I have read A LOT of information on mics in this forum prior to posting (thanks to all!!!!!). Its funny becuase I have about 400 posts on the UMGF (Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum), and I learned there that normally there are four answeres if three people reply to a question.
However, I have seen a lot of consistency in this forum. Most people agree on quality of sound with a few mic types/manufacturers. That's reassuring because I'm brand new to home recording (actually, I'm brand new to recording) and I just purchased a Presonus Firepod.
I'm going to need to purchase some mics. Free with my purchase is a AT2020. Not a great mic by any stretch, but its free. However, I do need some quality mics to record myself and a few other acoustic guitarists.
Budget is always a factor, as is the mics application from what I gather reading all these posts. I think I'm on the right track when I ask which mic(s) should I consider?
I think I have a pretty good list from a lot of the posts I've read, but I'd really appreciate some feedback from people who will forget more than I'll ever know.
I'm 40, so I'm not going to make a career out of recording. But, I do purchase quality products so I don't have to upgrade later. I own a Martin D-41 and a Martin OM-28 John Mayer. Although these aren't the most expensive guitars, they weren't inexpensive and I'd like to purchase some quality mics to match their sound quality (please not too many jokes if you're not a Martin fan).
Right now, I play with two other guys. We all play acoustics (2 Martins and a Gibson). The other two guys are better singers than me, but I sing ok.
In effect, I'd like to purchase a couple of mics for singing and a few mics for playing. However, my budget is limited, so I'll be purchasing mics one at a time or a couple at a time if I can find some good deals. Specifically, I'd like to spend about $200 on a mic, though I could spend more (up to $400), and I'd gladly spend less (realistically $100 as a minimum). I know that you get what you pay for, though on a purely price point, there seems to be a break on quality. What I mean is, there are some $200 mics that sound like some $400 mics. Therefore, there are some $400 mics that sound like $200 mics. I'd like to buy the $200 mic that sounds as good as an average sounding $400 mic.
Here is a list of the mics that I've read on the forum that seem to be consistently regarded as a good quality (granted, a lot of these are priced higher than I can afford right now, but they are a benchmark - maybe there's a mic out there that sounds about 90% as good, but is about half as much????):
1) SM81
2) AKG C414BULS
3) EV RE20
4) SM7b
5) SM57
6) Schoeps CMC6/MK4
7) Microtech Gefell UMT 800
8) CAD VX2
9) ADK A48, Vienna Edition, Hamburg Edition (BTW, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VIENNA AND HAMBURG EDITION?)
10) KSM 44, 32
11) Blue Baby Bottle
12) Senn MD421
13) Crown CM-700
Thanks for your help. One more thing for people who may not be able to answer my question about mics, but maybe has read any of these books?
Singing:
1) Set Your Voice Free : Foreword by Dr. Laura Schlesinger by Roger Love, Donna Frazier Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Little, Brown; Book & CD edition (October 5, 1999) ISBN: 0316441791
2) Jeffrey Allen's Secrets of Singing: Male (Low and High Voice) by Jeffrey Allen Paperback: 377 pages Publisher: Warner Brothers Publications; Bk&CD-Rom edition (September 1, 1994) ISBN: 0769278043
3) Teach Yourself to Sing: Everything You Need to Know to Start Singing Now by Karen F. Surmani Paperback: 64 pages Publisher: Alfred Pub Co; Book & CD edition (October 1, 1995) ISBN: 0882846655
Home Recording:
1) The Everything Home Recording Book: From 4-track to digital--all you need to make your musical dreams a reality (Everything: Sports and Hobbies) by Marc Schonbrun, Marc Schonbrun Paperback: 289 pages Publisher: Adams Media Corporation (November 30, 2004) ISBN: 1593371381
2) Guerrilla Home Recording : How to Get Great Sound from Any Studio (no matter how weird and cheap your gear is) by Karl Coryat Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Backbeat Books (January 9, 2005) ISBN: 0879308346
3) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Recording Illustrated (Complete Idiot's Guide to) by Clayton Walnum Paperback: 305 pages Publisher: Alpha Books (November 1, 2003) ISBN: 1592571220
4) Home Recording for Musicians for Dummies by Jeff Strong Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: For Dummies (April 5, 2002) ISBN: 0764516345
I think I've exhausted my limitation....sorry if this was too long for a thread on this forum. Just let me know what's appropriate and I'll adjust accoridingly. I'll be here for a while.
Thanks,
Mark
However, I have seen a lot of consistency in this forum. Most people agree on quality of sound with a few mic types/manufacturers. That's reassuring because I'm brand new to home recording (actually, I'm brand new to recording) and I just purchased a Presonus Firepod.
I'm going to need to purchase some mics. Free with my purchase is a AT2020. Not a great mic by any stretch, but its free. However, I do need some quality mics to record myself and a few other acoustic guitarists.
Budget is always a factor, as is the mics application from what I gather reading all these posts. I think I'm on the right track when I ask which mic(s) should I consider?
I think I have a pretty good list from a lot of the posts I've read, but I'd really appreciate some feedback from people who will forget more than I'll ever know.
I'm 40, so I'm not going to make a career out of recording. But, I do purchase quality products so I don't have to upgrade later. I own a Martin D-41 and a Martin OM-28 John Mayer. Although these aren't the most expensive guitars, they weren't inexpensive and I'd like to purchase some quality mics to match their sound quality (please not too many jokes if you're not a Martin fan).
Right now, I play with two other guys. We all play acoustics (2 Martins and a Gibson). The other two guys are better singers than me, but I sing ok.
In effect, I'd like to purchase a couple of mics for singing and a few mics for playing. However, my budget is limited, so I'll be purchasing mics one at a time or a couple at a time if I can find some good deals. Specifically, I'd like to spend about $200 on a mic, though I could spend more (up to $400), and I'd gladly spend less (realistically $100 as a minimum). I know that you get what you pay for, though on a purely price point, there seems to be a break on quality. What I mean is, there are some $200 mics that sound like some $400 mics. Therefore, there are some $400 mics that sound like $200 mics. I'd like to buy the $200 mic that sounds as good as an average sounding $400 mic.
Here is a list of the mics that I've read on the forum that seem to be consistently regarded as a good quality (granted, a lot of these are priced higher than I can afford right now, but they are a benchmark - maybe there's a mic out there that sounds about 90% as good, but is about half as much????):
1) SM81
2) AKG C414BULS
3) EV RE20
4) SM7b
5) SM57
6) Schoeps CMC6/MK4
7) Microtech Gefell UMT 800
8) CAD VX2
9) ADK A48, Vienna Edition, Hamburg Edition (BTW, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VIENNA AND HAMBURG EDITION?)
10) KSM 44, 32
11) Blue Baby Bottle
12) Senn MD421
13) Crown CM-700
Thanks for your help. One more thing for people who may not be able to answer my question about mics, but maybe has read any of these books?
Singing:
1) Set Your Voice Free : Foreword by Dr. Laura Schlesinger by Roger Love, Donna Frazier Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Little, Brown; Book & CD edition (October 5, 1999) ISBN: 0316441791
2) Jeffrey Allen's Secrets of Singing: Male (Low and High Voice) by Jeffrey Allen Paperback: 377 pages Publisher: Warner Brothers Publications; Bk&CD-Rom edition (September 1, 1994) ISBN: 0769278043
3) Teach Yourself to Sing: Everything You Need to Know to Start Singing Now by Karen F. Surmani Paperback: 64 pages Publisher: Alfred Pub Co; Book & CD edition (October 1, 1995) ISBN: 0882846655
Home Recording:
1) The Everything Home Recording Book: From 4-track to digital--all you need to make your musical dreams a reality (Everything: Sports and Hobbies) by Marc Schonbrun, Marc Schonbrun Paperback: 289 pages Publisher: Adams Media Corporation (November 30, 2004) ISBN: 1593371381
2) Guerrilla Home Recording : How to Get Great Sound from Any Studio (no matter how weird and cheap your gear is) by Karl Coryat Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Backbeat Books (January 9, 2005) ISBN: 0879308346
3) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Recording Illustrated (Complete Idiot's Guide to) by Clayton Walnum Paperback: 305 pages Publisher: Alpha Books (November 1, 2003) ISBN: 1592571220
4) Home Recording for Musicians for Dummies by Jeff Strong Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: For Dummies (April 5, 2002) ISBN: 0764516345
I think I've exhausted my limitation....sorry if this was too long for a thread on this forum. Just let me know what's appropriate and I'll adjust accoridingly. I'll be here for a while.
Thanks,
Mark