pdlstl said:
This may be more info than anyone is willing to write out but I thought I would ask anyway.
I currently have:
AT 4033
AT 4041
CAD E-100
Shure SM57
Which of these mics should I use and what approximate placement locations would be a good starting point for the following instruments:
acoustic guitar
mandolin
dobro
banjo
fiddle
upright bass
If the response is going to be too lengthy, can you tell me a good source on the 'net for this information?
Thanks, this board is a wonderful resource!
Earl
Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and make a wild guess that this is some kind of bluegrass group. Which means, I'm gonna hafta make some kind of assumptions about the actual instruments being used. For some of the instruments, replace the name I guessed with a "look-alike" model.
Acoustic guitar: Either
a Martin D-18 or a D-28. I like the mic around at least 20 inches back off the bottom of the guitar, pointed at the bridge for rhythm work, and then move in closer for the solo stuff. If it's a mellow D-18, use one of the brighter mic; if it's a more trebly D-28, try the SM-57.
Mandolin: Depends on the style. For an F-hole design, try right where the neck joins the body for rhythm; move down lower towards the bridge for solo stuff. For an A style (oval hole), reverse it; down low for solos and up higher for rhythm.
Dobro: Pretty much the same for any dobro, whether it's single cone, tri-cone, bisquit, etc. About 18" above and maybe 10" out, aimed at the resonator.
Banjo: Whether it's a Mastertone or an RB250, they all record pretty well from at least 12 to 18" out from the bridge, with the mic pointed at the bridge. You may hafta do some eq-ing if the head tension isn't even; listen for one or two ringing sounds that aren't in the notes the banjo player is playing.
Fiddle: This is harder, since no two fiddles sound alike. Start about 18" directly above the fiddle, then rotate the mic in an 180 degree arc till the mic is exactly 18" below the fiddle. Somewhere in that arc, the instrument will "come alive".
Upright bass: Since this is probably gonna be a lot of "slap bass" stuff, try about 18 to 24" out, aimed at a point 1/2 way between the bridge and where the neck joins the body.
With all these instruments, one constant will hold true; if it sounds too bright, switch to another mic, or try moving the mic a bit.
With Flatt and Scruggs, or the Kentucky Colonels, I usually didn't need more than just one mic for vocals, and another mic or two placed a little lower for solos. If you have the time, experiment a little bit. Sometimes fewer mics will give better results.
It's gonna be a fun session; wish I were there.