ribbon mics on guitars

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kaminari13

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i´m thinking about getting a ribbon mic to record some fairly loud guitar with .is there any one out there who´s had experience with this and can give me some advice ,pros and cons etc.
 
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It's really not much different than using a dynamic or a condenser. You can experiment with the vertical angle of the ribbon and whether you want to record on- or off-axis, but other than that... just handle the mic with care.
 
I just got the cheap Nady ribbon. It has a really smooth sound compared to most inexpensive condensers. Works great on clean guitar and dirty guitar. The lead on

was done with that mic (pardon the sloppy playing).

I hear the Royer 121 is killer on guitar amps, but it's a little out of my budget.
 
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Ribbon mics can be great at recording distorted electric guitar as well as many other things. Not all ribbon mics sound the same, but a typical characteristic of a ribbon is that the higher frequencies come through very clearly and they respond well to transients but the midrange and bass frequencies still carry a lot of meat with them. Condenser mics can sometimes sound harsh in the high end, while ribbon mics are usually darker and don't sound harsh. Also, the figure 8 design of many ribbon mics basically has one resonant peak that the mic is tuned to in its entire frequency range. Condenser and moving coil dynamic designs have resonant areas all over the map. The result is that ribbon mics don't really "ring" at most frequencies, and take to EQ very well in comparison to other mic designs. An exception would be the Oktava ML-52 which has resonant chambers.

Ribbon mics usually need lots of gain. The output of the mics is low. If you're recording a quieter source like triangle or vocals or something, your mic preamp might not be well suited to the mic. Although I've never used one, the Studio Projects VTB-1 is supposed to be a decent and inexpensive preamp for a ribbon. If you're recording a cranked up Marshall Plexi or something, it might not be that much of a concern.

Also, ribbons are sensitive to air movement, meaning that if a vocalist blows into the mic the ribbon could be bent or broken very easily, rendering the mic useless. Close micing a bass cabinet that pushes a lot of air can destroy the ribbon. Putting the mic inside a kick drum can destroy the ribbon. Walking through the studio with the mic uncovered and unplugged can destroy the ribbon. (many ribbon mics come with some kind of bag as well as a case - the bag is used to cover the mic when you're moving it around.) Loud SPL is usually not much of a problem. Mics with long ribbons (AEA R-84, etc...) can sag over time if they're stored horizontally. Most ribbons like this come with a vertical storage case to prevent this problem.

Also, check this out:

http://www.royerlabs.com/phantompower.html

http://www.royerlabs.com/preamps.html

http://www.royerlabs.com/dos_and_donts.html



sl
 
Ever since I added a Royer 121 to my arsenal recording guitars has been much easier and much more enjoyable. Of course the Chandler TG2 and Distressor don't hurt either:D
 
Hmm, a ribbon mic would be sweet...

I've really been pretty free of gear-lust lately, as I've been spending a lot more time thinking about my latest hobby (rock climbing) than I have about recording....

Of course it helps that I finally got the Motu 828 I've wanted for so long, and all the mic stands I've always needed to borrow, as well as mics that do the job just fine for me...

When the gear lust does hit again, a Beyer M160 or whatever the one is that I'm thinking of would be a pretty nice buy... not as pricey as the royers and whatnot, but would still fill an important sonic area with a solid mic.
 
thanks for all the responses ,glad to hear i´m not planning anything too perverse
 
I am curious about using a ribbon over top of an open back cabinet or combo amp. Since the front and back of a ribbon mic both pick up sound 180 degrees out of phase AND the sound from an open back cabinet is ALSO 180 degrees outta phase.. .... Gonna have to try it..... ANyone else tried it yet??


Randy
 
Would using a ribbon mic in front of a cranked 2x12 combo cause damage? Is there a certain volume level that you shouldn't exceed with one of these?
 
amonte said:
Would using a ribbon mic in front of a cranked 2x12 combo cause damage? Is there a certain volume level that you shouldn't exceed with one of these?
Click to expand...

bursts of air are more dangerous than volume. of course, the louder your amp, the more air the speaker is moving. use good judgement about when to use a pop filter.
 
amonte said:
Would using a ribbon mic in front of a cranked 2x12 combo cause damage? Is there a certain volume level that you shouldn't exceed with one of these?
Click to expand...

Many ribbon mics have very high SPL ratings. I wouldn't stick one inside a bass drum, but if you have trouble with a guitar speaker you're playing too freakin' loud.
 
AGCurry said:
Many ribbon mics have very high SPL ratings. I wouldn't stick one inside a bass drum, but if you have trouble with a guitar speaker you're playing too freakin' loud.
Click to expand...

I was more curious than anything else if it was OK to close mic a loud low-watt combo, as I've never used a ribbon mic.
 
I close mic loud hiwatt big stacks with my ribbon mic (Royer R121) with no problems.

Finster..... if you get a chance try the Royer with a Chandler TG2 preamp and a distressor. Just make sure you have a few grand on you cause you are gonna wanna take the Chandler and distressor home with you immediately:D
 
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