acoustic guitar "clip on" microphone

  • Thread starter Thread starter MidoBan
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MidoBan

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Hi, i'm starting to record guitar/vocals at home. i got a Martin 000-15M and recently purchased an mbox 2 and a MXL 9000 mic.
when i record i wanna sing and play simultaneously so i wanna add some recording equipment to my guitar.
i decided i dont wanna install any permanent electronics in my guitar and then i found out about the clip on microphones.
here i need your help..

i checked out some clip on mics like the DPA 4099, AKG, Audio-Technica.. but they're all too expensive for me (400-500$), especially after getting all this equipment. do you know of any more affordable clip on guitar mics?

i also bumped into the K&K Meridian microphone which is a bit more affordable, i noticed that i can choose between a mic with a preamp and without it. do i need the preamp even if i plug it into the mbox 2 which has a preamp in it? if i'll plug it directly into an acoustic amp it wont work without the preamp?

another thing, when i'm singing and playing at the same time, wont the clip on mic pick up on the vocals too? or is it recording only the guitar that is closer to it?

Thank you guys.. i'm kinda lost here..
 
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You don't need a clip on mike on the guitar. They're ok for live mixing (sometimes), but I like having a bit of air between the mike and the guitar. You can get very respectable mikes for well under the amount you've mentioned.

You don't need a separate pre-amp if the mbox has one. You may choose to get a separate pre amp (then go to a line-in of the mbox) if you (a) don't like the preamp on the mbox, or (b) want the specific (or lack of) colouration to the sound that an external pre-amp may supply.

If you are playing and singing at the same time, a guitar mike will pick up vocals, and a vocal mike will mike up guitars. How much they do this depends on their placement and sensitivity. Don't sweat on it. That's the way it is. If you want total isolation, then record them separately.
 
gecko zzed said:
You don't need a clip on mike on the guitar. They're ok for live mixing (sometimes), but I like having a bit of air between the mike and the guitar. You can get very respectable mikes for well under the amount you've mentioned.

You don't need a separate pre-amp if the mbox has one. You may choose to get a separate pre amp (then go to a line-in of the mbox) if you (a) don't like the preamp on the mbox, or (b) want the specific (or lack of) colouration to the sound that an external pre-amp may supply.

If you are playing and singing at the same time, a guitar mike will pick up vocals, and a vocal mike will mike up guitars. How much they do this depends on their placement and sensitivity. Don't sweat on it. That's the way it is. If you want total isolation, then record them separately.
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thanks for a great reply!

damn.. i kinda hoped the mic wont pick up on the vocals because its a guitar mic.
how come artists use it in gigs if it picks up on the vocals?

well maybe i do need to install a pickup.. i'm sure not happy to be messing around with the saddle..
 
A clip-on, being very close to the guitar, picks up very little of anything else. As I said, it's good for live mixing. However, even in live mixing with conventional mikes, the amount of bleed is not worth worrying about. Nor is it worth worrying about in the studio, unless, as I mentioned, you want complete separation.

Think about installing a pickup if you want to do live work. But they're generally not good for recording with.
 
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