Mic suggestion?

[sonusman]

I want that Whitney Houston vocal sound on a girl that sounds like Janis Joplin.

Would the Karaoke Barbie model work for this? Or should I get a Mr. Microphone? I only have $10, but figure I should be able to get a professional sound out of either and shouldn't have to spend the big bucks for like a SM-58 or something right? I am fretting over this choice because I haven't used anything OTHER than the Mr. Microphone, but it broke when I used it in the car the other day saying "Hey good looking, we'll be back to pick you up later!" to this really good looking blonde the other day. Well, actually my buddy spilled a Slurpee on it looking at her. But anyway, it doesn't work, nor does the echo that came with it either!!! But I would think a Barbie mic would work better for a female voice right? And since they probably wouldn't want Barbie to sound like Janis Joplin, the mic should make this girl sound like Whitney right?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ed

 

[ihs]

Ed,

Now, I think the Barbie is the way to go, but you need to ask yourself-the Barbie, or the Barbie-M? They're supposedly the same mic, but the Barbie-M is pastel purple (as opposed to pink) and has a gold Mattel logo on the grill. My vote is for the -M, simply for the cool purple.

 

[ametth]

Take your meds....please.

 

[atomictoyz]

I think what your looking for is the Studio Projects MXL Kegger cups with optional MXC-4 transmitter string. Its total cost is under $3.95..without the suitcase. Puke screens are extra...

Peace,
Dennis

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I'd wait for the new RNBM from FMR Audio. As I understand it, the "Really Nice Barbie Mic" will have more patterns (including silk, gingham, linen, and cotton) and the RNBM will work perfectly with the other FMR products.

I understand Alan Hyatt is working on a tube version of the Barbie doll mic. Right now, the placement of the tube is causing some concern in some of the Anti-Children's Pornography groups, but it is the most logical place to put the tube, IMHO.

 

[chessrock]

Well if you want this Janis Jopelin-sounding chick to sound like Whitney, just pretend you're Bobby Brown, slap her upside the head a few times and say something like "quit smokin' all my weed, bi$%# !"

 

[atomictoyz]

I'd wait for the new RNBM from FMR Audio. As I understand it, the "Really Nice Barbie Mic" will have more patterns (including silk, gingham, linen, and cotton) and the RNBM will work perfectly with the other FMR products.

I understand Alan Hyatt is working on a tube version of the Barbie doll mic. Right now, the placement of thetube is causing some concern in some of the Anti-Children's Pornography groups, but it is the most logical place to put the tube, IMHO.

I hope its multi patterned, 36DD dual bubes one Ive always wanted. Coool, Im excited! Well you know harvey..fallopian tube are precise things...placement is very important!




Peace,
Dennis

 

[geekgurl]

I'd wait for the new RNBM from FMR Audio. As I understand it, the "Really Nice Barbie Mic" will have more patterns (including silk, gingham, linen, and cotton) and the RNBM will work perfectly with the other FMR products.

But if you want your singer to sound high-society debutant-ish, you should definitely only use the linen pattern -- particularly with the "white" color pattern boost on -- only after Memorial Day, and NOT after Labor Day. Otherwise, your singer will sound like a fashion idiot -- you want more Whitney and less Janis, so you will definitely HAVE TO USE YOUR OWN EARS. YMMV.

Some people like to break rules like that mentioned above, but I prefer the traditional, "vintage" sound one gets by adhering to such rules. It just sounds warmer: you may not need to wait for the Alan Hyatt's tube mic ...

 

[Michael Jones]

Well, I own a "matched pair" of each of these microphones, and have used them extensively to record my grand piano. The results for each of them have always been stellar! No need to worry about silly things like microphone placement either, just get them close to what you are recording, and they work like magic!
I have found the integrated reverb on the Mr. Microphone to be just a tad harsh on the higher frequencies, but it definately has that up-front, in your face sound that is so popular in todays music. The Barbie mic, however, seems to have a really smooth, almost silky response reminiscent of expensive, vintage German microphones.
The Barbie microphone would be my first choice for the application you have described. I would, however, turn the tone knob on your cassette deck a little bit to the right (clockwise), doing that is what I have heard explained as "boosting the highs", and it should help to attenuate some of the raspiness of the singers voice, and give you that popular Whitney Houston sound.

Hope that helps.

 

[Michael Jones]

Here are some audio samples:
first the Mr. Microphone:

 

[Michael Jones]

And now the Barbie Mic!

 

[Griffinator]

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ed

I'm very sorry, but there is no help for you.

Tell Ken and Skippy I said hello, OK?

 

[strmkr]

But you need to get the whole setup if you really want to do it right.This is what I do all my tracking with now.I tried to fight it,but the preamp in this thing blows my old neve out of the water

dream rig

 

[Michael Jones]

But you need to get the whole setup if you really want to do it right.This is what I do all my tracking with now.I tried to fight it,but the preamp in this thing blows my old neve out of the water

dream rig

Yeah, thats pretty sweet!
Here's what I use though:


and here's the feature list:
This silvery-pink Barbie boombox packs lots of musical options into a small, easy-to-carry music machine that plays CDs, cassettes, and AM and FM radio. The programmable CD player has the standard convenient features including 20-track programming and recording capabilities. A microphone is included...

 

[trebles]

I hear NOMANN are making a ken version of the mic as well it will sound great once barbie decides to grow some balls and wants to sound like janis just a thought

I also hear you can now buy the ken version with the special military G I JOE version mic....... when you really want to break on through to the otherside im told this will really put an a bomb in your recording and these special packs are being blown out at below 10usd so you will still have change over for your much sought after sm58

 

[Mark H.]

I've never actually held the mic in my hands, but I've been carefully auditioning test recordings of various microphones since 1913, and despite my admittedly limited experience with micing female singers -- or any singers -- I have to say that the Karaoke Barbie seems to me to be a fabulous bargain at $9.99.

I acknowledge the limitations of mic comparison recordings, but at least on that one song, that day, in that studio, using those ancillary pieces of equipment, and played back through my in-wall stereo system in the bathroom with the shower running and the exhaust fan going -- whew! Barbie has never sounded better to these ears. The Karaoke Barbie *easily* blew away mics costing as much as $29.95 retail, in my opinion. I was simply stunned by what I heard.

Don't expect to get the best from the Karaoke Barbie without investing in excellent cables, however. This microphone will really bring out the weaknesses elsewhere in your signal chain. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying the Karaoke Barbie sounds exactly like the pricey Mr. Microphone -- only that it has a similarly rich presence that (for some, at least) will be suggestive of the Mr. Mic.

I don't think we have to worry that Mr. Microphone will be folding up shop anytime in the near future, but if the current trend in Barbie mics continues, we may see some significant price drops in the Mr. Mic line.

And for making your Joplinesque singer sound more like Whitney Houston, have you considered the Antares Mic Modeller? It can make even a non-operating Mr. Mic sound almost exactly like the ELAM 251 for a *fraction* of the cost.

Best wishes,

Mark H.

 

[skippy]

Griffinator: What? What did I miss? Where was Ed? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? (;-)

 

[JuSumPilgrim]

Make sure you dont leave your barbie mic alone with your other mics....

 

[Randy Yell]

I hear there is a knock off under production in Bejing that sounds just like the real thing!!

 

[jimistone]

take the plunge and get an "all in one" system. mine is really cool, it has a place for a cassette tape and a record button and a built in mic!