Who uses Omni's?

[punkin]

Anyone regularly use omni's? Just currious, seems that out of habbit and having gotten good results with cardioids, I never really seem to reach for them. I'm talking acoustic guitar and drums. I have had occasion to record a trio of vocalists or a duet of instrumentalists where the omni came in handy but beyond that...not so much.

If you use them and favor them, tell me how you typically set up.

 

[NL5]

I use them when I want a more ambient "roomy" sound in my OH's or on acoustic guitar....

 

[chessrock]

I use them when I have the luxury of working in a nice accoustic space ... when I want to minimize proximity effect ... or when I want to capture a broader image of a given sound source (i.e. the entire accoustic guitar, rather than just the sound that's emanating from the 12th fret).

.

 

[danny.guitar]

All I have are omnis and they work good, but I'd like to have some cardiod mics since I record in a not-so-great room. I think mshilarious makes cardioid MSH mics so I'll probably get some of them.

 

[XLR]

I use omnis a bit on gtr... spaced pair 3 ft out, and sometimes an omni in combination with a directional mike to be able to mix in some spaciousness to the more focused sound of a cardioid or hypercard.

 

[xstatic]

I use omnis frequently but like chessrock mentioned it really depends on the circumstances and desired results. I love omni directional mics for room mics on drums and for strings in nice rooms. I also find that I frequently put mics in their omni pattern when recording acoustic guitars and solo vocalists.

 

[Cult_Status02]

My new tracking room sounds great, so I just stick my C414 out there on omni and it's like the mic does all the work. This is sources like drums and acoustic guitar. I then use that track instead of adding reverb, or, don't use the track.

I have used an omni for vocals a couple times, but for the same reason as before, to add ambience. I wouldn't recommend only using an omni for vocals for ambience as you can't just take the reverb away. I'd suggest using a mic for close-miking and an omni as well.

 

[mixsit]

QTC-1's here at home are my basic building blocks for kits, but I guess not because they're omni. They're just effective.
They're also very nartural sounding on instruments, compare well with ribbons.
EV 635 is cool to. Also as a cupped' harp mic.

 

[xstatic]

I use omni patterns on vocals fairly frequently not for ambience, but for the different tone it provides and the way it changes proximity effect.

 

[rory]

They're my go to OH pair. I usually use them on acoustic guitar as well. One in front of the guitar and one up near the players head/shoulder. Every now and again I'll use one on vocals but not as the main mic. Its usually a ways off catching the ambient stuff.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Anyone regularly use omni's?

I gotta say, that with the exception of some smaller tracking sessions (e.g. voiceovers, piano recitals, etc.) where I'm only using one or two mics anyway, hardly a session or even goes by where I don't use at least one onmi. Uses vary, most of them covered here already. But overall, I found this question kinda suprisingly...weird, like if omnis were the red-headed stepchild of the recording world or something .

G.

 

[giraffe]

the red-headed stepchild of the recording world or something .

G.

shotgun pattern

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

shotgun pattern

Until you gotta start doing location recording, then shotguns are a godsend .

G.

 

[punkin]

Guess I'm gonna have to get out of my rut and do some more playin' 'round.

 

[leddy]

shotgun pattern

Are you talking about shotgun mics, or is there a way of arranging omnis by the same name?

 

[killmachine]

I use omni's in various aspects like the rest are saying,

I was reading an article online. I wish I could remember the guys name Andy "something or another" he's an editor for Tape Op magazine and runs studio out of his house. He was talking about how he uses mostly Omni's to mic drums (Earthworks Blank) to be specific. He was talking about the ultra flat frequency response out of them. I've noticed after checking some specs between the higher end Omni's and even mid range mics there is a noticable difference at least in comparing charts.

On a side note I have found myself switching to an omni when I'm getting some harsh proximty effect..... aka close micing a guitar cab but having to much of that low-mid speaker "buff" to it. I don't like using eq's going to tape and tried tailoring the head a bit.


BLAH

 

[brendandwyer]

Anyone regularly use omni's? Just currious, seems that out of habbit and having gotten good results with cardioids, I never really seem to reach for them. I'm talking acoustic guitar and drums. I have had occasion to record a trio of vocalists or a duet of instrumentalists where the omni came in handy but beyond that...not so much.

If you use them and favor them, tell me how you typically set up.

i do. i use them a lot for reamping, ambient guitar and drum miking, and sometimes on backup vocals that i intend on doubling.