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Microphones and Sound for Home Studios

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I'll assume you know what your source sounds like (i.e., guitar, piano, drums) ... ( About half way between the center and the rim. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Microphones and Sound for Home Studios


1
Microphones and Sound for Home Studios
  • Presented by Erich Russek

2
Agenda
  • 3 Things to Consider
  • How the Microphone Sounds
  • Studio Microphone Types
  • Microphones I Know
  • The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Where To Place The Mic

3
3 Things to Consider
  • How the microphone sounds.
  • How the instrument sounds.
  • Where to place the microphone to pick up
    different aspects of that sound for the project I
    am working on.

4
How the Microphone Sounds
Inside every microphone is a membrane, called a
diaphragm, which vibrates in sympathy with sound.
The vibration creates a variable voltage and
changes acoustic energy into electrical energy.
As this electrical energy flows through the
circuit it encounters resistance which is called
impedance.
You may have run across the terms "high Z" or
"low Z". In a recording studio, we most often
use microphones which are low impedance or "low
Z." This is because they are less susceptible
to hum, can use longer cables and we can get a
better signal to noise ratio from them.
5
Agenda
  • 3 Things to Consider
  • How the Microphone Sounds
  • Studio Microphone Types
  • Microphones I Know
  • The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Where To Place The Mic

6
Studio Microphone Types
  • Dynamic
  • Ribbon
  • Condenser
  • PZM (Pressure Response Microphone or
    Pressure-Zone-Microphone)

7
Dynamic Mics
Dynamic, also called moving coil, mics work on
the principle of magnetic induction. They need no
external power to run and are very simple to make
and relatively cheap to buy. They are also sturdy
and capable of handling loud sounds. Because
they are not sensitive to a wide dynamic range
they are not the best mics for capturing soft
sounds or subtle performances.
8
Ribbon Mics
Ribbon microphones have a thin metal corrugated
ribbon stretched across the magnetic field. Sound
pressure hits the ribbon and moves it across the
magnet. They are usually expensive mics and are
not suited to loud sounds such as drums. You
will find them used for vocals and wind
instruments because of their warm tone. They are
not often found in the home studio because of
their cost.
9
Condenser Mics
  • Condenser mics have a flatter frequency response
    than dynamic mics and a higher price tag. They
    are not as fragile as ribbon mics but not as
    sturdy as dynamics. Because their sound is clear
    and detailed they are excellent mics for vocals.
    Care must be given, however, because they can
    distort with loud volumes.

10
Condenser Mics
  • Condenser mics often need power to run. Referred
    to as phantom power it comes down the mic cable
    from the console, a battery inside the mic or a
    power pack. The phantom power charges a capacitor
    which holds a charge in the mics' fixed
    backplate. In front of the backplate resides a
    thin diaphragm. When the diaphragm moves in
    relation to the fixed backplate, a charge is
    developed in relation to how much movement the
    diaphragm makes. Unlike the signal created by the
    dynamic mic, a condenser's signal is very weak
    and must be amplified before it gets to the
    console. In order to do this the mic contains a
    small amplifier that boosts the signal before it
    leaves the mic.

11
Patterns
  • The directional response of a mic has to do with
    how the mic picks up sound around it's polar
    axis. The front of a mic is called on-axis, all
    other directions into the mic are called
    off-axis. When you talk about the on-axis and
    off-axis response, you are talking about how a
    mic picks up sound in reference to those
    directions.

12
Patterns
  • There are five basic polar patterns that mics
    offer
  • Omni
  • Cardioid
  • Hyper-cardioid
  • Super-cardioid
  • Figure eight.

13
Omni directional
  • An omnidirectional mic picks up sound evenly
    from all directions around the mic head. This
    would be a useful mic if you wanted to record a
    group of singers through one mic. All singers
    could gather around the mic and record evenly
    whether they are in front of the mic or behind
    it. The problem when recording this method is
    that the singers must regulate their relative
    balances and blend.

14
Cardioid
  • A Cardioid microphone has the maximum pick up
    from the front, less pick up from the sides, and
    least pick up from the back of the diaphragm.
    This is a common studio mic pattern.

15
Hyper-Cardioid
  • The Hypercardioid microphone is where the least
    sensitive pick up point is more than 90 degrees
    but less than 150 degrees off axis. The
    Hypercardioid and Super Cardioid mics can be used
    to great effect in the studio where you may worry
    about sound from nearby leaking into the mic.

16
Super-Cardioid
  • A Super-Cardioid Pattern microphone pattern has
    the maximum sensitivity on axis and least
    sensitivity approximately 150 degrees off axis.

17
Figure Eight Pattern/ Bi-directional
  • A Bi-directional microphone picks up best from
    the front and back of the diaphragm and does not
    picking up sound from the side. Good for
    recording two singers through one mic.

18
Agenda
  • 3 Things to Consider
  • How the Microphone Sounds
  • Studio Microphone Types
  • Microphones I Know
  • The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Where To Place The Mic

19
Microphones I Know
  • There are so many microphones on the market now,
    it's tough to know what to buy.

20
Dynamic microphones
  • Shure SM57 - One of my all time favorite mics.
    It's cheap, versatile, sturdy, and good for live
    as well as studio applications. I like it on
    drums, guitar and vocals. For about 80 it's a
    good deal. Get two.

21
Dynamic microphones
  • Shure SM58 - Brother to the SM57 it is often
    favored for vocals while the 57 is the choice for
    instruments. I actually prefer the SM57 for
    vocals though some say they can't hear any
    difference in the two mics. I would also consider
    the Beta 58 or Beta 57.

22
Dynamic microphones
  • Sennheiser MD421 - This is a great mic and a
    studio favorite. At 300-400 it is a little
    pricey for some home studios. This large
    diaphragm dynamic mic is a great mic for toms,
    overheads, amps, and under some circumstances,
    vocals.

23
Condenser Microphones
  • Neumann U87 - The mic by which others are
    compared. I spent a few hours at bias studios
    auditioning different mics. I tried the U87, U47,
    414 and a few others. The U87 proved again to be
    my number one choice for a vocal mic. It handles
    vocal, instrumental and percussion recording very
    well. If you shop you can find one for 2300,
    because of the price, its not a common choice
    for the home studio.

24
Condenser Microphones
  • AKG C414B/ULS - The 414 is another favorite mic
    for percussion, drum, acoustic guitar and wind
    instrument recording. This is a mic that I have
    often tried but I have never settled on. If this
    mic is in your price range give it a try. It is a
    very popular mic. It goes for about 1100.

25
Condenser Microphones
  • Oktava MK-319 - I bought this cardioid mic new
    for 69. It has a list price of 599 but is often
    on sale for 99. I have found that it is the mic
    I return to for recording my own vocals. I have
    not heard it with female vocals. I have heard
    that these mics may not be built to a consistent
    standard so I would suggest that you test this
    mic extra carefully before you buy.

26
Condenser Microphones
  • Samson C01 - Another mic I bought for 69. This
    Large Diaphragm Condenser has received a lot of
    good press for its price value ratio. I like the
    little light that turns on when it's connected
    correctly.

27
Agenda
  • 3 Things to Consider
  • How the Microphone Sounds
  • Studio Microphone Types
  • Microphones I Know
  • The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Where To Place The Mic

28
The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Many home studios have a difficult time
    recording with more than one mic at a time. One
    of the problems they often encounter is bad phase
    relationship. Try and follow the 3-to-1 rule and
    you can avoid some heartache. For every unit of
    distance away from the sound source, your mics
    should be at least three units apart. For
    instance, if you are recording with two mics on
    your piano and they are 3 inches away from a
    source then they should be at least 9 inches
    apart. If they're 15 inches from the source they
    should be 45 inches from each other.

29
The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Acoustic phase interference occurs when the same
    sound arrives at two or more adjacent microphones
    at different times. Because they are spaced
    apart, sound from the subject will almost
    certainly arrive at the two microphones at
    different times.

Microphone 1 is one foot from the sound source.
The next closest microphone in the system,
Microphone 2, should be located three feet or
more from Microphone 1. If the distance between
the sound source and Microphone 1 changes to two
feet, then the minimum distance between the two
microphones should be at least six feet,
maintaining the 31 ratio.
30
Agenda
  • 3 Things to Consider
  • How the Microphone Sounds
  • Studio Microphone Types
  • Microphones I Know
  • The 3 to 1 Rule
  • Where To Place The Mic

31
Where To Place The Mic
  • OK, lets say you know how the microphone will
    sound once it captures your source. I'll assume
    you know what your source sounds like (i.e.,
    guitar, piano, drums). Where do you place the mic
    for best effect?
  • Put the mic where it sounds good.

32
Where To Place The Mic
  • If you're trying to capture a natural sound,
    you'll probably have more success with the mic at
    a distance to the instrument or voice.

33
Where To Place The Mic
  • Just think about where the listener typically
    sits. If you want to create a clean, individual,
    in-your-face kind of sound, then use a
    close-miking technique. Inches instead of feet.

34
Vocals
  • One of the most challenging things to record is
    the human voice.
  • You can place the mic anywhere from 2 inches
    to 4 feet to mic vocals. When you close mic a
    vocalist you must be careful of the mics
    proximity effect. This is the effect a mic has
    when the source is very close which emphasizes
    the low frequencies. A singer, such as myself,
    who is into heavy dynamics (shouting and then
    whispering) may need to be aware if he is
    "working" the mic of the change in timber when he
    whispers close to the mic head. When he pulls
    back for the volume notes he may sound thinner.

35
Vocals
  • Positioning the mic is crucial in getting a
    clean sound without any plosives. A pop screen
    will be needed in addition to precise
    positioning. Plosives are the Ps and Ts that
    ruffle the diaphragm of the mic, causing unwanted
    low end information to get onto your recording.
    Position the mic so the diaphragm is just below
    the singers nose and pointing down towards the
    mouth at about six inches away. Then put the pop
    screen (a ring with a nylon material stretched
    over it) between the singers mouth and the mic.
    This should be sufficient to do the job.

36
Vocals
  • Another thing to keep in mind is the angle and
    reflection off of the music stand. You don't want
    the vocal reflecting off the stand into the mic,
    this can cause phase problems. An easy solution
    is to put some kind of refractive material on the
    stand such as a piece of thick carpeting or a
    towel. Also be sure to angle the stand down a bit
    so the reflection is going away from the mic.

37
Vocals
  • Pop-shield and/or foam pop filter
  • Shock mount
  • Vocal groups -the distance between the mics
    should be at least 3 times the distance between
    the mic the vocalist

38
Piano
  • I close-mic the piano to give me the best
    signal-to-noise ratio. The soundboard of the
    piano is responsible for developing the volume
    and character of the piano's sound so aim the mic
    there. I also listen to an even tone where the
    hammers hit the strings. Try the mic over the
    middle-C strings, roughly five inches above the
    strings. Two mics give a nice stereo image but in
    a pinch a single mic will do.

39
Piano
  • I quite like one or two Crown PZM mics on the
    underside of the piano lid. This provides a large
    boundary for the mic and a sound I am comfortable
    with.
  • I like the sound where the hammers meet the
    strings but if I were looking for a piano sound
    that I was a bit more midrange with less snap and
    less harmonics, I might consider a mic on the
    piano from underneath the soundboard.

40
Acoustic Guitar
  • If the guitarist loves his pickup, then use a
    direct box.
  • Otherwise, aim the mic to the side of the sound
    hole in line with the fret board at about a 45
    degree angle.
  • Aim the mic basically toward the sound hole four
    to six inches in front of the instrument but keep
    in mind whether you might like more string, pick
    or hand sounds and move accordingly.
  • You can get a louder sound at the sound hole, but
    it also sounds muddy or boomy.
  • Moving the mic toward the bridge will give a
    brighter twang. Moving it toward the neck will
    give it more warmth.

41
Acoustic Guitar
  • An Omni pattern mic can give a bigger picture of
    the sound
  • You can use more than one mic. Especially if you
    there is not much other instrumentation.
  • For a sound like the guitarist hears, point mic
    over player's shoulder at the guitar body.
  • Sometimes you may want to record finger-picking
    and strumming on separate tracks. Close-mike the
    finger-picking and add distance for the
    strumming.

42
Electric Guitar
  • There are many ways to do this but I recommend
  • A Shure 57, close to the amp and pointed at the
    sweet spot of the speaker. (About half way
    between the center and the rim.)
  • For a more open sound, pull the mic back up to 10
    feet.
  • Consider adding another mic at the strings for
    string and hand noise
  • Or another mic at a distance for open sound..

43
Violin
  • Place the mic over the bridge for a bright sound
    or over the "f" holes for a mellower tone. You
    can get a more natural sound by moving the mic a
    bit away from the source.

44
Trumpet
  • Place the mic four to six feet from the bell in
    front of the horn. This works well with multiple
    trumpets. It allows the players themselves to get
    a blend and play as an ensemble.

45
Saxophone
  • The sound of the sax does not come solely from
    the bell but from the keys and the bell. For
    tenor and alto place the mic four to six inches
    above the bell pointing at the top of the upper
    ring of the bell and keys (about a 40 degree
    angle). For soprano sax the mic should be at a
    slight angle and pointing at a combination of the
    bell and the keys.

46
Drums/Kit
  • tt

47
Kick
  • The closer you place the mic to the beater the
    more snap you will get. Move the mic further out
    of the kick and the sound will become fuller.
    Inside the shell will have the best isolation
    from the other drums. Aim the mic off center for
    more tone. I like the Audix D4 on the kick.

48
Snare
  • You can use one or two mics for the snare. I
    like an Audix D1 or D2 or the SM57 for the snare.
    Aim the first mic at a 45 degree angle about
    about 2 inches from the top to the head. Closer
    to the rim for a brighter sound. The other mic
    can be placed under the snare. If you use two
    mics remember that the mics need to be phase
    reversed to avoid bass cancellation

49
Toms
  • Sennheiser 421, Audix D2 or SM57 typically place
    the mics just inches away and off center of each
    drum head

50
Cymbals/Highhat
  • Cymbals as close as possible
  • Highhat nearer the bell the tighter the sound

51
Overheads
  • 2 mics about 6 Ft apart
  • Snare in the center
  • about 20 inches over cymbals

52
Percussion
  • Tambourine should have a mic about four to six
    feet back depending on the sound of the room.
    What you're trying to go for is an ambient sound
    that gives you some space. Individual percussion
    like shakers and triangles can be miked a few
    feet back from the player.
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