause I know it is a well worn subject! ;)

Which camp do you fall into and why?

I know cardiod helps avoid bleed but you can't get them as close because of proximity, How effective is a roll off in this situation? 80 or 100 to 150 hz??

Are omni going to be quicker to set up because of there lack of off axis coloring???

if you go with a xy pair real close up , is there a "hole " when you pan well L& R
?

Share how you would go for the best "big" acoustic steel string sound for a singer songwriter , basic vocal, guitar w? mild rythum elements and nothing else?

What abou Ldc/ Sdc combos?

Discuss! :D


Thanks for your opinions!


:D
 
Why do you need to avoid bleed? If you are concerned about bleed, then wont an Omni mic only make that concern worse?

The best acoustic sound I've achieved is using a fig 8 and an omni in a mid-side config. Fairly close, maybe 18-24 inches out in front of the 15th fret. Even without proximity you will still have a guitar resonance to deal with, a freq range where your guitar sounds loudest. With my guitar that is about 125hz to 200hz, which I was able to tone down with a slight notch filter. I have an RTA program to show me where the peaks are.

If I had to choose just one mic (which I think is what you are asking) I'd choose the cardioid. Omni never sounds right to me by itself on a solo instrument or a solo voice. I would suggest that you always combine the omni with another mic.
 
I know cardiod helps avoid bleed but you can't get them as close because of proximity, How effective is a roll off in this situation? 80 or 100 to 150 hz??
Click to expand...
define "close" I've put cardoid mics inside of guitars before, is that what you mean by close?

Share how you would go for the best "big" acoustic steel string sound for a singer songwriter , basic vocal, guitar w? mild rythum elements and nothing else?
Click to expand...
I'd start with a good guitar that has a ""big" accoustic steel string sound"
 
For a single mic *in a good sounding space* I like to use an omni in tight. For a stereo track I like a pair of cardioids in X/Y config. But every song/guitar/space combination deserves some experimenting to find what works best, including the usual suspects like over the shoulder, bridge and 12th fret, etc.
 
Really depends on the material. For pop/rock strumming with other instruments I'd mono mic the acou in omni, with 150Hz roll off.

If the acou is the only instrument then stereo mic without the roll off.
 
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