Lage Diaphragm Condensors and the Saxophone

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coloradojay

coloradojay

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Does anyone use a LDC mic to record Sax? If so, what can you tell me about the placement?

My main issue with LDCs is that they pick up an aweful lot of breath noise, key/pad sounds that I don't really desire, but the detail of the sound and extra room/reverb are kind of cool. Do you have any tricks for this?

Just use it as a room mic only- not too close to the player?

Don't use an LDC for sax at all? If not, is anything you've learned about placement for SDCs or dynamics, you'd care to share? (besides, "don't stick it right in the bell"- I recognize the fact that the whole instrument makes the sound)

How do *you* get optimal detail without too much mechanical noise?

I'm interested in what others have found best, as a starting point (short of buying a high-dollar, or Sax-specific mic).
 
You pretty much got it. Back the hell off, consider going omni (depending on the distance and mic it can get harsh with a cardioid close-up, what with the "gentle" "presence" peak.

Have any ribbons?

MP
 
I love the sound of a ribbon on sax

A descent ribbon mic really captures the warmth of a sax.
 
I use my T-3 tube mic for sax ,about 3 feet away sounds nice.
 
Bump back to page one.

So nobody else uses an LDC on sax (cept tmix)? I unfortunately don't see a ribbon in my gear budget anytime soon so that's out of the question.

Thanks for the tip Tmix, 3 feet seems far to me, but I guess that's what it takes to avoid the clatter of keys.

The T3 is multipattern right, so do you use it in cardiod for this application?

I'm going to probably have to block some of the reflections and stuff in my room if I'm going ~3 feet back. Do you record the sax in a vocal booth or a room?

Based on no response, I'm supposing that SDCs are not generally used on sax...
 
calling Lt Bob Calling LT BOB lol
where is the guy when you need him?

I 've used a 414 in cardioid that worked out good, its been a while though. I think I used it alittle of axis poiting between the
bell and body out a couple feet.
Of course it depends on genre, player, acoustics...
SDC are used more on live gigs, but hey try it ya never know.
I heard a 421 can work too.
 
I use a dynamic mic about a foot from the bell. Experiment with pointing, every sax player seems to have a diffferent sweet spot.

Adding an LDCondensor about 6 feet back, head high, to capture the ambience of the horn and then mix with the dynamic feed until sweet.

Remember, the sax radiates sound from the ENTIRE horn... not just the bell.
 
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