which microphone did elvis presley use and how does it compare to microphones today?

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A)which microphone/preamp did elvis presley use and how does it compare to microphones today?

B)what microphone/preamp would you use on elvis today

thanks, nord
 
I think I remember seeing a pic of him singing into a U47. If that's the case they are still very sought after mics today, worth thousands
 
Search Google Images for "Elvis studio", lots of pics of RCA ribbons . . .
 
mshilarious said:
Search Google Images for "Elvis studio", lots of pics of RCA ribbons . . .
Click to expand...

Was about to say the same. Someone asked a similar question of Bob Dylan at some point, and I think it was more the case with Dylan, but I don't think artists traditionally had a microphone that they solely used. I think they sang into what the engineer put in front of them. Often that may have been the same mic or type of mic, but still...

At the time, weren't vocals simply predominantly recorded on big ribbon mics (in the style of the RCAs - don't know if there were other major ribbon manufacturers at the time)? Most pics I see from the 50s and earlier are ribbons on vocals.
 
i`m talking studio; i HATE live recordings with an absolute passion!
unless its mabelline (i dont think there is a studio version)- if any one knows of studio version please tell me
nord
 
I have the 3 hour video "He Touched me" and all of the live recordings are amazing. I am blown away by his mic tecnique. no need for a compressor.
these had to have been recorded on multitrack, because the mixes are so pristine. This video is mostly interviews with people that worked with him including engineer, producer, record company exect, "Tony Brown" They only showed a few performances, but they were truly amazing.
 
i dont know about mic technique but i put elvis above all others; i mean once you`ve got pitch and emotion perfect and there is just how he wants to sing the song on the day.
i sometimes think its the other way round though 'the song takes control of elvis'.
nord
 
istockphoto_1792071_elvis_mic.jpg
 
i coulda swore i saw him using one of those mics that attatch to your computer via USB... whatever that means... :o:p
 
Elvis used an Electrovoice Re-15 for much of his studio recordings.

And they fare pretty well against today's mics.

In fact, you could probably snag one for less than a hundred bucks off ebay. And if it's in good condition, then it makes for a pretty handy utility dynamic mic to have around. Excellent for guitar cab mic'ing, in fact. You can basically use it wherever you might othewise use an SM-57, and usually wind up with a smoother and more pleasant end result.

With that particular mic, it's all about the midrange. Those old electrovoice mics basically own the midrange in ways that most mics of today neglect.

Oh yea, and today, I would just try out a bunch of different options and use whatever mic happened to best suit his voice.
 
Search Google Images for "Elvis studio", lots of pics of RCA ribbons . . .
Click to expand...

i was going to say, most pics i've seen of him in the studio and such showed him with some sort of old RCA ribbon

the mic pictured above seems to have been his go-to for live use...
 
i found this on a forum
"Well Elvis used one for vocals, but Bill Porter taught him very well how to hold it without covering up more than about 10% of the ports on the spine.

Mr. Porter HATED proximity effect on "The King's" live vocal mics and used the
RE-15 and briefly an RE-16 until Shure, perhaps feeling that Elvis should be using something from the maker of "The Elvis Mike", came up with the SM53 and SM54.

In the immediate "pre Wall of Sound" era, around the time of the first Woodstock Festival; The Grateful Dead were using RE-15s for EVERYTHING from kick drum to overheads AND for vocals.

That's the history lesson for today .

The RE 15 can be used anywhere you need a mike that has a tight, but not REAL tight cardioid pattern.

The pluses.

No proximity effect, the tone stays the same when the source is right on top of the mike.

Off axis sounds, leakage from the rest of the stage sounds more "natural" than with a "single D" cardioid

NEARLY indestructible/

Minus

Really bad handling noise. Makes the Heil PR 20 sound like it's on a shock mount.
You can put one on a stand sitting on a resonant stage and pick up the bass amp no matter how far the mike is from the amp. Or you can high pass at 120hz.

Cover up more than a small part of the spine of ports on the shaft and it becomes an omni.

I use an RE-15 as a "floor mike" to pick up the sound of tap dancers. I put it on top of a thin square of foam rubber. EV used to make a holder/windscreen for this floor miking position called "a mike mouse" because the mike went into the foam and the cord stuck out of the back like the mouse's tail.

Mine turned to dust years ago.

Cheers,
Gramps "
lee brenkman
from http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/m/282243/0/#msg_282243

nord
 
nord said:
http://www.coutant.org/re15/index.html

gives tech specs-and a warranty that you will not pay anything for repairs for two years probably void now!

nord
Click to expand...

Don't be so sure! I think EV offered a lifetime warranty on at least some of their mikes. The first RE-55 I ever bought (used, of unknown age and for all of $50) went dead after awhile. A guy on the Ampex list suggested I send it in for repairs. They sent it back a week or so later with a brand new capsule and they charged me for return shipping plus a few bucks for a new windscreen! How's that for standing behind your products! :)

Cheers,

Otto
 
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