What are some distortion mics?

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applesmasher

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Which mics would say are good at exagerrating the sounds and giving more projection/body whatever. I know alot of people just want the natural sound, but I think some distortion can be cool. Like the Audio Technica AT4047, ive heard that one can do cool things to your voice.
 
Distorion is generally an effect you get further down the line . . . by cranking up the gain and overloading a tube mic pre or compressor, for instance.

You can also use regular guitar distortion. The Tech 21 Sansamp is actually a popular tool by some pretty big-name producers (Tchad Blake, etc.)

As for a low-fi-ish mic that distorts pretty easily, I'd say the Green Bullet or whatever the heck that is. :D It's the one they use all the time on the harp.

If you're just looking for something to add texture and/or body rather than full-out distortion effects, you should really be looking at some tube mics and mic pres. Something decent like a a Rode NTK or one of the Groove Tubes re-issues (Model one and two). Maybe see if you can score a Peavey vmp2 mic pre on ebay.
 
hmm green bullet never heard of that one. ill check it out. Unfortunatley i am a poor impoversished student now and cannot afford tube mics but its good advice for the future! Its kind of fun trying to get the most out of budget gear though ( at least let me think that until I have some real dough mmk?) thanks peace.
 
chessrock said:
Distorion is generally an effect you get further down the line . . . by cranking up the gain and overloading a tube mic pre or compressor, for instance.

You can also use regular guitar distortion. The Tech 21 Sansamp is actually a popular tool by some pretty big-name producers (Tchad Blake, etc.)

As for a low-fi-ish mic that distorts pretty easily, I'd say the Green Bullet or whatever the heck that is. :D It's the one they use all the time on the harp.

If you're just looking for something to add texture and/or body rather than full-out distortion effects, you should really be looking at some tube mics and mic pres. Something decent like a a Rode NTK or one of the Groove Tubes re-issues (Model one and two). Maybe see if you can score a Peavey vmp2 mic pre on ebay.
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I'll second the notion of using a "Green Bullet" for a cool distorted vocal sound. It's made by Shure, and costs around $100. Our harp player uses one through a tube preamp/tube amp for that old Chicago blues harmonica tone. For effect, he uses it for his vocal on some songs and it REALLY pops out because it's so different sounding than the "clean" vocal mics. Astatic also makes a similar-sounding mic for a little less money, although it appears to have a plastic body (compared to the metal body of the Shure Green Bullet).
 
by referencing the 4047, by distortion mic i think you mean "bigger than life distortion". you wont get that with the green bullet. you get "smaller than life distortion" with that one.

for that kinda think i think you have to lay out some serious cash... i cant think of a cheap mic that does that well... certainly none of mine do.

you will probably be better off getting that sort of distortion at the pre or with some sort of distortion unit or with a compressor.
 
You mention the 4047 as a disotrtion mic. I'm not sure what you mean. The 4047 has a transformer in it and has more of a vintage sound but distortion is not how I'd describe it at all. It is slightly dark sounding compared to other AT mics but it is quite clear.
 
Yes, it would be good to first nail down what kind of distortion you're talking about.
Wayne
 
You could run through an overdrive pedal or distortion as others have said, which costs nothing if you know a guitarist! I know the RZA produced the Wu-Tang albums with a SansAmp on occasion to thinken up tracks, make them a little more grimey.
 
Track Rat said:
You mention the 4047 as a disotrtion mic. I'm not sure what you mean. The 4047 has a transformer in it and has more of a vintage sound but distortion is not how I'd describe it at all. It is slightly dark sounding compared to other AT mics but it is quite clear.
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I got the idea from that home recording FAQ posted by grahmware. YOu know the one with all the mic quotes? Ones of the quotes on the 4047 said it exaggerates your voice, and he could make a Fran drescher voice believable even. Would be interesting. So not really like reverb or funky distortion, just something that makes the sounds go a little further in the direction you were sending them.
 
or really something that makes your voice sound more dynamic (not as in dynamic mic). I always liked tha metalish edge some voices get. Where it kind of sounds like metal ringing or something. I can get a little of that.
 
I see what you're saying.

And I think I was the one who made that quote, by the way.

I guess I didn't mean for anyone to take it too literally. When you're talking about differences between mics, it's always a subtle thing. And it's also a double-edged sword; a mic that exaggerates certain characteristics in your voice will also tend to exaggerate the bad stuff along with the good (sibilance, nasality, etc.).
 
Yah that makes sense. But I dont get waht was meant by the green hornet gives a "smaller than life" distortion while the 4047 gives a bigger than life.
 
The green whatever has kind of a pinched, lo-fi sound. Kind of like talking over an intercom.

It's pretty horrible-sounding, when you really think of it. :D
 
o yah the green "bullet". yah tahts not waht im lookin for i guess. Unless it was maybe some trashy stuff. Alright thanks i was just curious. Wasnt looking for anything specific, just ideas.
 
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