Using a cup over a microphone?

  • Thread starter Thread starter thehymns
  • Start date Start date
T

thehymns

New member
I was browsing through a recording technique book and I saw a SM57 on a snare drum with a foam cup over it...is this some super-cheap way to block out surrounding noise? Would it work on Small Diaphram condensors as overheads as well? I record in a small 10X10 room, and if this techique works I might try it out today since I have drummer coming in. Please respond quickly!?!
 
I once recorded a singer singing into a plastic cup. Cool effect. A bit like a telephone, but different.

I can't imagine that a styrofoam cup would offer much isolation, though.
 
thehymns said:
I was browsing through a recording technique book and I saw a SM57 on a snare drum with a foam cup over it...is this some super-cheap way to block out surrounding noise? Would it work on Small Diaphram condensors as overheads as well? I record in a small 10X10 room, and if this techique works I might try it out today since I have drummer coming in. Please respond quickly!?!
Click to expand...

I've never seen or heard of this technique... I would guess it might be helpful on a kick drum (low frequencies), but I would think doing it with overheads wouldn't work so well because of the high frequency reflections, which would cause smearing and maybe even an unusual resonance or phase issue... dunno... try it and tell us what happens...
 
I've heard of it being done as a cheap simple way to gain a little more isolation.
 
I have covered the end of a 57 with that black foam insulation used for hot-water pipes, in an attempt to get better isolation on a snare. In practice, it makes the 57 omni, and picks up the hat very clearly. It actually sounds pretty good, but it was contrary to what I was trying to accomplish.
 
Last edited:
The styrefoam cup over the end of a cardioid mic reduces the off-axis high frequency response. It's a cool old trick to reduce high hat or cymbal bleed into the snare mic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top