What mics would you use?

S

Strange Leaf

New member
I'm always looking at extending my microphone cabinet, and instead of asking this and that, which I can read by using the search function, I'd thought I'd ask the question in a different way.

I'd like to know what mics you would use for the following applications, of the mics that you own. And, of course, why.

If you normally don't mic some of the applications because of lack of mics, or a preferred way of micing things, just ignore that one.

1. Male vocals
2. Female vocals
3. Acoustic guitar
4. Guitar amp
5. Guitar amp at distant
5. bass cab
6. Overhead drums
7. Kick, at beater
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside
9. Snare, top
10. Snare, bottom
11. Toms, if miked spearately
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately.
13. Piano
14. Rap & spoken word
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl.

Feel free to add anything I left out.
 
since theres barley any rock/live band sound in the lab most are n/a...but i will give u the ones i know

1. Male vocals - rhode nt1
2. Female vocals - depnds on the chick, mxl 57 to an at4040 depends what were tryin to acheve
3. Acoustic guitar - mxl 57, give is a nice airy sound
6. Overhead drums - sm 57, good oldie
14. Rap & spoken word - rhode nt1 and at4040, airy but smooth
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. - good old 57s never failed me
 
Hard to say not knowing the room, style, characteristics, nuances, etc.. but what the hell

1. Male vocals - sm7, at4033
both are great vocal mics, but which one to use depends on teh song, and more importantly, the singer's style/voice. Usually head for the 7 if it's a screamer, but not always

2. Female vocals - these I try to avoid altogeher, thank you very much.

3. Acoustic guitar - sm57, at4033, am52
Depending on the room, I really like the sound of plain old 57's in some stereo config on most acoustic gtrs. Usually needs a bit of eq, but there's a "heftiness" there that I like. Throwing the am52 into the 57 combo really adds weight.

4. Guitar amp - sm7, sm57, at4033
I read someplace about a guy who loves the c1000s on gtr amps, but I've had no success with that. Tough to beat some well placed 57's for rock gtr.

5. Guitar amp at distant - ecm8000, anything really

5. bass cab - atm25, at4033
The 4033 can really grab some hairy low end and cough it up nicely. The atm25 isn't a very good mic, imo, but it won't explode on me.

6. Overhead drums - ecm8000's, or just the 4033

7. Kick, at beater - never do it
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside - at4033, also put the am52 in a corner of the room someplace. sounds phenomenal

9. Snare, top - 57
10. Snare, bottom - 57

11. Toms, if miked spearately - akgC1000s

12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately - never

13. Piano - I have a lowery organ. use 4033/57's

14. Rap & spoken word - sm7/4033

15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. - usually try anthing here and see what sounds good
 
1. Male vocals - Shure SM7, Neumann TLM103, B.L.U.E. Mouse.

2. Female vocals - Studio Projects T3, RCA 77DX, Sennheiser MD441

3. Acoustic guitar - 2 Shure SM81's

4. Guitar amp - SM57 on the front, LD condensor of your choice on the back.

5. Guitar amp at distant - Ribbon mike, watch SPL levels!

5. bass cab - Hey! There's 2 #5's!

(I'm still trying to figure out how to mike drums, so I'm not going to comment)

13. Piano - For a rich, lush sound: 2 TLM103's set as a spaced pair.(Watch for phasing, follow the 3:1 rule)
For a more detailed sound: 2 Shure SM81's set as a wide stereo pair.

14. Rap & spoken word - Shure SM7

15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. Ribbon set as omni. RCA 77DX
 
Sub A-
Looks like you really like that 4033! I just bought one-arrived today & I can't wait to try it out.

My mic closet is more like a shoebox, but here goes:

1. Male vocals- mxl v67, sp b3
2. Female vocals- v67
3. Acoustic guitar- mxl603, b3
4. Guitar amp- sm57, b3
5. Guitar amp at distant- v67, b3
5. bass cab-never recorded one (but I will be this weekend, I'll report back)
6. Overhead drums- 603's
7. Kick, at beater-none
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside- beta52
9. Snare, top- 57
10. Snare, bottom- 57
11. Toms, if miked spearately- 57, b3
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately.- 603
13. Piano- never done it
14. Rap & spoken word- 57, b3
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl.- b3, ecm8000
 
1. Male vocals -- Large Diaphragm condenser or dyamic; whichever sounds right for that particular voice. Usually either the Blue Dragonfly or SM7, though, more often than not.

2. Female vocals -- See above.

3. Acoustic guitar -- Octava mc012, marshall mxl603

4. Guitar amp -- Blue Dragonfly about 80% of the time. See #1 for remaining 20%

5. Guitar amp at distant -- See #1

5. bass cab -- See #1

6. Overhead drums -- See #3

7. Kick, at beater -- Don't do it

8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside -- Audio Technica ATM25

9. Snare, top -- Beyer M69

10. Snare, bottom -- See #3

11. Toms, if miked spearately -- sm57 or sm7. Don't usually do it, though.

12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately. -- never do it. Overheads pick up too much as is.

13. Piano -- See #3 again.

14. Rap & spoken word -- SM7 or CAD M179

15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. -- Behringer ecm8000 or CAD M179.
 
coplinger said:
Sub A-
Looks like you really like that 4033!
Click to expand...

yeah, definitely. I don't have as nice of a collection as some others, but if I could only keep one of my mics, that would be it.
 
Re: Re: What mics would you use?

SubA said:

2. Female vocals - these I try to avoid altogeher, thank you very much.
Click to expand...

Heheheh, what's up with that? You don't like chicks? Or you'd rather keep the emotional side of things out of the studio, hehehehe, I can relate to that ;)
 
out of what i currently have...

1. Male vocals: AKG C2000b, Shure Beta58
3. Acoustic guitar: Mk012 on the 12th Fret and C2000b behing the bridge
4. Guitar amp: SM57
5. bass cab: SM57, or Peavey PVM 520i
6. Overhead drums: Mk012's
7. Kick, at beater: Peavey PVM 520i
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside: Shure PG 52
9. Snare, top: SM57
11. Toms, if miked spearately: AKG C2000b, SM57
 
Some of the most exciting seconds of my life were spent with women! Nothing against them, just don't care to hear most of them sing. There are a few. Very, very few...
 
Have to agree to disagree with SubA- I've sung *with* women as long as I can remember.

Vox- I believe you have to match the mic to the singer, the song, the room, the mix, the key, the range. Gender is not a factor. The same list of mics I have that might work on a man also might work on a woman. Favorites include B.L.U.E. Kiwi, Rode NTK, Oktava MK319, AKG C2000B, Shure SM7, Studio Projects C-3, AKG D320B, AKG D770, AKG Solidtube. For fairly clean with a little midrange boost, Kiwi, C-3, SM7 (a little darker). For those strident, piercing, high voices where you want to tone down the highs, MK319, Solidtube. For pleasing color, NTK, C2000B. For that gritty sound you can only get from a cheap dynamic, D320B or D770.

Acoustic- AKG C414B-ULS. On classical, a pair of Studio Projects C-4's.

Guitar Amp- SM7 in front, AKG D112 in back, if an open cab. Also AKG D320B.

amp distant- not in this room

bass cab- never done it. I use an Avalon DI. Double bass with AKG D112.

overheads- SP C-4's, Oktava MK012's, or AKG C2000B's. Depends on the sound I want. C-4's on jazz/country, MC012's/C2000B's on
rock/blues/R&B

Kick- either way- AKG D112

snare-C414B-ULS on top, SM7 underneath. Why those mics? they work.

toms-C414, MK319, C2000B

cymbals/high hat- see overheads above

piano- C4's, spaced pair

speech (don't do rap)- AKG D770, SM7, Shure SM82, all mics which will yield maximum intelligibility without sounding nasty.

Room mic- not in this room!

other items-

violin/viola/cello- Kiwi or the C-4's/MK012's -very different

harp-C414/C-4's

hand drums- C414 on top, SM7 or D112 on throat, depending on how deep the drum is.

tambourine/shakers- C-4's, Behringer ECM8000

harmonica-AKG D770

The only real class of instruments I have no experience with is sax/brass. Just a coincedence.

As always, YMMV.-Richie
 
1. Male vocals - marshall mxlv67/v93M/PeaveyPVM520i
2. Female vocals - same as male (both depending on the voice)
3. Acoustic guitar - v93 in front, ecm8000 over shoulder
4. Guitar amp - sm57
5. Guitar amp at distant - v93M
5. bass cab - Peavey PVM520i
6. Overhead drums - v93M
7. Kick, at beater - sm57
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside - Peavey PVM520i
9. Snare, top - sm57
10. Snare, bottom - sm57
11. Toms, if miked spearately - RS 33-3032
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately. ecm8000
13. Piano - v93M
14. Rap & spoken word - Peavey PVM520i
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. - ecm8000

why? because I dont know any better
:)
 
I thought I'd answer my own question too, and maybe you all could let me know if there is any mic that you think I really should add to my collection.

1. Male vocals - TLM103 / SM7
2. Female vocals - Never recorded it, yet
3. Acoustic guitar - 2x SM81
4. Guitar amp - SM57 / SM7
5. Guitar amp at distant - TLM103
5. bass cab - ATM25
6. Overhead drums - 2x SM81 / 2x ECM8000
7. Kick, at beater - don't use it, maybe SM57 ?
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside - ATM25
9. Snare, top - SM57
10. Snare, bottom - SM57
11. Toms, if miked spearately - Don't use it.
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked separately. - Don't use it.
13. Piano - 2x SM81
14. Rap & spoken word - SM7
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. ECM8000 / TLM103

I got more mics than these examples, but these are the ones that get used all the time.

When I look at my mics, I think I lack a LDC capable of omni and figure eight, and also a tube mic. So I've been looking at the C-414 and the Röde NTK. I've also been looking at the Beyer M201 and the Sennheiser MD421 for variation against my SM57's and my SM7. What do you all think ?
 
That's not too far off from what I would have chosen.
Sounds like you've got a good handle on it.

You say you need/want an LDC capable of figure 8 and omni and also a tube mic?

Studio Projects T3.
You can kill all 3 of those birds with one stone.
 
1. Male vocals M149, V77, V69, M88
2. Female vocals M149
3. Acoustic guitar M149, C451, C3000
4. Guitar amp MD441, MD421, C1000
M88, M69, SP B1
5. Guitar amp at distant M149, V77, C451
5. bass cab D12, MD441, MD421, C1000/3000
6. Overhead drums C451
7. Kick, at beater D12, M88, M201, RE20
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside MD421
9. Snare, top M201
10. Snare, bottom MD441
11. Toms, if miked spearately MD421
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately. C451
13. Piano M149's, PZM's
14. Rap & spoken word Many
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl. MD421
 
1. Male vocals- Octava MC-319/AT-4047/AKG C-3000B/Shure UnidyneIII 545SH
2. Female vocals_Same as above
3. Acoustic guitar-Neumann KM-184/Octava MC-012/Earthworks SR-71
4. Guitar amp-AT-4033/AKG D-112/SHure SM-57/and now, Senheiser MD-441
5. Guitar amp at distantGroove Tubes AM-52 in figure of 8 (in my room that is).
5. bass cab-AKG D-112/ GT AM-52 in omni
6. Overhead drums-Earthworks SR-72/AT-4033/Octava MC-012
7. Kick, at beater-AKG D-112/MD-441
8. Kick, at soundhole or just outside-GT AM-52/ AT-4033
9. Snare, top-AKG C-1000/SM-57
10. Snare, bottom-I NEVER mic the bottom
11. Toms, if miked spearately-rack toms I like the AKG C-1000, floor tom I like the C-3000B
12. Cymbals & hi-hat, if miked spearately.-Same as above
13. Piano-SR-71's/AT-4033's
14. Rap & spoken word-MC-319/AT-4033/SM-57 or 58
15. Room mic, for drums & other appl.-KM-184/SR-71/AT-4033
 
Yo Strange leaf. Your selections are fine, and the NTK and C414 are both really useful mics. Two cheapies I think would improve your cabinet- AKG C2000B and Oktava MK319. Aside from multiple uses on toms, guitar, hand percussion, and a host of other applications, both of those will offer a color for your vocal palette that your present mics don't. Both bring some often flattering color to vocals, where your current choices are very smooth, and clean, and accurate, too accurate for many singers.. NTK will help a lot with that, too.
 
Richard Monroe said:
Yo Strange leaf. Your selections are fine, and the NTK and C414 are both really useful mics. Two cheapies I think would improve your cabinet- AKG C2000B and Oktava MK319. Aside from multiple uses on toms, guitar, hand percussion, and a host of other applications, both of those will offer a color for your vocal palette that your present mics don't. Both bring some often flattering color to vocals, where your current choices are very smooth, and clean, and accurate, too accurate for many singers.. NTK will help a lot with that, too.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. As I understand, the MK319 would be a darker than average sounding LDC, so I guess it will contrast nicely against my (bright) TLM103 ? I've had no experience with the MK319, but I'll check it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top