microphone in studio--up or down?

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canadave

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Hi,

This is probably a really silly question, but as someone new to recording I'm genuinely curious.

When I see studios briefly depicted on TV (in documentaries, reality shows, etc), sometimes shockmounted microphones are "right-side up", but sometimes they're "upside down" (hanging from a boom arm with the business end pointing downwards). Is there a particular orientation that is "preferred"? Or does it simply not make any difference?

Thanks,
Dave
 
Mine is pointed up... Some say that helps heat dissapate from the tube. But my main reason is that I don't have a boom stand strong enough or tall enough to hang a mic from it...
 
the idea of hanging a microphone upside down comes from old tube microphones. engineers would hang them upside down so that heat would not rise through the diaphram causing it to warp. so, with modern non tube mics, it really doesnt matter. however, your singer may find it more comfortable with the mic cable up out of the way...
 
foreverain4 said:
the idea of hanging a microphone upside down comes from old tube microphones. engineers would hang them upside down so that heat would not rise through the diaphram causing it to warp. so, with modern non tube mics, it really doesnt matter. however, your singer may find it more comfortable with the mic cable up out of the way...
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The cable should be fastened to the stand or whatever.... That said, hanging the mic upside down tends to lend itself to proper vocal production by encouraging the singer to tilt his/her head back a little....
 
I've read threads in other forums about owners of new tube mics having issues from using them right side up. The heat messes with the capsule.(at least with some tube mics) Not permanently though, once things cool down they work fine.
 
OK, lemme set the record straight, once and for all time. All the studios in those pictures hung the mics upside down for 3 reasons:

1. It keeps them out of the way of performers who are reading lyrics from music stands.

2. Easier to angle from above when recording a large number of musicians.

3. Keeps people from bumping into the mic or the stand.

Finally, the myth that using tube mics right side up is somehow harmful to the capsule. It's not. In fact, it's designed that way to actually keep the capsule slightly warm, driving moisture away.

Some people attributed the U47's poor diaphragm stability to the tube heat, but in fact, the PVC diaphragms just hardened and cracked naturally with age, as PVC does over time anyway.

And those are the real reasons.
 
Harvey Gerst said:
OK, lemme set the record straight, once and for all time. All the studios in those pictures hung the mics upside down for 3 reasons:

1. It keeps them out of the way of performers who are reading lyrics from music stands.

2. Easier to angle from above when recording a large number of musicians.

3. Keeps people from bumping into the mic or the stand.

Finally, the myth that using tube mics right side up is somehow harmful to the capsule. It's not. In fact, it's designed that way to actually keep the capsule slightly warm, driving moisture away.

Some people attributed the U47's poor diaphragm stability to the tube heat, but in fact, the PVC diaphragms just hardened and cracked naturally with age, as PVC does over time anyway.

And those are the real reasons.
Click to expand...

You forgot the cool factor! Studios spent money on big stands with big boom arms so the engineers had to do something to make it look cool!:cool:
 
an interesting question.

ive never really heard someone ask this before.

thank you, harvey, for clearing that up. and i see youre in sanger?
i'm a student in denton. :)

anyway, i feel enlightened to know it doesn't matter which way the mic goes
 
So that's why Status Quo performed live with the mic the mic slightly up!
They had music on a stand before it! (didn't know they could read let alone read music)
I thought it had something to do with the wind machine! Looked cool though.
I like the idea of it being out of the way - I have a couple of excellent vocal takes that are almost unusable because of the vocalists kicking the stand or flapping their lyrics against the shell.
Don't think I have a heavy enough boom - might be a good investment though.
 
I have a Neumann M149, but no big boom stand and I was always afraid for the standard tripoid stand to flip over, so I hung an elastic cord from the ceiling to the mic to prefend this.

Untill I got the idea of mounting a Jaguar XK engine's flywheel with tie ribs to the three legs of the stand. The other LDC's are on stands with a big disc brake over the tripoid stand and one has to do his very best to make these mics flip over now.
 
Usually I keep mine upside down for easyer access
to the notes or script

Matti
 
Han said:
I have a Neumann M149, but no big boom stand and I was always afraid for the standard tripoid stand to flip over, so I hung an elastic cord from the ceiling to the mic to prefend this.

Untill I got the idea of mounting a Jaguar XK engine's flywheel with tie ribs to the three legs of the stand. The other LDC's are on stands with a big disc brake over the tripoid stand and one has to do his very best to make these mics flip over now.
Click to expand...

it is wise to reinforce those mic stands, but be careful. i've had a mic stand break right at the end; the threaded part popped right off, along with the mic.
 
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