Microphones!
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Normally, in the recording magazine world, you'll pick up a current issue and find reviews of products that have just come on to the market and may cost LOTS of money. Here atTape Opwe're not only behind the times but we're also quite broke. What follows is a list of mics that I've been using with some general thoughts about the mics and their sounds. And they should all be available for less than $250, okay? This isn't a comprehensive list of every mic you can find out there or a (very) knowledgeable scientific treatise on how diaphragms work — it's just some tips for y'all.
SHURE SM 57
If you're recording music and you don't have one of these what's wrong with you? Probably every professional studio and every four trackin' geek has some of these mics laying around. 57's, the rugged workhorses of the mic world, have dictated to our ears the way we think guitar amps should sound on so many recordings it's almost scary. I use them a lot, and the following techniques can be applied to just about any type of mic. On guitar amps, try using two, side-by-side, pointing at the sweet spots just to the sides of the dome in the center, and mixing the signals together onto one channel. If you're mic'ing a two speaker amp, like a Fender Twin, put one on each speaker for a fuller tone range. For drums, 57's are the standard snare mics. I try to angle down 1½" above the rim in a way that picks up the side and bottom of the snare so you can hear its crispness. I tried mic'ing from the side of the snare but the high-hat leakage and wimpiness of the attack made me stop. On toms, get them where they are pointing in halfway to the center for a good slapping sound. I usually EQ the rack tom up a bit at 3K and the floor tom around 4-5K, with a low end boost on both. I like loud toms, and this works well. If you want a sharp, tapping kick drum sound throw a 57 in there too. Don't point right at the spot where the beater hits or you'll probably get a blown-out mic sound. A little off-center and a lot of EQ boost on the low end can garner a fine kick tone. For vocals, you can try a 57. They seem kinda dead and dry to my ears, but I've had some takes that came out just fine. Fancier preamps can bring out a lot of character in the mic at this point but that's a whole 'nother subject.
PZM
If you saw issue #1 of Tape Op, you'll remember a lengthy article on the joys of PZM's and the modifications one can do to them. All I usually use them for in the studio is as stereo overhead mics for the drum kit. They have a nice, clear high frequency sound that picks up cymbals real well and the fact that they are immune to phase cancellation allows the other mics on the kit to come up as loud as needed without causing trouble. Right now, they're mounted on small sheets of particle board and suspended on old cymbal stands so I can move them around the room and balance out the levels of the cymbals that they are picking up. I roll off the low end and pull back the highest high end a bit too. This seems to give a good picture of the cymbal action, while also building a stereo image of the drum kit (which I think adds a lot to the drum sound in general). I sometimes try to use them as ambient mics for acoustic guitar or ethnic percussion tracks but most of the time they've generated too much internal hum to be real useful. The sad part is that Radio Shack, the cheapest place to get these mics, has stopped carrying them this year. Keep your eyes open for used ones I guess.
CROWN CM 700
This mic, which looks a lot like a Mag Light, is actually somewhat new and came out last summer. Someone traded me this one for recording time, but I think they list at $300, so you should be able to find one for a little over $200. It's worth every penny. This mic is a cardioid condenser, and it somehow has all the clarity of a condenser mic with the ability to handle high sound pressure levels (SPL). It also has a built in bass-tilt switch, which can be set for flat, roll-off, or low-cut and rolls off around 200 Hz. These can be helpful for reducing rumble or unwanted proximity effect. I've been using this mic for recording the snare during basic tracks and later lead vocal tracks during final overdubs. It's amazing that one mic could be great at both. It has many other uses
too, like for capturing the ugly glory of a death-metal Marshall guitar cabinet, violin overdubs, and Indian hand drums. I find it to be one of the most versatile mics I've ever used and sometimes wonder how I recorded without one. I guess that says it all, plus Crown isn't exactly taking out ads in Tape Op, so you know I'm not being biased!
AUDIO TECHNICA AT 37R
I've been seeing more of these around lately. It's a little condenser mic, about the size of a half-smoked cigar, with a very crisp, bright sound. It works well as a drum overhead mic, especially in pairs for picking up the cymbals, but I'll tell you what I think this mic is best at... acoustic guitars. You can just point this mic at an acoustic and it sounds fine. I've pointed it at the soundhole, hung it over the musician's shoulder (sorry Steve) and aimed it at the fretboard. It always sounds great, even without much EQing. It's also really great on percussion overdubs, especially if you're trying to pick up some of the room acoustics as well. I've used it on vocalists, and sometimes it works, but usually the crispness brings out too much of their sibilance (ssssssssssssss sounds) and is a bit obnoxious. It's definitely a handy mic to have around, and at $130 or so is a good buy.
AKG D112
This mic is THE kick drum mic. Plus it looks like a rocket. It has a well defined low end, due to the large diaphragm, and makes a good-sounding kick drum sound great. Just put it in there and roll tape. It's also great for mic'ing up bass guitar cabinets, giving them a much needed clarity. One other thing it can do is provide real breathy vocal overdubs. You see, since the diaphragm is so much larger than a "standard" mic, the amount of pressure it takes to move it is greater, thus a singer's voice won't be creating a lot of voltage variation. This gives you a dynamically flat vocal sound with a very "breathy" feel to it. There are many times where this effect will work wonders. Another good thing is that this mic can be found, new, for around $210. That's a great deal, considering the jump in low end definition your recordings will get.
IN CONCLUSION?
It's all up to your ears. There are many mics out there, and for years I used some cheap plastic Radio Shack "Highball 7" for 4 tracking and learned how to use it well. These are all mics that I feel I couldn't work without now, after 2½ years of doing "commercial" recording. I'm sure some of my favorite records have been made using none of these microphones and others have made great tapes with one PZM. Learning how to use your microphone, preamp, mixer, effects and tape to your best advantage is what'll make the recordings you do unique and "yours."
