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Thread Can you use vocal mikes to record intruments?

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1 Can you use vocal mikes to record intruments?
Can you use vocal mikes to record intruments, such as the Sennheiser 835. Will it damage the microphone and is it better or worse than a mic designed to record intruments.
2
it all depends on sensitivity, sound pressure capacity and frequency range.
Some mics are designed for drums, others for vocals and -or instruments.
Even when designed for a typical application you can try out a mic for something else. There are technical rules which are quite correct but there are no exact definitions for experiments.
So experience is the best way to go. Try out and learn is a better way than tech specs.
Main rule in recording!!! Don't overload
regards
chris pax
3
There are lots of happy accidents.

The Beyer M88TG is a good vocal mic. It excells on bass guitar cabs.

The SM58 is a good vocal mic, its ok on kick drum.

There are other examples I"m sure.
4
i strongly suggest that you DO NOT use any condenser microphones for recording bases or guitars and drums for that matter because the diaphram of the mic is very sensitive in condenser mics. the only mics that are condenser and are used for drums are the overhead mics A.K.A pencil condensers. unless you wanna blow up a nice condenser microphone i woulndt use it for those instruments like bass and guitar, just for vocals. but thats my opinion.
5
I use an AKG C414 for overheads and I've used it for bass drum (not kick). This excellent large diaphram condenser has a 140 db rating (160 db with 20db preattenuator) for .5% THD.

Are you sure you are not thinking ribbon. Some of these are very fragile and phantom power will kill them.

A main reason to use a large diaphram mic on overheads is to add depth and punch to the toms. Also many studios routinely use condensers in combinations on guitar.

I am of course not suggesting that you abuse any mic. If you get distortion and the attenuator can't fix it back off.