I know nothing about mics but need to record something.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Minrat
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Minrat

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Unfortunately google is not giving me sites I can rely on in terms of which types of mic capture what type of sound (i.e. what is good for which frequencys and the like).

In this instance, what I actually want to record is a bus-so i need a portable mic, but first i need to know if I should use condenser or something else. I want to get both the low and high frequencies of the bus.

Anyways-If you can recommend a site that tells me the applications of each mic that would be great. If you can't-telling me what I should use for this particular project would also be good.

thanks
 
I'm not sure I understand your question completely, but I'll give it crack. Most condensers frequency response is from 20hz-20khz, basically the range of human hearing. If you get a usb condenser mic you should be able to capture any frequency you are capable of hearing. Just to clarify, what part of the bus are you want to recording?
 
Just about all mics are portable. You've seen them, right? Small things that fit in your hand that get taken everywhere.... stages, rehearsals, studios, bus depots (you may be the first....). That's what portable means.:D

You don't need a portable mic. You just need a mic. You may need a portable device to record it one such as a field recorder, if you're chasing buses round the countryside to record them. Some of these devices have inbuilt mics which may do for your purpose, or you may need an actual external mic and a cord to go with it.

Why are you recording a bus? The answer to this question might help give you a better answer...

Do you require a high level of detail? Is the bus moving at the time? How will you record it if it's moving? What's your budget?

At the bottom end, a USB mic plugged into your laptop may do for your purposes. And you go up from there in terms of price and quality. Don't worry so much about frequencies, either. Answer the questions above.

Cheers
 
Keep it simple and buy a ZOOM H2n. Professional quality recording, choice of M-S or X-Y stereo all in a box that fits in one hand.

Your alternative would be a laptop with a bus powered interface and something like a Rode NTG1 or NTG2 mic. With one of those you'd also want a shock mount, short fishpole and some form of windgag--maybe a Rycote softie which would be the mount and wind gag all in one.

I personally don't know of any USB mics suitable for location recording--they're more for studio and podcasting uses.
 
Bobbsy said:
Keep it simple and buy a ZOOM H2n.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^^^^, I took one to India and the recordings I got were great, street sounds, a Tibetan choir rehearing in McLeod Ganj, brass band, sitar players (of course LOL).

This was my studio on the road.
Alan.

mini studio small.webp
 
Sorry I forgot to mention the silver mug in my original post...obviously it's essential!

Now, if somebody would just invent a portable lava lamp!
 
Bobbsy said:
Sorry I forgot to mention the silver mug in my original post...obviously it's essential!

Now, if somebody would just invent a portable lava lamp!
Click to expand...

The silver cup can be made of any material, china, tin, wood, but the coffee is essential.

Alan.
 
Richard Monroe said:
I'd go a step further and spend a little more for a ton of versatility:

Zoom H4n | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Most Orders Ship Free!
Click to expand...

My thinking on the H2n is that it does M-S stereo as well as X-Y...and for sound effects (I assume he wants a bus sound effect) M-S works really well. Hmmm...perhaps I shouldn't have assumed he can handle M-S stereo though!

This thread brings back all sorts of memories. The first location sound effect I ever had to record was a bus pulling into a stop, dropping off a passenger, then pulling away. I was in high school and it was for a play we were doing. This was Calgary in Canada, all I had to use was an old piano key cassette recorder with the mic it came with--and it was around -40C. You'd think I'd have learned from that!
 
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