WTD SM57 Mic

spark240

octatonic said:

spark240 said:

Just had a quick net search...what are thoughts on a matched pair?

Say....Rode M5 or AKG 170 Perception, seem like good value?  

The Rode is a chaper version of the NT5, which I like on acoustic guitar. Stereo recording requires more skill to be successful with- you need to be aware of phase issues between the mics and be able to correct. Don't let that put you off, just be aware of it.

So...I apologise for my ignorance but a matched pair still has phasing issues?....what is " matched" about them?

If I were to just use my SE mic on bridge and  add any 2nd mic at the neck lets say, would I still encounter phasing?  

octatonic

I use the beta 57 for toms (although I prefer MD421 or 441) and for brass or woodwind (I quite like it on less 'nasal' instruments- wouldn't use it on an oboe for example).

There aren't many dynamics that I like on acoustic guitar- the Sennheiser MD441 is one of them but they are expensive- you will find a condenser for a lot less that does the job.

If you are happy to buy second hand then consider getting a Rode NT2.

I use them a lot on acoustic guitar and vocals.

They can be had for around £100-140 used.

Make sure you get one with the hard case and the original shock mount if you can.

They will generally be better cared for, i.e. stored in their case.

They have different versions of it now- this is the model I use:

http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/rode-nt2-259963.jpg

I have 3 of them- good workhorse mic.

Also consider Audio Technica mics.

The AT2020 is something like £80- very neutral sounding.

I like them a lot considering the price.

Cirrus

AT2020 is a very good call, I had one a few years ago, dolphin had 50% off so I think I got it for less than £40. Was genuinely shocked at how nice it sounded, and in a couple of cases I preferred it to the 4050 I also had then.

Spark, I'll try to get in to my practice studio later and knock up a recording with the oktava 012, a sontronics LCD and an sm57 on my acoustic. 

A spaced stereo pair on an acoustic I find tricky to get right, there will be phase differences between the mics as different parts of the sound are coming from different parts of the guitar, but phase differences aren't always problems - they're often part of the clues our ears pick up on to give us the experience of stereo. The only real solution is to monitor what you're picking up and make sure it sounds good! For a 'realistic' sounding stereo spread acoustic using x/y, ortf or even m/s techniques are good (plenty of info on the web for these if you've not come across them!) that said, unless you really want stereo for whatever reason or you just can't get the sound you want with one mic I'd stick to mono - it sits in mixes better generally and as octo says for the most part a mic pointed at the 12th fret will do the job well.

octatonic

Very much so.

I am always hesitant to even discuss advance recording concepts ( ORFT, binaural head, mid-side etc) with people before they have a bit of experience with regular mono mic technique.

Out of all of them I use M/S the most as I like the flexibility it gives me to be able to control the centre separate to the sides.

Also there is less likely to be issues with phase as the two mics are placed so close to one another.

But for the OP it could be years down the line, or never.

Thinking about that though- also check out the Beyer ribbon mics- the M160 and M130.

They are expensive but you can find them relatively cheap used.

I use them a lot on acoustic guitar, albeit in MS.

Cirrus

Hopefully these links work! I tried to balance the volumes but soundcloud might have ballsed that up, and the pre I was using isn't that quiet so the '57 track is a little noisier than the other two.

spark240

Ok cool...but ..i can only listen to the sm57 piece, no other will play?

is the 57 just recoreded straight with no added EQ or effects etc?

Cirrus

No processing, just mic to preamp to track and bounced down. If you find my soundcloud profile, the top three recordings are the three takes with the different mics. The links worked earlier, now they don't. Oh well!

guitarfishbay

I think if you remove the   they work

https://soundcloud.com/cirrusband/shure-sm57-at-practice-room

https://soundcloud.com/cirrusband/sontronics-stc-2-lcd-at

https://soundcloud.com/cirrusband/oktava-mk-012-at-practice-room

spark240

So they do !

impmann

ThePrettyDamned said:

There was a thread here somewhere where someone used a superlux pra 628mkii for acoustic and electric. It sounded okay to me, and he said the acoustic had knackered strings.

Can't remember who it was now... but it's not made for acoustic, so much as amp mic stuff.

That was me - and this was the thread:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/2234/recommend-me-a-good-budget-mic-for-micing-my-amp-live/p1

And this was the track:

https://soundcloud.com/tim-d-morgan/start-again

These mics are an absolute bargain - and to my ears don't sound any 'worse' than a '57... :-) But you pay's your money etc...

Cirrus

Cheers guitarfishbay, i wonder if the &nbsp bits were a "trying to post on an ipad" thing? Then again, I'm posting on a PC today and I still don't know why the font changed halfway through this sentence...

Or did it? Huh?

Ramirez

The Rode M3 is a presposterously great all round mic for £60-£70. Would be ideal for an acoustic guitar, or as a second mic with your sE.

Dynamics can also be great for acoustic, but for a specific sound I'd say, and a sound that you'd have in mind before tracking. I'm using a pair of ribbons in X/Y / Blumlein arrangement a lot at the moment and liking it - great with a dry sounding strummed guitar. Very 70s Laurel Canyon - a dynamic could get you further that way perhaps.

But that's getting specific - as long as the guitar, player and room sounds OK, then any working mic and interface will do the job. I highly recommend the M3 as a cheap workhorse at around the same price as a 57. Maybe not quite so suited to rock snare drums, but what is!

Cirrus

Ramirez! What a character. Taught McCloud everything he knows about sword fighting.