Need mic help

[GHawk]

Let me start by saying that I'm not an engineer....I'm a sax player in the middle of an album project and I'm a little bit frustrated. I've recorded all the tenor and alto stuff and I'm satisfied with the results, but the soprano is giving me and my wallet fits .

We used an AKG Solidtube for tenor and alto and the results were good. On soprano, the results are not so good. Previously I've used two AKG C414 UBLS's at another studio and got the sound that I wanted, but those mics are not available to me, now. We're close micing...about 8 inches from the bell with another mic (AKG C3030, I think) just above the right hand keys. We've tried different positions and distances and nothing is working. Is the SolidTube the problem? I can borrow/rent other mics....what would you guys suggest?

Also, should I compress in the recording process, or should I compress the track afterwards? How much?

I and my wallet thank you in advance

I forgot....we're recording on ProTools through a Focusrite Red 7.

 

[GABritton]

Borrow a ribbon mic if you can score one...

 

[Han]

Borrow a ribbon mic if you can score one...

Or a Sennheiser MD441.

The ribbon is a great advise, but not every ribbon is great in this application.

A 441 is smooth, rejective and sounds condenser like. I've had very good results with the 441 on soprano sax and alto sax.

Borrow or rent one.

 

[Henri Devill]

441 would be nice..also I've had some luck with a 421

 

[DJL]

I've never tried a ribbon mic on sax so I can't comment... however, both the MD421 and MD441 can work good on sax, expressly live... but, one of my favorite mics for recording sax is the Neumann U87 in a nice room.

 

[GHawk]

Thanks for the advice. I borrowed a Royer ribbon, but I didn't like it as much as the AKG's. I think what I'm going to do is to take the tracks to the other studio and do the three soprano songs there with the C414's. The expense is just getting enormous