Design/mechanics question about condenser mics

[gecko zzed]

Does it make a difference to a live audience? Of course not, they couldn't care less if you only used a piezo.

Quite so. From a mixer's point of view, I prefer to mix peizos . . . not because they sound all that good, but because they are so much more controllable in live situations. You can usually EQ a lot of the metallic brittleness away. I've had to deal with guitars, fiddles and cellos with built-in mikes, or mike/transducer combinations . . . it sounds like a good idea . . . but they are far too wayward and unpredictable for my liking.

I would much prefer to mike up a guitar externally rather than deal with one with an internal mike. Doing this also eliminates having to cope with guitarists who continually fiddle with their settings!

I think Tuneful was interested in pursuing an idea, but was somewhat taken aback when that idea was not whole-heartedly endorsed.

I recall when I was doing physics, we did experiments with monochords, i.e. a string suspended in an inert, non-resonating support. This was used to in studies on simple harmonic motion, harmonics and other things. We weren't measuring the volume emitted . . . the inert frame was there to eliminate its contribution to the string's vibration . . . but the sound it generated was bugger-all.

 

[Treeline]

But I freaking OWN acoustics. PERIOD.

Well I'm glad we got that settled.

Amazing.

This thread should be a sticky. On the bottom of my shoe.

 

[XLR]

And BTW, all this was for the primary purpose of recording rather than live sound.

This thread is a perfect example of why we need The Evidence Locker reinstated.

It doesn't fit in the mic forum.
It doesn't fit in the Cave.
But it should be kept for future entertainment. Like a TV rerun.

 

[mshilarious]

And BTW, all this was for the primary purpose of recording rather than live sound.

Recording? How did I miss that?

I guess some people like that '80s sound. You ready for another Rumble!, Mr. XLR?

 

[XLR]

It was easy to miss hidden in the middle of such a convoluted thread.

Are you talking about recording or live sound? "Capturing" usually means recording.

This isn't for the purpose of live sound, but down the road I suppose it could wind up being used for that.

 

[Treeline]

But it should be kept for future entertainment. Like a TV rerun.

Absolutely! Whatever you do, don't delete this thing!

It's wonderful if you want to get a glimpse into ... I don't know, hell or something. And Harvey still managed not to lose his cool.

 

[mshilarious]

Absolutely! Whatever you do, don't delete this thing!

It's wonderful if you want to get a glimpse into ... I don't know, hell or something. And Harvey still managed not to lose his cool.

There is no rule against being obtuse . . . I thought about editing out the cuss words for a minute, but left them as part of the kwality of this thread.

 

[Chili]

I thought about editing out the cuss words for a minute, but left them as part of the kwality of this thread.

Unfettered emotion is a wonderful thing.

Maybe we should move this thread to the newbies section....

 

[Supercreep]

I own an acoustic. PERIOD.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

And Harvey still managed not to lose his cool.

Actually, I did lose it, but I managed to delete my post before anybody read it.

 

[XLR]

Actually, I did lose it, but I managed to delete my post before anybody read it.

I read it. That was losing your cool?

 

[XLR]

So what's the real lesson hidden in this thread?

How 'bout...
Don't just presume. Do. Analyze. Redo. Repeat.

That was from my Mgmnt 101 college textbook BTW.

 

[darrin_h2000]

Like Ive said in the past...we need to restrict Newbies from posting all over the board until they have a minimun number of posts and hadnt managed to make this kind of a nuisence...we dont want wackos advising people new to this here because it reflects all of our reputations.

From this guy, to the ones who just bought a $50 unuseable noisy preamp and thinks its the best in the world...or just bought a Behringer mic and says its better than a Neumann or some other idiotic crap like that, is making this place into a joke...after all we are not babysitters here.

 

[XLR]

Like Ive said in the past...we need to restrict Newbies from posting all over the board until they have a minimun number of posts and hadnt managed to make this kind of a nuisence...we dont want wackos advising people new to this here because it reflects all of our reputations.

From this guy, to the ones who just bought a $50 unuseable noisy preamp and thinks its the best in the world...or just bought a Behringer mic and says its better than a Neumann or some other idiotic crap like that, is making this place into a joke...after all we are not babysitters here.

Naw. There are new members who don't overextend, even some who are very experienced. And there are long time members who don't know much. Better to give newbs the benefit of the doubt and then, if needed, descend on them like a pack of wild dogs.

 

[Chili]

That was from my Mgmnt 101 college textbook BTW.

I really ought to go to college someday.... I hear the girls are HOT!!!

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I read it. That was losing your cool?

For me, yeah, it was.

 

[XLR]

Well, he deserved worse than being told to put up or shut up. And you didn't even say the shut up part.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I read it. That was losing your cool?

Well, he deserved worse than being told to put up or shut up. And you didn't even say the shut up part.

I've learned that anytime you get into a pissing match with some anonymous asshole on the Internet, you lose. I watched on rec.audio.pro when some idiot blasted George Massenburg for giving him "stupid advice". As a result, George left the forum.

It's also the main reason that a lot of "real pros" don't visit these forums anymore, unless it's a controlled Q&A session, like Gearslutz, or a PSW type forum, where the moderators take a more aggressive stance against anonymous posters that have challenge issues.

Us old guys have learned (the hard way) that there are no "secrets" to good recording, but there are plenty of "tricks" to it. That's what a lot of us try to pass on to people just getting started. When it falls on deaf ears, or even worse, angry ears, we tend to go somewhere else.

 

[darrin_h2000]

Naw. There are new members who don't overextend, even some who are very experienced. And there are long time members who don't know much. Better to give newbs the benefit of the doubt and then, if needed, descend on them like a pack of wild dogs.

But we give too much liscense to those who dont have anything to offer...like last week I had to deal with a couple that dont know the difference between a piece of noisy garbage and decent gear...and they are the same type of guy that Harvey is discribing that ruined that other forum.

And instead of descending on them like a pack of wild dogs...some of the cave guys just egged on the trolls for thier own ammusement.

 

[WhiteStrat]

But we give too much liscense to those who dont have anything to offer...like last week I had to deal with a couple that dont know the difference between a piece of noisy garbage and decent gear...and they are the same type of guy that Harvey is discribing that ruined that other forum.

And instead of descending on them like a pack of wild dogs...some of the cave guys just egged on the trolls for thier own ammusement.

Dude, don't bring that silly fight here. He didn't declare his cheap pre to be the best thing since sliced bread--he declared it to be contextually acceptable (i.e. good bang for the buck) which is exactly the kind of advice a lot of new home recorders are looking for.

Your response to him was to attack a completely different model of preamp, even after he repeatedly pointed out that he didn't even have the one you were bashing.

And your response to the OP was to buy nothing, and go buy time at a studio until he learns about all the really good preamps. That's really lame advice to give to someone new to home recording. It's completely discouraging.

Trust me, I made some nice little recordings with a crappy $50 pre and a cheap MXL mic. Then I replaced 'em. As I got more serious, so did my knowledge, then my gear. But if my only option had been to pay an hourly rate to hang out with the pros at a studio--I'd have quit. That's not home recording!

If you ask me, that kind of advice is exactly what you're trying to shut down newbs for. It's condescending, stifling, and totally contrary to the goals of this community.


/end of off topic rant. my apologies to everyone else./