Well I am posting my first topic. Yay! Any who, I am going to be posting on my site different mic techniques people used in there own studios, and would like to offer this chance to all to give there opinion un such things. I will not edit them in any way you tell me how you do your technique and with what and I will be more than happy to share it with the world. For instance I use an AKG 414 inside of a kick drum for the attack and a sE H3500 for an external kick mic. Then I isolate the kick with an old quilt that was given to me from an engineer friend of mine. And to addition to that if it is a rock or metal drummer I am working with I use a 25 cent piece on each kick drum where the hammer hits the head, while using the pearl rubber mallets. I find this gives me that characteristic of Attack and Presence to make any kick drum sound great.

If you would like to share some of your secrets please post them hear or email me.

Laters

Waylon

I have a million ways of doing it depending on the tune and the style required.. You would have to give a virtual situation for me to describe. I have no one method of using mics.

If you want an example of a "Go To" setup for Acoustic Strings, I would say:

- AT 4050 on Body
- AT 4041s on O.H.
- If desired an AKG C1000 on the neck

For Piano I tend to favor 414s inside the body over the board, with a large diaphragm underneath (I used a Manley Gold reference once and it sounded awesome) with possible 4050s in the rear of the room for reflections.

Those are things I have tried, and was very pleased with.

Hey Waylon, great topic, and welcome to our little dysfunctional family!

I frequently record a djembe, and have found that using a Royer R121 ribbon mic angled about 30 degrees off the head and placed about 4-6" from the shell, in combination with an Audix D4 in a similar position (but closer to 60 degrees) near the bottom of the drum shell yields a nice blend of attack and big bottom. Play with the phase a bit on the bottom mic to really home in on the desired sound. Also, if you have the tracks available, put each mic on its own track, then throw a 20-30ms delay on the D4 for a really kool sound. Spread the two tracks a bit over the soundfield for more awesome effect.

Say, why not send one of your mics around so that we could test drive it? I'm sure everyone here would be willing to pay postage and insurance for a try-out!

I'll bite.

For rock guitar solos (heavy distortion) on an open back combo (Fender, Boogie, et al) i'll use the standard SM57 in front, point to taste. Then a condenser behind the amp, i usually use a Shure Beta87, but any small diaphragm condenser will do. Position is important: try to get it so it is 180 degrees out.

Using a condenser provides the magic: The signal based on position is 180 out. But since the SM57 is a dynamic, its electrical output is 90 degrees out from the actual signal, so... You get a nice little 90 degree phase shift to add some resonance to the sound.

Play with the phase buttons on the pre, and mix to taste (i usually have it back a bit. Too much can be annoying... )

Add a 414 or two in the room for some ambience, blah blah blah...

Okay.......An old trick that really works, of course depending on the material.
I would mic the kick w/an re-20 (like most would do). Run the sig. to an input on the desk
as well as out to a small monitor in another room. Place a rototom infront of the monitor and a c1000 in front of the rototom. Run that sig. back to another input & mix both to a track on tape (or whatever). You can tune the rototom to whatever makes sense. It sounds really cool on the kick but you can use any sig. with a quick attack.

Oh, Mic Guy...your silence is deafening!!!

Shrimp,

I believe that sE Electronics (and any decent dealer) would offer you a 30-day money-back return guarantee if you're dissatisfied with any of the manufacture's claims.

You just need to buy one first…and while your at it pick up a State Lottery ticket …

This could be your lucky day.