Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

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JD01
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

I am actually thinking I wouldn't mind an i5 now to use alongside my SM57 when miking up my amp.

Also, as I have some problems with my recording environment, I was thinking of getting a dynamic like an SM58 for recording vocals as this will pick up less room, sound reasonable?
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antichef
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by antichef »

for the amp - see if you can get an old AKG D1000 - they go for pretty cheap and sound good, imo (I always like mine better than an i5). They're *not* durable like i5s and SM57s so you gotta be more careful. The i5 can sound good when mixed with say a 57 (like you're planning to do I guess) but to me with my setup, sounds too fizzy by itself.

It never hurts to have a SM58 but it probably won't help with your room issue and they sound kind of honky to me for recording most voices. But they sound great on some voices - like all mics to a greater or lesser extent.

For your room, try to get some space in front of you and some absorption, like a rug or blankets, behind you.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by SweetDan »

antichef wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:04 am for the amp - see if you can get an old AKG D1000...
This one?
awesome youtube comment of the day
Lol it's still less satanic than whatever rituals Katie Perry and Taylor Swift do in their performances. πŸ˜‚
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by antichef »

Yes - that is the one.
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JD01
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

That's interesting. I might look into that. See how much cash I have left at the end of the month.

On vocals I doubt I'll be able to stretch to an SM7B so it might just be an SM58, although I'm not sure if a 58 will be at all different than just singing into a 57 which I've done with some success in the past.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:54 am That's interesting. I might look into that. See how much cash I have left at the end of the month.

On vocals I doubt I'll be able to stretch to an SM7B so it might just be an SM58, although I'm not sure if a 58 will be at all different than just singing into a 57 which I've done with some success in the past.
I have an SM7B. It collects dust. I don't understand the appeal of that mic. It's dark, needs a lot of preamp, and it's fucking gigantic.

Actually, I might try it on my kick drum or a bass cab. Other than it maybe working for one of those, I find it pretty useless.
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JD01
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

Greg_L wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:30 am
JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:54 am That's interesting. I might look into that. See how much cash I have left at the end of the month.

On vocals I doubt I'll be able to stretch to an SM7B so it might just be an SM58, although I'm not sure if a 58 will be at all different than just singing into a 57 which I've done with some success in the past.
I have an SM7B. It collects dust. I don't understand the appeal of that mic. It's dark, needs a lot of preamp, and it's fucking gigantic.

Actually, I might try it on my kick drum or a bass cab. Other than it maybe working for one of those, I find it pretty useless.
Don't know if its something that would work for me. I do sing very loudly and I know James Hetfield uses one so thought it might suit me.
Given my room situation I was gonna make some improvements to the room itself (which should see some improvement) get one of them horseshoe shaped foam things Ray posted up a pic of and try singing into a dynamic to get a drier recording.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

Please don't ever buy anything based on James Hetfield. Ever. Not even a guitar pick or a chain wallet.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

Greg_L wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:37 am Please don't ever buy anything based on James Hetfield. Ever. Not even a guitar pick or a chain wallet.
Well... I don't like any guitar tone he's produced since the mid-80s. I have never worn "heavy metal" clothes.
I do quite like his vocal style though, particularly when he's being more shouty like on the last two albums.

In hindsight choosing a pickup based on Kurt Cobain was a fail too.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:44 am
Well... I don't like any guitar tone he's produced since the mid-80s. I have never worn "heavy metal" clothes.
I do quite like his vocal style though, particularly when he's being more shouty like on the last two albums.

In hindsight choosing a pickup based on Kurt Cobain was a fail too.
But do you know Hetfield used that mic for his final vocal tracks? And what else was done? What kind of pres and compression did they use? I'm not saying don't get one if you want one, just don't base your decision on the final vocal results of some metal yeller in a billion dollar studio with a billion dollar budget.

The way I acquired this SM7b is because the singer in my band is extremely loud. He wanted to try it because "it's good for loud singers". Okay, fine, but pretty much any fucking dynamic cardioid mic is good for loud singers. No one sings loud enough to break a fucking dynamic mic. Anyway, so we used the SM7b, and it was bleh. I used it with different loud singers. Bleh. It's not terrible, it's just not anything worth the hype. It's flat and dark...even with the roll off and presence shelf engaged. I needed to add a lot of helper EQ to vocals when using that mic.

I bet it's a good broadcasting mic. I think that's maybe what it's really best for. A quiet environment and a ton of compression and makeup gain.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

Cheers, I just think I decent dynamic with some basic temporary treatment might be the best way of me improving my vocal tracking (while still improving my singing). I trust your opinion and if you think an SM7B is over priced and a bit average then I'll park that idea for now.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:17 am Cheers, I just think I decent dynamic with some basic temporary treatment might be the best way of me improving my vocal tracking (while still improving my singing). I trust your opinion and if you think an SM7B is over priced and a bit average then I'll park that idea for now.
I get why you'd want a dynamic mic, and the advice about treating behind you is all good. I just don't believe an SM7b is worth the gamble. They aint cheap. Maybe if you could rent one or borrow one, you could try it, but my own experience with them is meh, and I can pretty much make any mic work for anything.
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JD01
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

You think a 58 would be any different to a 57 for what I'm doing? Aside from the convenience of not having to de-mic my amp when I want to do some vocals?
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:27 am You think a 58 would be any different to a 57 for what I'm doing? Aside from the convenience of not having to de-mic my amp when I want to do some vocals?
Obviously the 58 has the big ball end and internal pop filter. I think the 57 might be a little brighter. Besides that, they're basically the same.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:27 am You think a 58 would be any different to a 57 for what I'm doing? Aside from the convenience of not having to de-mic my amp when I want to do some vocals?
What vocal mic do you normally use?
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

Greg_L wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:44 am
JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:27 am You think a 58 would be any different to a 57 for what I'm doing? Aside from the convenience of not having to de-mic my amp when I want to do some vocals?
What vocal mic do you normally use?
The cheapo condenser that came with the focusrite bundle - it basically came in a beginner bundle - its not too bad, but it is very sensitive and a bit noisy. The exact opposite of what I need when I'm screaming into it in a shit room.

I'm probably gonna get another mic when I order my cab next week.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:56 am

I'm probably gonna get another mic when I order my cab next week.
I think you should stick with condensers for vocals and just fix your room. The MXL V67 and AT2020 are cheap LDCs that work good for vocals.

And wtf, you're getting a new cab? That's good. What are you getting?
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JD01
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

Greg_L wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:28 am
JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:56 am

I'm probably gonna get another mic when I order my cab next week.
I think you should stick with condensers for vocals and just fix your room. The MXL V67 and AT2020 are cheap LDCs that work good for vocals.

And wtf, you're getting a new cab? That's good. What are you getting?
I'll be able to make some short term remedial measures to help the room but I don't think I'll ever have a good room - I just thought a dynamic might help too. I don't know if I'm right, but I thought condensers were used more on vocals 'cos they're better for capturing a lot of detail... I wouldn't have thought that my singing needs a lot of detail.

EDIT: They are reasonably priced!
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2017 11:52 am

I'll be able to make some short term remedial measures to help the room but I don't think I'll ever have a good room - I just thought a dynamic might help too. I don't know if I'm right, but I thought condensers were used more on vocals 'cos they're better for capturing a lot of detail... I wouldn't have thought that my singing needs a lot of detail.

EDIT: They are reasonably priced!
I've always thought your vocals need more detail. Is that a result of your room, mic, or just how you mix them? I don't know. Could be all three.

Think about it like this...a condenser is more sensitive at (usually) lower preamp gain levels. So while it's possible that they can pick up more unwanted room, it's also possible that they can catch your vocals more clearly at lower gain levels and reject everything else.
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Re: Your mic locker...are you still adding to it?

Post by JD01 »

True - hadn't thought of it that way.
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