Ambient micing?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Amped
  • Start date Start date
Amped

Amped

New member
Need suggestions for a decent ambient mic (single or pair) to record rehearsals in a well treated room... Also a little guidance on best possible placement... 24' x 20' room, vaulted to 11'... Equipment/PA along opposing long walls... Thats about it!
Thanks...
 
Bump...


I think this is the kind of question Harvey likes to answer... if he dosen't try to help you I will.
 
Hey thanks! Actually, Id like as much feedback as possible, so feel free to offer up any suggestions you might feel appropriate! And thanks for the bump!
 
I would like to know this as well however I am kinda thinking getting good ambient sounds will depend on having a good sounding room to pick up those ambient sounds.

Perhaps it would be good to include in the discussion or in another thread how to create good ambient sounds at home to mic.
 
Whoa! Harvey no!

This board wouldn't be half as good without you.
 
mcolling said:
Whoa! Harvey no!

This board wouldn't be half as good without you.
Click to expand...
No, that's really the last straw. DJL is trying to bait me, and I won't put up with it anymore. He can have this fucking place all to himself and show everybody just what he really knows about this stuff. I'm sure if he doesn't know something, he'll either paste an old answer he found, or just make some shit up.
 
Get a couple of pzm's and gaffa tape these on the walls of where you are recording, close mic the kit. Sit the recording from the PZM'S behind the closely miced tracks when mixing. The effect can be amazing.
 
No, that's really the last straw. DJL is trying to bait me, and I won't put up with it anymore. He can have this fucking place all to himself and show everybody just what he really knows about this stuff. I'm sure if he doesn't know something, he'll either paste an old answer he found, or just make some shit up.
Click to expand...

Don't worry Harvey,

You have earned most members respect here while most prefer to ignore DJL.

You have contributed knowledgable and usefull information while DJL has mostly offered a bad attitude.

If you insist on leaving then start your own forum without DJL and most of us will follow you over there for "DJL free" zone.
 
Scooter B said:
Don't worry Harvey,

You have earned most members respect here while most prefer to ignore DJL.

You have contributed knowledgable and usefull information while DJL has mostly offered a bad attitude.

If you insist on leaving then start your own forum without DJL and most of us will follow you over there for "DJL free" zone.
Click to expand...

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/f/32/0
 
Scooter B said:
Don't worry Harvey,

You have earned most members respect here while most prefer to ignore DJL.

You have contributed knowledgable and usefull information while DJL has mostly offered a bad attitude.

If you insist on leaving then start your own forum without DJL and most of us will follow you over there for "DJL free" zone.
Click to expand...
Please Scooter, the last thing I want is for people to leave homerecording.com over this. This BBS is a great source of information and some incredibly knowledgable people reside here. Learn from the ones who are really here to help.

I will still be on other parts of this BBS, trying to help out when and where I can. If DJL follows me to other parts of this BBS and starts his shit there as well, I'll leave it to Dragon to decide how to handle it. This is Davids house, and we're all just guests here, but every so often, somebody has to clean up the crap some guests leave lying around.
 
Im sorry if ya'll are having issues, but how does all this bullshit remotely answer my fucking question? Shall I pass out the tampons now??? Harvey, Id really appreciate you input on this.
 
May I suggest that if you have the option of running three or four inputs, place a pair of any reasonably flat-in-the-free-field mics somewhere mid-way in the room to catch the instruments, and mix in a bit of direct of the pa. Since we don't know the setup, an example would be guitar and bass amps on either side of a kit; set a pair of mics on each side a few feet up and back just enough to get a blend. Drums (everything in general) can sound beefier there than from above or too far back. You'd be going for a nice compromise between direct/close sound and room mush.

Wayne
 
mixsit said:
May I suggest that if you have the option of running three or four inputs, place a pair of any reasonably flat-in-the-free-field mics somewhere mid-way in the room to catch the instruments, and mix in a bit of direct of the pa. Since we don't know the setup, an example would be guitar and bass amps on either side of a kit; set a pair of mics on each side a few feet up and back just enough to get a blend. Drums (everything in general) can sound beefier there than from above or too far back. You'd be going for a nice compromise between direct/close sound and room mush.

Wayne
Click to expand...

Sounds like a reasoable approach and makes good sense. Ill definatly give that a shot. Can you give me an example "flat-in-the-free-field" mic?
Thanks Wayne.
 
Amped said:
Sounds like a reasoable approach and makes good sense. Ill definatly give that a shot. Can you give me an example "flat-in-the-free-field" mic?
Thanks Wayne.
Click to expand...
Sure. Mostly that just eliminates the live-vocal type mics that rely on close proximity to get the low end up. ;)
Even some really cheap condensers are pretty flat.
Wayne
 
[
QUOTE=mixsit]Sure. Mostly that just eliminates the live-vocal type mics that rely on close proximity to get the low end up. ;)
Click to expand...

Good point.

This place had already dropped to third on my list b/c of the DJL type of badgering but I occasionally drop in for researching some stuff with the search feature.

It is David's place as you said.
 
I read somewhere that "Live at Leeds" had ambient mic tracks on it?
 
Harvey Gerst said:
No, that's really the last straw. DJL is trying to bait me, and I won't put up with it anymore. He can have this fucking place all to himself and show everybody just what he really knows about this stuff. I'm sure if he doesn't know something, he'll either paste an old answer he found, or just make some shit up.
Click to expand...
Wow... WTF? I've been busy with my family or I would have seen this sooner. I'm not trying to bait anyone... I just thought this was the type of questions you liked answering. But, here you are getting all fucking worked up over nothing again and using this thread to start another round of crap... man I can't believe you.

Anyway... to answer your question Amped... there is no quick postvie place to place the mic(s)... you are going to need to experment some... the first two things I would try are.

1. Use two SDC mics in an X/Y position and try placing them about 10ft out in front of the drums... dead center, and about 5-6 high.

2. Try using an LDC mic set to the omni postion and move it around the room untill you find the sweet spot.

And I'd try using a small amount of compression... say about a 2:1 over easy.

Anyway, one of the above should get you in the ballpark.

Now, I've got to go read the other thread that Harvey linked here and see what kind of fucked bullshit crap is he said about me there too. :mad:


EDIT: ok, now that I've cooled down so I can think... there are some important things you need to keep in mind. Don't play too loud, and rather than truning something up... just point it more at the mics... in other words, you need to get a good mix in the room first and point it at the mic(s). In this case a bad room mix = bad recording.
 
Last edited:
dragonworks said:
I read somewhere that "Live at Leeds" had ambient mic tracks on it?
Click to expand...

Really? I believe it. That album has a great sounding natural reverb.

I am relieved that Harvey's not really leaving HomeRecording, just the mic forum.
 
Scooter B said:
Don't worry Harvey,

You have earned most members respect here while most prefer to ignore DJL.

You have contributed knowledgable and usefull information while DJL has mostly offered a bad attitude.

If you insist on leaving then start your own forum without DJL and most of us will follow you over there for "DJL free" zone.
Click to expand...
Scooter B said:
I would like to know this as well however I am kinda thinking getting good ambient sounds will depend on having a good sounding room to pick up those ambient sounds.

Perhaps it would be good to include in the discussion or in another thread how to create good ambient sounds at home to mic.
Click to expand...
Perhaps... but don't expect any help from me Scooter B.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top