piano then you would with a pair of condensers. You can change the
amount of natural room reverb by changing the distance between the
mics and piano.
2. Blumlein pair (coincident pair at 90 degree angle) of N8s positioned on
the side of the piano facing the player: one microphone pointing towards
the treble side of the piano, and the other microphone facing towards the
bass side that can result in a larger than life recording.
Electric Guitar and Bass
The N8 can handle very high sound pressure levels allowing you to place
it close to amplifiers. Watch out for wind blasts, percussive players, and
very loud bass cabinets that push air. The N8 has the least amount of
protection in it for a more open sound which means you should be extra
careful to avoid sudden blasts of wind.
Identify where the center of the speaker cone is located and place the N8
a few inches away from the speaker pointing right at its center for
a very direct, “in-your-face” sound. This is the spot where you will get
the most high-frequency content. If it sounds too harsh, try moving
the microphone to the side parallel to the speaker. You can also try
positioning the N8 at an angle. You will find that small differences in
positioning can make huge differences in the sound, so experiment until
you find the spot you like.
The N8 has much more proximity effect than the nearfield N22. This can
be an advantage when trying to thicken up a thin or tinny sounding
guitar.
For a more natural sound that captures the sound of the amp in your
room, try backing the microphone up a couple of feet.
{
PRECAUTIONS
}
Most ribbon microphones need little, if any, maintenance. Given proper
care they last for decades. Bing Crosby’s personal RCA-44BX (now in
the collection of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters in Hollywood) sounds
as good today as it did when he recorded his radio broadcasts in the
1940s.
A few simple precautions will help you to keep your AEA N8 working well
for life:
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