Matched pair o not matched pair?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MeMyGuitar
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MeMyGuitar

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Hi there,
newbie to this fourm, I need advice about acoustic guitar home recording.
Soon I will get a new acoustic guitar which is not (and it will never be) equipped with piezo or other onboard amplification system. I just got a Rode NT3 mic and an MAudio Pro USB audio interface. I'd like to know your opinion about coupling a further Rode NT3 to make a matched pair OR getting any other "complementary" microphone considering a budget strictly not exceeding 200 USD. Also would appreciate any suggestion about the audio interface.
Any expert opinion is welcome, thank you for your help!
Massimo
 
In my humble experience, I rarely use two mics for acoustic guitar. I've just always prefered a single mic.
 
Wait...aren't all matched pairs brought in pairs? You can't just match up 2 of the same mic and call it a matched pair. Since you've already got one Rode NT3, I'd just explore other options if you want to double-mic it.
 
guitaristic said:
Wait...aren't all matched pairs brought in pairs? You can't just match up 2 of the same mic and call it a matched pair. Since you've already got one Rode NT3, I'd just explore other options if you want to double-mic it.
Click to expand...

Correct.. they match them and sell them in pairs.... which is what the NT5 is. However having the same brand / model gets you closer than otherwise, I suspect.

Unless you're recording acoustic guitars as a feature instrument, I wouldn't bother... I used to use matched pairs but now I'd rather buy one really good mic and use something else as a second... and I use acoustic guitars as the feature instrument. YMMV...
 
Well, number me as somebody who really prefers to do acoustic guitar as a stereo pair. I just like the sound and the flexibility it gives me in the mix even if the guitar isn't a "featured" instrument. Down to personal preference I guess.

Now, on the "matched pair" thing: I do a lot of "stereo pair" recording and, as long as the mics come from a company with good quality control I don't worry much about the matched pair hype. I tend to find two identical mics "close enough" without the specific matching. The one thing to be careful of is that one mic hasn't started to deteriorate through humidity or whatver.

Having said that, the M3 isn't my favourite mic from the Rode stable. I find the sound a bit dark and woolly to my ears--I ended up loaning my M3 to a music teacher friend (because she could run it from the 9V battery) and never bothering to get it back.
 
Thank you all for your opinions.
I am quite convinced that the acoustic guitar sound can't be well represented with single-mic recording.
So now: knowing the features of the NT3 and the field of employ (i.e. acoustic guitar home recording), which else mic would you couple to it (keeping the budget under 200 USD)?
I know that maybe this is a tricky question but please help me to make a good choice.
 
When you stereo Mic an acoustic guitar, the two Mic tend to pick up different tones from the instrument due to placement. Buying an actual matched pair is pointless in this context. There are very few circumstances where having a matched pair is necessary and simply having two of the same model mic will not do.
 
Ooops...it was the NT3 I meant (and used to own and gave away). I've not tried the M3 which at least looks like an upgraded NT3.

Just to confuse things farther, my typo wasn't caused by mic confusion--I'd just watched a video featuring a BMW M3 which I'm sure would be even worse at picking up detailed acoustic guitar sound.

As for which mic, although I said you don't need a matched pair, I'd suggest you use two of the same mic. If you're happy with the NT3 then I suggest another, otherwise two of something else.

But not a BMW.
 
Armistice said:
Correct.. they match them and sell them in pairs.... which is what the NT5 is. However having the same brand / model gets you closer than otherwise, I suspect.

Unless you're recording acoustic guitars as a feature instrument, I wouldn't bother... I used to use matched pairs but now I'd rather buy one really good mic and use something else as a second... and I use acoustic guitars as the feature instrument. YMMV...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been checking out the NT5s...might pick up a pair one day lol. Yep I prefer to mix and match when it comes to mics for an acoustic too!

The only time I ever really think of needing a matched pair is for drums OHs, but then again I just use a single mic for an OH anyways cause I'm ghetto :D
 
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Farview said:
When you stereo Mic an acoustic guitar, the two Mic tend to pick up different tones from the instrument due to placement. Buying an actual matched pair is pointless in this context. There are very few circumstances where having a matched pair is necessary and simply having two of the same model mic will not do.
Click to expand...




Yes, Yes and Yes!
 
OK guys, let's forget the matched pair thing from now on and focusize on creating a complementary couple starting from an NT3. Which second mic would you put near? I mean, the main aim recording an acoustic instrument should be catching the most wide range of frequencies that come from it, so I suppose that a couple of mics should be "complementary" on doing this; some say NT3 is bright-midrangeous and I suspect they are right, so what to do? Go and shoot your choice! ;-)
 
Well, just to prove everyone has a different way of doing things, I disagree with using two totally different mics. If I'm using a stereo technique I want the same basic sound from both sides, otherwise it's not stereo, just two mics.

That said, I've done hundreds of stereo recordings using two identical mics, not a matched pair and they've all been fine so the part of the advice about not worrying two much about a "certified" matched pair I agree with.
 
The Rode NT3 is a cardioid pattern. If your second mic had a figure of 8 pattern (multi-pattern condenser, or a ribbon mic) you could expand your horizons and explore mid-side stereo recording.

(Personally, I really like Blumlein pair recordings on acoustic guitar. For that you need two fig-8 mics.)

Stewart
 
Bobbsy said:
If I'm using a stereo technique I want the same basic sound from both sides, otherwise it's not stereo, just two mics.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to agree with Bobbsy, the exception being MS, where the mics are de facto different from one another.
 
Armistice said:
Correct.. they match them and sell them in pairs.... which is what the NT5 is. However having the same brand / model gets you closer than otherwise, I suspect.

Unless you're recording acoustic guitars as a feature instrument, I wouldn't bother... I used to use matched pairs but now I'd rather buy one really good mic and use something else as a second... and I use acoustic guitars as the feature instrument. YMMV...
Click to expand...

Matching a pair "after the fact" depends on how tight the maker's QC is. The tolerance at Neumann & Sennheiser is so narrow that I'd not have any problems buying a 2nd mic down the road for a matched pair. I wouldn't make the same assumption about Rode having no experience with their products.
 
Farview said:
When you stereo Mic an acoustic guitar, the two Mic tend to pick up different tones from the instrument due to placement. Buying an actual matched pair is pointless in this context. There are very few circumstances where having a matched pair is necessary and simply having two of the same model mic will not do.
Click to expand...

Thank You...................+1 I cannot see the purpose of using (ideally) identical sounding mics on completely different sound sources. As stated, the situations where this is really of benefit (IMO) seem very, very limited. I would find the whole project much more interesting using completely different mics mixed to taste.
 
Mid side is good for singer songwriter stuff as xaudia say. If you want a wide stereo spread (the beauty of this technique is you can have it as wide or narrow as you want)

You will be amazed though by the Niaint xs (omni) on acoustics and its dirt cheap too.
Dont take my word for it see what the others say too
 
Tomm Williams said:
Thank You...................+1 I cannot see the purpose of using (ideally) identical sounding mics on completely different sound sources. As stated, the situations where this is really of benefit (IMO) seem very, very limited. I would find the whole project much more interesting using completely different mics mixed to taste.
Click to expand...

It's not about the sound source but the sound receiver(s). You listen to an instrument with both ears which ideally, are working properly and the same. The mics are the electronic representation of that in the signal/recording chain.
 
At best, I think it's somewhere in between. Even given that the receiver is optimally hearing both stereo sources in perfect reproduction of each other. I don't see any intrinsic value unless it is one source at one location. Mic an acoustic guitar at the 12th fret and the sound-hole (or whatever two seperate spots you wish) that single instrument is still producing two different sounds from two different locations. Subtle or not, I just don't see the need to worry about two identical mics in that situation. Many ways to skin a cat.
 
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