Thread Which mic?

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gorty

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1 Posted on 07/04/2005 at 17:32:11

I have an SM58 and SM57 I use for recording my acoustic guitars, however I have a very hard time getting a good sound when using these mics. Any information on a good medium priced mic for recording acoustic guitars would be very much appreciated.

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donmcbass

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2 Posted on 07/06/2005 at 01:39:34

I have used a 58 for recording an acoustic before. I found getting as close to the sound hole as poss and straight-on to it got the best result. I got a clean crisp sound. A 57 is better for cabs and snare drums, it has a wider capture angle and more tolerant of loud inputs. I would keep the 58 and experiment. Play with your EQ. ( I was recording on a Yamaha 4-track, haven't tried it on my pc yet- I use a TASCAM US-122 sound module)

KitC

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3 Posted on 07/06/2005 at 02:44:29

The SM58 is a good mic (I have one), but being a dynamic, it has an innate disadvantage of not being able to capture fast transients as well as detail and definition in the high frequencies - it is great for vocals and a wailing guitar amp, though. A condenser is usually considered for detail and clarity, and it seems to capture more "air". My first condenser was a cheap MXL V63M that I find to be better for vocals and voiceovers as compared to my SM-58.

Among the budget to medium priced condensers I can recommend are the Audio Technica AT-2020 ($99) and -4040 ($299), the Rode NT-1a ($199) and multi-pattern NT-2a ($399). All these mics are large diaphragm condensers of good build and from reputable manufacturers. They all require pre-amps with phantom power; mic pre's from ART, Presonus and M-Audio are good candidates to choose from.

hth,

gorty

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4 Posted on 07/06/2005 at 21:13:38

Thanx for the feedback guys, I will try again with the 58, I was always led to believe the 58 was a vocal orientated mic. The Rode NT-1a keeps getting a mention, will possibly try one out. Just on a after thought, I too was originally recording on a Yamaha MD4 and have since upgraded to a Boss BR1600CDR, however my acoustic recordings were a lot louder on the MD4, I had trouble getting the volume on the Boss even with all my input levels up. Everything else recorded on the Boss has been great.

Stewbone

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5 Posted on 07/07/2005 at 13:51:34

%1$s a écrit ... Just on a after thought, I too was originally recording on a Yamaha MD4 and have since upgraded to a Boss BR1600CDR, however my acoustic recordings were a lot louder on the MD4, I had trouble getting the volume on the Boss even with all my input levels up. Everything else recorded on the Boss has been great.

Maybe looking into an external preamp is a good idea, even aside from needing phantom power for that new condenser you're looking at.

I got an MXL V63-M also, in trade- and it's a real nice-sounding mic. 'Bang for Buck' I think the Budget Credo goes. There's a lot of affordable stuff out there now. Go find one!

pcs800

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6 Posted on 07/13/2005 at 07:03:22

Recording an acoustic guitar, I have always found that using a pickup ran straight into the board or sound card is best. Even putting a preamp between the guitar and recording device can work out great. A strong signal like this will work better than micing because the mic will pick up other sounds, not to mention you need more gain for the mic than you would a pickup, which means you get hiss.

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