Meteor Mic
USB Studio Condenser Microphone
remove any unwanted boominess,
move the microphone toward the
fingerboard. Unlike a steel string
acoustic guitar, the sound of a
nylon string acoustic guitar that is
played by finger picking is usually
naturally warmer. To record an
even, full tone, it is suggested
that you begin by positioning the
microphone 3–6 inches above the
center of the bridge. This will help emphasize the higher frequencies
and pick up the attack sound of the finger picking. If the microphone
is picking up too much low frequency from the sound hole, move the
microphone so that it is slightly off-axis from the guitar. If you have a pair
of Meteor Mics, try one positioned at the fingerboard and the second over
the bridge of the guitar, or have one microphone positioned close to the
guitar and the second a few feet away to pick up the sound of the room,
blending the two sources together.
Piano
The grand piano is a very challenging instrument to capture, and can
be miked in a variety of ways. For close miking the piano, position the
Meteor Mic just inside the piano, centered between the soundboard
and the open lid. The closer you move the microphone toward the
instrument the more low frequencies the microphone will pick up. For
an ambient recording like that used in a classical performance, position
the microphone outside the piano, facing into the open lid. For a more
contemporary ensemble sound, place two Meteor Mics in the piano,
positioning one over the low strings and one over the high strings at a
distance of 6–12 inches apart. When miking an upright piano with a
single microphone, position the microphone just above and in front of the
piano with the top open, centered over the instrument.
Recording Techniques
