Why?

[RRuskin]

...do people think you have to spend megabucks for a damn microphone? You spend most of your life on stage and you will see people making amazing music, and they do NOT spend most of their pay on microphones. They're only a TOOL and no amount of money or bragging rights will ever make them a better singer. I've had singers sound like they were using a $ 20,000 mic, using a Shure SM 58. Money spent on brand names do NOT make you a better singer....OR musician.

Speaking for myself as a performer, studio musician, and audio engineer: On stage I will use whatever is provided by a venue's sound personnel. It's their system/room and they should know what works most consistantly, if not best.

As a session player in someone else's studio, I keep my mouth shut and play into whatever is put in front of me for the same reasons stated above.

In my studio having a variety of high quality mics and other associated gear makes everything from tracking through mixing so much easier than when a handful of "meatball" units were available to me. Given enough experience, you would come to the same conclusion.

 

[TragikRemix]

i think that a better mic just shows more imperfections within your system.

a $20,000 mic just lets people hear how bad your room really sounds, etc.

i think somewhat expesnive mics are important, but the other weak links should be addressed first.

i'm not trading in a soundelux for a nady ATM, or something like that...

 

[TragikRemix]

Nope. You're dead wrong! Jesus didn't even spend money on wine. He made his own out of inexpensive water.

no hes right, i spend alot on mics.

 

[zacanger]

I prefer to spend every spare penny on gear because it keeps me broke. That way I don't have to worry about picking up a crack habit. Plus I could always sell the gear for crack if it came down to it. Is that a good enough reason?

BEST POST EVER.

I like spending money on gear because that's what Jesus would do.

ALSO BEST POST EVER.

I spend all my money on Expensive Hookers.

And beer.

ANOTHER ONE.

 

[RRuskin]

i think that a better mic just shows more imperfections within your system.

a $20,000 mic just lets people hear how bad your room really sounds, etc.

i think somewhat expesnive mics are important, but the other weak links should be addressed first.

i'm not trading in a soundelux for a nady ATM, or something like that...

Notice I said "and associated gear" in my 1st post on this issue. That being said, the mic the 1st link in the signal chain. If that is gimp, nothing afterward will make it any less gimp. Furthermore, if a room sounds crappy, one can always deaden the crap out of it (or enough of it) to negate the problem. It won't sound like Capitol Studio "A" but it won't get in the way either.

 

[zacanger]

i think that a better mic just shows more imperfections within your system.

a $20,000 mic just lets people hear how bad your room really sounds, etc.

This is completely true. Recording drums with a 58 and 57 in my 10X10 plaster room, you couldn't tell quite how horrible the room was. When I 'upgraded' to include a D112, MXL990, and MXL991, it became apparent.

Fortunately I now have an excellent and really huge room to record in, so I'm all good.

 

[crazydoc]

Considering the crap most of us record, we'd be better off without a mic. It's not the end product - it's the process that we enjoy. Just put a dummy Neumann up.

At the end of my photographic career, I stopped putting film in the camera. I enjoyed it just as much, it was a lot cheaper, and the pictures I took were a lot better.

 

[cusebassman]

Everybody has their drug...

Mine is MICROPHOOOONES

Well, recording equipment in general. Do I need most of it? Nah - my talent is probably only on par with a cheap USB interface to my laptop and an MXL990/991 package, if that...

But, I love the stuff, and it makes me happy. While I can afford it, I think I will

 

[TragikRemix]

Everybody has their drug...

Mine is MICROPHOOOONES

Well, recording equipment in general. Do I need most of it? Nah - my talent is probably only on par with a cheap USB interface to my laptop and an MXL990/991 package, if that...

But, I love the stuff, and it makes me happy. While I can afford it, I think I will

i have that disease too.

most of us do i'd reckon..

 

[c7sus]

Why not???

Why play music at all???

I bought a Voyager Electric Blue coming up on 2 years ago for my birthday.

I'm no keyboard player. I'm barely a half-assed guitar player after almost 40 years. You don't wanna hear me sing at all.

But I always wanted a really cool monosynth like a Moog or an Oberheim.

I tried the sw version of the D. Not nearly as fun as the real thing. In fact, not really fun AT ALL.

The Voyager sucks you in. It glows. It's got vibe and history behind it. It's modular. It's expandable. It's got real oscillators and real CV patch points.

It's the funnest instrument we've got. It's also the most expensive. The current hardware/software upgrade is $450 to install myself.

It's the only thing patched into the Lynx card 24/7. Has been for months. I've got files and files of my awful playing of this beautiful beast.

And it's total overkill for my level of ability. But damn it's fun to play along to NPR jazz with, or blast Boogie On Reggae Woman until the room shakes.

I'm in this for the maximum fun/original analog sound/ quotient. I'd be happy just to get a single original thing done the way I hear it in my head. Just ONCE.

Like Jerry said in the Grateful Dead Movie: "Do whatever is the bossest."

I used to daydream about this stuff for hours when I was 10 years old. The Sears Catalog, the old Fender catalogs. Man, I wanted one of those fuzzfaces they had that did a police siren too! Now it's spread all over my living room. Leslies are the coolest amps ever!!!!!!!

For this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago.

That's why.

 

[ez_willis]

Why not???

Why play music at all???

I bought a Voyager Electric Blue coming up on 2 years ago for my birthday.

I'm no keyboard player. I'm barely a half-assed guitar player after almost 40 years. You don't wanna hear me sing at all.

But I always wanted a really cool monosynth like a Moog or an Oberheim.

I tried the sw version of the D. Not nearly as fun as the real thing. In fact, not really fun AT ALL.

You know, this brings up an inner conflict that I've dealt with for years.

The Hohner D6 Clavinet is my favorite instrument to listen to, but not being a keyboard player I can't justify spending $1500 to own one. On the other hand, it's my fucking money that I made so why do I NEED to justify it?

Same thing holds true with a Chapman Stick, too.

I'm owning one of those motherfuckers before the year is up!

 

[c7sus]

Life is too short.

You can't always get what you want, but if you can, then why not???

I just tuned the D45 to open D and two really fun tunes just fell right out of it. I wish I could turn this X-factor thing on instead of it just randomly falling on me.

 

[ez_willis]

Life is too short.

You can't always get what you want, but if you can, then why not???

I just tuned the D45 to open D and two really fun tunes just fell right out of it. I wish I could turn this X-factor thing on instead of it just randomly falling on me.

I hear you!

 

[ido1957]

I like spending money on gear because that's what Jesus would do.

My God, that made me laugh right out loud.......

 

[ofajen]

Same thing holds true with a Chapman Stick, too.

I'm owning one of those motherfuckers before the year is up!

Which model? I bought my 10-string ironwood Stick new back in 1985. A duo jam with Stick and drums is very fun! For a while, it was my main instrument, and I could actually play it pretty well. Then I got more into synths of various kinds and then I got married and had kids. These days it doesn't see much playing time.

Cheers,

Otto

 

[AGCurry]

Don't forget: Not all of us are doing rock music.

There are other kinds of music in which the quality of one's signal chain can be very noticeable, because there is less music/noise masking it. I doubt that you'd put an SM57 on Yo Yo Ma's cello or Placido Domingo's voice.

 

[boingoman]

Why...

....did I read this thread?

 

[ozraves]

I got into trouble one time (on my own forum of all places) for posting up a similar discussion. This was two or three years ago. Anyhow, I'd been over at Gear Slutz and listening to some "demos" posted up. They essentially sounded just like the demos posted over at Home Recording except the guys were claiming they were using $2,000 mic pres and $1,000-$2,000 mics and expensive converters. I sort of felt, "What's the point?"

If you are a "real" working professional, then you probably should not be spending so much time posting up on online forums saying "look at me" and "hear what I've done" and "blah, blah, blah."

Anyhow, I got to go download more iTunes.

 

[Robert D]

I used to daydream about this stuff for hours when I was 10 years old. The Sears Catalog, the old Fender catalogs. Man, I wanted one of those fuzzfaces they had that did a police siren too!

Me too!

Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind. And by God, I'm gonna do whatever silly things put a smile on my face in the short time I've got here - including buying microphones that you think I don't need. I make music because it's part of who I am and what makes me happy. I record other peoples music because I enjoy being part of the creation of good music, and every sound that comes out of my monitors becomes part of the Akashic record. Whether that ends up producing money for me is, in the cosmic sense, inconsequential.

 

[amarach]

A $1,500 mic and a crappy mix will still sound like crap.
I know from experience.

A $1,500 mic and a crappy band will still be a crappy band...albeit a well recorded crappy band...