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Choosing & Using Microphones

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experiment with angling the mic down at the performer s mouth in order to avoid projecting the
energy of the breath directly into the microphone.Also, make certain that the vocalist s headphones
are the closed-cup variety, as open-cup designs tend to leak sound that the microphone will capture.

As previously mentioned, a pop filter is highly recommended in order to soften plosives and to
protect the condenser diaphragm from saliva. Pop filters can also help in controlling a singer s
proximity to the mic. (If a vocalist has a tendency to get too close to the mic, place the pop filter
as far away from the mic as you want the vocalist to be, then have them sing directly into the filter.)

Pop filters do not help in controlling sibilance, commonly found in the hissing portion of the letter

s. You can try moving the mic lower and/or farther away to reduce sibilance, as well as encourage

the performer to turn their head slightly during those passages to avoid projecting the sibilance
directly into the mic. If these approaches are not effective, you may need to process the vocal with
a de-esser a special form of compressor that targets sibilant frequencies.

Most engineers do use some compression when tracking vocals. A little compression goes a long
way, and too much can squash a vocal. A few dB of compression is typically all that is necessary in
order to prevent peaking while getting the maximum signal to the recorder. EQ adjustments should
only be aimed at getting an optimal signal, rather than trying to perfect final tonality (something
that should be reserved for the mix).

Be aware that a hard surface directly in front of the vocalist can create a strong sonic reflection
that colors the vocal sound. If this is not desired, move the vocalist further back from that surface in
order for the reflection to fall off more before reaching the mic.

Our ears are very highly tuned to the human voice, so even casual listeners are much more critical
of recorded vocals than of any other instrument. Once you think you have a good miked sound for
vocals, it s always a good idea to compare it directly with the sound of the vocalist just singing in
the room in order to get a reality check.

Acoustic Guitar

There are a variety of popular mic placements for acoustic
guitar. The one that might seem the most logical miking
the sound hole is actually the least desirable in most
situations.The result 

is very  boomy,  especially when combined

with the proximity effect of a large diaphragm.With the exception
of the audience perspective technique, place the mic(s) nine to 12
inches away from the focal area and experiment from there. In
close-miking scenarios, encourage the guitarist to remain
stationary in order to minimize fluctuations in the sound. Hard
mounts are preferable to ensure exact placement, unless a soft

A figure-8 pattern can accommodate two

vocalists facing each other in a duet

Positioning for multiple singers around a cardioid

1

3

2

4

Different microphone positions bring out

different qualities of an acoustic guitar

 

Содержание Microphone

Страница 1: ......

Страница 2: ...iking Concepts 15 Close Miking vs Distance Miking Techniques 15 Large Capsules vs Medium Capsules 16 Dealing with Unwanted Low Frequencies 16 The Mic Preamp 16 The Recording Environment 17 Phasing Iss...

Страница 3: ...ge situation After all live performance environments are much more likely to subject mics to torture such as high volume sweat the elements shock and being dropped In the studio dynamic mics are most...

Страница 4: ...say that condensers can t be used for some tasks on stage just that the environment should be controlled such as in a professional show where cables are secured mics are shock mounted against vibratio...

Страница 5: ...d it became possible to use synthetic materials such as mylar in order to create tissue thin membranes Since condenser diaphragms need to conduct electricity these synthetic materials have a thin laye...

Страница 6: ...les are generally less sensitive to high frequencies off axis This phenomenon is typically less significant in medium capsules than in large capsules Cardioid pattern The cardioid is the most common p...

Страница 7: ...by sealing the back of the capsule resulting in another fixed pattern Super cardioids employ yet a different design In most cases different back end electronics are required for each pattern thus maki...

Страница 8: ...he order of several thousand ohms down to around 200 ohms or from half an ohm up to about 200 ohms The condenser microphone presents a challenge of a different magnitude converting a signal in the ran...

Страница 9: ...terious element called dynamic distortion something that the industry didn t even have the technology to measure until quite recently Dynamic distortion refers to the accuracy or transparency over tim...

Страница 10: ...t what s inside those shiny cases and much of that comes down to manufacturing standards The story behind affordable matched pairs for stereo miking One of the factors that make a significant differen...

Страница 11: ...ly high quality and tight tolerances at affordable prices for several reasons The first is that highly skilled technicians use the latest computer controlled equipment for manufacturing and testing Th...

Страница 12: ...Choosing Using Microphones 12...

Страница 13: ...roject extra energy toward the microphone A common result of this extra energy is unwanted pops in the sound as well as the expulsion of saliva a form of moisture detrimental to a condenser mic For th...

Страница 14: ...of a microphone down with a dry or slightly damp rag will be sufficient to remove dust dirt fingerprints and the like In the event that further cleaning is necessary spray a non abrasive household cle...

Страница 15: ...s for extreme situations is also very useful in isolating the sound source from other performers Note also that the closer the mic is to the source the more prevalent with be the performance by produc...

Страница 16: ...l off is truly beneficial The Mic Preamp Before the low level signal from a mic can be used in the recording and mixing process it must be run through a preamp in order to boost the gain Therefore mos...

Страница 17: ...nd sources such as strings drum heads and vocal chords share a characteristic temporal or phase relationship of harmonics to the fundamental when vibrating Not coincidentally our ears exhibit the same...

Страница 18: ...fferent times Telltale signs are different notes from the same source sounding at different volumes or bass response that is overly strong or overly shallow Here are a few tips in minimizing phasing p...

Страница 19: ...rophones typically need a little breathing room in order to avoid reflection Omnis placed in a corner for example often sound like they re well in a corner Similarly placing the back of a cardioid too...

Страница 20: ...Choosing Using Microphones 20...

Страница 21: ...te for this by moving the coincident mics slightly apart from each other in order to introduce a time delay between sides Spaced techniques are considered less accurate yet more spacious sounding In e...

Страница 22: ...Since this is a rarity other stereo techniques offering superior control are more frequently used ORTF Developed by the French national broadcasting agency Office de RadioT l vision Fran aise the ORTF...

Страница 23: ...ter of the field can tend to be less distinct In situations where there is too much unwanted background noise or the mics must be placed further away due to logistics experiment with using carefully p...

Страница 24: ...e is favored in the film industry because it provides a spacious sound along with good stereo imagery that works well with processes like Dolby and surround sound There is also the advantage of a disc...

Страница 25: ...the track On the other hand omni can yield excellent results when you do want to feature the room s natural ambience In the case of recording multiple vocalists there may not be enough resources for s...

Страница 26: ...signal to the recorder EQ adjustments should only be aimed at getting an optimal signal rather than trying to perfect final tonality something that should be reserved for the mix Be aware that a hard...

Страница 27: ...is distance miking technique Electric Guitar The most common way to mic a guitar amp is to place a cardioid four to six inches in front of the speaker If it sounds as if the microphone or preamp are o...

Страница 28: ...he mics four to eight feet from the curved side of the piano and at heights from five to twelve feet Factors leading to the establishment of optimal positioning include the size and model of the piano...

Страница 29: ...lacing the one with the larger diaphragm inside the kick drum and the other on a boom about two feet over the rest of the kit Three Mics Where only three mics are available two main techniques are fav...

Страница 30: ...plications such as those involving brushes Standard practice is to angle the mic down toward the drum at about two inches from the rim Moving the mic further in provides more attack and less body some...

Страница 31: ...ith a height of anywhere between two and five feet above the kit depending upon the room In general high ceilings are helpful when miking drum overheads because there is more room for the sound to bre...

Страница 32: ...Choosing Using Microphones 32...

Страница 33: ...g and quality control Model Diaphragm Electronics Patterns Address Applications Solaris 1 1 x 3 microns Class A FET Cardioid Omni Figure 8 Top Excellent on stringed instruments overhead cymbals and vo...

Страница 34: ...Mic cable crossing a power cable Route audio cables so that they are not near power cables or power supplies When they must cross make them cross at a 90 degree angle for minimal overlap Mic preamp g...

Страница 35: ...ucts such as Propellerhead s Reason and Ableton Live In 2002 the company successfully launched a product line that brings professional quality audio to the consumer electronics market For more informa...

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