KSM44 Advice

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BajoElSol

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Hey, let me say first that his is one neat site. One of the best I've found..

I've recently got a KSM44 Shure mic. I have heard some really good reviews about this mic, but I don't have a lot of practical experience in this area. Does anyone have any information about this mic, best setup for vocals etc...??????

Thanks

Bajo
 
I have one too. It's a good mic.

I don't know that there is any KSM44-specific advice I can give you about recording vocals with it.

Maybe check this site out if you're looking for general tips about recording vocals:

http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Actually, this is a great site for all sorts of info...
 
Well ... it's a mic.

You point it at things, and it will pick up whatever sounds they make.

If you want to record vocals with it, you'll want to point it at the singer's mouth.
 
What is your signal chain for recording? Do you have a decent preamp? Are you recording into a computer? What kind of music will you record? These are just a few of the basic questions that will assist us in helping you out.

The room you record in will make a big difference in the way the mic picks up the sound. I record in a room that has some echo, so I put three panels in front and diagonally in front to reduce some of the echo and reflection off the wall in front of me.

Distance from the mic is important also. You can achieve different results depending upon how close or far away from the mic you are. You might want to get a wind screen to reduce plosive sounds. The direction you sing, whether straight into or angled slightly off to one side can also change the way the vocals sound in songs which require very loud, then softer singing. You have to learn to play the mic to get the results you want.

Record the songs raw, apply effects and compression and EQ, and all that stuff later.

Most people will recommend you use headphones to monitor, but some prefer not to use them. I think I get better results using them.

Spend plenty of time getting your recording levels set right before trying to get a good final recording. In fact, the settings for your inputs, outputs, etc. can have a huge affect on your recording quality.

You can go out and buy the most expensive gear, but your results will still depend on your ability to use the gear through your own knowledge and experience. There is a long learning curve with this stuff, good luck!
 
chessrock said:
Well ... it's a mic.

You point it at things, and it will pick up whatever sounds they make.

If you want to record vocals with it, you'll want to point it at the singer's mouth.
Click to expand...

WOW!!!! That was useful! LOL
 
Rick Shepherd said:
What is your signal chain for recording? Do you have a decent preamp? Are you recording into a computer? What kind of music will you record? These are just a few of the basic questions that will assist us in helping you out.

The room you record in will make a big difference in the way the mic picks up the sound. I record in a room that has some echo, so I put three panels in front and diagonally in front to reduce some of the echo and reflection off the wall in front of me.

Distance from the mic is important also. You can achieve different results depending upon how close or far away from the mic you are. You might want to get a wind screen to reduce plosive sounds. The direction you sing, whether straight into or angled slightly off to one side can also change the way the vocals sound in songs which require very loud, then softer singing. You have to learn to play the mic to get the results you want.

Record the songs raw, apply effects and compression and EQ, and all that stuff later.

Most people will recommend you use headphones to monitor, but some prefer not to use them. I think I get better results using them.

Spend plenty of time getting your recording levels set right before trying to get a good final recording. In fact, the settings for your inputs, outputs, etc. can have a huge affect on your recording quality.

You can go out and buy the most expensive gear, but your results will still depend on your ability to use the gear through your own knowledge and experience. There is a long learning curve with this stuff, good luck!
Click to expand...

Now this was REALLY useful. Thanks a lot for that, :)

Bajo
 
Yea, but you still definitely want to point the mic at your mouth.

Don't forget that one.
 
chessrock said:
Yea, but you still definitely want to point the mic at your mouth.

Don't forget that one.
Click to expand...

If this is the advice that comes out of a mouth, then maybe it's best to point it to your ass...
 
Rick Shepherd said:
What is your signal chain for recording? Do you have a decent preamp? Are you recording into a computer? What kind of music will you record? These are just a few of the basic questions that will assist us in helping you out.

The room you record in will make a big difference in the way the mic picks up the sound. I record in a room that has some echo, so I put three panels in front and diagonally in front to reduce some of the echo and reflection off the wall in front of me.

Distance from the mic is important also. You can achieve different results depending upon how close or far away from the mic you are. You might want to get a wind screen to reduce plosive sounds. The direction you sing, whether straight into or angled slightly off to one side can also change the way the vocals sound in songs which require very loud, then softer singing. You have to learn to play the mic to get the results you want.

Record the songs raw, apply effects and compression and EQ, and all that stuff later.

Most people will recommend you use headphones to monitor, but some prefer not to use them. I think I get better results using them.

Spend plenty of time getting your recording levels set right before trying to get a good final recording. In fact, the settings for your inputs, outputs, etc. can have a huge affect on your recording quality.

You can go out and buy the most expensive gear, but your results will still depend on your ability to use the gear through your own knowledge and experience. There is a long learning curve with this stuff, good luck!
Click to expand...

I'm recording into a Edirol FireWire101 sound card, and then straight into the computer. I don't want to pass it through a mixer or any of that, just leave it simple to get a pure sound from the mic.

I think It's best to experiment and come to my own conclusions as far as sound goes, but I'm determained to work on it until I'm pleased with waht I'm hearing.

Thanks.
 
BajoElSol said:
If this is the advice that comes out of a mouth, then maybe it's best to point it to your ass...
Click to expand...


Well, if your voice is anything like your sense of humor, then you'd probably get a better sound that way. :D
 
chessrock said:
Well, if your voice is anything like your sense of humor, then you'd probably get a better sound that way. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. I'm not a singer, so whatever I record with my voice would probably sound like shit.LOL :p

Well, actually I wasn't being humorous, if you interpreted it that way (that says a lot about your humor)...

Then again, I can't say a lot about your sense wit hence, your posts are very sarcastic (the lowest form of humor possible)

However, I am curious to know why you would say such a thing. I mean honestly, come on dude, you can't just go around writing stupid advice like that. It doesn’t benefit anyone! I noticed that you have almost posted 10000 posts!!!!! :eek: For god sake, what do you do all day! Is that the reason, you're posting any old nonsense, to get up to 10000 :rolleyes: LOL!!!!

Having posted almost 10000 means that you probably spend all your time writing stupid advice and do little recording, well o.k. Maybe you weren't being sarcastic, and that is best advice you can give. Sorry if I offened you....

Anyway, I have learned a valuable lesson. In this business, there are people who are willing to help you when you ask for it, give you good honest advice, like Rick, and there are those who are there to wreck your self-esteem, time and basically be a pain in the ass. I'm glad I've found this out now and not later on, considering I'm only just beginning in this recording business.

Thanks to those who posted useful stuff, :cool:

Bajo
 
BajoElSol said:
However, I am curious to know why you would say such a thing. I mean honestly, come on dude, you can't just go around writing stupid advice like that. It doesn’t benefit anyone! I noticed that you have almost posted 10000 posts!!!!! :eek: For god sake, what do you do all day! Is that the reason, you're posting any old nonsense, to get up to 10000 :rolleyes: LOL!!!!
Click to expand...


It's called "Newbie Hazing," and if you hang out on this site long enough ... you might get to do it sometime, too.

It's all in good fun. Ya know, if you were rushing a frat house, we'd probably all make you bend over as we paddled you, and made you say "Thank you sir, may I have another." Or we'd drop you off in the middle of a field drunk and naked or something silly like that.

All you have to do is put up with idiots like me being sarcastic. Could be a lot worse. You got a nice mic, by the way. The KSM-44 is, in my opinion, one of the most capable ones in the $1K and under bracket. It's more than capable of getting professional-level results if used properly. I don't consider it "pro-sumer." It's a professional piece of gear, ala Neumann, Schoeps, etc. Learn how to use it and do the right things with it, and you'll be stylin.
 
I have to come to Chessrock's defense here. He's been around a long time and has offered sound advice. Look up his postings and you'll see, he knows quite a bit and has a wisdom all his own. There used to be more like him, who would give people (newbies) a good ribbing to see if they can take it. It is what makes this site interesting and fun instead of the usual boring talk. It just takes getting used to. There used to be a few who were worse.
 
Is Mixerman's forum still going, these days?

Man, those guys used to be just brutal. Ouch, I'm still smarting from the lashing I got when I first visited that site. :D

Those guys would destroy ordinary mortals.
 
I like sarcasm, it's so .......... sacrastic.

P.S. No matter what Bruce Lee named his kid, he would still be an adverb.
 
Yeah, I suppose there was no harm intended. :cool: I don't speak English as a first language :o and have only been around fo a week, so I sometimes blunder up on these things, sorry. I wish you all the best...

Hey, but on thing dude, you forgot so say I have to turn the microphone on before pointing it at things!!!! :) (think I might be getting the hang of this sarcasm thing :D )

Bajo.
 
BajoElSol said:
Hey, but on thing dude, you forgot so say I have to turn the microphone on before pointing it at things!!!! :) (think I might be getting the hang of this sarcasm thing :D )
Click to expand...

Not really. You do have to turn the phantom power on, though. :D ha ha.
 
Pointing it at your mouth won't help if you dont plug it in, too. ;)
 
Junior member.....(heavy sigh)... That's not sarcastic, or for that matter, funny.
 
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