Now that I am upgrading some of my recording gear, I am looking into a large diaphram condenser mike for recording flutes both wooden and silver in the sub $400.00 US range . This would be for more of a studio, ie non-session, environment. The only consistent advice is to get a preamp for it, so.......Any preferences, opinions etc.
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
whether you need a pre amp depends on your desk. But if your desk is good enough to supply the phantom power to the mike, you probably wouldn't need a pre-amp.
And such a mike is best for recording any instrument, not just flutes and voice. (with suitable pair of tights stretched over a coat hanger of course)
But the advice I would give is to flog as much of your complicated recording geer as you can manage and by two of the most expensive large diaphram condenser mikes you can afford. If you are recording acoustic music, these will be all the mikes you'll ever need.
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
I agree with Michael, except I'd recommend a preamp anyway, unless you're plugging into a pro quality mixing board. Consumer grade mixers and porta-studios just about always have inferior preamps. Okay, I'll be kind and call them minimally adequate. An outboard preamp will probably sound better.
There are lots of fairly decent large diaphragm mics in your price range. It depends mainly on what sounds good to you. You can google the technical specs on individual mics and check out the frequency response charts to get a rough idea of what to expect. The most admired mics tend to have a very flat graph, but they are expensive and you may actualy like a bit of presence peak around 5 kHz or a proximity boost in the low-end. If your dealer will let you try out a few, that would be great.
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
I just took home the Apogee Duet today. A truly beautiful piece of kit and very affordable. It demands a firewire 400 in though. It makes run of the mill mics sound great and great mics sound better.
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
What are you recording into? A porta Studio, an Interface or direct to computer?
I have some not terribly expensive, but very adequate Samson CO1 mikes, large Dia. condensers. They also make a USB version if you record directly to computer. From what I was advised by several engineers is that unless you have high end equipment, the high end mikes' capabilities are lost on it. The Samsons are about $100 each. They sound clear as a bell though, and people often ask about what wonderful mikes had I used on my CD or on our session CDs.
I use a Fostex MR1HD, four tracks can be recorded at once, that is for our on site session recrodings. They come out super clean with no extra preamps, in spite of the fact that these porta studios do have lousy preamps. You do need to get one that has 48v phantom power, the porta studio I mean, to power the mike. Using a regular mike, not a condenser, I would say you absolutey should get a preamp or you can use a small mixer board in addition.
The recording, into a porta studio, will, due to the lousy preamps, be softer in volume than you thought. So the inclination is, and I made this mistake for a long time myself, is to turn the trim knobs WAY up to get max volume in. I learned that this brings in a lot of outside noise as well, people whispering (ha ha... you hear a lot of very interesting things this way!!) or even a fridge or electric clock running. You want the mike to be focused in on the music, not the whole room. You really should have the volume sliders at the recommended level and no more, and the trims, around 2:00 o'clock at max. You can add volume levels later in the editing. It will be relatively soft even with condenser mikes. Same for recording at home whether direct via USB or via interface (I use a Lexicon Omega, about $250, pristine sound!). And turn off the computer printers, clock, anything that makes a hum or buzz. Don't worry, in your editing program you later raise it.
The other hurdle to really overcome, and very important is mike placement. The condensers need to be further away from you than you would think. The room you are in, it changes everything from one room to the next, it's surprising. You need to experiment and find the best room and then best mike placement. it's something that others can give you hints about, but ultimately you find your way yourself on the fine points. It's something that seems to make little sense until it just clicks one day and you start to understand it all, and that is a really fun moment, in fact it may get you hooked on recording as a hobby, and once you can turn out a good recording, watch out people will call you do record them or their shows etc. but it is a real pleasure and very satisfying, in spite of all the hard work in the editing after.
I like, if recording my guitar, to be in my basement. It sort of defies a lot of logic, but it works great. I have cement floors and a low ceiling, it gives a nice little bit of natural reverb. I have it figured out really well for down there. That's the key, to work best in any situation you find you must record in.
When recording our sessions, it's a bit of a recording nightmare... a huge hall, with plaster walls. The initial recording without EQ sounds horrible. Tinny, brash.... still, if you have a board that allows effects (such as bass, reverb etc.) or an effects box hooked in.... save yourself a lot of misery, and leave the knobs alone. You can add effects later. The thing you need to do is truly find the best mike placement, so you should need little EQ after. It's much harder to remove bass, reverb, etc. after... in fact I don't think you can, except by sort of muddying up the sound and using all sorts of filters. Get as good as possible a recording in the first place.
Some on site places, should you record out, they are just a nightmare. You don't really know until you get there sometimes either. Or you may know the room, but too many people are crammed in there that time (and I have found rather than be intimidated by mikes and recording, people generally love to be recorded, esp. if they know you do a good editing job after and make them shine!). After you do it a while you get a better feel about it, and can also better evaluate a room right on the spot, do a few sound tests and be ready to go.
Sounds complex, but it is a lot of fun, take it a step at a time. Even at first, it should sound better than something off a small recorder, even the high end little recorders, so that should give you the inspiration to keep on with it.
large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
Now that I am upgrading some of my recording gear, I am looking into a large diaphram condenser mike for recording flutes both wooden and silver in the sub $400.00 US range . This would be for more of a studio, ie non-session, environment. The only consistent advice is to get a preamp for it, so.......Any preferences, opinions etc.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by red_tiger
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
whether you need a pre amp depends on your desk. But if your desk is good enough to supply the phantom power to the mike, you probably wouldn't need a pre-amp.
And such a mike is best for recording any instrument, not just flutes and voice. (with suitable pair of tights stretched over a coat hanger of course)
But the advice I would give is to flog as much of your complicated recording geer as you can manage and by two of the most expensive large diaphram condenser mikes you can afford. If you are recording acoustic music, these will be all the mikes you'll ever need.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by ...
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
I agree with Michael, except I'd recommend a preamp anyway, unless you're plugging into a pro quality mixing board. Consumer grade mixers and porta-studios just about always have inferior preamps. Okay, I'll be kind and call them minimally adequate. An outboard preamp will probably sound better.
There are lots of fairly decent large diaphragm mics in your price range. It depends mainly on what sounds good to you. You can google the technical specs on individual mics and check out the frequency response charts to get a rough idea of what to expect. The most admired mics tend to have a very flat graph, but they are expensive and you may actualy like a bit of presence peak around 5 kHz or a proximity boost in the low-end. If your dealer will let you try out a few, that would be great.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by Bob himself
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
Some dealers, like Guitar Center, have audition rooms where you can compare mics, speakers, etc. Take a friend to play while you listen.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by Bob himself
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
I just took home the Apogee Duet today. A truly beautiful piece of kit and very affordable. It demands a firewire 400 in though. It makes run of the mill mics sound great and great mics sound better.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by Patkiwi
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
What are you recording into? A porta Studio, an Interface or direct to computer?
I have some not terribly expensive, but very adequate Samson CO1 mikes, large Dia. condensers. They also make a USB version if you record directly to computer. From what I was advised by several engineers is that unless you have high end equipment, the high end mikes' capabilities are lost on it. The Samsons are about $100 each. They sound clear as a bell though, and people often ask about what wonderful mikes had I used on my CD or on our session CDs.
I use a Fostex MR1HD, four tracks can be recorded at once, that is for our on site session recrodings. They come out super clean with no extra preamps, in spite of the fact that these porta studios do have lousy preamps. You do need to get one that has 48v phantom power, the porta studio I mean, to power the mike. Using a regular mike, not a condenser, I would say you absolutey should get a preamp or you can use a small mixer board in addition.
The recording, into a porta studio, will, due to the lousy preamps, be softer in volume than you thought. So the inclination is, and I made this mistake for a long time myself, is to turn the trim knobs WAY up to get max volume in. I learned that this brings in a lot of outside noise as well, people whispering (ha ha... you hear a lot of very interesting things this way!!) or even a fridge or electric clock running. You want the mike to be focused in on the music, not the whole room. You really should have the volume sliders at the recommended level and no more, and the trims, around 2:00 o'clock at max. You can add volume levels later in the editing. It will be relatively soft even with condenser mikes. Same for recording at home whether direct via USB or via interface (I use a Lexicon Omega, about $250, pristine sound!). And turn off the computer printers, clock, anything that makes a hum or buzz. Don't worry, in your editing program you later raise it.
The other hurdle to really overcome, and very important is mike placement. The condensers need to be further away from you than you would think. The room you are in, it changes everything from one room to the next, it's surprising. You need to experiment and find the best room and then best mike placement. it's something that others can give you hints about, but ultimately you find your way yourself on the fine points. It's something that seems to make little sense until it just clicks one day and you start to understand it all, and that is a really fun moment, in fact it may get you hooked on recording as a hobby, and once you can turn out a good recording, watch out people will call you do record them or their shows etc. but it is a real pleasure and very satisfying, in spite of all the hard work in the editing after.
I like, if recording my guitar, to be in my basement. It sort of defies a lot of logic, but it works great. I have cement floors and a low ceiling, it gives a nice little bit of natural reverb. I have it figured out really well for down there. That's the key, to work best in any situation you find you must record in.
When recording our sessions, it's a bit of a recording nightmare... a huge hall, with plaster walls. The initial recording without EQ sounds horrible. Tinny, brash.... still, if you have a board that allows effects (such as bass, reverb etc.) or an effects box hooked in.... save yourself a lot of misery, and leave the knobs alone. You can add effects later. The thing you need to do is truly find the best mike placement, so you should need little EQ after. It's much harder to remove bass, reverb, etc. after... in fact I don't think you can, except by sort of muddying up the sound and using all sorts of filters. Get as good as possible a recording in the first place.
Some on site places, should you record out, they are just a nightmare. You don't really know until you get there sometimes either. Or you may know the room, but too many people are crammed in there that time (and I have found rather than be intimidated by mikes and recording, people generally love to be recorded, esp. if they know you do a good editing job after and make them shine!). After you do it a while you get a better feel about it, and can also better evaluate a room right on the spot, do a few sound tests and be ready to go.
Sounds complex, but it is a lot of fun, take it a step at a time. Even at first, it should sound better than something off a small recorder, even the high end little recorders, so that should give you the inspiration to keep on with it.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by irisnevins
Re: large diaphram flute mikes for recording flutes
Sorry, that should be a Fostex MR8-HD.... good little workhorse, about $379.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by irisnevins